Using Social Media to your Advantage
Your social presence matters, in more ways than one.
Obviously, it’s one of the most accessible ways to increase exposure. It also means that everyone can see you. All the time.
According to job site Monster: “A recent study by the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) found that 84% of employers recruit via social media and 43% of employers screen job candidates through social networks and search engines.” And this goes for pageants too. As a past judge, I can contest that our judging panel looked up contestants. Judges and committees want a girl with a positive presence and who makes smart choices. You can really tell who a person is by what they’re posting.
There are also other valuable reasons why social media is important for pageants:
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• When a future title holder has a strong social media presence, they can promote the organization and their mission to a wider audience.
• With a strong social presence, pageants have an opportunity to gain new followers, new contestants, and sponsors. It also gives a new outlet for sponsor deliverables. For example, a title holder/contestant can promise a sponsor post.
• Social media is a resume. A title holder can use their past experiences as an example of their past achievements and duties. It’s another way to showcase what you can do for a future employer or future title.
Tips for social media:
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• If it’s not appropriate for your grandma to see, don’t post it. It’s just a good rule of thumb and a personal gut check.
• Think of yourself as a business. You are creating your own personal brand by what you post. Your content. Your look. All of it. Before publishing any piece of content on any social media platform, ask yourself, “What is the purpose of this post?”
• Interact like the lovely person you are! Use comments and emoji’s that go through your personal check. Think, could someone take this wrong if I posted it? Engage with other businesses and brands that align with your missions. You never know what could come out of it!
• Be You. There’s nobody like you out there, so embrace it! Make creative content that people will want to see. Think about how you can make a seemingly boring posts more interactive.
I can tell you that no matter what you hear, your posts will be out there forever. So, all in all, just be smart and have fun with it!
Katie Stien
Katie Stien is a wife, mom of two boys, meeting expert, pig show regular and cowboy boot aficionado. She is also a past title holder, pageant coordinator of more than 12 years, an agriculture advocate and enjoys helping youth be the best versions of themselves. Through Katie’s professional and personal career, she saw a need to connect those in the industry; hence how Queen Connection was born.