The internet is a big place. Sometimes we forget this when we’re on it, because most people spend our time on small, carefully-chosen areas of the internet that suit our needs. While we interact with a larger number of people online than in physical space, those interactions are usually fairly consistent, with the same people day in and day out.
The thing that makes the internet attractive to creative people is that it’s technically possible to get our work out to millions of people, if we manage to find a way of reaching them. While anyone can technically visit any website (barring work, parental or governmental restrictions), the web is so vast that it’s usually the case that our reach extends not much farther than the select few we interact with ourselves, and then only a subset of those people.
The true power of online sharing comes when the people in your network share with the people in their network. While there’s generally a significant overlap between you and the people in your group, if sharing continues from members of one group to another, the reach of direct shares on social media sites, in email, and in mentions on other sites can expand the potential audience far beyond our limited network and to those who may be interested in viewing, promoting, and buying our work.
Strangely, convincing others to do something that’s free and takes a minimal amount of effort can be daunting. While average social media users will share memes and photos, sharing our creative work tends to be something we have to ask for over and over again to get even a fraction of the attention that work created by ad agencies or movie companies will get. Asking our social networks to share our work is somehow considered impolite, as is often the case with self-promotion.
One of the ways we can overcome this hurdle is to encourage a culture of sharing among our creative connections online. While “tit for tat” (sub4sub, like4like, share4share) isn’t effective and can create a toxic environment for all involved, modeling the behavior we’d like to see in those connected with us is something that can help spread the word about how important the simple act of sharing can be to those of us trying to get our work noticed.
Spend some time letting your social connections know about work beyond that you’ve made yourself, and this can help others realize that your work is worth sharing, as well.
