How To Make a Winning First Impression Online

January 04, 2021, By Manoj

First Impressions stick with us - for better or for worse. And in an online world, they can be happening when you least expect it! In less than a second, people you encounter will have labelled, judged and filled you away in their memory banks of first impressions, good or bad. There's evidence suggesting that even before the brain registers gender, it has deduced likability.

First impressions are fleetingly capricious in the digital world and social media is a playground for instant judgments and speedy fingers. Once first impressions are made, they are very hard to change even when people are presented with facts that disprove their first impression. On social media, people probably give you even less time to make an impact than they would if you were meeting in person. You need to strike a positive chord and fast.

Here are 7 strategies to help you nail your first impression on social media and turn your readers into your fan base and potential customers.

Establish Trust First:

You definitely do not want to turn people off by trying to sell them something before you establish a 'trusting' relationship with them. It helps to think about using the 80/20 rule - 80% of the time you should be sharing non-promotional conversation and content that is interesting, intriguing, fun and inspiring. The other 20% of the time can be allocated to promoting your brand and what you offer that no one else does.

Know who you’re trying to Impress:

It’s hard to make a good impression on someone when you know zero about them. So the first step for making a great first impression: know who you’re impressing. Start by asking yourself some questions about your target audience: Who are they? What do they want from you? How do they communicate? What are their expectations? Once you know what’s important to your audience, you’ll know what it takes to wow them.

Check Everything:

Double check your spelling, names, information, sources, images, punchlines - With @appgrammarly.com and Google at your disposal, there is no excuse to spell someone’s name incorrectly. Always give credit to other contributors and photo images you use.

Show your Authenticity:

Social media can represent your brand, personified! Always remember to put your brand’s best foot forward – use strong content, great visuals and hide any mess in the background. The advantage of branding yourself online is that you have time to construct and refine your messaging so that you can position yourself in the way that you really want to be seen

Be Positive:

Don't use foul or negative language and don't complain via your online networks. It's not a good look and it definitely will not make for a good first impression. Remember, your potential clients could be (and probably are) reading what you post and tweet. Keep your posts professional, clean and reflect your core values.

Be Consistent:

When a new user hits your account for the first time, it should look like it has been carefully structured and meticulously produced. Consistency is an important piece of the branding equation, so for maximum impact keep your messages focused and ensure all of your fonts, colours, photo filters and image styles are aligned.

Reward Your Followers:

Give your audience a reward for their interest in you. Think about ways you can impress them with some extra value. Educate them, entertain them and touch them emotionally. Inspiration, freebies, knowledge. And above all else don't forget to thank everyone for their support!

When it comes to social media platforms, you get what you give. Ultimately, nothing pays off like putting in the time and effort to create genuine, educational and helpful posts for Even when you're starting small, don't be discouraged by slow growth. If you persevere, you will succeed.