There isn’t a day that goes by where I don’t see “link in bio” at least once in someone’s Instagram caption. Our Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook feeds are filled with links, promotions, and content. Some tend to find this very annoying, and it can be at times. But it’s also so important that users take part in self-promotion over social media.

First off, your social media is your life to the outside world—specifically potential employers that are looking to see what kind of person you are in the online space. While everyone tells you that it’s important to be mindful of what you post, it’s also important to utilize self-promotion. This may seem self-centered or narcissistic, but how will others know about your work if you’re not putting it out there? Promoting articles, blog posts, collaborations, etc. via Instagram and Facebook is how I drive traffic to these pieces of content. People would have to find my content organically without social media. This is difficult to do when you have a small following in a space filled with content.

This self-promotion also shows that you are proud of your work. It’s a kind of digital confidence. Knowing that there’s a bigger audience to share my work with keeps me focused on perfecting everything I put out there. Even if I’m not directly promoting a piece, people can still find my work through the websites I produce for, so that means everything has to be the best it can be.

How to Shamelessly Self-Promote

To create the perfect self-promotional post, it’s important to be very selective in your photo choice. What image is the most interesting or relatable to your audience and story? If they like the photo, chances are they’re more likely to click on your link. After choosing your winning image, create a concise caption that encapsulates your content in a sentence or two. Hashtags are helpful to reach people outside of your followers—consider adding these in a comment instead of the main caption. This keeps your main post clean and free of distraction.

Pick a time of day when most people will be scrolling through social media. Early morning, lunchtime, and the evening always seem to garner the most attention. If this is a piece of work that you want a lot of people to see, try promoting it a few times over the span of a week. Be sure to change up your photo and caption so your feed isn’t filled with the same content.

Now, go ahead and start self-promoting. You never know who will see your work next and like it, like a potential employer.

So how do you self-promote on social media? Let us know in the comments below!