TheSoundofSilence:TheStoryofaPostwithNoResponses
Haveyoueverpostedsomethingonsocialmediaoronlineforum,onlytohaveitmetwithsilence?Nolikes,nocomments,notevenasimpleacknowledgmentthatsomeonehasseenyourpost.
ExperiencingtheSilence
Itcanbeadishearteningfeeling,especiallyifyouputeffortintocraftingyourpost,expressingyourthoughtsandemotions,orseekinghelporadvicefromothers.Youmaystarttodoubtyourself,wonderingifyourpostwasnotgoodenough,ifyousaidsomethingoffensiveorcontroversial,orifthecommunityyoureachedouttoissimplynotinterestedortoobusytorespond.
Whatmakesthesilenceevenmorefrustratingisthefactthatweliveinanagewhereweareconstantlyconnectedandbombardedwithinformation.Weareusedtogettinginstantfeedback,validation,andengagement.Wemeasureouronlineworthbythenumberoflikesandfollowers,andwefeelasenseofaccomplishmentwhenourpostsgoviralorattractattention.
SeekingtheReasons
Sowhydosomepostsgetignored,andwhatcanwedoaboutit?
Thereareseveralfactorsthatmaycontributetothelackofresponses,suchas:
- Thetimingandvisibilityofthepost:Ifyoupostatatimewhenmostofyouraudienceisofflineorbusy,orifyourpostgetsburiedunderamultitudeofotherposts,itmaynotgetnoticedorseenbymanypeople.
- Therelevanceandappealofthepost:Ifyourpostistoogeneric,vague,oruninteresting,orifitdoesnotresonatewiththevalues,beliefs,orinterestsofyouraudience,itmaynotgeneratemuchengagementordiscussion.
- Thetoneandstyleofthepost:Ifyourpostcomesacrossastooaggressive,defensive,orconfrontational,orifitlacksclarity,coherence,orempathy,itmayturnofforconfuseyouraudience,anddiscouragethemfromresponding.
- Thequalityandcredibilityoftheauthor:Ifyouareperceivedassomeonewhohaslittleexpertise,authority,orcredibilityonthetopicyouarepostingabout,orifyouhaveahistoryoftrolling,spamming,orbeingdisrespectfulorabusive,yourpostmaybeignoredorevenreported.
MovingForward
Whileyoucannotcontroleverythingthataffectstheresponsestoyourposts,youcantakesomestepstoimproveyourchancesofgettingnoticedandengaged:
- Bestrategic:Consideryourgoals,youraudience,andyourmessage,andplanyourpostaccordingly.Usevisuals,hashtags,orothertrickstomakeyourpostmoreappealingandsearchable.
- Berelevant:Choosetopicsthatmattertoyouraudience,andtailoryourlanguage,examples,andtonetotheirpreferencesandexpectations.Askquestions,inviteopinions,oroffervaluetoencourageparticipation.
- Beclearandconcise:Useheadings,bullets,orparagraphstobreakdownyourpostintodigestiblechunks,andmakeyourpointeasytounderstandandfollow.Avoidjargon,acronyms,orlongsentencesthatmayconfuseorboreyouraudience.
- Beauthenticandrespectful:Speakfromyourownexperience,andshowempathyandunderstandingtowardsothers'perspectives.Avoidattackingorbelittlingothers,orspreadingfalseormisleadinginformation.
Rememberthatgettingnoresponsestoyourpostdoesnotnecessarilymeanthatitwasafailureorthatyouareabadwriterorcommunicator.Itmaysimplymeanthatyouneedtotweakyourapproach,youraudience,oryourexpectations,andtryagainuntilyoufindyourvoiceandyouraudience.
