So you decided to start sharing more of your life on social media. Maybe you created an Instagram account to post photos of your latest adventures or a YouTube channel to share your creative works with the world. Whatever platform you chose, putting yourself out there on social media can be an exciting and rewarding experience, but it also comes with its fair share of challenges. My name is Galen, and over the past few years, I’ve learned a lot about building an engaged social media following. From gaining my first 100 followers to now having over 50,000 fans and friends across platforms, it’s been a wild ride. In this article, I want to share my journey with you – the highs, the lows, the lessons learned, and everything in between. Social media has transformed how we connect, share information, and even run businesses. If you’re just getting started, the possibilities can seem endless. But with the right mindset and strategy, you too can build a thriving community and unlock new opportunities through the power of social media. So strap in, this is the story of how I built my social media platform from the ground up.
Who Is Galenmetzger1? My Origins on Social Media
If you’re active on social media, chances are you’ve come across the handle Galenmetzger1. Galen Metzger, the man behind the username, joined Instagram and Twitter in October 2019 and has since gained over 13,000 followers through sharing his expertise and experiences as an entrepreneur in the tech industry.
Who Is Galen Metzger?
Galen Metzger is a serial entrepreneur based in San Francisco. He started his first company, a marketing agency, at only 22 years old. After growing and exiting that company, Galen went on to found two successful SaaS startups. His passion for building businesses and helping other entrepreneurs succeed is what led him to become an influencer.
Galen’s posts provide valuable insights into entrepreneurship, marketing, and personal development. He shares both wins and losses from his own companies in a relatable way. His messages of perseverance and continuous self-improvement have resonated with many.
Outside of work, Galen enjoys travel, reading, and spending time with family. He aims to live a balanced life and often shares photos from his adventures on social media. His relatable personality and lifestyle, combined with his business knowledge, have allowed him to build an engaged community.
Galen believes social media can be leveraged to spread positivity and empower others. His posts reflect this outlook through actionable advice and an encouraging tone. If you’re looking to learn from a seasoned entrepreneur, connect with like-minded individuals, or simply gain motivation, give Galenmetzger1 a follow. You won’t regret it.
The Early Days: Finding My Voice and Building My Platform
Finding your voice on social media is critical but it takes time. When I first started using LinkedIn, I wasn’t really sure how much I should share or what my “voice” was. I began by posting updates about my work and sharing content I found valuable.
- Post about your experiences. Share what you’ve gone through, challenges you’ve faced, and lessons you’ve learned. Talk about pivotal moments in your career and what they taught you.
- Share your insights and opinions. Once you get comfortable, start offering your take on trending topics, news in your industry, or issues you care about. Express your views in a thoughtful, constructive way.
Over time, as I gained more confidence and received positive feedback, my posts became more personal. I opened up about my values, passions, and the causes I support. I found that being authentic really resonated with my connections.
When you tap into the power of vulnerability and share from the heart, you build deeper relationships and establish trust. Finding my voice was a journey that started slowly but gained momentum. Now, being fully transparent on LinkedIn is second nature. If you keep practicing, stay consistent, and push your limits, you’ll get there too.
Owning your voice, sharing your truth, and using your platform to spread positivity – that’s what social media is all about. It may feel uncomfortable at first, but lean into the discomfort. The rewards of connecting on a deeper level and growing an engaged following are well worth it. Keep putting yourself out there – you’ve got this!
Going Viral: My Breakout Moments on Social Media
Going viral on social media is an increasingly common phenomenon these days. For me, it started with a few unexpected moments that resonated with viewers and spread like wildfire.
My First Viral YouTube Video
In 2017, I posted a video with some bloopers and behind-the-scenes footage from filming my web series. Little did I know, one short clip of me slipping and falling in a pond would get millions of views and shares overnight! The next morning, my YouTube notifications were blowing up. Friends were messaging me asking if I saw that my video “went viral.” I was shocked. Something so unplanned and unscripted spread so far and wide. The power of social media virality was real.
Appearing on Jimmy Fallon
Another pivotal moment was getting invited to appear on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon in 2019. Jimmy had seen my viral pond slip video and thought his audience would get a kick out of it too. Being on the show was a surreal experience, and of course, the clip of my interview went viral as well, exposing me to an even bigger audience.
###Going Viral on TikTok
Most recently, a TikTok video I made went viral, gaining over 50 million views in a matter of weeks. The 15-second video of me attempting a crazy internet challenge while everything goes hilariously wrong clearly resonated with the TikTok community. The virality of that one TikTok video has led to many new opportunities and allowed me to connect with fans from all over the world.
While going viral is often unplanned and unexpected, capturing authentic moments that make people smile, laugh or feel inspired is key. I’ve been lucky enough to have a few of those moments spread on social media, changing the trajectory of my journey as a creator. The power of virality and social media to connect people across the globe never ceases to amaze me.
Connecting With My Audience: Creating Engaging Content
Connecting with your audience and creating content they genuinely care about is key to building an engaged following. The more you interact with and spotlight your fans, the more loyal they become. Here are some tips for connecting with your audience through engaging content:
Address their interests
Think about why your audience follows you and what they hope to gain or learn from your content. Create posts, stories, and videos around those topics. For example, if fitness and healthy living are important to them, share nutrition tips, workout ideas, or behind-the-scenes clips from your own routine.
Include interactive elements
Pose questions in your captions and stories to spark discussion, run polls to gather opinions, and host Q&As to connect directly. When people engage with your content, be sure to like their comments, reply, and repost the best responses. Engagement breeds more engagement.
Share your journey
Don’t just post polished, curated content. Share authentic glimpses into your real life too. Short stories or IGTV videos giving viewers a look inside your daily routine, your creative process, your wins and losses, or a day in your life are highly engaging. People follow influencers because they feel connected to them, so make that personal connection.
Collaborate with others
Collaborating with other influencers in your niche is a great way to tap into new audiences, bring your followers fresh content, and strengthen connections within your community. Cross-promote each other’s accounts, create content together like dual interviews or YouTube collaborations, and engage with each other’s followers. Collaboration leads to growth for all parties involved.
Call followers to action
End your posts, stories or videos with a call to action to drive engagement. Ask people to like, comment, save or share your content. Run a contest or giveaway. Offer a discount code or promotion. Host a livestream or in-person meetup. Calls to action give your audience ways to actively participate, which strengthens their connection to you. The more you engage them, the more they’ll engage with you in return.
What’s Next? My Vision for the Future on Social Media
The future of social media is bright, in my view, but it will likely look quite different than it does today. Here are a few of my predictions:
Authenticity will be key.
People will value real connections and authenticity over curated images. Raw, unfiltered posts that give a glimpse into someone’s actual life and personality will be more engaging. Influencers and brands that come across as inauthentic will struggle.
Interest-based communities will thrive.
As people look to connect over shared interests and passions, niche communities focused on hobbies, fandoms, or causes will blossom. These tight-knit groups will form around everything from gardening to gaming to social activism. People will build real friendships and relationships within these communities.
Privacy and security will matter more.
After various data breaches and privacy concerns, people will be warier of what they share on social media and more selective in who sees their information. Encrypted messaging, ephemeral stories, and other features that provide more control over privacy will be in high demand. The platforms that make user privacy and data security a priority will build the most trust.
While social media will likely always be an element of daily life for many, I believe people will be more thoughtful and intentional in how they engage with it in the coming years. If the platforms and influencers also adapt to focus on authenticity, community, and privacy, social media can continue to connect and inspire us in meaningful ways. But if not, people may drift away from the curated versions of reality that have come to dominate many social feeds today in search of something more genuine. The future remains unwritten, but I’m hopeful we’re moving in the right direction.
Conclusion
So there you have it – a little glimpse into my social media journey over the last decade. It’s been an interesting ride, full of ups and downs, connections made and lost. But through it all, social media has given me a platform to share my experiences, learn new things, and stay in touch with friends near and far. While the platforms and tools may change, the core reasons I use social media remain the same. Here’s to the next 10 years of sharing, learning, and staying connected with all of you. My social media adventure continues!