What to post on social media as a coach or counsellor during COVID-19

So far, 2021 has the distinct whiff of 2020 about it.  We continue to face tight restrictions on our lives – lockdown (again), seeing very few people and working from home for many in the UK. For some, the bitter cherry on the already unpleasant-tasting cake is a return to homeschooling.  So, as a life coach or counsellor, what on earth do you post on social media to reflect all the many struggles of lockdown and COVID-19?

Of course, there is always the option to press pause on your social media. But if your business is going online – or back online – to carry out sessions via Zoom or telephone, you may be seeking new clients.  Or perhaps you want to keep your services at the forefront of your clients’ minds for when restrictions start to lift and you can see people face-to-face again.

Whatever your situation, you are likely to want to keep your social media active. But it can be tricky to know what to post on social media as a coach or counsellor during spikes in COVID-19 cases.  You are likely to have lots of curated content already scheduled to go out to ensure your social media accounts are attractive  (this explains why that’s so important for building a following).   But you’ll also be posting or tweeting your own unique content and it may feel hard to get that right, both in terms of content and tone.

You know that many of your followers will be having a tough time. And, of course, you want to show you’re supportive and empathetic. It’s in your DNA as a coach or counsellor and you have training in those skills. But you don’t want all your posts to be about how hard it is in lockdown. That’s repetitive and, to be blunt, a little depressing. After all, we’re all living it, so we know the restrictions are psychologically challenging.  Therefore, it comes down to a balancing act. Whilst acknowledging the worry, uncertainty and fear, aim to provide an antidote or temporary relief from it.

So, what does that look like in practice?

What should you post on your social media as a life coach

or counsellor during COVID-19?

Here are a few simple suggestions to consider.

We’re all in it together

• Take time to observe and share the tiny details. For example, when you’re out on walks, take photos of what you see. Perhaps that will be trees or cloud formation or icy patterns on leaves. Even pictures from your window can work – share photographs of visitors to your bird table.
• Once again, we have a renewed focus on our homes. Therefore, share yours. Have you re-arranged your workspace? If so, show it. Even if it’s the corner of a room that has become your new office, share it. And it doesn’t need to be a significant change. A new desk is share-worthy but so too is a newly tidied desk – even new pens or a plant. Anything that shows your working set-up is giving an insight into you and your business.
• Has your daily routine changed because of restrictions? If so, share what’s different, what you like and don’t like about it. And if you have any observations about how a new routine has impacted your productivity or mindset, share that.
• Throwback posts. Maybe it’s a photo from an event you attended with shout-outs to other coaches or businesses you met there. Or it could be a lunch with business owners or associates in pre-covid times. A bit of nostalgia for simpler times can be enjoyable and act as a reminder that we’ll return to those events at some point.
• Inspirational quotes that you’ve found helpful can be a valuable addition to your social media.

Sharing your expertise as a coach or counsellor

• If ever the world needed your expertise in mental wellbeing, it’s now. Use social media to share guidance and tips as a coach to help people through the COVID-19 crisis. Do you have any tips to help your followers?  Using your skills and knowledge to help others has the twin benefit of demonstrating your expertise and doing some good.
• Any practical suggestions for those who might be struggling? That might range from tips on how to get better sleep to the power of deep breathing. Or maybe it’s something to help with mindset.
• Answer the common questions that you see asked on your social media. For instance, your insight might help people who find it hard to be productive when working at home or those feeling rising levels of anxiety.
• Share articles that could be of value to your followers. It’s an easy way to help others. And if you don’t have the time to find those articles, Content Club can help you source them.
• If you have a blog, and more time because of restrictions, write some blog posts that explore our new strange reality. Or revisit some older posts and update them to reflect life now.
• Share your plans that you have for your business.  Or sound out new ideas you have for your business and invite feedback.

Be authentic

• Share how your day or week is going. Doing this gives a snapshot of your life and helps form a connection with others.
• It’s OK to share the low points – we all have them, after all – but your business’s social media isn’t the right place to explore them in great detail.  After all, you want your followers to feel supported and potentially consider hiring you. And introspection won’t further that.
• Reflect on things that you’re grateful for, even in a pandemic.
• What’s made you laugh today? Others might benefit from it too.
• You could share your story of how you’ve got to where you are in business. If ever it was appropriate to be more personal and less business on your social media, it’s now.  Being authentic is more important than ever so keeping it real on your business social media is great.
• Give careful consideration to the images you use. Stock images of smiling groups feel out of kilter with what’s going on in the world right now.  Even two people close together may jar.
• It’s worth double-checking any content scheduled to go out is still appropriate. That’s especially true if you tend to schedule some time in advance.

Light relief on social media

• Share memes or quotes or tweets that have made you laugh. Don’t do it non-stop otherwise it’ll become irritating, but it’s good to share a bit of comedy now and then.
• Engage with your followers on lighthearted topics. Ask a question to get them to share their own experiences or photos. Perhaps that will be pet photos or even something as every day as their favourite mug. Share yours and ask others to do the same. Or ask followers to share the worst careers advice they’ve ever received or the weirdest question that others have asked about their job.

All of these suggestions give insight into your experiences of our shared circumstances. It offers a sense that we’re all in it together. By sharing your efforts to find a way through difficult times will help your followers build a stronger connection with you.

Do you have suggestions to share? Leave them in the comments. 🙂

 

Main photo by AndrewLozovyi from depositphotos.com

 

Need more help with your social media? Take a look at my bespoke services or Sixty Second Social

Sixty Second Social is tailor-made for coaches, counsellors, psychotherapists, and anyone working in the mental health sphere. It provides you with fresh content, curated from around the globe, each month. From £27 per month, you get links to relevant articles, together with the ready-written posts. All you have to do is upload it. In under 30 minutes each month – or 60 seconds a day, hence the name – you’ll schedule content on your social media accounts for the month ahead.  Or, if you prefer, I can do it for you, saving you even more time. Yay!