How to NOT be Cringe on Social Media? - Episode 48

Welcome back to SMM - the newsletter that supports your social media growth, one week at a time.

Today’s topic is all about:

How to NOT be Cringe when starting on Social Media…

I feel like a lot of people could do with seeing this! :-)

But in all seriousness, the fear of being cringe, is one of the main reasons why most people would never even dream of posting on social media.

So let’s talk through some of the main ways to not come across ‘cringe’, or how you can change your mindset around the subject.

Firstly, how to limit your chances of coming across as cringe:

• Be confident on camera (fake it till you make it)

• Don’t ‘view chase’ (i’ll explain this in a moment)

• Don’t try to be anyone other than yourself

• Don’t oversell in every post

• Stop caring so much

These are all instant ways to reduce your level of cringe.

Let me explain each one slightly further:

1️⃣ Be Confident (But Not Performative)

If you speak clearly and with intent, people will assume you know what you’re doing.

Confidence is perceived before it’s proven.

That doesn’t mean being loud or exaggerated. It means being calm, direct, and certain in what you’re saying.

Most cringe comes from trying too hard - not from being too simple.

2️⃣ Don’t View-Chase

View chasing is when someone over-amplifies their personality just to grab attention.

They see someone being energetic or dramatic and think, “I’ll just do it even more.”

That’s when it starts to feel forced.

Attention earned through authenticity lasts, but attention earned through exaggeration rarely does.

3️⃣ Don’t Be a Tribute Act

When I started, I was basically a poor version of Steven Bartlett - and it showed.

If you try to copy someone else’s tone, energy, or style, people can feel it instantly.

You don’t need to reinvent content formats - but your delivery has to be yours.

Otherwise, it feels like an impression, not a person.

4️⃣ Stop Overselling

Sell, sell, sell doesn’t work on social media.

Trust makes people buy.

If every post feels like a pitch, people switch off, but if you consistently provide value, insight, or entertainment, sales become a byproduct.

Authority whispers. It doesn’t shout.

5️⃣ Stop Caring So Much

This sounds contradictory, but it’s important.

If you overanalyse every word, every camera angle, every comment - you’ll become stiff and unnatural.

Care deeply about your growth, and about your craft.

But don’t care deeply about whether someone from school thinks your video is cringe.

That’s irrelevant.

So that is how to not come across as cringe on social media!

But I do just have one more thing to touch on…

Your mindset.

If you don’t give power to other people’s opinions, you become free to experiment.

Unless you’re doing something unethical or harmful, most outside opinions don’t matter.

And here’s the truth:

If you don’t look back at your old content and cringe a little - you probably haven’t grown.

Cringe is proof of development - it means you’ve evolved.

Make sure to subscribe, and remember - “The moment you stop chasing approval is the moment you start making progress.”

- Jacob

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