Bring your [I]nterests online to be a real person

Now that you’ve gone deep with your Principles, it’s time to get light with Interests. This is where you show the audience that you’re a real person and not just pixels on a screen. It’s an opportunity for you to give them something to connect with beyond what you do for work. 

For example, I never used to pay attention to Twitter profiles that said “Dad to [X]” or “Mom to [Y].” But since I became a dad myself, I notice other parents right off the bat and I know that’s an immediate way we can connect up front. 

Here are some questions to help you figure out what your Interests are:

• What do I like?

• What media do I consume in my free time? TV? Books? TikTok?

• What’s the one thing I always find time in the week for, no matter how busy I am? 

• What am I learning about right now?

• What’s something I do that other people might admire? 

Since I did this process myself, here are my Interests:

• I like: Spending time with my family. Really and truly. 

• I always find time for: Running. I run at least once a week. It’s an important time of meditation and reflection. 

• I’m learning about: Business. I went to Babson College, which is a school that focuses on entrepreneurship. 

• Others might admire how I: Share. I’m highly motivated to share what I’ve learned about business. Helping others by sharing my failures and the lessons I’ve learned is gratifying.

Exercise: Uncover your Interests

By revealing your Interests on Twitter, you can show the world that you’re a real person and not some bot. Plus, you may link up with like-minded users who could be future clients! Read over the following questions and write down responses to each of them.  

• What do I like?

• What media do I consume in my free time? TV? Books? TikTok?

• What’s the one thing I always find time in the week for, no matter how busy I am? 

• What am I learning about right now?

• What’s something I do that other people might admire? 

Once you’ve come up with your responses, highlight the key Interest in each of your responses.

What did we learn?

What is an Interest?

Why is it important to include Interests in your Twitter profile?

What are two of your Interests?