I think that one thing all of us humans can relate on is that we want to feel heard and feel seen.Today's topic is centered around human connection but more specifically how to use this form of connection as a means of growing your business on social media. If there is one thing that I’ve learned while growing a business on social media it’s that realness is rare. And I think it’s slowly becoming more common now, as people and as businesses and brands learn that it’s an effective form of marketing. But I think there are still quite a few businesses out there who are afraid to just be real.If we think about people and how we naturally operate, both as a human and as a consumer, we don’t just crave realness but we crave connection. And the reason we crave realness is because it gives us a means to connect and relate. How does one go about engaging more authentically on social media? I’m going to share with you 5 tips that are straight from my own social media approach. Tip #1: SHOW UP AS YOU AREThe first step in creating an authentic presence on social media is to show up as you are. If your followers and customers are going to experience this human connection, there needs to be a human on the other end for them to connect with. Showing up in person and being open on social media will allow you to deepen the connection with your audience, by inviting them  to start conversations and to feel a part of your brand story.Tip #2: BE HOSPITABLEAnother strategy I use in my approach when engaging on social media is to think about it from a place of being hospitable. I think when you walk into a business, something that really makes a good impression and leaves an impact is when there is a sense of hospitality. I try to imagine my social media page as a physical place where people will come to experience my brand. How do I do this on an instagram page? I can’t literally greet someone and smile at them, obviously. But I can create a sense of welcome in the feel of the page - through my use of the features that are available to me in the app. To think that your social media account can not just be beautiful but be useful to a follower or potential customer. That it could provide value to them. That is making the most of social media as a marketing platform.Tip #3:  ACKNOWLEDGE EVERY FOLLOWERI think this should go without me saying, but if you’re thinking of your social media profile as a place where you host your followers and you’re inviting them into this space, it’s so important that you acknowledge your followers. The most obvious way to do this reply to each and every comment you receive. If you are at a beginner level in engaging with your audience on social media, at a minimum level, you should be replying to every single comment and DM. Rather than just liking the comment, take the extra step to comment back. By acknowledging each follower, and especially the ones who are going out of their way to like, comment, or engage with your content in some other way, it’s a way of thanking them and letting them know you appreciate them for showing interest in your brand. And that appreciation goes a long way. Tip #4: RELATERelating to your audience is something that requires a sense of humanity. It requires compassion, kindness, listening and caring. Those are things that leave people feeling good. Relating to your audience makes them feel heard and seen. Because that is so rare in today’s fast and busy culture, where the majority of the human race is focused on themselves alone, that is something that can be extremely powerful, because if you can create a memorable interaction with a member of your audience, they are much more likely to remembe