In times of information overload and attention deficits, reaching the desired reader with content, such as a potential client, has become particularly difficult. Many people feel overstimulated and carefully select the content to which they will devote their attention. That is why it is so important to create content that takes into account the needs of individual styles.
What content does Style S search for on the internet?
S – the most social style among all DISC styles. This style cares most about the respect and acceptance of others. S searches the internet for substantive content, but not infrequently gets carried away by side topics and strays to low-value content – for example, gossip.
So-called clickbait titles also affect S – strong, attention-grabbing article titles, often hiding low-quality content. Disappointed by such content, S promises himself that he will never fall for something like that again and... unfortunately, after some time, he clicks on a clickbait again.
A weakness of S is their naivety, which is exploited not only by heartless clickbait creators but also by real online scammers. Sensitive and always ready to help, S might be moved, for example, by photos of babies with IV drips and emaciated hands – a common sight on the internet not too long ago. They would send money online to support a child who often didn't even exist. Alternatively, if they didn't have enough money of their own (S often don't, or live paycheck to paycheck), they would share a touching post or picture, meaning they would repost it on their social media profiles or send it to friends. A person I know, with an almost extreme intensity of S traits, has a Facebook profile composed almost entirely of such posts sharing others' misfortunes.
Where does this come from? S is a very sensitive and empathetic person. At the same time, this is not entirely selfless empathy – S wants to show how good, noble, empathetic, and sensitive a person they are. This is very important to S. S wants to be perceived as a person of dialogue, conflict-free, good, and noble. In conflicts – including online ones – S either doesn't participate at all or speaks in such a diplomatic way that it's often hard to understand what they mean...
S is a very good recipient of online content. He likes to read, reads a lot, and often across many different fields. This reading doesn't directly translate into his purchasing decisions – S needs to think through each decision thoroughly. However, once he makes a decision, he will defend it like Kmicic defended Częstochowa. .
S likes to feel taken care of. He likes to feel that the content creator is specifically addressing his problem. Online, he will avoid unpleasant, controversial, exaggerated, or uncomfortable content. He will also try to stay away from content containing profanity and vloggers who use it. Of course, S will never inform the author of such content that something bothers him; he will simply stop being a recipient.
S will rather regularly open upcoming emails. He will also like content he deems worthy of it, but he will be quite sparing in his use of these online expressions of approval. Why? It's a bit complicated and relates to another of S's traits. This particular style really likes planning and predictability. He likes to be prepared for upcoming events. Of course, not all events can be predicted, and we don't have influence over everything. So, S creates his own scenarios (most often pessimistic ones) regarding the future course of events. For example, upon returning to work from sick leave, he imagines that his boss will soon call him in for a meeting where he will be handed his notice because he was on sick leave for a week.
Thinking about this imaginary conversation can torment him all night, leading him to work sleep-deprived and in worse condition. Such a conversation, of course, doesn't happen, so S concocts another worst-case scenario, this time concerning his poor health (lack of sleep), which he believes certainly hasn't escaped his boss's notice. Combined with the previously mentioned sick leave, it will serve as grounds for the boss to initiate a conversation that will end with him being handed his termination notice. And so on, and so on, S can mentally exhaust himself with these kinds of „predictions.” Even the fact that these scenarios don't come true doesn't give S a reason not to worry.
This mechanism also translates to online behavior. Most people exhibiting this style are quite reserved in their online activity. Humble S types often don't post their own content or photos on their social media profiles, settling for sharing others' posts. They often don't have a profile picture either. Because they can't stand being judged, don't want to be controversial, and are practically terrified of negative online comments, they rarely post content representing a specific stance on an issue. Often, S types don't have social media profiles at all. As one mother of the S type, who became a mother for the first time after forty, explained, she doesn't want to create social media accounts because she would have to post pictures of her child and information about her life, and if she didn't post something, someone would get offended (? I didn't understand that either). Plus, if she posted a picture of herself and her child, someone would immediately ask if she was the child's mother or grandmother...
How does this relate to liking posts? Well, another S directly told his good friend that he wouldn't be liking his posts. This is because other internet users would see that he's always liking his friend's posts and would conclude that he's liking them out of collegiality, out of affection, and not because they are valuable. From D and I's perspective, this kind of thinking borders on paranoia. But for S, it's quite rational.
S has a very specific style. He can lead a rich social life (he is very nice, polite, talks little, listens a lot, so he is generally liked and often invited to various gatherings), but often this social life is in fact really „being social.” S doesn't refuse invitations for a simple reason – fear of becoming the subject of gossip and unpleasant comments (what will they think, what will they say about me). Consequently, S experiences the most within his own head – that's where scenarios of situations are created, which, in S's opinion, could potentially happen if he took a certain action. However, because they carry some risk, these scenarios are mostly bleak, and S takes no action, hoping that this way he will completely eliminate the risk of failure or stressful events from his life. Unfortunately, life doesn't work that way...
The height of madness might be browsing an online store, filling a virtual shopping cart with dream products, and then, before proceeding to the „payment” option, significantly „abandoning the cart” by, for example, turning off the computer...
Focused on their inner world, S eagerly awaits others' opinions like a thirsty man awaiting rain before making a purchase decision themselves. The opinions of other customers are crucial for them when deciding to buy. By ensuring product quality based on others' reviews, they, in their own opinion, minimize risk.
