This is a personal post about why I choose to focus on digital marketing through long-form content marketing vs. solely on social media
I do want to mention that I do have social media, I use Instagram and I do get clients from there. However, it’s not where I focus my energy when it comes to digital marketing! I prefer to show up online in a way that feels good and aligned with who I am as an introvert. I have times I enjoy showing up on Instagram and other times when I delete it off of my phone for months at a time!
Because of that I don’t rely on social media to generate leads for my business. I have tried it before but I inevitably get burnt out and need to take a break. This happened over and over which made me realize there has to be a better way for someone like me; an introvert who doesn’t want to show up daily. I don’t want to follow trends and make silly dancing videos to grow my business.
Now I focus on long-form content marketing, specifically blogging to attract my ideal clients. This feels good to my nervous system and I know I am attracting the right clients!
If social media feels like a chore rather than a way you enjoy connecting with your audience, then this post is for you!
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The real reason I don’t focus on social media marketing
I quickly touched on this in the intro but I have had my ups and downs with social media. When I launched my business I always knew I wanted to use Blogging as a marketing strategy. However, I am a millennial and I do use IG daily! I would see other people success on Instagram and they would talk about how they used Instagram to grow an insanely successful business; specifically the earn $10k months trend. I wanted those results and I was new in business. And the way I saw it was if they can do it, so can I. I still believe that’s not wrong but what I didn’t realize was how much time you spend on marketing as a solo-preneur. And if you don’t enjoy the way you market your business it will really affect your day to day life.
If you are doing all of your own marketing then you know how much work goes into it. This is why I believe the marketing strategy you choose has to feel aligned. And social media marketing just wasn’t aligned for me. I would be able to keep up with the extroverts showing up daily for a few months. Then I would burn out for even longer just for the cycle to start again.
The worst part was that because I would get so burnt out from showing up on socials, I wouldn’t want to do anything else! I would stop blogging, pinning on Pinterest or anything else I enjoyed doing in business. I would secretly not even want to book clients because I would feel so drained!
This is when I realized there has to be another way that is right for me!
There are a few misconceptions about social media which I believed for a long time
Like I mentioned before I do use Instagram for marketing, I just don’t rely on it as my sole marketing strategy. And I only use it when it feels good and if I notice I’m starting to feel drained or falling into a comparison trap I take a step back. I have been known to delete IG off my phone for months at a time!
When I take time away from social media, I realized it doesn’t affect my business as much as I thought! Maybe this is because I already don’t use it as much as other people do when it’s their main marketing strategy. But the posts that I make are always relevant. I’m showcasing my client work or sharing tips about websites and SEO. So when someone does land on my profile they can still connect with me! I’ll log in every few days to check my messages to make sure I’m not missing anything without scrolling!
The biggest misconception about social media marketing is that it’s the only way to market only. Or that you have to be on social media in order to have a successful business. This is not true, there are many people with extremely successful businesses without using social media!
Social media is just one way to market online, there are many more that you can choose to do instead!
Digital marketing strategies I focus on instead of Social Media
- Blogging
- Email marketing
- Referrals and relationships
Blogging for long-term growth
Because I am an introvert and my energy is limited I choose to blog to attract clients. Not only is it a great way to increase lead generation; it provides long-term results. That’s right, your blog post will continue to perform for years to come. Unlike Instagram or TikTok where your posts die within 48 hours.
I prefer to spend my time and energy writing content that will have a greater ROI (Return on Investment). And furthermore, it supports my introverted lifestyle! I can sit with a cup of coffee, cozy up on my couch and write a blog post without having to do my hair and make up! Or interact with people for that matter! And when I do interact with people it’s because they’ve come into my community through my content. Meaning they’re aligned clients!
I repurpose every blog post into 10-15 Pinterest Pins! Pinterest is another introvert friendly platform where you can create content without having to physically show up. It’s also a really good way to drive more traffic to your blog and website!
Blogging can take quite a bit of time to start bringing in traffic to your website. Like 6-12 months! Which yes it seems like a long time, but in the grand scheme of things it’s not that long. If you’re planning on running your business for 10-20 years then what’s one year?
But when you add in Pinterest marketing you can start to increase your website traffic even faster. Pinterest allows you to link out to web pages and blog posts. So if you wrote a blog post you can create a pin that links directly out to that blog. It’s a really great way to continue marketing as an introvert and grow your organic traffic (aka generate more leads!).
I use Email marketing to capture and nurture those leads
After you’ve done all this work to get people onto your blog and website; you want to make sure you’re capturing those leads! There should be a way to continue to connect with them and share more blog posts or sell your offers. This is through email marketing!
I would rather sit and write an email to my community of people who are actually interested in what I do than dance on socials! When someone is on your email list it’s a really intimate community! You can share personal stories, valuable content, and sell your offers.
Referrals and relationships with past clients or other entrepreneurs
I don’t focus a whole lot on building referral programs. But over time I have built some really great relationships with my past clients and other female business owners I’ve met online! These are people who know me and my work. So when they refer me to someone that client is already coming in with a lot of trust.
If you want to know how you can start to network as an introvert; here’s a blog post just for you! Tips For Introvert Networking: How To Make Connections Online
A little encouragement if you’re an introvert entrepreneur who doesn’t want to rely on social media
I just want you to know that you do not have to do things like anyone else! Find the marketing strategy that works best for you and really stick to it! The thing that’s going to make the biggest difference when it comes to marketing is consistency. So whatever you choose to do and wherever you choose to show up; just stick to it! Not for a few months but for like a year! It really does take time to figure out what works for you and to build that trust with your audience.
You don’t have to be anyone else, just be yourself! Show up in a way that feels authentic and aligned. And remember, you do not need to become an influencer in order to have a successful business online!
If you are ready to get started with an SEO optimized business and Blogging for business growth; book a free consultation. I would love to help you build out your introvert friendly marketing strategy!
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