TL;DR (Overview)
In this article you’ll learn:
- Why I believed I couldn’t run my business without social media and how that fear played out.
- What shifted in my mindset and the exact changes I made to build a business without relying on social platforms.
- A step-by-step plan you can follow to grow your own business without social media as your main marketing system.
- How to use SEO, content, referrals, and email to build traction for a business without social media.
Introduction
When I first launched Designed by Harj, my Website Design business, I was convinced that I would have to be on social media, specifically Instagram, and that it would be the only way to grow online. I truly believed that was the only way people could find me. I also thought I would enjoy using it for business a lot more than I actually did. When I first started using it to share my work it was exciting and new but when the reality of having to do it all the time set in, I felt trapped by it.
It’s also hard to fathom there are different ways to show up online when we consume social media content. And we have social media marketers shouting how they made $10k overnight with Instagram!
Today I want to share the truth behind building a business without relying on social media. Why I doubted it, how I changed, and how you can too!
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The Belief That Social Media Is A Must-Have For An Online Business
Why I thought social media was the only way to show up online
To be very transparent, I just didn’t know any better. As simple as this is, the truth is: you don’t know what you don’t know…
I am a millennial; I had just graduated High School when I learned about Facebook. I was young enough that it was a part of me growing up. And then Instagram was introduced when I was apprenticing to become a hairstylist. And until this day, Instagram is a huge reason so many beauty influencers are successful. So, it was partly because I was growing up with these new social platforms becoming a thing. And partly because I was in the beauty industry where people were blowing up because of Instagram.
I saw people with huge follower numbers get clients booking with them just for this reason. It was like “oh so and so has 15k followers they must be the best at hair!”. Whether they were or not and whether those followers were real or not. From there it just became ingrained in me that social media and a large following = business success.
And to be fair, I did get clients through Instagram. I do believe it’s a good short-term marketing strategy. Long-term strategies like Blogging, SEO, YouTube, Podcasting take much longer to start gaining traction, but they have a compounding effect when they do. That’s why I don’t think social media is the worst right in the beginning of your business.
But you shouldn’t have to rely on it long-term, it should become something you do if you want to do it!
The Realisation That There Had To Be Another Way
How I realised social media alone wasn’t the answer for me
Well, first there’s the surface level stuff (also very important stuff) like I was putting in way too much work for not enough return. Hardly any of my followers saw my content and if they did, they weren’t all that interested…
I was getting inquiries, but they weren’t quality leads. These people would no-show free consultations or not be interested when they learned the price. They mostly just wanted a deal.
And then there was the deeper realisation. I wasn’t happy. I didn’t enjoy having to share my personal life on social media. I didn’t enjoy trying to get people to follow me and think I’m interesting. It made me feel worse about myself and how could I run a business that I love when the way I was showing up was so far out of alignment.
The big shift away from social media
I finally got real with myself. I wanted to love how I was showing up in my business as much as I loved what I do. I also wanted to attract the right clients not just any clients.
I always knew I wanted to Blog and I decided to go all in. I started listening to Podcasts and YouTube videos so I could get proof and motivation. One YouTube channel I absolutely love is Perfecting Blogging by Sophia Lee.
Ever since I heard of Jenna Kutcher, before I started my business, I knew I wanted to Blog. But Sophia Lee really made me believe in Blogging and the results you can achieve. I listened to her videos for motivations especially because Blogging takes time. And it can be discouraging when you’re working your bum off and haven’t seen results yet.
I began to reframe my business as a business that doesn’t depend on social media
This way I can use Social Media when I want to but I don’t have to rely on it. Basically, I didn’t want social media to be the backbone of my business. I decided to focus on Blogging because I own my website and blog, meaning no fear of Zuckerberg pulling the plug on my marketing strategy!
I leaned into what I could control when it comes to online marketing:
- SEO
- Long-form content
- email marketing
- referrals
My Alternative Strategy (Without Relying on Social Media)
Here are the key shifts I made that you can replicate too:
- Built a website that converts
- Got super clear on who I wanted to work with and how I wanted to support them
- Invested in professional branding
- Wrote my copy to speak directly to my ICA
- Optimized the main pages on my website for SEO
- Focused on SEO & content
- I treated my website as the primary online hub of my business, not a nice to have.
- Created a Blogging strategy that’s built on SEO foundations
- Optimized each blog post for SEO, including optimizing blog titles, meta descriptions, headings (H2, H3), adding image alt text, etc.
- Stayed up to date with AI and learned AI Search strategies which I then added to my Blogging strategy
- Leverage referrals & partnerships
- Provided the best service I possibly could so clients would happily refer me
- Did some introvert-friendly online networking and built solid relationships with people in similar industries to be referral partners. Learn how to market as an introvert: Tips for introvert networking: how to make connections online
- Nurtured an email list
- Focused my energy on building an email list. These are people already interested in my topic, they’re my warm leads.
- I sent regular newsletters to build connections and real relationships with my subscribers.
- This allowed me to communicate directly with my community through a channel I own.
- Deliver exceptional service for word-of-mouth
- Whether social media is present or not, great work creates referrals.
- I focused more time on refining my processes, creating valuable offers and delivering the best possible service I could!
Why This Approach Works for all Businesses
The benefits of building a business without prioritising social media
- Control & ownership: You own your website, blog and email list. You can control your content output and connect directly with your subscribers.
- Greater ROI from content: SEO and content marketing build over time; it’s like a snowball effect. It takes longer to start getting organic traffic to your blog and website but once it starts picking up it can continue to grow for months, even years.
- Less burnout: You’re not forced to post daily, chase trends, or constantly create “viral” content.
- Stronger relationships: When you’re not chasing likes, you focus on meaningful connections and attract quality leads.
- Better fit for service-based businesses: You can provide valuable educational content through long-form content. This builds trust over time making you their go-to option when they’re ready to buy!
Step-by-Step: How You Can Do It Too
Your 5-step plan to build your business without social media
- Define your ideal client
- Who are they? What problem are they trying to solve? How can you help them?
- Where are they already searching (Google, ChatGPT, Pinterest) instead of Instagram?
- Leverage your website
- Build a website that brings your ICA into your world through your branding and messaging
- Make sure your site clearly states what you do, who you serve and how you can help them
- Optimize your website for SEO and AEO
- If you need help building an aligned website that works for you; book a free consultation, I’d love to design it for you!
- Create content that answers real questions
- Write blog posts that answer specific questions. Each blog post should clearly and fully answer one question.
- Optimize your blog posts for SEO and AEO
- Share valuable content that truly helps your ideal client to build a strong relationship and trust
- Build your email list and nurture it
- Promote freebies on each blog post so you can continue to nurture those leads through email marketing
- Send a welcome sequence: tell your story, share client wins, educate.
- Continue to nurture your list through stories and more valuable content.
- Focus on referrals and partnerships
- Make a list of complementary businesses (e.g., copywriters, web designers, coaches) and reach out to form partnerships.
- Ask past clients for referrals: “If you know someone who could use this service…”
- Get out of your introvert comfort zone and network! Here are some tips for introvert networking: how to make connections online
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Isn’t social media free traffic? Why not just use it?
A: Yes, social media can bring traffic, but free doesn’t mean easy! You still invest a lot of time and energy creating content which may or may not be found by your ideal clients.
Q: What if I like social media and want to use it anyway?
A: That’s totally fine! The point isn’t necessarily to ban social media. It’s to not depend on social media. If you enjoy it, you should use it because why not! But I do recommend adding other avenues for clients to find you online so you’re not depending on a platform you don’t own.
Q: Will this work for product/e-commerce businesses (not just services)?
A: Yes, but your SEO strategy might be slightly different. Product businesses can still benefit from social ads, influencers, but the same principle applies: build content on channels you own (your website, email, SEO) so you’re not depending on platforms that can be shutdown without your consent.
Q: How long will it take to see results if I shift away from social media?
A: If I’m being honest, it will take time. It can take anywhere from 3-6 months but I promise it’s so worth it. Because those blog posts will continue to drive traffic to your website for months or even years to come.
TL;DR Recap:
- You don’t need to rely solely on social media to build a successful online business.
- Instead, build around assets you own: your website, content, email list, and referrals.
- Use the 5-step plan: Define your client → Own your site → Create content → Build your email list → Leverage referrals/partnerships.
- Optimize your website and blog for both SEO and AEO
- Focus on long-term growth over short-term follower count
If you’re ready to move beyond the social media only mindset and build a business that’s built to last, I’d love to help!
Ready for an aligned website where you can build a sustainable content strategy to avoid the social-media treadmill? Book a free consultation and let’s chat!
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