Can your business survive without social media?
Last February, my husband and I spent a weekend away in the North York Moors. We stayed in a great cabin with a wood burner and cosy sofa. No phone reception. No WiFi. And no television. We spent our evenings star gazing, reading in front of the fire, and chatting.
It was a simple and relaxing couple of days in the midst of family turmoil. And, by disconnecting from technology, we reconnected with ourselves and each other.
But, what was the first thing we did back home in the real world?
You got it, we picked up our phones and began scrolling social media again.
It led to me unplugging from social media for a month. Which, as a business owner, could be seen as a risky endeavour.
What was it like to unplug from social media for a month?
The first few days were odd. I can’t think of any other way to describe the feeling. I’d reach for my phone while having a cuppa, queuing in the supermarket, during advert breaks, tons of places. But without the apps to open, there was nothing for me to do. The phone would go back down and I’d look around thinking “what now?”.
Crazy!
Especially when you consider that 25-30 years ago, the vast majority of us didn’t even own a mobile phone.
Interestingly, it didn’t take long for my phone checking habit to disappear. And, I enjoyed the freedom of being absent from social media so much that it was well into April before I ventured back on.
I realised this week that 12 months had passed since making that decision to unplug. I figured what the heck, let's give it another go and see what happens. So March 2023 will be a month without social media.
My biggest concern this time round is that I now use social media more for my business. Not to sell, but to connect with other business owners who've kinda become my team of co-workers. They fill the gap that happened when I left employment in big organisations.
Why building your business on social media can be risky
I'm not against social media. Honestly I'm not.
There are incredible success stories from those using social media for their business. And, to some extent, it depends on your audience too. If they hang out on social media and expect to find your products and services there, it's difficult to leave.
But, there are some big risks associated with social media
Algorithms are constantly changing making it difficult for you to keep up. Remember when Instagram decided to copy TikTok and promoted reels in your profile. I lost count of how many people posted their reluctance to make videos. And I wanted to hug them through their awkwardness.
You have no control over how many people see your posts. As social media grows, it can be difficult to stand out in newsfeeds. Your posts may not even make it into someone’s newsfeed.
Social media companies are not just free marketing platforms, they’re businesses. They want you to pay for advertising, stay on the app as long as possible, and create free content for them. The apps are set up in ways which will make you scroll, and scroll some more, before realising you’ve lost hours.
Getting locked out of your account can be a massive problem. That's especially true if you focus all your marketing efforts on social media. Last year, Facebook locked me out of my account and it took a few days to get access back. My biggest worry was losing connection with personal friends from years gone by. But imagine if my whole marketing strategy centred around my Facebook account..
Many people find social media exhausting. It takes time to build a following and keep your account top of people’s feeds. Creating new content. Keeping up with posting schedules. Commenting and sharing on other posts. Thinking about algorithms. All these take energy, and a constant connection to your phone.
Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy connecting with people on social media. And, once we get to the end of March, I fully expect to be back on the apps. But, my view is that social media has to work for me, not the other way round.
10 ideas to market your business without social media
We know that social media can be a great way to promote your business. And, in my experience, it’s brilliant for creating a new connection with people.
But, if you’re struggling with social media fatigue, take a look at these other marketing ideas.
1. Email marketing
You own your email list (you don’t own your list of social media followers). Email marketing could as simple as a monthly newsletter to share new things. But, you can also build sequences which send emails while you sleep.
2. Blogging
Blog posts are a great way to improve the organic ranking of your website in search results. Remember to write helpful content for humans (not the search engine algorithm). A good blog post will position you as an expert and give potential customers a way of getting to know you better. Think blogging is dead, read my post: Is blogging dead?
Check how I can help with your blog posts
3. YouTube
If you enjoy making videos, it’s worth creating a YouTube channel. Google owns YouTube and it's become the second biggest search engine in the world. With videos, people get to see your face and hear your voice. It begins the know, like, and trust process which can develop into sales.
4. Podcasting
Enjoy talking but hate appearing on video? Podcasting is growing massively in popularity. You can either share your own thoughts, or bring guests onto your podcast. And, by writing up show notes, the podcast can feed into your SEO.
5. Press releases
If you have shareworthy news, write a press release for relevant media publications. We can tell people how great we are until the cows come home. But, if they read about it in an independent publication, it will appear more trustworthy. And, it will help with both brand awareness and building credibility.
6. Networking
Love it or hate it, networking helps people get to know you and your brand. And that leads to trust, partnerships, and new business. But not all networking groups are equal. Some are formal and have targets for you to hit. Others are more informal and collaborative. Some are in-person. Others are online. In my experience, try a few different groups and pick a couple which you enjoy the most.
If you think networking isn't for introverts, read my post: Marketing strategies for introverts
7. Being a guest
Guest blog posting for larger publications and media sites can put you in front of a much wider audience. You also get some “as seen on” logos to add to your website. And it’s good for SEO too as you build authority in your website through backlinks. An alternative to guest blogging, is being a podcast guest. Again, this widens your reach by putting you in front of their audience.
Find out how I can help you with an article or guest blog post
8. Trusted partners
Building relationships with other business owners, will create new opportunities for collaboration. For example, a web designer and content writer could partner to sell web design and copy packages. Or you could provide a workshop or download to someone who runs mastermind groups.
9. Case studies
Case studies share how others have benefitted from your products and services. They tell a story about the problem someone was experiencing, how you helped, and the transformation which occurred. The reason they’re so powerful is that anyone with the same problem can see exactly what you can do to help. Case studies work well both in written and video formats.
Learn how I can help with your case studies
10. Sponsor an event
Sponsoring a charity event is great marketing and gives you a feel good factor too. Make sure to align your business values with the event. If you have locally based customers, think about any local events you can sponsor. An extra bonus of charity event sponsorship is having good news to share in a press release.
Final thoughts
It’s no secret that social media can be helpful for businesses. And, if you use any of the strategies above, you can amplify the results by sharing with your followers.
Maybe it’s not so relevant to know whether your business can survive without social media. Perhaps what really matters, is that you invest in other marketing strategies too. It will take any reliance off social media, and remove the pressure for you to be 'switched on' all the time.
Then, if you want to unplug for a month, it will have a lesser impact on your business.
