Why I Stopped Relying on Social Media to Build My Business
You don’t have to build your business on social media. I know that sounds bold in a world where visibility feels like currency – especially for an online business – but it’s true.
Throughout my 15 year corporate career, I experienced burnout several times. And when I started my business, I knew that I didn’t want to just create the same recipe for burnout in a different container.
Now, I did follow traditional marketing tactics in my first launch, but I barely made it through the launch phase because I completely ran out of steam.
And even though I didn’t land new clients from that launch, I learned a lot about my own capacity, what drains me, and what to consider moving forward.
My marketing strategy for that launch relied heavily on social media, primarily Instagram. But as we probably know, Instagram has changed a lot in the past several years. I knew it wasn’t sustainable for me.
Other types of marketing
My first launch was the catalyst for me to implement alternative types of marketing. Because social media itself is not a strategy.
I’m still early in my business journey. I don’t have a massive audience or “overnight” success story.
But I do have clarity about what I don’t want to build. And as my life coach used to tell me, knowing what you don’t want gets you closer to knowing what you do want.
I don’t want to build a business that depends on constant short form content. I don’t want to be burnt out trying to beat the algorithm.
I don’t want to feel like my worth as a founder is tied to my visibility.
I believe visibility matters, but not at the expense of my peace.
To me, visibility isn’t about being everywhere. It’s about showing up with intention and consistency in the spaces that feel aligned and sustainable for me.
So I’ve made some intentional choices, even if it’s not what traditional marketers say to do.
I’m someone who’s building a brand and business without relying heavily on social media or trends because it’s more sustainable for me and my energy at this stage.
If you’re tired of the pressure to post constantly just to be seen, these are the five steps I’ve taken to build my brand without the burnout.
5 Steps to Build Your Brand Without Social Media
If you’re tired of the pressure to post constantly just to be seen, these are the five steps I’ve taken to build my brand without the burnout.
Full disclosure: this isn’t a playbook. And I’m not opposed to incorporating social media marketing into my overall marketing strategy in the future.
But these steps can help you if, like me, you don’t want to burn out because of social media.
Step 1: Get Clear on What Your Brand Stands For
Before you build anything, what’s your brand story?
What do you want to be known for?
What values guide your work?
Who do you serve, and why does it matter?
A few of the transitions I experienced in the past few years helped me define my core values. And in establishing my business, it was important for me to define my business values before anything else. My values – both my personal values and business values – guide my work.
My Core Values
At the heart of everything I do – personally and professionally – are the values that keep me grounded.
Authenticity and integrity guide how I show up, even when it’s hard.
Faith shapes my perspective and fuels my purpose.
Health – mental, emotional, physical, and spiritual – is non-negotiable.
Freedom is the goal: the freedom to live, work, and lead on my own terms.
My Business Values
In my business, these values show up in how I create, connect, and serve:
I lead with authenticity and integrity, because I believe it builds trust.
I honor experience in all its forms: lived experiences, shared stories, and intentional spaces that invite reflection, transformation, and growth.
I believe in empowerment over dependency
I create with connection & community in mind, because real change doesn’t happen in isolation.
Step 2: Show Up Where You Actually Like to Create
I see a lot of people on social media say that they don’t actually like creating content for their business but believe they have to.
The reality is that you have to promote your business, your products or services, and your voice, but you don’t have to do it on platforms that drain you.
Social media isn’t the only place to show up. In fact, if you don’t enjoy creating content for social media, sometimes that’s what shows up in the final product.
Though I’ve heard from long-time bloggers that their website impressions have changed drastically due to some changes Google made to its algorithm, SEO still works when done with intention.
I’ve always connected more deeply through long-form storytelling including blog posts, email, or even YouTube.
These platforms give you more space for depth, to build trust, and more context.
Ask yourself: What type of content do I enjoy consuming?
That’s often a clue to where you’ll enjoy showing up.
Step 3: Create Content That Works While You Rest
Unlike social media that is often fleeting, content marketing (blogs, YouTube, podcasts) compounds. It keeps working long after you publish.
I treat my blog posts and YouTube videos as digital assets. They keep working even while I rest. Even when I take time off (and I do take time off.)
Step 4: Use Email to Build Real Relationships
Email is still my favorite way to build trust. It’s direct, intimate, and algorithm-free.
I use my emails to share behind-the-scenes, reflect in real time, and invite people into deeper work with me. You can join the list here!
Your email list is an extension of your community. And it’s also something you own instead of being at the mercy of rented social media platforms that could pull the plug at any time.
Don’t overthink it. Just write like you’re speaking to one person who already trusts you.
Step 5: Set a Pace You Can Actually Sustain
You don’t need to post daily to be consistent. You need to create a rhythm that you can actually maintain.
Personally, I’ve been working to shorten the gap between idea and execution. If I get an idea, the first thing I ask myself is: do I need to do this now? The second thing is: can I realistically sustain this?
And In the early stages, I do think volume matters. It helps train platforms and builds trust with your audience. But not at the expense of your well-being.
Maybe that rhythm is two blog posts a month. A monthly newsletter. One YouTube video every three weeks.
Let your consistency reflect your capacity.
You Can Build Without Burnout
Building a brand outside of social media takes intention, but it doesn’t have to be complicated.
When you stop chasing every trend and start creating at a pace that you can maintain, it makes content creation, marketing, and even sales more fun.
You get to build something that supports your well-being and your business goals, while also serving your audience without burning out.
Let’s stay connected
If this resonated with you, I’d love to keep the conversation going.
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