Why I’m Quitting Social Media for My Business and My Wellbeing
We’ve been living in the land of social media for roughly 15+ years now, and it’s become such an integrated part of our social fabric. EVERYONE is on social media, dontcha know… So why the heck am I quitting social media (probably for good, not just for a “break”) and how am I going to run my business without it?
Let’s just dive right in…
Social Media — The Early Days
I’ve been a tech junkie since the moment my mom bought a computer in the early 90s. When we got access to dial-up in the late 90s, I would sneak on there to search the web. The internet is half the reason I have so many interests, love research, enjoy photography and writing, and ended up designing websites for a living.
And then social media came on the scene. Gosh, did I love it. Flickr was the first stop on the tour and I posted my photography with glee, interacting with other creatives and photographers which made me feel a little less alone in my rural community.
I still remember when I finally decided that it was time to get an iPhone so I could download Instagram. I was so dang excited to hang out in the new space for photographers, as most people had ditched Flickr and left me hanging out posting alone (cue the tiny violin).
So I joined Instagram. And it was beautiful. I followed mamas who farmed, who were poetic, who were artistic. And my feed was a source of inspiration and calm (with a side of very cute babies and fuzzy animals).
And then things changed…
The Dark Side of Social Media
Smart phones have taken over our lives, and social media is a huge part of the reason. These days, we are constantly scrolling, unable to break our eyes away from the screen. And once we manage to, our minds continue to be full of the conversations we were just reading or participating in.
Rarely are we actually *in* our own lives and *in* our own bodies. And it’s a huge problem.
As much as I love what the internet has brought to my own life, I have the same problem that many people do: those dang social media behaviorists caught me in the addiction web. (Yes, I’m serious… these companies hire experts who understand mammalian behavior à la B.F. Skinner…)
What does that look like for me?
Constantly refreshing apps on my phone when I have a quiet moment (or as a reward for completing a task, which is often).
Taking extended breaks from social media, coming back thinking I can “do it healthy” this time…and within no time at all, I’m back to unhealthy repetitive behaviors.
Repetitive stress injuries and constant aching in my hands from near-constant phone usage (this one majorly sucks — I’ve found ways to avoid using my phone for texting often, but apps like Instagram only fully work on a phone, so that one is harder).
Anxiety related to self as perceived through the lens of “what people on IG will think about me” or unwelcome rumination after an unpleasant exchange with a stranger (even something just lightly tinged with negativity).
Getting sucked into research rabbit holes inspired by Instagram posts, leading me to a purchase or just simply taking me away from work or life activities I would much prefer doing.
Thinking in Instagram posts (years ago, this used to be thinking in Facebook posts until I actively curtailed my FB usage).
Taking photos and videos during life events, with the intent to share those moments on IG (instead of my being in the moment with my kids, family, or friends — every moment becomes an “Instagram moment”).
Feeling unable to “be myself” and evolve my opinions because I worry what people I’ve been connected to for years on IG will think about my new approach to something.
Seeing only specific perspectives on an argument (thanks, unethical algorithms) and feeling like that’s all there is… (Very much not true and makes the world seem more black and white than it actually is.)
Experiencing comparison and imposter syndrome as related to my business specifically, as other designers have lovely curated feeds and I just don’t have the time or patience for (nor does the time ROI make sense for my business).
Feeling all kinds of icky about the weird tit-for-tat relationships with people I’ve never met and will likely never meet.
Generally having my brain filled with thoughts that came from social media, which takes me away from my own creative life-affirming mindspace.
Do you relate to any of these experiences? I know that many of them are common and very relatable to those of us who can sense how damaging social media is for our lives.
Why Social Media Sucks
I’ve been hearing about all the unethical aspects of social media for years. In the beginning, we thought it was a fun way to connect with others (and we likely had no idea this would go on for years and years…).
But, of course, things that are so successful socially would very quickly be monetized. That’s how business works. (Don’t forget these are companies that are privately owned, with shareholders and stockholders, and lots of motivation to make as much money as possible, by whatever means possible.)
Unfortunately, the way that social media companies decided to monetize their platforms was by turning us, the users, into the product. Yes, read that one again…
I’ve heard it said before, “If something is free, then you’re probably the product.” And it is true.
Most social media companies track our every move on their apps (and they’re getting more and more refined about this over time). The intent is to constantly improve their algorithm, which shows you more ads that might sway you to like something, that might lead to a sale (or at least a click, which is a big part of a social media company’s revenue source).
But they also share your data with other companies in ways that don’t protect your personal information. As social media tracks your every move, they are collecting all kinds of valuable data on how people use these sorts of apps. And then they monetize the heck out of that so they can line their pockets with gold (as you get increasingly more addicted).
Rinse and repeat…
Important Things to Know About Social Media (that will probably make you want to quit)
A week or so ago, I listened to this podcast episode featuring an interview with one of the founders of the internet. He discusses all the ways the internet has gone wrong (especially when it comes to social media). I highly recommend listening to this episode, if you’re interested in digging further into this issue.
Ethically, social media apps regularly don’t adhere to strict codes of conduct and they are often getting into BIG trouble for crossing lines they shouldn’t be crossing. (Mostly this is because online platforms are a new frontier and lawmakers are making up the rules in hindsight.)
It definitely makes one’s eyebrows go up to hear that the creators and founders of Instagram left after IG was acquired by Facebook (and an algorithm was created + the platform was more highly monetized)…
There’s a reason why people in the industry won’t let their kids have social media accounts and why lots of them have quit themselves (or never had an account to begin with).
The ways in which social media was monetized was based on what I consider a highly unethical business model, and many of us have become painfully aware of it in recent years.
The fact that these businesses’ entire business model is focused on making you as addicted as possible, tells volumes about how much they care about us as people and as a society. (Watch The Social Dilemma if you want to understand this better.)
This point is probably the biggest point of this whole article: social media is SUPER not good for mental health, as we’ve seen our mental health decline rapidly since its introduction (both in adults and teens). It’s imperative that we take this seriously, as our mental health is crucial to running an effective business that serves the world from a place of wholeness. When you thrive, your business can thrive too.
But What About Social Media and Running a Business?
There’s this assumption amongst solopreneurs that they *have* to have a business Instagram (etc.) account in order to find clients. For most of us, that’s just dead wrong.
Can a social media account help you find clients? Sure, depending on your industry and what you’re selling, it can help. But it’s not the main driver of business success in the majority of cases. (Often, it’s better used for letting people get to know you more personally after they’ve spent a lot of time on your website.)
The problem that most new entrepreneurs face when they start doing something they love as a business, is they think they’re supposed to imitate a big company’s marketing team. That’s just not realistic and it’s not sustainable (and it will put you out of business in a hurry, as you’ll be overwhelmed with burnout).
And, if you were somehow able to do that and still have a shred of mental health left, you’d be inundated with clients you couldn’t serve or customers with orders you couldn’t fulfill.
When you’re a solo business show, you don’t need to do All The Things for marketing. You really only need to pick 1-3 things and do only those things consistently forever.
Relieving, huh?
I’ve gone back and forth with having Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn accounts for my business. And while I have seen a slight increase in traffic to my site when I’m more active on those accounts, I have never ever (not once) booked a client from social media. I’ve had a couple of inquiries come from social media, and they were always not a good fit for the work I do.
Why? Because, for the most part, social media is a place that people go to waste time and talk to other people. It’s typically *not* where people go when they have a problem and they’re looking for a solution. When they’re actively seeking a solution for an issue they want to solve, they head to Google (or their favorite search engine) and type in some questions.
People that visit your website from social media are often just curious about your work. They are probably colleagues or someone who’s not your ideal client (or at least someone who’s not actively looking to hire you).
Are there businesses that book lots of clients from social media? Of course there are. Consistency, knowing your audience (and where they hang out), and knowing how your people go about sourcing a professional just like you matters. I have business friends who have built their entire businesses on Instagram. It can be done (for some of us).
One point of warning, however. Some people have built their entire businesses on social media, which means they have very large audiences on, say, Instagram. Referring to my point mentioned previously — these platforms are privately owned, which means they make up the rules. This also means that they can kick anyone off and close their accounts for any reason. And they often do just that. (They can also change the algorithm in ways that hurt your business.)
Imagine spending years building up an audience and a profitable business, only to have it disappear overnight. It’s devastating and dangerous. You can’t export a contact list for your audience on Instagram. This means that you actually don’t “own” your audience in any way on these platforms. The only audience that is truly yours (and is more genuinely engaged) is the list you build up via your newsletter.
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Social media is often just smoke and mirrors with very little substance for business owners. And it can make you feel crazy to boot.
So how do you decide what to do?
Should You Use Social Media for Your Business?
I’ve previously dived into this question in a blog post here that specifically answers that question, so go check that out as a refresher. But generally, the answer to this question depends on a lot of factors.
Are you happy with your social media usage and how it impacts your mental health? (Hint: You don’t need to sacrifice your wellbeing to build a business.)
Do you feel pretty confident that you can avoid wasting time online or getting lost in the distraction-focused algorithm?
Are you pretty good at boundaries and don’t trend toward addictive behaviors online?
Are you willing to spend your time on other marketing practices, such as generating blog posts or other kinds of content for search engines (or on in-person relationship building)?
If you currently get most of your clients or customers from social media, are there ways you can diversify so you’re not relying on such a precarious platform for all of your financial sources?
Do you need to prioritize your mental health and wellness, and need to deemphasize your tech usage?
If you’re someone who really doesn’t get lost in the labyrinth of technology (and if you are, I sincerely admire you!), then you might be fine with keeping social media in your marketing mix. But if you’re someone who is really struggling with spending TOO MUCH time wasted online, you might instead benefit from focusing on using your time toward other marketing practices and goals.
How I’m Building a Business Online Without Social Media
Truth be told, I haven’t ever really gotten into using social media to build my business. Every time I tried, it just felt so icky so I’d quit. That said, there are some really effective ways to get traffic to your website (priority #1 in building a business with an online presence) that doesn't involve social media.
The first iteration of this business was writing blog content with an emphasis on SEO for large companies. I didn’t love doing that, but I do love writing blog posts (specifically for my own business). And I *have* booked dreamy clients from blog posts, so it’s something I plan to prioritize better in my own work (especially because I love sharing knowledge and connecting through words).
I’m also creating a more robust Pinterest strategy and implementing it to help my blog posts perform even better. (More on this in the future as I develop it further!)
Yes, yes, I see you scratching your head. Isn’t Pinterest part of the social media world? Well, it does get lumped together, but it’s actually not the same thing. It’s a powerful search engine that drives traffic directly to your site (instead of leading away from your site). And it’s hardly social — very little interaction with others is involved.
And I plan to do more newsletter writing to my growing audience, so I can engage more people who love what I write about. An engaged audience is far more important than a large, unengaged, distracted audience.
And, personally, I plan to read more books, pick up my violin more often, and spend more time in the woods hiking with my dog. Because at the end of the day, living my actual life is more important than spending my hours in a virtual world that isn’t making me feel fully alive.
How are you building a business while also prioritizing your wellbeing?
Pssst…I am planning on creating a workshop on how to build a business without social media for both service-based businesses and product-based businesses. If you’d like to be notified when this is available, please sign up for my newsletter below. I’d love to help us all participate in more ethical business and marketing practices, while building up financial stability and prioritizing our mental health. If you care about this and want to join me, sign up!
