Social media is not free marketing

Social media is not free marketing. In fact, it may be costing you more than you can afford. Nothing good is ever free. And social media is not free marketing despite what you may have heard others say. In fact, relying on social media to grow your business is one of the top mistakes I see entrepreneurs make online. Instead, grow your business without social media, grow your business your way, the way that feels good and is aligned with your values. You don't have to do what the experts say to do. What are the costs of social media? Many entrepreneurs fall into the trap of believing that social media is free marketing and therefore the end all be all of growing a business. Here's what you need to know instead. Social media platforms are owned by businessmen who want to make big money and they do so through paid ads. They are not interested in your business or your success. Algorithms have been created not for you to beat, but for them to drive traffic to the businesses paying the most in ad spend. Because of this, only 2% of the people who follow you on social media will ever see your content. Even fewer will engage with it. Unless, of course, you are paying for ads. And even then, you are at risk of who the ads are bringing into your community. Are they soulmate clients or people looking for something free? If you put all of your efforts into growing your business on social media, you are missing out on lucrative opportunities for long-term growth and a consistent stream of clients. Build the foundation first if you want long-term success First and foremost, the foundation of your business includes your unique personal brand, a website with search-engine-optimized copy and blog content, an email marketing strategy, an overall marketing strategy (communicating your uniqueness and expertise and building relationships), and systems and processes to simplify and automate. Entrepreneurship is not one size fits all. Someone may have a lot of money to invest upfront in software programs, funnels, teams, etc. while others do not. No matter your budget, the best thing you can do is build the foundation first before spending countless hours and resources on social media. Start with a strategy for optimizing your website. Google is much more powerful than Instagram, Facebook, or TikTok. Raving fans do not equate to people investing in your business. When people search for you or your product or service on Google, they are ready to buy. Unlike when people go to social media, they are browsing without the intent to buy. They are simply collecting information. Kind of like getting their toes wet on the beach versus going all in and diving into the waves. When you grow your business without social media and build a solid foundation first, you are more likely to succeed.   Read the full show notes and access all links. Download free resources like An Intro to SEO for Entrepreneurs or 10 Strategies to Grow Your Business without Social Media.