Many online creators have successfully grown social media audiences that have allowed them to support their businesses. And if you look at a lot of advice online, it’s hard to ignore how many people tell you to launch an account when starting your content creation adventure.
But the truth is that social media is only one of many avenues for online content creators. And in some cases, you might find that starting your career on the likes of Instagram, X (Twitter), or something else could hinder your long-term growth.
Here’s why you should reconsider starting your online content creation journey on social media.
1. You Can Get Distracted
Despite the many benefits of social media, one of the biggest negatives is that these platforms can serve as a huge distraction if you aren’t careful. From personal experience, I’ve found it quite easy in the past to pretend that I’m “finding inspiration”—when deep down, I know I’m wasting my time.
Spending too much time on social media can take time away from producing more valuable content elsewhere—such as a blog post. Moreover, you could find that your mental bandwidth is sapped when you perform meaningless tasks on different platforms.
You can always consider finding out differentways to avoid distractions while using Instagramif that’s your platform of choice.
2. Social Media Followers Do Not Equate Money
All too often, people spend hours on low-ticket activities that aren’t direct income generators. But the reality is that gaining 50,000 followers or likes means nothing if those people aren’t in your target audience—because ultimately, they aren’t going to buy from you.
Instead of trying to gain clout on social media, you’re much better off focusing on the main task that’ll help you succeed. If you’re a podcaster, for example, almost all of your effort should go into creating podcasts. While those tasks are more difficult, they’ll pay off better in the long run. Besides, you canbuild an audience as an artist without social media.
3. Negative Comparisons
Another of thenegative effects that social media can haveis drawing comparisons with other people. This is especially a problem in your early days as a creator because you aren’t going to have many eyes on your work, which can become disheartening.
You’ve probably heard the saying that Instagram is like a highlight reel, but another thing to keep in mind is that some people have been in the game for longer. Naturally, a photographer who’s been capturing shots regularly for 10 years is going to be better than someone who only picked up a camera yesterday.
Comparing yourself to others can be beneficial when you’ve gained some momentum, as you’ll be able to see how far away you are from where you want to be. But in the beginning, keep your head down and work on improving your craft.
4. It’s Better to Build an Audience Elsewhere First
Photo from pexels; no attribution
https://www.pexels.com/photo/focused-blogger-working-on-project-at-home-6347919/
You can achieve success in many areas of life by looking away from the noisiest places. For example, when I was becoming a freelancer, I avoided bidding for work as it felt like I was shouting into a never-ending barrel. And when it comes to online content creation, you can adopt a similar approach.
By building more of an intimate connection, you’ll nurture an audience that likes you and will want to stick around for the long run. If you open a social media account later, improving your engagement rate will be much easier.
5. Not Being on Social Media Makes You Rare and Valuable
You’ve probably heard people mention that if you aren’t on social media, everyone’s going to forget about you. But the reality is that by constantly churning out invaluable content, you’re not exactly doing your brand any favors.
If you want to succeed in the online content creation space, it’s worth thinking about what the common advice is—and then going against that. Why? Because following the same advice as everyone else will yield the same results. And in most cases, that isn’t going to be what you want.
Not being on social media can create a sense of mystery and have your fans looking out for your next content piece. People like things that are rare and valuable, and you’re not going to be that if you’re sharing five Instagram posts per day.
6. Channel Your Energy Into Building a Content Library Instead
If you’re working to become a professional online content creator, the blunt truth is that you need to start thinking more like a business person. And just to be clear, we don’t mean that you should become a sellout. You should, however, look at each thing you create as an asset.
Much of the content you post on social media will likely be forgotten about in 24 hours. If you’re a beginner, it’s a better idea to begin building a library of videos, articles, or whatever kind of media you prefer. Over the long run, those will grow in value as you attract more fans.
If you’re new to online content creation and you don’t know how to organize what you produce, don’t worry. We’ve got a completecontent creation checklist that you can follow.
7. You Can Choose Which Platform You Want to Use More Effectively
It’s very easy for beginners to immediately jump into whichever platform is the trendiest. But even if you pick the most popular network, you’re wasting your time if your target audience isn’t active on it.
Each social media platform has its pros and cons, and you should adopt a long-term approach to your thinking. Taking the time to pick something you like and not needing to change later is much better than constantly falling victim to shiny object syndrome.
Besides the main social media apps, consider also looking atunique social media alternativesbefore making your choice.
Don’t Do the Same Thing as Everyone Else
Unfortunately, many aspiring online creators only think about short-term gains when building their brands. But the truth is that for many people, investing more attention in developing longer-form assets is a better choice than sharing stuff that’s hot one day and gone the next.
Social media certainly has benefits for online creators, but it’s important that you don’t lose sight of more important areas. Consider waiting a bit before joining.
