7 Reasons Why Content Creators Shouldn’t Start Their Careers on Social Media 2023

You might want to reconsider trying to grow your brand on social media, it’s not all it’s hyped up to be.

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 different ways to avoid distractions while using Instagram if that’s your platform of choice.

2. Social Media Followers Do Not Equate Money

To be clear, we aren’t talking about YouTube subscribers—as those technically do equate to money. Instead, we’re referring to building a follower base on platforms elsewhere and ignoring actual money-making tasks.

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 can build an audience as an artist without social media.

3. Negative Comparisons

Another of the negative effects that social media can have is 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

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.

Social media is a noisy place, and there’s a good chance that users will have forgotten about you before too long. You’re much better off building a connection with them in a quieter place, such as on your own website or newsletter. Yes, finding these people might take longer—but you can get even bigger rewards.

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 complete content 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 at unique social media alternatives before making your choice.

Key Takeaways

• Starting your content creation journey on social media can lead to distractions and waste valuable time that could be spent on producing more valuable content elsewhere.
• Building a large social media following does not guarantee monetary success unless those followers are part of your target audience who are likely to buy from you. Focusing on income-generating tasks is more important than gaining clout on social media.
• Comparing yourself to others on social media can be disheartening, especially in the beginning stages of your career. Instead, focus on improving your craft without distractions and avoid unnecessary negative comparisons.

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.

Categories: Tips & Tricks
Source: Tekmonk Famous Biography