By now, you’re probably sick of hearing that social media is the be-all and end-all of marketing. And if you’re like me, you’re sick of trying to keep up with the latest algorithm changes and trends and constantly feeling like you’re not getting the reach you want?
And of course, there’s the fear. The fear of waking up one morning to find that your Facebook account was shut down for no apparent reason with no resource. All of your followers on your Facebook Groups and business page are gone, forever.
It can and does happen.
In fact, it’s happened to many marketers who have done nothing wrong. And in those situations, they had no choice to turn to other mediums for their visibility to keep their sales up and their brand growing.
After all, as marketers and business owners, we know how important it is to be diversified. You put all of your eggs in one basket, and you’re looking for trouble!
There is another way that we’re going to explore in this article. You can market without social media. In fact, you can build your brand without social media.
Now, before you start hyperventilating and frantically searching for your nearest social media manager, let me clarify that I’m not saying social media is bad or useless. It’s a powerful tool that can be incredibly effective when used correctly.
But it’s not the only tool in your marketing toolbox, and it’s definitely not the only way to reach your audience.
Not Everyone Can Do This
Let me be clear and straightforward – this isn’t for e-commerce or people who are creating physical products.
Your competitors are all selling similar enough products across all social media platforms and that’s where the ads are showing, where the product reviews are being searched, and where product recommendations are being made. Ecommerce and physical product creators and sellers must stay on social media.
Now, if you’re a coach, or you create digital products, you provide a service, whether it’s copy or strategy or design or branding anything of that sort, you have the option of marketing without social media.
I’m not saying you need to pull the plug on social media completely, especially if you don’t want to.
What I’m saying is to change the relationship you have with social media. To use social media, when, where and if you want. To make it optional and not mandatory, so it isn’t an obligation. To stop depending on it.
Ideally, your business already has a well-defined target audience and a clear value proposition. And if you know who your ideal customer is and what makes your digital product or service unique, you may be able to effectively market your business without relying on social media.
On the other hand, marketing without social media may not be the best fit for digital product businesses that rely heavily on visual content or that are targeting a younger demographic.
Social media platforms like Instagram and TikTok are particularly popular among younger audiences, and if you’re not active on these platforms, you may be missing out on a key segment of your target audience.
Finally, if your competitors are actively using social media to reach and engage with their customers, it may be challenging to compete without a social media presence of your own.
While it’s possible to successfully market your business without social media, it may require more effort and resources to do so.
Your decision of whether to use social media as part of your marketing strategy should depend on a variety of factors, including your target audience, available resources, and overall business goals.
It’s important to weigh the potential costs and benefits of both options and make an informed decision that aligns with your unique business needs and target customers.
5 Ways To Market Without Social Media
Now that we got that out of the way, without further ado, let’s dive into some alternative marketing strategies that don’t involve social media.
1. Email Marketing
Remember email? That thing we all used before social media came along and stole the spotlight? Well, it’s still around, and it’s still a great way to reach your audience. In fact, according to a survey by the Direct Marketing Association, email has an average ROI of $38 for every $1 spent. That’s some serious bang for your buck.
To make the most of your email marketing, make sure you’re sending targeted, personalized emails that offer value to your subscribers. Use segmentation to tailor your messages to specific groups, and make sure you’re tracking your results, so you can continually improve.
Build your email list! No one can shut that down or take it away from you. Those subscribers are yours and always will be.
2. Content Marketing
Ah, good old content marketing. It’s been around for a while now, but it’s still an incredibly effective way to attract and engage your audience. By creating valuable, informative, and entertaining content, you can establish yourself as a thought leader in your industry and build trust with your audience.
But don’t just create any old content. Make sure it’s high-quality and optimized for SEO, so it can rank well in search engines and attract organic traffic. And don’t forget to promote your content through channels like email, guest blogging, and outreach to influencers.
If you’re looking to advertise yourself or your brand away from social media, I strongly suggest using the ultimate component of content marketing: the authority post.
Authority posts are a powerful tool in content marketing. They predate social media by decades (in one form or another), and they’re still going strong.
Authority posts are one of my favorite ways to market off the social platforms.
What are they exactly? These posts are in-depth, well-researched pieces of content that establish you or your brand as an authority in your industry.
By creating authority posts, you can attract a wider audience, build trust with your readers, and ultimately drive more business.
So, what exactly makes a post an “authority post”? Well, there are a few key elements that set these pieces of content apart from your average blog post or article, and it’s these distinct differences that make them so potent:
Thorough Research
Authority posts require thorough research to ensure that the information presented is accurate, up-to-date, and valuable to readers. This may involve conducting original research, analyzing data, and citing reliable sources to back up your claims.
Long Form Content
Authority posts tend to be longer than your average blog post, often clocking in at over 1,000 words. This allows you to delve into a topic in more depth and provide more value to your readers.
High-Quality Visuals
In addition to well-written copy, authority posts should also include high-quality visuals like images, infographics, and charts. These can help break up the text and make the content more engaging and shareable.
Actionable Takeaways
Finally, authority posts should provide readers with actionable takeaways they can use to improve their lives or businesses. This could be anything from a step-by-step guide to implementing a strategy, to a list of tools or resources readers can use to achieve their goals.
Creating authority posts can be time-consuming and require a lot of effort, but the payoff can be significant. By establishing yourself as an authority in your industry, you can attract more traffic to your website, build trust with your audience, and ultimately drive more conversions and sales.
To get started with creating authority posts…
- Start by identifying topics that are relevant and valuable to your audience.
- Conduct thorough research and use a mix of original data and reputable sources to back up your claims.
- Write in-depth, long-form content and include high-quality visuals to make the content more engaging.
- Provide readers with actionable takeaways they can use to improve their lives or businesses.
With a little bit of effort and a lot of dedication, you can create authority posts that establish you as a thought leader in your industry and drive real results for your business.
3. Events
Yes, events. As in, in-person gatherings where people interact with each other.
Crazy, I know.
But events can be a fantastic way to build relationships with your audience and generate buzz around your brand.
Events can take many forms, from small meetups and workshops to larger conferences and trade shows.
Whatever type of event you choose, make sure it aligns with your brand and offers value to your attendees.
And don’t forget to promote it through channels like email, word of mouth, and event listing sites.
You can even get corporations to sponsor your event!
4. PR
Public relations is another old-school marketing tactic that still has plenty of value today. By getting your brand mentioned in the media, you can reach a wider audience and build credibility for your business.
To make the most of PR, focus on building relationships with journalists and influencers in your industry. Offer expert commentary on relevant news stories, pitch your own stories, and create shareable content that’s likely to get picked up by media outlets.
5. Referral Marketing
Last but not least, we have referral marketing. This is the practice of incentivizing your current customers to refer new customers to your business. By tapping into the power of word-of-mouth marketing, you can grow your customer base and increase loyalty among your existing customers.
To implement a referral marketing program, offer incentives like discounts, free products, or exclusive access to events or content. Make sure the program is easy to understand and use, and promote it through your email list, website, and other marketing channels.
So there you have it, my friends. Five alternative marketing strategies that don’t involve social media. Of course, these aren’t the only options out there, but they’re a great place to start if you’re feeling burnt out on social media
Weighing The Opportunity Costs
When it comes to marketing your business, the decision of whether to use social media can have a significant impact on your bottom line. But it’s important to consider not just the direct costs of using social media, but also the opportunity costs of not using it.
On one hand, using social media can be a powerful way to reach new audiences, engage with your existing customers, and build your brand. But on the other hand, it can be time-consuming, require a lot of effort to maintain, and may not always lead to direct sales or conversions.
So, what are the opportunity costs of not using social media? For one, you may be missing out on the chance to connect with potential customers who are active on social media. This could be a significant segment of your target audience, and by not having a presence on social media, you may be ceding ground to your competitors who are active on these platforms.
Additionally, not using social media could mean missing out on valuable feedback from your customers. Social media provides a direct line of communication between your business and your customers, allowing you to respond to feedback, address concerns, and build trust and loyalty.
Finally, not using social media may also limit your ability to stay up to date with industry trends and best practices. By not engaging with your peers and competitors on social media, you may be missing out on valuable insights and information that could help you improve your business.
Of course, there are also opportunity costs associated with using social media. The time and effort required to maintain a social media presence can be significant, and it may not always lead to direct sales or conversions.
Of course, social media can be a crowded and competitive space, making it challenging to stand out and reach your target audience.
Ultimately, the decision of whether to use social media will depend on a variety of factors, including your business goals, target audience, and available resources.
It’s important to weigh the potential costs and benefits of both options and make an informed decision that aligns with your overall business strategy.
