“I Want My Business to Be Found AND I Don’t Want to Live on Social Media”

We want people to discover our businesses, but we also have lives that don't revolve around social media. And as the way people find businesses continues to change, perhaps it's time to question whether constantly creating more content is really the best way forward.

When you started your business, did you ever imagine you'd end up becoming a marketer too? You started because you had something you wanted to share, a service you wanted to offer or people you wanted to help. You wanted to make a difference, earn a living and build something meaningful. But somewhere along the way, creating social media content started to feel like a job in itself.

We all know marketing is part of running a business. If people don't know we exist, how can they find us? But how much time are we supposed to spend on it? There's always another platform, another change or someone telling us to post more often. Meanwhile, we still have clients to look after and a business to run.

Social media isn't quite what it used to be, is it? During October, I noticed something interesting. Some spiritual business groups had thousands of members, yet so many of their posts received hardly any likes or comments. Then I started seeing the same thing elsewhere, even on accounts with large followings. Of course, fewer likes and comments don't necessarily mean nobody is seeing the posts or buying anything. But if things are changing, why are we still being told to market our businesses in the same old way?

It made me wonder whether we'd been looking at the whole marketing problem from the wrong angle.

One Small Word Can Change the Conversation

Think about how often we use the word BUT without really thinking about it. We might say, "I'd love to grow my business, BUT I don't have time to keep posting on social media." It sounds as though we have to choose between growing our business and having time for everything else.

Now try changing that BUT to AND. "I'd love to grow my business, AND I don't have time to keep posting on social media." We haven't changed what we want or how much time we have. We've simply stopped assuming that one has to get in the way of the other.

So instead of trying to find more time to create social media content, why not look at other ways people can find our businesses? After all, social media isn't the only way to reach potential clients.

Are We Building Our Businesses or Feeding the Platforms?

Social media platforms want us to keep creating content. The more we post, share and interact, the more there is for people to look at. And the longer people stay on those platforms, the better it is for the companies running them. But is that always what's best for our businesses?

Something else has been changing, too. Our social media feeds are no longer filled mainly with posts from people we follow. Increasingly, we're shown content based on what interests us. Spend a little time looking at a particular subject and before you know it, your feed is full of it.

For small businesses, this could actually be good news. Someone interested in a subject you regularly talk about might come across your content, even though they've never followed your account.

The answer isn't necessarily to abandon social media or create more and more content. It's to think more carefully about what we're sharing and why. Are we simply trying to keep our accounts active, or are we creating something that helps the right people discover our work?

How People Find Businesses Is Changing

Think about the last time you were looking for a product or service. Did you search Google, look on Pinterest or perhaps use an AI assistant like ChatGPT, Gemini or Perplexity? We're finding businesses in all sorts of ways now, and social media is just one of them.

And here's something you might not realise. Some public Facebook and Instagram posts can also appear in Google search results and even be referenced in Google's AI-generated answers. So someone could discover your work through Google without ever following you on social media.

I had an interesting experience with this myself recently. During an experiment with ChatGPT, Katalpa Social Media appeared in a list of recommended marketing mentors for spiritual entrepreneurs. It even managed to attach the wrong profile photograph to my business! These tools certainly aren't perfect, but it was interesting to see another way someone might discover my work.

We already have websites, blog posts, social media content and information about our services. Before creating even more, we could look at how well we're using what we already have. 

What Does Our Business Actually Need?

Most small business owners don't have endless hours to spend on marketing. They have work to do, businesses to run, and everyday life to get on with. So rather than asking how we can fit more social media posts into our week, maybe we should ask how people can find our businesses without us having to be online all the time.

Before adding more to your marketing workload, it could be worth looking at what you already have. Is your website clear about what you offer? Can someone easily find your services and understand how you can help them? And if they want to work with you, do they know what to do next?

You Can Want Both

When I think back to what Seth Godin said about BUT and AND, it seems such a small change. Yet it can make us look at things differently.

We can want our businesses to grow AND want more time for the people and things we love. We can use social media AND explore other ways for people to find us. And we can make use of new technology without feeling we have to change everything about how we work.

Because ultimately, isn't that what we're trying to achieve? A business that supports the life we want to live, rather than one that takes over our lives.

Want to make it easier for people to find your business?

The way people search for businesses is changing, and the content you've already created could be helping people discover your work in new ways.

My Mini Transformation Stay Human. Stay Visible. explores how to make your business easier for people and AI-powered search tools to understand, while keeping your own voice and personal touch.