Marketing Without Social Media: 14 Ways to Grow Your Reach
In 2020, I quit social media. Until then, I used almost all the platforms for over 20 years — and that felt like enough time. From Myspace to LiveJournal, Facebook, Instagram, and…and…and I had them all. Then, I deleted them all. (I now use LinkedIn because it’s an excellent tool for professional networking.)
In my 14+ years as a freelancer, I’ve learned ways to make marketing without social media work. In this article, I’m sharing alternatives to social media marketing that don’t need you to be everywhere all at once.
“Social media is optional, not mandatory.” — Alexandra Franzen, author and co-creator of The Marketing Without Social Media Course.
I agree. But that’s not to say social media doesn’t work. It’s one way you can connect with aligned leads — it’s just not the only way.
Photo by Brooke Cagle on Unsplash
Alternatives to social media marketing — so you rely less (or not at all) on social media
My strategy. 👉 I organize my marketing into low, medium, and high effort tasks (all requiring very little to no social media).
My marketing works best when it aligns with what feels good for me and my current capacity. That means if I’m head-down in a big project, I choose low-effort marketing tasks. I do easy things, like repurposing a blog post for LinkedIn or wearing a branded shirt when I’m out and about.
I do it this way so that marketing is never a burden — instead, it’s something I look forward to and enjoy.
Can a business succeed without social media? Yes! Whether you use social media depends on your target market, your marketing goals, and what works best. Social media is one of many tools available to help your business grow.
How to start marketing without social media
Low-effort marketing (5 minutes or less)
When I’m super busy, I’m not looking to book a ticket to an out-of-state conference. Instead, I’m using my low-effort strategies, which take me five minutes or less.
Business cards: This might seem old school, but it works. I keep business cards in my wallet. They’re a tangible way to connect and show that you’re a credible business. I’ve pinned them on community boards in cafés, bookstores, and even an auto shop. You never know who might come across it! And it’s super doable and affordable with Canva’s design and print option.
My business card, which I designed and printed with Canva.
Branded merch: I have shirts with my logo and business name. You could also have branded hats, bags, water bottles, and a custom phone case to create brand awareness while you’re not even thinking about it. I also have custom die-cut stickers on my water bottle, which goes with me everywhere.
Past and potential clients: I check in with clients I’d like to work with again. This is easy to do with an email template I can quickly edit and personalize for each client.
I also use Hunter to connect with decision-makers at companies I’d love to write for. If you haven’t used Hunter before, it’s a must for cold outreach. All I have to do is drop a URL into my dashboard, and it quickly pulls up a list of contacts, including emails and social profiles, for key company employees. 🤯
Email signature: I keep my email signature up to date with my latest offer. I also add anything else I want people to know, like my availability, a blog post I recently published, and my email list opt-in.
LinkedIn: I set a timer for 5 minutes to write a quick post, engage with others, or send a DM. Yes, LinkedIn is social media. It’s also the world’s largest professional network, with over 1 billion users in more than 200 countries and territories. Woah! The number of users (and opportunities) on LinkedIn is why I came back to it after deleting my social media accounts. I also like that having a LinkedIn profile shows potential clients that I’m human and stay engaged online.
Medium-effort marketing (1 hour or less)
I save my medium-effort tasks for my marketing day, which is on Wednesdays. I make sure I have at least three hours every week to focus on strategy, outreach, and content, which is usually what I’m working on mid-week.
Contact list: I keep a list of people to contact. This includes friends, family members, mentors, teachers, and colleagues. I also list CEOs and other decision-makers at companies I want to write for.
This list is my go-to list when ideas run dry! Give it a go. Write down as many names as you can think of and make a plan to reach out to each person via email, text, a video call, or an in-person visit. People appreciate the 1:1 connection!
Newsletter: I’m growing my email list by offering subscribers a free download. Although I don’t send newsletters on a set schedule, I am intentional about staying in touch when I have something of value to share.
Networking: I stay active in the copywriting group, Confident Copywriting. I also attend virtual networking events like Powerful Women Rising. Network marketing without social media might seem impossible, but it’s not. Events like Powerful Women Rising are a fantastic way to connect with like-minded business owners who end up being wonderful referral sources (or clients!).
Content Ideas: I write down ideas I get from Voice of Customer and SEO research. I keep these in an Asana project, so I have plenty of material when it comes time to blog, write a LinkedIn post, email, or update my website copy.
Upwork: I got my first, second, and third clients on this popular freelancing site. These first projects helped me build my confidence and portfolio. Although I don’t use Upwork much today, I keep my profile active in case the right project comes along. If you use Upwork (or want to), I recommend Laura Briggs’ podcast episode, "Pros and Cons of Using Upwork."
High-effort marketing (2+ hours)
In business, there will naturally be busy and slow times. When a project wraps, I see which high-effort marketing tasks I can tackle to make the most of the slow schedule. I also schedule these tasks as part of my regular content plan, but it pays off to do extra when I can.
Blogging: I write SEO-optimized blogs and repurpose the content year-round. My blog content is a time-saver when I need content to repurpose quickly!
Lead magnet: A high-value lead magnet might take a few hours to create, but it’s worth it if it solves a problem your audience has. This is a great way to get email list subscribers who convert clients!
Industry events: I especially love in-person events! It’s so different to know someone in person than to know them only through a small Zoom rectangle. There are many meetup opportunities out there, from online to in-person. Search for local meetups, networking groups, and virtual summits.
Speaking: I speak about marketing and business on different platforms. In my live chat with copy coach Belinda Weaver, we discussed many ways to grow a successful business without relying on social media. Check it out below!
Click here to watch my interview with Belinda, Growing your copy business without social media. (It’s on Facebook. I know… the irony! You don’t need an account to view the video.)
Is it possible to market without social media?
Absolutely. Cutting out social media completely may or may not work for you. If you don’t love using social media but it works for your business, use it less or in a different way — instead of deleting it altogether.
Remember, there are plenty of options out there.
When I work on my marketing plan, I ask myself two questions:
What type of marketing do I want to put my time and energy into?
How can I make marketing a sustainable (and enjoyable) part of my business?
Decide what’s right for you and go all in.
You don’t need social media to be successful
Building a strong professional network takes time, effort, and consistency — no matter how you do it. When you keep showing up, good things happen!
Create a marketing plan that includes low, medium, and high effort tasks. Then, when you're booked with projects or busy with life stuff, you can rely on your list to keep moving your marketing forward.
Oh, and I have one more bonus tip for you… a way of marketing that doesn’t feel like marketing at all.
Do your best work — every time.
This never, ever fails!
Doing my best work on every project has led to plenty of word-of-mouth referrals (my favorite type of marketing!). Word-of-mouth marketing connects me with clients from a trusted source. It’s a win/win from the start!
How are you marketing without social media?
Let me know in the comments below.
If you’re ready to increase your reach and connect with your perfect-fit clients, check out my blog strategy + writing service and my free blogging course (with SEO checklist).
Happy marketing! ✨
