"I live in a small village in the middle of the Snowdonia National Park, in North Wales" - that's the life right there! Wishing you the best in your recovery, Jameson, and thanks for leaving this comment, it's really insightful.
i feel that too with substack notes! i think it’s also cos i started on substack with a monthly thing and it feels weird sometimes to connect so seldom… so i go to notes and read/ restack etc. too much scrolling…
I have Facebook still because I'm an admin for a client, but thankfully I don't do much with that ever. I have LinkedIn still, and while I made a push on there in 2023, it just kicked up bad vibes, so I know I'm going to delete that in the new year. That's it! Deleted Twitter last summer, deleted IG on 1/1/2024... feeling good!
And I'll say this - I'm the sort of person who can get lost on social media for hours, so I can't just have an account and post every now and again. I appreciate and love everyone I met on there, but none of the platforms were healthy for me, and none with HELPFUL in terms of getting people to my site or newsletter, and I'm 100% fine with that.
I still have FB for group uses, linked in (not sure why) & currently on mu second pause on instagtam, which i dont miss at all.
Still wondering how to promote my work in a sustainable & nourishing way; but happy to find more people struggling and acting in consequence. Thanks for the company ✨
Glad you're here! Keep making your photos, keep writing, keep sharing your videos, all at your pace, in your timing. The right people will come about at the right time.
I’ve had no personal social media for over two years (except LinkedIn) and put my podcast pages to rest in 2023. I could get a lot of people to like a photo or watch a reel on Instagram but that didn’t translate to more people listening to the podcast and getting rid of social media didn’t dry up the people already listening to the podcast. The gains of being of social media were so limited that it didn’t make sense anymore.
The best way for anything to grow is word of mouth and people sharing what they love and I’ve seen that pay bigger dividends for the podcast.
And last week I deleted my LinkedIn profile. I have been there for a decade and it hasn’t helped my career at all, so bye.
Love this and feel it in my bones. I'm guessing at this point (as a marketing non-expert) that people who like scrolling reels...like scrolling reels. I don't think they're looking for a podcast or a 15-minute read about philosophy and running. It's the wrong audience at the wrong time. Doesn't make sense. You're 100% right.
I was feeling this way too, Kimberly! I kept posting about my writing on IG, which a platform where people aren't interested in reading! lol. I was getting so discouraged thinking my writing "wasn't good enough," when in reality I just offering my creative work to the wrong audience.
Indeed! And I don't really feel like making Instagram content - lol, so all it became was an anxiety loop. I have so much more time freedom now than I used to before. I spend 3-4 hours working on a substack essay instead of an instagram reel and I wouldn't have it any other way.
yes yes YES. And that Substack essay will be around a lot longer than a Reel, right? It’s worth the time - AND, it leads to SUBSCRIBERS. That you can export and take anywhere if you want. You’re actually BUILDING something with Substack, and that’s amazing.
Agree. Making instagram content stresses me out. While I still post when I finish a new newsletter or explore a new idea, I’m learning to have the discipline NOT to give into what I think drives IG traffic. And in reality, the most traction I ever get is when I lead with a photo of myself and get honest about wanting to do the truest thing for myself.
Oooo I love this Kimberly! TBH, I aspire one day to be able to post on IG without it spiraling my mental health - art for arts sake - but for now I know that’s just not where I’m at.
I just heard Trevor Noah say, “if you live for the good numbers you die by the bad ones,” and that knocked my socks off! ✨
I noticed I have less worry about my post performance on Substack because I’m reminding myself they are authentic to me, whereas on IG I’d generally chase trends and be disappointed 🫠
Good for you for sharing your authentic self on insta 🩵
You know what happens when Gizmo eats after midnight? The same thing happens if I look at social media before noon.
I still post on Instagram, but heavily monitor my usage because it drains my time and cognitive energy I need to draw and write! I share 3 - 4 posts a week and stories when I can. I NEVER open the app in the morning. I try to not even think about social media before noon. If it pops in my head, I tell it to go away and let me focus.
This is exactly how I feel! I post my art on DeviantArt and FurAffinity, but only once I've run out of cognitive energy to draw/write anything else in the day. I make it a rule to not upload anything to the Internet before 3 PM
I found that the Cold Turkey App is really helpful for that. I blocked out Facebook except for a brief morning window, and after 6:30 PM. I'm amazed at how much more I am getting done!
I like that you don't do mornings AT ALL. Good idea. I've blocked my apps for most of the day, but I think I need to get stricter on my morning policy. It puts my brain in a funk - it gets in consumer mode and it takes a lot of energy to kick it out of that and into creator mode again.
WHOA I think you just solved why my inner critic has been blasting me and writing my post took ALL DAY. Because things were going well, then I dug into email and Substack notifications. There's definitely something to that "consumer mode" you speak of. That's exactly what the problem was today -- thank you for helping me get there!
I've had my spouse use parental controls on some of my devices so they won't connect to wifi while I'm making book revisions. I may need to tighten that up for writing days now too!
The morning thing works well and it sounds like you have a keen awareness of your mindset around how you're using devices. I hope you're coming to our social media support session on May 3! I just comped you a month, so there should be a welcome email landing in your inbox any moment!
Oh thank you. That's really generous! and THANK YOU for reminding me! hah. Look at me, I've been on here all morning having lots of fun, but I have a meeting with my editor in a few hours and oh dear. haha
I still have the logins for my social media accounts (apart from TikTok, which was an abortive experiment that I deleted yesterday), but I walked away from them. I still like the idea that someone can message me if they really need me and don't have my email or phone number, and I can log in once in a blue moon to catch it, but I enjoy not being beholden to social media in spending so much of my life in those timesucks.
I’ve walked away from TT and IG. I was doing really well on IG when I walked away and straight up deleted the app. It started as an experiment to see how much of a time sink it was and wow. I love not having IG. Not checking and scrolling is amazing.
I do t think I’ll join IG again until after I’m done writing my next book. So months.
Everyone says to market on social media but it’s so much work. I’d love to not have to jump back in but I’m not sure how to do that.
Yeah, there are job titles like "social media manager" and such, which you're now adding on top of whatever it is that you do! It's so much!
Have you considered working with someone who could do some of the social media work on your behalf? Not like HUGE, 40 hour a week or anything, but like.. "please promote these few things a few times a month."
The main socialI use is Instagram, and boy, do I hate it! As much as I’d like to cut out the Metaverse altogether, I’ve made several meaningful connections with other artists in the last year there, and it’s currently my only means of getting traffic to my comics and zines. Substack gives me hope for a route out!
I still have my Instagram, Facebook, and even Threads accounts but rarely post on those platforms. The reason: it is no longer fun. The only use of Facebook for me is the groups to gather info/tips etc. (I live in a foreign country and it is a good way to connect with the expat community). Most of my energy goes into my own website (and recently to Substack) - I sure check Google Analytics to track which posts get more visits but it feels a lot less anxiety-inducing than the social media likes/comments.
I haven't closed down any accounts (yet), but I haven't posted since the last time I released (October 2023). I have Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, TikTok, and Twitter. And still peek at the three former daily while the rest are barely being touched. I find I have no interest in "returning."
FB is forever annoying, but I still lurk there and sometimes post. I follow lots of artists, bands and musicians, and authors there and am a group admin. for my favorite Swedish band. I also have my own art page there, GrimalkinArt. I've never tweeted or used instagram.
I suppose so. I sometimes used to lie awake with my insomnia thinking of witty things I could have said. Now I mostly just read others posts and comments and skip the ads.
I quit IG & FB for 4 months last year and then got all excited thinking it was gonna be so much better when I got back on, but it truly wasn’t. Ha I guess I just needed to confirm…so now I am off both platforms and feeling much better meeting people IRL and supporting writers on Substack.
Hello, I've used mainly instagram for the past ten years. Originally I posted records which has turned into a full time job of collecting, cleaning, sharing and archiving rare country records by getting donations through patreon. Instagram has been my main way of connecting with people and spreading what I do. Essentially I've gotten tired of the facebook thing where they add a new feature, tell everyone to use it, then nerf your engagement with every other type of post, and then they repeat it with the next new feature. I'm so tired of having to try to figure out an algorithm of how and when to post or what to post when I think it's inherently disrespectful to not just show my posts to people who follow me specifically to see my posts. I have a a decent amount of followers but my posts regularly get shown to less than 10% of them. But since I built my brand on there I feel like I can't disconnect and I don't know exactly what to do. My patreon is relatively successful, but I'm worried that if I don't try to keep using instagram that it will eventually dwindle.
I haven't wanted to use social media for a couple of years but have continued to see it as a tool worth using, despite it's constant drawbacks and the way it makes the user experience worse to try to get you to pay for sponsored posts. I just don't know how I would connect with new people without it.
I sometimes post in tandem on tiktok, facebook, threads, or blue sky but most of them haven't shown much promise. Tiktok shows some, but not much.
Oh man, that 10% impression rate is a bummer! That’s why I’ve been exploring connecting via a newsletter a lot more, since 99.9% of my subscribers get it, and 40-50% will open it.
I spoke with another IG person who had a six figure following on there, but they moved their operation to Substack, and grew to over 5000 subscribers.
I have 7.5k followers on instagram and regularly get super low engagement. I've used substack for one article but didn't really think of it as a vehicle for more social media style picture posts. I might give it a shot but at this point it feels so daunting to start using a different website altogether. In a way I feel like I've been hurt so many times why should I commit to anyone again if they could just change it all of a sudden?
In the next week I'll try to put some effort into making a couple substack posts and see what happens. I do have a mailing list through mailchimp that I enjoy and am trying to put more effort into with the lack of instagram reach.
I’ve helped a client port their email list from Mailchimp to Substack, just because writing via Substack has a nicer “newsletter” feel (vs Mailchimp email marketing bravado).
And the reason to spend more time building up something here (or any newsletter) is to OWN your audience. This platform is just a tool, a means to an end. Use it til it’s not useful anymore, and then take your email list somewhere else as needed!
Thanks Seth, I'd never really thought about it, but moving over my email list to substack makes a lot of sense to me. Also my mailchimp emails often get stuck in spam folders so even when people sign up they don't get the mail. I'm gonna do a bit more thought on using substack and how I'd like to proceed with it.
Depending on the size of your list, it might take a bit to move all your emails over to Substack, but it's worth it. Substack will do its own scrubbing of emails to make sure there's no bad email addresses being pulled over.
Substack can't keep emails from ending up in the promo tab or sometimes spam - a lot of that has to do with the quality of emails being sent. If someone sends a lot of emails, and it has a low open rate (like hovering around 10%), some servers like Gmail and Yahoo will dump them right into spam.
Shoot me an email if you wanna discuss outside of the comment section! Happy to help: sethw@sethw.xyz
I created my Twitter account when I was 11 years old (yes, I was one of those underaged kids) and had it for about eight years before I finally deleted it. The peace I’ve felt since then is surreal.
I also deleted my Instagram in 2019, but recently created an anonymous one so my siblings and friends can send me funny videos and I can follow cool artists. But I don't post anything at all on it.
I also have an anonymous Tumblr account where I follow more cool people and artists, lmao. I've found that anonymity on these platforms takes off the pressure to perform and impress for me. I can simply exist.
I've never had Facebook and I went through a LinkedIn phase last year where I attempted to be active on it, but that was a flop.
I have a rule where I don't have any of these apps on my phone, though. So I can't mindlessly click on apps and doom scroll.
I still have a lot to figure out but I love the way things are now. People tell me I need Twitter to promote my work as a writer and reach a larger audience. But that app messed me up so much, I know I'm never going back.
And yeah.. starting NOW? In 2024 on Twitter to market your writing? Do a bunch of free work so like 80%+ of your Twitter followers don't even see it? Yeah, no thanks!
Drifting somewhere between #2, #3 and #4. My partner and I got all excited in the beginning when I was just starting out in music... we set up about 8 social media channels all at once for me, because I was a late starter and thought I needed to catch up with everyone. Biiig mistake. Fun at the beginning when the algo wasn't around, but it soon became unbearable. Now it feels like we're talking out into the void. If I had a dollar for every hour I've spent (wasted?) on the socials instead of making music!
Wow, EIGHT SOCIAL MEDIA CHANNELS. But hey, that's what EVERYONE recommends, right? Gotta be everywhere, post everywhere - opportunity is everywhere! But yeah, like you said... all those HOURS could have been spent on making more music, learning a new technique, talking with other song writers for possible collaborations - there's soooo many other things you can do besides JUST post on social media, and think that will fix everything.
I've completely quit all social media after having tried almost all of them when they were new. First it's fun, then...not. I have a Pinterest account that I don't look at much but it doesn't feel "social" in there's no liking and such. Overall, it's been a good move!
Good for you for trying them out! And yesss... the fun wears off after a bit. Glad to hear you've broken free and feel like it's a good move. You're a shining example for all of us!
I was happy doing the socials for years. Always seemed fine to navigate, have my purpose and context, and enjoy what I did.
Several years of unexpected illness meant I deliberately moved away from most online stuff while I recovered. Coming back in recent months, I see way more platforms, way more private communities, way more forums and Discord servers, and all sorts. It's cosy in some spaces, silent in others, cliquey in some areas, and hard to understand at all in some corners.
I'm still up for these extended socials, so long as I keep that valid purpose and context for doing so. Count me as feeling blessed for not feeling drawn to the socials or having a sense of FOMO. It's why I could (thankfully) just stop when I first got ill.
My way is to go on or not go on, simple as that. I don't mind if that means I'm "leaving money on the table" or being inconsistent with posting, etc. There will always be stuff to come back to and explore...Or, in this case, SOOOOOOOOO MUCH to come back to!
I'm a musician, so I have to have a social media presence. Instagram is still the only way that some musicians communicate with one another and when I pitch to a venue or a streaming platform or a publication, etc., they want to see my IG. But since I've had absolutely no success on the platforms themselves and want to kill myself when I'm on them, I view them as portfolios rather than the top of my funnel. I never scroll the news feeds and I only post on IG and let it cross-post to FB for me. And I have a YT channel. I also regularly run ads on Meta which is the only way I can reach anyone (and even that's becoming less effective). I believe social media algorithms have become the bane of our society. I do only what I have to on them because I must, but I hate every second of it and dream of the day they go away.
It's wild that so many places rely on IG for communication - what happens if. you get locked out your account for some weird reason? And the whole "venues wanna see IG numbers" - why not just buy followers, ya know? I mean, you and I wouldn't do that because we need to sleep at night, but another band is probably buying followers and getting the gigs that you aren't getting which is gross.
All that to say - YOU HAVE A SUBSTACK! Which means you have an email list. Hopefully it's something you can use and work on in a way that doesn't make you hate every second of it.
After 10 years of running my creative business and being an artist, I got off of Instagram on Jan 31. I’m feeling really confident with this choice, and with the belief that we are more supported than we realize and once we snap out of the social media spell that tells us we need to be on it in order to have success, there’s a whole world of creative possibility that doesn’t make us feel so manipulated, drained, fragmented and psychologically messed with ◡̈ Looking forward to hearing your perspective here!
I think you wrote this as a Note and I replied, but replying here as well - BREAK THE SPELL! So glad to hear you go off Instagram. New post coming on Monday!
Ah! I think when I added my comment I accidentally had the box “also share as note” checked. I’ve been intentionally not being savvy about how to use notes because I don’t want it to feel like social media or pull at my psyche in the same ways. ;)
I took social media off my phone last year, and it opened up a creative portal when I downloaded Substack instead.
I shared a lot in my instagram stories, but didn’t get many responses at the time. However, people who met me in real life, or people would tell my friends or kids that they loved my content (my teenage and adult daughters friend’s followed me 😅)
When I came here, it was such a warm and responsive community.
I don’t go on instagram or facebook often. The only downside is that I nearly missed a birthday party when they changed the date at the last minute, and my best friend shares all her news on instagram stories, so I’m a little behind sometimes. Haha
Ahhhh! The whole "we share all the important info on a communication channel that limits our reach and can lock us out at any time!" Too bad you can't FWD info from Facebook to your inbox, you know?
Good job removing social media from your phone. May your Substack journey continue to be great (new post coming on Monday)!
I deactivated my personal Facebook page and now have only a spare page for some art groups, where we share work. IG has always been a small account for friends and family, I barely post there anything. I have LinkedIn, but more as a part of my career in academia and I am not really active there, mostly just update it as a CV. A year ago I started sharing stuff on Substack and I feel it suits me better, I don't have any amazing results here, but I enjoy the platform, even though I mostly write into the void. Just trying to show up, share and find my way. Really like your approach to running a business without social media!
Art as Home is a DELIGHT! Oh my goodness. Don't sweat the "amazing results" - remember, if you reach 10 people here, you'd need 100 followers on social media for the same impact - so take it easy, you're doing great!
I don't like that Substack sometimes feels like [ insert Social ], but I'm glad it connected me to this newsletter!
I took a year off from Instagram and Facebook in 2021. Best "social" and connected year of my life.
Last year I read Digital Minimalism by Cal Newport, and purchased Freedom Tools. Since then, my usage of Instagram (which happens to be my kryptonite) has been reduced by like 80%. I now look at it maybe once a week for less than 20 minutes.
I have Facebook and sometimes need it to post on my organization's page. That's annoying, but thankfully my boss doesn't care for social media and never asks me to get more engagement there (we're a church).
I hate Instagram and dream of fully walking away. I have a personal profile there and one for my newsletter, Leading Ladies. In a few months, I would like to have deleted it altogether.
I hate what Instagram has turned into (paid ads) and I hate how cynical it makes me toward other kind human beings (my brain is like "why would you post that?" FAR TOO OFTEN when I'm on there).
Sharing photos is in my blood since I got FB when I was 13 and Insta when I was 20. I'd like to have it completely deleted before I have children and am massively tempted to post photos of them there.
I finally booted up a personal newsletter where I plan to occasionally share photos to family and friends who would care to see them. Otherwise, trying for a mindset shift to PRINT MY PHOTOS and look at them on paper.
Ahhh, I love all of this so much! It's quite a journey, right? And I hear you - PRINTING PHOTOS. ANALOG. I'm looking at buying CDs again, and managing an MP3 collection! It's just nice to be in control of things, and curate our own experiences.
Oh my goodness! I grew up with extremely limited electronic access so I have a huge CD collection and my trusty MP3 player for podcasts. There's an art to a good album that's not the same as a spotify-"curated" playlist...
I've hated social media for a long while now. I ONLY still have Facebook because of the memories. When significant people in your life pass away, memories are all we have.
As for the rest of it....meh. I'm just not interested in the colossal waste of time.
I am still on Facebook mainly for some coaching groups I'm in. I still have Twitter and LinkedIn accounts, but I don't really use them. I was an early adopter of BlueSky, but again, haven't used it much. I've gone back and forth on deleting all of them except for Facebook, which I do use for business connections.
I think I spend more time on Facebook than I should; it is easy to get in a pattern of "doomscrolling" and lose oneself in it. I'm made aware of my own failings based on observing friends and coworkers get totally lost inside TikTok. For hours. "Hehehe did you see this video on TikTok?" No. I did not. And I'm not going to. I witness kids sitting on the couch all day, watching various streaming programs on TV, while watching TikToks at the same time on their phones. I am fascinated by this level of overstimulation.
The 64,000 dollar question is "What do I really gain from social media?" When I dig deep and really try to answer that question, apart from business connections gained on Facebook, nothing.
The luddite movement is slowly gaining traction; disconnecting from the networks and devices and getting outside more. As a GenX'er, this was my way of life growing up, and over time it has eroded to an unhealthy reliance on technology. I am glad to see people are starting to disconnect again. I have begun to return to the old ways... and I shall continue.
Yeah, the business connection thing can be hard to break away from, especially when it’s tied to such an easy platform to doom scroll on!
I’d be wary of hosting groups of any size on Facebook, though, being as meta could just determine one day you’re breaking some user terms and delete it, or lock you out or whatever.
Sounds like your journey is on the right path though!!
I agree and I preach to my clients "Don't build your castle on someone else's beach". Some have found it difficult to actually grasp the concept that they own nothing on the social platforms. Thank you for writing about this topic, as it hits me at the right time in my life and business. :)
Yeah, if your client base is on LinkedIn, it can be hard to walk away from it. But I bet with enough momentum from Substack, and playing your cards right, I bet you could do it!
And yes.. Substack has pros and cons, but I just love that I'm building a subscriber list here, and if things go south I can export and set up shop somewhere else.
Apart from substack for writing and Facebook for family, I’ve pretty well walked away from social media for the foreseeable future. I’d rather write or receive a letter than a DM. I’m so tired of superficial instant communications and the constant invasion of notifications. The “mindfulness” focus setting has been on my phone from wake till sleep, and the “sleep” focus overnight. It feels like a deep inhale for the first time in a while. It makes me wonder why I ever got on social media in the first place, and how I can step even further away.
I love this, Julie! Never thought to set up the Mindfulness focus setting on my phone for the day - I'm going to look into that. Facebook for family is a tricky one for me, because I feel at any moment Meta can shut down out account, you know? Just lock us out for some "policy violation" or whatever. And then what?
Love your input on this, though! Thanks for sharing.
Meta really is such a mess! That’s why I’ve got everyone’s mailing addresses and started writing updates instead. Plus.. who doesn’t love receiving “happy mail” stuffed with tea, pictures, stickers, etc? Hehe!
YESSSS I was thinking of doing that with PHOTOS. My dad never clicks the links to see the stuff I posted on my blog and such... but what if I SENT HIM THE PRINTS?!! That's a new project for spring.
Oh, that's such an excellent idea! I know parents love to see what we're creating, but so often, the technical side, like blogs, falls far beyond their scope of understanding, haha! I bet you my dad would appreciate print-outs of my writing, too! Thanks for the idea!
I used to be an IG influencer, back when the term didn't exist. I was the first Indonesian who had a Twitter account, at least that was what our national newspaper claimed. As a Tech Geek I was very active in Social Media, I had account in almost every single Social Network. I blogged professionally too, until I sold it 4 years ago. I still have those accounts, I never deleted them. But I am not active in all of them. Today my focus is in Substack and LinkedIn. I am semi active in X, Threads, Bluesky, Facebook and Instagram. I recognised that there is a real danger in getting addicted to these platforms and made a conscious decision to limit myself, especially after my children has grown up. I need to protect them too. In my last post I wrote about practical tips that I'm doing to balance my relationship with my tech. I think everyone should start thinking about theirs too. https://lifeapprentice.substack.com/p/11-tips-to-fight-social-media-addiction
"first Indonesian who had a Twitter account" - that is huge! I was user # like 2700 or something when I signed up in 2006, but deleted my account last year. Just had enough!
You're doing great work with your own Substack! Lots of solid info there
Thanks. So far I'm able to build a mental barrier on my social media and never let idiots affect my life. It's working, though there were some occasions where I had to 'join in'.
I only had Twitter for a couple of weeks a year or so ago. The format lends itself to shallow 'hot takes" and nastiness IMHO. It isn't long enough to develop a coherent argument, but it is long enough for a mean tweet.
I'm developing my long neglected LinkedIn account for job hunting purposes.
Facebook I loved, but I have had enough of the censorship. I used to post multiple times a day... far more than was healthy; but I finally got sick of being throttled and shadow-banned, especially over jokes. The algorithms and "fact checkers" not only lack any sense of humor, they lack any sense of context. Being censored is bad enough, but being censored by a moron is even worse.
That being said, I found I missed the writing, especially jokes and gags, which is why I came to Substack.
I am a member of a small community of poets, writers, and artists.
It is our aim to support what could be described as an off-line culture.
We are interested in what writers and visual artists create in solitude, that stretch of time when distractions fade, and deep wells of thinking and feelings emerge.
We aim to spark conversations between those who find artistic expression, philosophical comment, and reverence for the natural world a critical counterweight to the racket and fragmentation of what is deemed as modern-day living.
We want hopefully to preserve as much human contact as possible, in what is fast becoming an increasingly digital world.
Ooooh, I like this. I like how you mention writers / artists creating in solitude, because I don't think the aim is to ALWAYS be surrounded by people when we make our work, BUT... having that community around is great. Thank for sharing this!
I keep it at arm’s length and look at IG once a day and FB once or twice a week, purely to stay connected to a few people that matter to me there. I almost never post anymore. I’m pretty happy with this approach.
I have joined the Social Media Escape Club! Will it work? I have an addition to X(Twitter) and hate it, but like all addictions, keep returning for another hit. It used to be fun, it's not now. I actually spent money on a hypnotherapist to try and quit it but it didn't work. Plus publishers like you to have active social media accounts (I've had to give numbers when signing publishing contracts) and I spent years building up to 20,000 followers (now 17,000) and don't want to just delete it! Facebook is tolerable/necessary but I'd rather not really. Instagram I still quite enjoy and at least it doesn't constantly threaten to take over my life/make me unproductive.
Yeah, that publisher thing is wild. But I always feel like, do publishers realize how LITTLE reach we all have with those “big numbers?” Twitter accounts I see with SIX FIGURE following reach like 2000 people. When someone can have an email list of 4000 people and reach the same amount of people!
But I know… so many moving parts!!! Welcome to the club!!!
I use SM to share my music and writing. Stay in touch with fans and friends via FB, IG, Threads, and X. And, I most definitely avoid the snake charmers and grifters.
...have a twitter started 12 months ago, not touching it...have a substack post daily notes, weekly writings...have a linkedin (thinking of doing comedy there)...no other social footprint online outside of art/music/etc. in various varieties...looking to make friends and collaborators online and to scale personal businesses through whatever are the most appropriate methods...i think i need to spend more time outside (like maybe all the time)...appreciate what you are doing here...
I guess I’m using Facebook as a billboard still since I put my Substack posts there and get a few likes from folks who already subscribe to the newsletter. I’ve taken it all off my phone and I only do it in the computer, and I have feed blockers to keep me from scrolling. I built up a decent size audience on Facebook, about 6000 followers, but unless I pay for ads they don’t see anything anymore. I want to delete that and my Instagram account but I just can’t seem to do it yet. It has REALLY helped to not have them on my phone.
Holding pattern! as a photog, i have a love/ hate relationship with ig.. its a great connector but increasingly impersonal. I’m trying to move to having a mailing list (via substack) to take back some control over my interactions with friends and people who follow my work. It’s been a surprising and encouraging process. Taking it slow but it feels nice
Yessss, agreed. Slow is nice. Love that you say it's been surprising and encouraging! Once you settle into a groove, and realize you can exist without looking or posting on social media every 4 minutes, stuff gets good!
I haven't closed my accounts but I have left social media since January 2024 (minus LinkedIn, which I don't hate). Sadly, I can't get totally rid of social media as I work as communication manager because I am not a full-time author 😢
Ahhhhh, yes... I hear you. I still have a Facebook account to deal with some client stuff, and I actually do have a base Twitter and IG account for research and work purposes, but I do not have the apps on my phone, and never get lost on them on desktop.
Yes, having the apps on the phone is the worst. I didn't quite realize how much it killed my creativity and productivity before deleting them. Now, I only use my computer as well. I have to admit that Meta business is not as bad, though, because you only see your own "work" and no feeds or polluting information.
Will read your future newsletters with curiosity and a happy mindset.
I started a digital declutter (a la Cal Newport) on April 1. No, not an April Fools' Joke. I'm tired of being addicted to my phone and the way that constant checking of social media makes me feel, and takes away my productivity. I do believe that social media can be for good - such as raising global awareness around social justice issues - but I want to get to a place where I control it, vs the other way around.
I was an avid IG user until FB took over. I've seen a massive downward spiral of engagement. Saw a video yesterday of another IG user who has been experiencing the same thing. I'm not quite ready to leave it, but neither am I sure I will stay.
Honestly, it's hard to walk away from so many followers, but I'm facing the real question: Do they help my goal of being more widely read? And for that, at least for now, I don't have an answer.
I've talked to someone with six-digit followers, and they just couldn't get a fraction of those people to click over and subscribe. It's hard when those platforms are HOSTILE towards anyone (like us!) trying to get people off their service and clicking elsewhere.
I have a best friend who is off of social media and has been for almost a decade and she is thriving. A part of me is envious, because every time I think of doing the same something ropes me back in whether it’s a fear of missing out, losing out on a new recipe, a book recommendation, commentary on pop culture… connecting with a community of like minded people who don’t exist outside of social media… it’s a true conundrum.
Social media. I love/hate it! LOVE staying in touch with people I otherwise don't see from my very nomadic life. LOVE posting paddle boarding videos for my friends. Hate the dependence on the hit of likes, especially as an artist posting links to web series, performances, written work. LOVE your post suggesting there are other ways.
I'm on Facebook because that's where my people are. I still like the medium. I can post anything there - written, photo, video, short or long. It's versatile. I share my posts from Substack over there.
I have an Instagram page that's more like a static web page in case folks look me up there. I really enjoy engaging with other's content on Instagram because I successfully curated my feed to whales, comedy, hair videos, planner stuff, and food.
And I'm here. I consider this social media as well because it's a medium and with commenting and notes and DM'ing it's social. I like it here because it feels like all the posturing is gone. Feels like I'm at an Indie bookstore and we're making genuine conversations. It feels intimate.
Hi! What great questions. I found you thanks to Purple Space. Miss you there!
I quit social media in 2020. Did it by LOGGING OUT. It changed my life for the better. But without realizing it, Youtube began to take over my evenings... and even Whatsapp provided a fix/filled a hole/made the hole feel bigger. So I quit that recently and rejoined with better boundaries.
Now I realize how Youtube is an addition I still need to deal with. And the only thing I think will really get to the root of the problem is having more ACTUAL humans in my life. And/or learning to play the guitar, for example - being creative along others, daily, for example. A decent substitute/fill-in might be having more interactive online activities that can be done in parallel with others (without looking at the screen). I feel this coming. I see myself leading some of these kinds of things, too. I have a feeling that social media is dying and it may be US who have to create what can kind-of fill the hole that it never filled.
That's what I got! Thanks so much for asking and for your work! I can't wait to read what others have written.
Ahhhh Purple Space! I hope it’s going well over there!
And yes - we have to sort of be intentional with how we fill our time after we log out of social media. I’ve been watching more YouTube lately, that’s for sure. Ooooops!
Purple Space is great. I realized only very recently that my transition off of social media might have gone so well largely BECAUSE of Seth Godin's online workshops. I needed a new way to meet people and it actually WORKED. That's why I think social media is doomed - because so many people are still there because they feel like the NEED to be or they SHOULD BE - you hear these words all the time. But so few people are there because they WANT to be. As soon as there are better spaces to PLAY online (and I agree, about Discord, communities, etc) - it'll be over. I just think it's up to US to build those spaces... I think the generation that grew up before the internet or with the early internet (Gen X and Millenials, too maybe) will be able to envision spaces that maybe younger more tech-savvy people/or IT creators - can help create. We can/must create the world we want to live in! I believe that's true, at least! :)
"I live in a small village in the middle of the Snowdonia National Park, in North Wales" - that's the life right there! Wishing you the best in your recovery, Jameson, and thanks for leaving this comment, it's really insightful.
YES, I spend way too much time scrolling Substack Notes, both on the app and on the web, you're not alone! Welcome to the club!
i feel that too with substack notes! i think it’s also cos i started on substack with a monthly thing and it feels weird sometimes to connect so seldom… so i go to notes and read/ restack etc. too much scrolling…
I have Facebook still because I'm an admin for a client, but thankfully I don't do much with that ever. I have LinkedIn still, and while I made a push on there in 2023, it just kicked up bad vibes, so I know I'm going to delete that in the new year. That's it! Deleted Twitter last summer, deleted IG on 1/1/2024... feeling good!
And I'll say this - I'm the sort of person who can get lost on social media for hours, so I can't just have an account and post every now and again. I appreciate and love everyone I met on there, but none of the platforms were healthy for me, and none with HELPFUL in terms of getting people to my site or newsletter, and I'm 100% fine with that.
I still have FB for group uses, linked in (not sure why) & currently on mu second pause on instagtam, which i dont miss at all.
Still wondering how to promote my work in a sustainable & nourishing way; but happy to find more people struggling and acting in consequence. Thanks for the company ✨
Glad you're here! Keep making your photos, keep writing, keep sharing your videos, all at your pace, in your timing. The right people will come about at the right time.
Your photography work is great!
I’ve had no personal social media for over two years (except LinkedIn) and put my podcast pages to rest in 2023. I could get a lot of people to like a photo or watch a reel on Instagram but that didn’t translate to more people listening to the podcast and getting rid of social media didn’t dry up the people already listening to the podcast. The gains of being of social media were so limited that it didn’t make sense anymore.
The best way for anything to grow is word of mouth and people sharing what they love and I’ve seen that pay bigger dividends for the podcast.
And last week I deleted my LinkedIn profile. I have been there for a decade and it hasn’t helped my career at all, so bye.
Love this and feel it in my bones. I'm guessing at this point (as a marketing non-expert) that people who like scrolling reels...like scrolling reels. I don't think they're looking for a podcast or a 15-minute read about philosophy and running. It's the wrong audience at the wrong time. Doesn't make sense. You're 100% right.
I was feeling this way too, Kimberly! I kept posting about my writing on IG, which a platform where people aren't interested in reading! lol. I was getting so discouraged thinking my writing "wasn't good enough," when in reality I just offering my creative work to the wrong audience.
Yes! People download Instagram.... to BE ON INSTAGRAM!
Indeed! And I don't really feel like making Instagram content - lol, so all it became was an anxiety loop. I have so much more time freedom now than I used to before. I spend 3-4 hours working on a substack essay instead of an instagram reel and I wouldn't have it any other way.
yes yes YES. And that Substack essay will be around a lot longer than a Reel, right? It’s worth the time - AND, it leads to SUBSCRIBERS. That you can export and take anywhere if you want. You’re actually BUILDING something with Substack, and that’s amazing.
Agree. Making instagram content stresses me out. While I still post when I finish a new newsletter or explore a new idea, I’m learning to have the discipline NOT to give into what I think drives IG traffic. And in reality, the most traction I ever get is when I lead with a photo of myself and get honest about wanting to do the truest thing for myself.
Oooo I love this Kimberly! TBH, I aspire one day to be able to post on IG without it spiraling my mental health - art for arts sake - but for now I know that’s just not where I’m at.
I just heard Trevor Noah say, “if you live for the good numbers you die by the bad ones,” and that knocked my socks off! ✨
I noticed I have less worry about my post performance on Substack because I’m reminding myself they are authentic to me, whereas on IG I’d generally chase trends and be disappointed 🫠
Good for you for sharing your authentic self on insta 🩵
You know what happens when Gizmo eats after midnight? The same thing happens if I look at social media before noon.
I still post on Instagram, but heavily monitor my usage because it drains my time and cognitive energy I need to draw and write! I share 3 - 4 posts a week and stories when I can. I NEVER open the app in the morning. I try to not even think about social media before noon. If it pops in my head, I tell it to go away and let me focus.
This is exactly how I feel! I post my art on DeviantArt and FurAffinity, but only once I've run out of cognitive energy to draw/write anything else in the day. I make it a rule to not upload anything to the Internet before 3 PM
Oooh, I love this rule of not uploading anything until a certain time!
3pm is hardcore! I love that. Making your art a priority is so rewarding. Thank you for the inspiration!
I found that the Cold Turkey App is really helpful for that. I blocked out Facebook except for a brief morning window, and after 6:30 PM. I'm amazed at how much more I am getting done!
I like that you don't do mornings AT ALL. Good idea. I've blocked my apps for most of the day, but I think I need to get stricter on my morning policy. It puts my brain in a funk - it gets in consumer mode and it takes a lot of energy to kick it out of that and into creator mode again.
WHOA I think you just solved why my inner critic has been blasting me and writing my post took ALL DAY. Because things were going well, then I dug into email and Substack notifications. There's definitely something to that "consumer mode" you speak of. That's exactly what the problem was today -- thank you for helping me get there!
I've had my spouse use parental controls on some of my devices so they won't connect to wifi while I'm making book revisions. I may need to tighten that up for writing days now too!
The morning thing works well and it sounds like you have a keen awareness of your mindset around how you're using devices. I hope you're coming to our social media support session on May 3! I just comped you a month, so there should be a welcome email landing in your inbox any moment!
Oh thank you. That's really generous! and THANK YOU for reminding me! hah. Look at me, I've been on here all morning having lots of fun, but I have a meeting with my editor in a few hours and oh dear. haha
Holding pattern. I feel like I “need” it. And I’ve gotten some folks from FB to read and subscribe to my newsletter in December, so that was cool!
There you go - keep building that subscriber list, brick by brick.
Yep! Got my first paid sub the other day!
Woah yessss! That’s awesome!!
I still have the logins for my social media accounts (apart from TikTok, which was an abortive experiment that I deleted yesterday), but I walked away from them. I still like the idea that someone can message me if they really need me and don't have my email or phone number, and I can log in once in a blue moon to catch it, but I enjoy not being beholden to social media in spending so much of my life in those timesucks.
I’ve walked away from TT and IG. I was doing really well on IG when I walked away and straight up deleted the app. It started as an experiment to see how much of a time sink it was and wow. I love not having IG. Not checking and scrolling is amazing.
I do t think I’ll join IG again until after I’m done writing my next book. So months.
Everyone says to market on social media but it’s so much work. I’d love to not have to jump back in but I’m not sure how to do that.
Yeah, there are job titles like "social media manager" and such, which you're now adding on top of whatever it is that you do! It's so much!
Have you considered working with someone who could do some of the social media work on your behalf? Not like HUGE, 40 hour a week or anything, but like.. "please promote these few things a few times a month."
Yes. I’ve toyed with the idea but I’m not making enough on my books to justify that.
I use X for news. Tried to build a following but forget it. It's SO HARD to catch attention. Just leave it to the big dogs.
Facebook, I use it to see what my actual friends are up to but the public content is the content of a vomitorium.
Instagram, that stuff will melt your brain.
TikTok: haha. No.
Yep on all counts. It's possible to just write, put your stuff in one place, and then see what happens.
I do, stabledatum.com!
The main socialI use is Instagram, and boy, do I hate it! As much as I’d like to cut out the Metaverse altogether, I’ve made several meaningful connections with other artists in the last year there, and it’s currently my only means of getting traffic to my comics and zines. Substack gives me hope for a route out!
Your Substack looks great already, without any posts yet! haha
And I hear you about the "making connections" part... BUT... I've been here over 2 years and made some great connections, too, so yes, there is hope!
I still have my Instagram, Facebook, and even Threads accounts but rarely post on those platforms. The reason: it is no longer fun. The only use of Facebook for me is the groups to gather info/tips etc. (I live in a foreign country and it is a good way to connect with the expat community). Most of my energy goes into my own website (and recently to Substack) - I sure check Google Analytics to track which posts get more visits but it feels a lot less anxiety-inducing than the social media likes/comments.
Yessss if it's no longer fun, then why do it?! Like you said, tending to your own website just FEELS right, so keep doing that!
I haven't closed down any accounts (yet), but I haven't posted since the last time I released (October 2023). I have Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, TikTok, and Twitter. And still peek at the three former daily while the rest are barely being touched. I find I have no interest in "returning."
YEP! You don't have to burn any of them to the ground, but you're also not obligated to shovel free "content" into them everyday, either.
I have reduced my sm footprint but can’t let go of IG or TT…I dream of deleting.
I hear this. You can’t leave because of work? Or because of another kind of pull?
no i’m just foolish 💀
Hahah that’s okay! The magnetic pull of these apps is FOR REAL.
FB is forever annoying, but I still lurk there and sometimes post. I follow lots of artists, bands and musicians, and authors there and am a group admin. for my favorite Swedish band. I also have my own art page there, GrimalkinArt. I've never tweeted or used instagram.
Sounds like you have a healthy relationship with it at least, yes? Like, not spending hours there everyday?
I suppose so. I sometimes used to lie awake with my insomnia thinking of witty things I could have said. Now I mostly just read others posts and comments and skip the ads.
I quit IG & FB for 4 months last year and then got all excited thinking it was gonna be so much better when I got back on, but it truly wasn’t. Ha I guess I just needed to confirm…so now I am off both platforms and feeling much better meeting people IRL and supporting writers on Substack.
Oh my you went back! Lesson learned. But yes, it’s calm and nice being off those platforms, and finding other folks that are seeking the same exit.
So calm and nice!😊
I still have facebook, dont know why, havent posted anything on there in years.
I do have X, mainly for sport news. Other than that, not interested in the rest. I will probably delete facebook at some point this year.
Agree that we spend to much time on these platforms and not much time on ourselves. Need to change that.
Sounds like you’ve figured out what works and what doesn’t for you!
Hello, I've used mainly instagram for the past ten years. Originally I posted records which has turned into a full time job of collecting, cleaning, sharing and archiving rare country records by getting donations through patreon. Instagram has been my main way of connecting with people and spreading what I do. Essentially I've gotten tired of the facebook thing where they add a new feature, tell everyone to use it, then nerf your engagement with every other type of post, and then they repeat it with the next new feature. I'm so tired of having to try to figure out an algorithm of how and when to post or what to post when I think it's inherently disrespectful to not just show my posts to people who follow me specifically to see my posts. I have a a decent amount of followers but my posts regularly get shown to less than 10% of them. But since I built my brand on there I feel like I can't disconnect and I don't know exactly what to do. My patreon is relatively successful, but I'm worried that if I don't try to keep using instagram that it will eventually dwindle.
I haven't wanted to use social media for a couple of years but have continued to see it as a tool worth using, despite it's constant drawbacks and the way it makes the user experience worse to try to get you to pay for sponsored posts. I just don't know how I would connect with new people without it.
I sometimes post in tandem on tiktok, facebook, threads, or blue sky but most of them haven't shown much promise. Tiktok shows some, but not much.
Oh man, that 10% impression rate is a bummer! That’s why I’ve been exploring connecting via a newsletter a lot more, since 99.9% of my subscribers get it, and 40-50% will open it.
I spoke with another IG person who had a six figure following on there, but they moved their operation to Substack, and grew to over 5000 subscribers.
I have 7.5k followers on instagram and regularly get super low engagement. I've used substack for one article but didn't really think of it as a vehicle for more social media style picture posts. I might give it a shot but at this point it feels so daunting to start using a different website altogether. In a way I feel like I've been hurt so many times why should I commit to anyone again if they could just change it all of a sudden?
In the next week I'll try to put some effort into making a couple substack posts and see what happens. I do have a mailing list through mailchimp that I enjoy and am trying to put more effort into with the lack of instagram reach.
Thanks Seth
I’ve helped a client port their email list from Mailchimp to Substack, just because writing via Substack has a nicer “newsletter” feel (vs Mailchimp email marketing bravado).
And the reason to spend more time building up something here (or any newsletter) is to OWN your audience. This platform is just a tool, a means to an end. Use it til it’s not useful anymore, and then take your email list somewhere else as needed!
Thanks Seth, I'd never really thought about it, but moving over my email list to substack makes a lot of sense to me. Also my mailchimp emails often get stuck in spam folders so even when people sign up they don't get the mail. I'm gonna do a bit more thought on using substack and how I'd like to proceed with it.
Depending on the size of your list, it might take a bit to move all your emails over to Substack, but it's worth it. Substack will do its own scrubbing of emails to make sure there's no bad email addresses being pulled over.
Substack can't keep emails from ending up in the promo tab or sometimes spam - a lot of that has to do with the quality of emails being sent. If someone sends a lot of emails, and it has a low open rate (like hovering around 10%), some servers like Gmail and Yahoo will dump them right into spam.
Shoot me an email if you wanna discuss outside of the comment section! Happy to help: sethw@sethw.xyz
I created my Twitter account when I was 11 years old (yes, I was one of those underaged kids) and had it for about eight years before I finally deleted it. The peace I’ve felt since then is surreal.
I also deleted my Instagram in 2019, but recently created an anonymous one so my siblings and friends can send me funny videos and I can follow cool artists. But I don't post anything at all on it.
I also have an anonymous Tumblr account where I follow more cool people and artists, lmao. I've found that anonymity on these platforms takes off the pressure to perform and impress for me. I can simply exist.
I've never had Facebook and I went through a LinkedIn phase last year where I attempted to be active on it, but that was a flop.
I have a rule where I don't have any of these apps on my phone, though. So I can't mindlessly click on apps and doom scroll.
I still have a lot to figure out but I love the way things are now. People tell me I need Twitter to promote my work as a writer and reach a larger audience. But that app messed me up so much, I know I'm never going back.
HAH! I tried LinkedIn, too!
And yeah.. starting NOW? In 2024 on Twitter to market your writing? Do a bunch of free work so like 80%+ of your Twitter followers don't even see it? Yeah, no thanks!
Drifting somewhere between #2, #3 and #4. My partner and I got all excited in the beginning when I was just starting out in music... we set up about 8 social media channels all at once for me, because I was a late starter and thought I needed to catch up with everyone. Biiig mistake. Fun at the beginning when the algo wasn't around, but it soon became unbearable. Now it feels like we're talking out into the void. If I had a dollar for every hour I've spent (wasted?) on the socials instead of making music!
Wow, EIGHT SOCIAL MEDIA CHANNELS. But hey, that's what EVERYONE recommends, right? Gotta be everywhere, post everywhere - opportunity is everywhere! But yeah, like you said... all those HOURS could have been spent on making more music, learning a new technique, talking with other song writers for possible collaborations - there's soooo many other things you can do besides JUST post on social media, and think that will fix everything.
I've completely quit all social media after having tried almost all of them when they were new. First it's fun, then...not. I have a Pinterest account that I don't look at much but it doesn't feel "social" in there's no liking and such. Overall, it's been a good move!
Good for you for trying them out! And yesss... the fun wears off after a bit. Glad to hear you've broken free and feel like it's a good move. You're a shining example for all of us!
Thanks for such kind words. I'm not sure how much of an example I might make but I do love shiny things LOL ✨️
One person escaping the The Matrix is a win in my book!
I was happy doing the socials for years. Always seemed fine to navigate, have my purpose and context, and enjoy what I did.
Several years of unexpected illness meant I deliberately moved away from most online stuff while I recovered. Coming back in recent months, I see way more platforms, way more private communities, way more forums and Discord servers, and all sorts. It's cosy in some spaces, silent in others, cliquey in some areas, and hard to understand at all in some corners.
I'm still up for these extended socials, so long as I keep that valid purpose and context for doing so. Count me as feeling blessed for not feeling drawn to the socials or having a sense of FOMO. It's why I could (thankfully) just stop when I first got ill.
My way is to go on or not go on, simple as that. I don't mind if that means I'm "leaving money on the table" or being inconsistent with posting, etc. There will always be stuff to come back to and explore...Or, in this case, SOOOOOOOOO MUCH to come back to!
Yeah, the private community stuff is wild - the Discords and all that. Sounds like you've got a good grasp on things!
I'm a musician, so I have to have a social media presence. Instagram is still the only way that some musicians communicate with one another and when I pitch to a venue or a streaming platform or a publication, etc., they want to see my IG. But since I've had absolutely no success on the platforms themselves and want to kill myself when I'm on them, I view them as portfolios rather than the top of my funnel. I never scroll the news feeds and I only post on IG and let it cross-post to FB for me. And I have a YT channel. I also regularly run ads on Meta which is the only way I can reach anyone (and even that's becoming less effective). I believe social media algorithms have become the bane of our society. I do only what I have to on them because I must, but I hate every second of it and dream of the day they go away.
Thanks for sharing, Zach!
It's wild that so many places rely on IG for communication - what happens if. you get locked out your account for some weird reason? And the whole "venues wanna see IG numbers" - why not just buy followers, ya know? I mean, you and I wouldn't do that because we need to sleep at night, but another band is probably buying followers and getting the gigs that you aren't getting which is gross.
All that to say - YOU HAVE A SUBSTACK! Which means you have an email list. Hopefully it's something you can use and work on in a way that doesn't make you hate every second of it.
Hit me up if you have questions! hey@sethw.xyz
After 10 years of running my creative business and being an artist, I got off of Instagram on Jan 31. I’m feeling really confident with this choice, and with the belief that we are more supported than we realize and once we snap out of the social media spell that tells us we need to be on it in order to have success, there’s a whole world of creative possibility that doesn’t make us feel so manipulated, drained, fragmented and psychologically messed with ◡̈ Looking forward to hearing your perspective here!
I think you wrote this as a Note and I replied, but replying here as well - BREAK THE SPELL! So glad to hear you go off Instagram. New post coming on Monday!
Ah! I think when I added my comment I accidentally had the box “also share as note” checked. I’ve been intentionally not being savvy about how to use notes because I don’t want it to feel like social media or pull at my psyche in the same ways. ;)
YES - I sometimes have to delete the Substack app during the week because I look at it too much while making coffee or taking a walk.
I took social media off my phone last year, and it opened up a creative portal when I downloaded Substack instead.
I shared a lot in my instagram stories, but didn’t get many responses at the time. However, people who met me in real life, or people would tell my friends or kids that they loved my content (my teenage and adult daughters friend’s followed me 😅)
When I came here, it was such a warm and responsive community.
I don’t go on instagram or facebook often. The only downside is that I nearly missed a birthday party when they changed the date at the last minute, and my best friend shares all her news on instagram stories, so I’m a little behind sometimes. Haha
Ahhhh! The whole "we share all the important info on a communication channel that limits our reach and can lock us out at any time!" Too bad you can't FWD info from Facebook to your inbox, you know?
Good job removing social media from your phone. May your Substack journey continue to be great (new post coming on Monday)!
I deactivated my personal Facebook page and now have only a spare page for some art groups, where we share work. IG has always been a small account for friends and family, I barely post there anything. I have LinkedIn, but more as a part of my career in academia and I am not really active there, mostly just update it as a CV. A year ago I started sharing stuff on Substack and I feel it suits me better, I don't have any amazing results here, but I enjoy the platform, even though I mostly write into the void. Just trying to show up, share and find my way. Really like your approach to running a business without social media!
Art as Home is a DELIGHT! Oh my goodness. Don't sweat the "amazing results" - remember, if you reach 10 people here, you'd need 100 followers on social media for the same impact - so take it easy, you're doing great!
Thanks a lot, Seth!!
Hi!
I don't like that Substack sometimes feels like [ insert Social ], but I'm glad it connected me to this newsletter!
I took a year off from Instagram and Facebook in 2021. Best "social" and connected year of my life.
Last year I read Digital Minimalism by Cal Newport, and purchased Freedom Tools. Since then, my usage of Instagram (which happens to be my kryptonite) has been reduced by like 80%. I now look at it maybe once a week for less than 20 minutes.
I have Facebook and sometimes need it to post on my organization's page. That's annoying, but thankfully my boss doesn't care for social media and never asks me to get more engagement there (we're a church).
I hate Instagram and dream of fully walking away. I have a personal profile there and one for my newsletter, Leading Ladies. In a few months, I would like to have deleted it altogether.
I hate what Instagram has turned into (paid ads) and I hate how cynical it makes me toward other kind human beings (my brain is like "why would you post that?" FAR TOO OFTEN when I'm on there).
Sharing photos is in my blood since I got FB when I was 13 and Insta when I was 20. I'd like to have it completely deleted before I have children and am massively tempted to post photos of them there.
I finally booted up a personal newsletter where I plan to occasionally share photos to family and friends who would care to see them. Otherwise, trying for a mindset shift to PRINT MY PHOTOS and look at them on paper.
Slowly but surely moving toward the ANALOG LIFE.
Thanks for all the encouragement to do so!
Ahhh, I love all of this so much! It's quite a journey, right? And I hear you - PRINTING PHOTOS. ANALOG. I'm looking at buying CDs again, and managing an MP3 collection! It's just nice to be in control of things, and curate our own experiences.
Oh my goodness! I grew up with extremely limited electronic access so I have a huge CD collection and my trusty MP3 player for podcasts. There's an art to a good album that's not the same as a spotify-"curated" playlist...
I've hated social media for a long while now. I ONLY still have Facebook because of the memories. When significant people in your life pass away, memories are all we have.
As for the rest of it....meh. I'm just not interested in the colossal waste of time.
I am still on Facebook mainly for some coaching groups I'm in. I still have Twitter and LinkedIn accounts, but I don't really use them. I was an early adopter of BlueSky, but again, haven't used it much. I've gone back and forth on deleting all of them except for Facebook, which I do use for business connections.
I think I spend more time on Facebook than I should; it is easy to get in a pattern of "doomscrolling" and lose oneself in it. I'm made aware of my own failings based on observing friends and coworkers get totally lost inside TikTok. For hours. "Hehehe did you see this video on TikTok?" No. I did not. And I'm not going to. I witness kids sitting on the couch all day, watching various streaming programs on TV, while watching TikToks at the same time on their phones. I am fascinated by this level of overstimulation.
The 64,000 dollar question is "What do I really gain from social media?" When I dig deep and really try to answer that question, apart from business connections gained on Facebook, nothing.
The luddite movement is slowly gaining traction; disconnecting from the networks and devices and getting outside more. As a GenX'er, this was my way of life growing up, and over time it has eroded to an unhealthy reliance on technology. I am glad to see people are starting to disconnect again. I have begun to return to the old ways... and I shall continue.
Yeah, the business connection thing can be hard to break away from, especially when it’s tied to such an easy platform to doom scroll on!
I’d be wary of hosting groups of any size on Facebook, though, being as meta could just determine one day you’re breaking some user terms and delete it, or lock you out or whatever.
Sounds like your journey is on the right path though!!
I agree and I preach to my clients "Don't build your castle on someone else's beach". Some have found it difficult to actually grasp the concept that they own nothing on the social platforms. Thank you for writing about this topic, as it hits me at the right time in my life and business. :)
I just saw a cool art/design/type group on Instagram get bit by changes that Meta made... total wrench in their operations, with 400K (!!!) followers!
So yes, absolutely - thanks for subscribing, I'll continue writing about this for sure haha
I'd quit LinkedIn if I were retired or felt confident I could grow a profitable newsletter business without it. Looking forward to either.
I haven't used Facebook or LinkedIn for years.
Never got into Snapchat or TikTok or the newer ones.
I don't use Reddit much.
I limit YouTube to when I'm on the treadmill, and I don't use the comments part of it.
Substack is new for me. It has pros/cons. It feels the least toxic, probably.
Yeah, if your client base is on LinkedIn, it can be hard to walk away from it. But I bet with enough momentum from Substack, and playing your cards right, I bet you could do it!
And yes.. Substack has pros and cons, but I just love that I'm building a subscriber list here, and if things go south I can export and set up shop somewhere else.
Apart from substack for writing and Facebook for family, I’ve pretty well walked away from social media for the foreseeable future. I’d rather write or receive a letter than a DM. I’m so tired of superficial instant communications and the constant invasion of notifications. The “mindfulness” focus setting has been on my phone from wake till sleep, and the “sleep” focus overnight. It feels like a deep inhale for the first time in a while. It makes me wonder why I ever got on social media in the first place, and how I can step even further away.
I love this, Julie! Never thought to set up the Mindfulness focus setting on my phone for the day - I'm going to look into that. Facebook for family is a tricky one for me, because I feel at any moment Meta can shut down out account, you know? Just lock us out for some "policy violation" or whatever. And then what?
Love your input on this, though! Thanks for sharing.
Meta really is such a mess! That’s why I’ve got everyone’s mailing addresses and started writing updates instead. Plus.. who doesn’t love receiving “happy mail” stuffed with tea, pictures, stickers, etc? Hehe!
YESSSS I was thinking of doing that with PHOTOS. My dad never clicks the links to see the stuff I posted on my blog and such... but what if I SENT HIM THE PRINTS?!! That's a new project for spring.
Oh, that's such an excellent idea! I know parents love to see what we're creating, but so often, the technical side, like blogs, falls far beyond their scope of understanding, haha! I bet you my dad would appreciate print-outs of my writing, too! Thanks for the idea!
And it's just a link, right?! hahah PARENTS. You're super welcome!
I used to be an IG influencer, back when the term didn't exist. I was the first Indonesian who had a Twitter account, at least that was what our national newspaper claimed. As a Tech Geek I was very active in Social Media, I had account in almost every single Social Network. I blogged professionally too, until I sold it 4 years ago. I still have those accounts, I never deleted them. But I am not active in all of them. Today my focus is in Substack and LinkedIn. I am semi active in X, Threads, Bluesky, Facebook and Instagram. I recognised that there is a real danger in getting addicted to these platforms and made a conscious decision to limit myself, especially after my children has grown up. I need to protect them too. In my last post I wrote about practical tips that I'm doing to balance my relationship with my tech. I think everyone should start thinking about theirs too. https://lifeapprentice.substack.com/p/11-tips-to-fight-social-media-addiction
"first Indonesian who had a Twitter account" - that is huge! I was user # like 2700 or something when I signed up in 2006, but deleted my account last year. Just had enough!
You're doing great work with your own Substack! Lots of solid info there
Thanks. So far I'm able to build a mental barrier on my social media and never let idiots affect my life. It's working, though there were some occasions where I had to 'join in'.
I only had Twitter for a couple of weeks a year or so ago. The format lends itself to shallow 'hot takes" and nastiness IMHO. It isn't long enough to develop a coherent argument, but it is long enough for a mean tweet.
I'm developing my long neglected LinkedIn account for job hunting purposes.
Facebook I loved, but I have had enough of the censorship. I used to post multiple times a day... far more than was healthy; but I finally got sick of being throttled and shadow-banned, especially over jokes. The algorithms and "fact checkers" not only lack any sense of humor, they lack any sense of context. Being censored is bad enough, but being censored by a moron is even worse.
That being said, I found I missed the writing, especially jokes and gags, which is why I came to Substack.
"Follow your dreams - And make them happen".
I am a member of a small community of poets, writers, and artists.
It is our aim to support what could be described as an off-line culture.
We are interested in what writers and visual artists create in solitude, that stretch of time when distractions fade, and deep wells of thinking and feelings emerge.
We aim to spark conversations between those who find artistic expression, philosophical comment, and reverence for the natural world a critical counterweight to the racket and fragmentation of what is deemed as modern-day living.
We want hopefully to preserve as much human contact as possible, in what is fast becoming an increasingly digital world.
Ooooh, I like this. I like how you mention writers / artists creating in solitude, because I don't think the aim is to ALWAYS be surrounded by people when we make our work, BUT... having that community around is great. Thank for sharing this!
I keep it at arm’s length and look at IG once a day and FB once or twice a week, purely to stay connected to a few people that matter to me there. I almost never post anymore. I’m pretty happy with this approach.
If it's working for you, then it's working!
Social Media Escape Club isn't like Fight Club... "if this is your first time reading Social Media Escape Club, you have to delete Instagram."
I have joined the Social Media Escape Club! Will it work? I have an addition to X(Twitter) and hate it, but like all addictions, keep returning for another hit. It used to be fun, it's not now. I actually spent money on a hypnotherapist to try and quit it but it didn't work. Plus publishers like you to have active social media accounts (I've had to give numbers when signing publishing contracts) and I spent years building up to 20,000 followers (now 17,000) and don't want to just delete it! Facebook is tolerable/necessary but I'd rather not really. Instagram I still quite enjoy and at least it doesn't constantly threaten to take over my life/make me unproductive.
Yeah, that publisher thing is wild. But I always feel like, do publishers realize how LITTLE reach we all have with those “big numbers?” Twitter accounts I see with SIX FIGURE following reach like 2000 people. When someone can have an email list of 4000 people and reach the same amount of people!
But I know… so many moving parts!!! Welcome to the club!!!
Only Notes and LI.
Hey, if that works for you, that works! I'm down to just Notes, and loving it.
I use SM to share my music and writing. Stay in touch with fans and friends via FB, IG, Threads, and X. And, I most definitely avoid the snake charmers and grifters.
If it's working for you, it's working for you! Carry on!
...have a twitter started 12 months ago, not touching it...have a substack post daily notes, weekly writings...have a linkedin (thinking of doing comedy there)...no other social footprint online outside of art/music/etc. in various varieties...looking to make friends and collaborators online and to scale personal businesses through whatever are the most appropriate methods...i think i need to spend more time outside (like maybe all the time)...appreciate what you are doing here...
Time outside is never a bad option! Sounds like you're doing a lot, and that's so good! Keep exploring and trying new things.
I guess I’m using Facebook as a billboard still since I put my Substack posts there and get a few likes from folks who already subscribe to the newsletter. I’ve taken it all off my phone and I only do it in the computer, and I have feed blockers to keep me from scrolling. I built up a decent size audience on Facebook, about 6000 followers, but unless I pay for ads they don’t see anything anymore. I want to delete that and my Instagram account but I just can’t seem to do it yet. It has REALLY helped to not have them on my phone.
YEPPPP.. deleting is hard! It's like, ALL THAT WORK? Just to burn it down?
And YES --- not having the apps on the phone is a huge help!
Holding pattern! as a photog, i have a love/ hate relationship with ig.. its a great connector but increasingly impersonal. I’m trying to move to having a mailing list (via substack) to take back some control over my interactions with friends and people who follow my work. It’s been a surprising and encouraging process. Taking it slow but it feels nice
Yessss, agreed. Slow is nice. Love that you say it's been surprising and encouraging! Once you settle into a groove, and realize you can exist without looking or posting on social media every 4 minutes, stuff gets good!
I haven't closed my accounts but I have left social media since January 2024 (minus LinkedIn, which I don't hate). Sadly, I can't get totally rid of social media as I work as communication manager because I am not a full-time author 😢
Ahhhhh, yes... I hear you. I still have a Facebook account to deal with some client stuff, and I actually do have a base Twitter and IG account for research and work purposes, but I do not have the apps on my phone, and never get lost on them on desktop.
Yes, having the apps on the phone is the worst. I didn't quite realize how much it killed my creativity and productivity before deleting them. Now, I only use my computer as well. I have to admit that Meta business is not as bad, though, because you only see your own "work" and no feeds or polluting information.
Will read your future newsletters with curiosity and a happy mindset.
Holding pattern for now …it can be such a time sink.
I started a digital declutter (a la Cal Newport) on April 1. No, not an April Fools' Joke. I'm tired of being addicted to my phone and the way that constant checking of social media makes me feel, and takes away my productivity. I do believe that social media can be for good - such as raising global awareness around social justice issues - but I want to get to a place where I control it, vs the other way around.
YEP. Social media can do great things, but it's best when we use it as a tool, instead of IT using US like a tool!
I was an avid IG user until FB took over. I've seen a massive downward spiral of engagement. Saw a video yesterday of another IG user who has been experiencing the same thing. I'm not quite ready to leave it, but neither am I sure I will stay.
YEP. They'll be a day when we open an app for the last time! I deleted my IG on Jan 1 of this year and haven't missed it one bit.
Honestly, it's hard to walk away from so many followers, but I'm facing the real question: Do they help my goal of being more widely read? And for that, at least for now, I don't have an answer.
I've talked to someone with six-digit followers, and they just couldn't get a fraction of those people to click over and subscribe. It's hard when those platforms are HOSTILE towards anyone (like us!) trying to get people off their service and clicking elsewhere.
They just keep pushing content creation over engagement. 😖
Can't win games you don't wanna play!
I have a best friend who is off of social media and has been for almost a decade and she is thriving. A part of me is envious, because every time I think of doing the same something ropes me back in whether it’s a fear of missing out, losing out on a new recipe, a book recommendation, commentary on pop culture… connecting with a community of like minded people who don’t exist outside of social media… it’s a true conundrum.
Social media. I love/hate it! LOVE staying in touch with people I otherwise don't see from my very nomadic life. LOVE posting paddle boarding videos for my friends. Hate the dependence on the hit of likes, especially as an artist posting links to web series, performances, written work. LOVE your post suggesting there are other ways.
Yep! There are so many positives of social media - BY DESIGN! Makes it so hard to leave, or ramp down. You’re on your own journey with it.
I'm on Facebook because that's where my people are. I still like the medium. I can post anything there - written, photo, video, short or long. It's versatile. I share my posts from Substack over there.
I have an Instagram page that's more like a static web page in case folks look me up there. I really enjoy engaging with other's content on Instagram because I successfully curated my feed to whales, comedy, hair videos, planner stuff, and food.
And I'm here. I consider this social media as well because it's a medium and with commenting and notes and DM'ing it's social. I like it here because it feels like all the posturing is gone. Feels like I'm at an Indie bookstore and we're making genuine conversations. It feels intimate.
I use IG to keep up with friends and for Flight Patterns stuff, I also get a lot of art ideas from there.
FB's just annoying, I have an account but barely post, and if I do it's Flight Pattern stuff for my Gen X followers that don't have IG.
For a year I was on YDubs (private site for young writers) but internal politics and cost made me leave.
Never been interested in Twitter or Linkedin or Tiktok. Never felt like my people.
Sounds like you've got an okay and tolerable relationship with the social media that you're using at the moment!
Hi! What great questions. I found you thanks to Purple Space. Miss you there!
I quit social media in 2020. Did it by LOGGING OUT. It changed my life for the better. But without realizing it, Youtube began to take over my evenings... and even Whatsapp provided a fix/filled a hole/made the hole feel bigger. So I quit that recently and rejoined with better boundaries.
Now I realize how Youtube is an addition I still need to deal with. And the only thing I think will really get to the root of the problem is having more ACTUAL humans in my life. And/or learning to play the guitar, for example - being creative along others, daily, for example. A decent substitute/fill-in might be having more interactive online activities that can be done in parallel with others (without looking at the screen). I feel this coming. I see myself leading some of these kinds of things, too. I have a feeling that social media is dying and it may be US who have to create what can kind-of fill the hole that it never filled.
That's what I got! Thanks so much for asking and for your work! I can't wait to read what others have written.
Ahhhh Purple Space! I hope it’s going well over there!
And yes - we have to sort of be intentional with how we fill our time after we log out of social media. I’ve been watching more YouTube lately, that’s for sure. Ooooops!
Purple Space is great. I realized only very recently that my transition off of social media might have gone so well largely BECAUSE of Seth Godin's online workshops. I needed a new way to meet people and it actually WORKED. That's why I think social media is doomed - because so many people are still there because they feel like the NEED to be or they SHOULD BE - you hear these words all the time. But so few people are there because they WANT to be. As soon as there are better spaces to PLAY online (and I agree, about Discord, communities, etc) - it'll be over. I just think it's up to US to build those spaces... I think the generation that grew up before the internet or with the early internet (Gen X and Millenials, too maybe) will be able to envision spaces that maybe younger more tech-savvy people/or IT creators - can help create. We can/must create the world we want to live in! I believe that's true, at least! :)