"Self-promotion" doesn't have to suck
In February, Vox posted this long-form article lamenting the need to be present on some form of social media if you’re in the creative economy. (artist, author, musician, etc.)
In essence, the article says you have to self-promote and build a following on social media platforms if you want to make a living as a creative. However, self-promoting on these platforms takes time and energy, which means you’re often too drained to make the art you want to make.
And maintaining a social media presence and promoting your work is on top of everything else you need to do to run your business.
And I empathize.
Because many of these sentiments apply to freelancers, solopreneurs, and small business owners, too, who need to find time to market in addition to actually doing the work.
The pace of existing on the Internet can be overwhelming. Keeping up with all the changes in the content/digital marketing and social media world is exhausting. Heck, making Reels on Instagram is still an immense effort for me. And while I understand the value of TikTok, I still find it an overwhelming place to spend a lot of time on.
But is the situation really so dire? I have some thoughts to share based on my personal experience running a writing business, where LinkedIn is one of the main ways I get new client inquiries.
1. You need to tell (and remind) people you exist
The Vox article is based on the "if you build it, people will come" mentality, which isn't always true now, especially given the internet's current maturity level.
For example, when I support my wife’s milk tea business, we know our product is great because we only sell things we can personally 100% support. But I still need to tell people that the business exists—whether through social media or word-of-mouth.
But the truth is, people are busy, and your business and art are one thing on their long list of things they’re thinking about.
Often I’ve clicked on an interesting Instagram ad from a small business or creator and thought to myself “oh that’s cool, I wanna check that out later”. And promptly forget because I need to go make dinner or think about something else, like my many unread WhatsApp messages (oops)
Maybe this has happened to you too.
So why are we expecting people to magically find your art or business and be convinced enough to make a purchase without you telling them it exists (and it’s open for business?)
Is it doing yourself a disservice to expect people to find you without you saying anything? You need to tell people how you can help them and why they should work with you.
Just like we check a business’s social media or Google Maps profiles to find proof they’re still operating, people need reminders and proof that you’re still in business. They want to know they’re investing their money and energy into a business or a creator that shares the same values as them.
And I believe it’s possible to talk about what you’re doing or share your ideas in a way that doesn’t feel icky.
2. It is possible to have fun sharing about your business in a way that gives you energy
First up, let’s define self-promotion.
Tara McMullin has an excellent definition of self-promotion, which is:
Digital content with the primary purpose of directly soliciting action from viewers of that content to benefit the creator of that content. It's content with a core message that sounds something like "hire me," "sign up for my free workshop," or "listen to my new podcast episode."
How do you feel when you read that definition?
For me, the first image that comes to mind is greasy Internet marketers smacking you in the face with their “5 Reasons Why My Online Course Will Change Your Life!!”. Only for the low low price of $397, and you get all the bonuses with a $597 value, yada yada.
For some, selling and self-promotion can make you feel like a greasy Internet marketer and incite all kinds of feelings about self-worth, anxiety over asking to be compensated fairly for your labor and expertise, and other complex feelings around money.
And the Vox article takes a very negative view of self-promotion! But while the greasy internet marketer model’s been used for decades, I don’t think that’s the only way to share about your business.
If you share about things you’re interested in and do it in a way that aligns with you, being online and talking about your business can be fun and energizing.
It’s not just about sharing about your business or art all day; it's also about giving people reasons to trust and know you. People buy from people they trust, and sharing your ideas, thoughts and perspectives in a natural way can help you earn that trust.
Leigh Stein, who writes a newsletter about the intersection of the Internet and book publishing shares a similar view on “self-promotion”, saying:
I don’t often make “self-promotional” content—more often, I’m sharing an idea, an opinion, or a joke. My “content” has to be valuable to you, my audience, so that when I do have something to sell, you’re willing to hear the pitch
I find that viewing social media as only an avenue for self-promotion makes it overwhelming and unfun. No one likes people who constantly yell at you to buy their products; it makes you feel desperate, and desperation stinks.
Worse still, it turns what is supposed to be a conversation between two humans into a purely transactional relationship. That’s why it's so important to stop thinking of content and social media only as something “I need to do to promote myself.”
But there’s another reason why showing up online isn’t always terrible, and that’s … 👇
3. There is a demand for “self-promotion” done in an aligned way
People are looking for interesting people to follow, relate to, stuff to learn, and entertainment.
Why else do we spend so much time browsing social media, watching YouTube videos, and saving informative posts on Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok?
These posts are great references or teach you something new. You may not buy something from them immediately, but it’s easier to think of someone who consistently shares things you love and enjoy when you’re looking for something to work with.
Personally, I reconcile this by thinking of my newsletter and LinkedIn content as extensions of my business and my craft.
I default to long-form writing because that’s what I’m good at and what I love doing—thinking about ideas and unpacking them step by step. Writing on my own platforms serves as a break from client work.
This is my version of “self-promotion” done in an aligned way.
Maybe what is “aligned” looks different for you. Perhaps it’s making amazing carousels on Canva to post on Instagram. Or you’re a short-form video master. Or you don’t post anything at all, but stick to leaving thoughtful comments and building relationships on LinkedIn and email.
All these are perfectly suitable ways of showing up online!
Caveats!
However, some caveats - which are important to note when talking about a nuanced topic like this: (it’s possible to hold multiple disparate ideas in your head)
Social media platforms and promotion in general are biased against certain types of promotion and can favor people who present in a certain way.
There are systemic factors at work and ever-changing tech algorithms that influence how people find things. (Cue the shouting-in-the-void feeling I sometimes feel on social media.)
Creating = labor. And that labor isn’t always compensated fairly.
There is pressure to conform to whatever’s trending or the month's flavor to get more views and exposure. But you don’t need a huge audience or following to build your business - you just need the right people who trust you to do what you say and need your service or resonate with your art (i.e. big social media following and a significant group of best-fit clients aren’t always the same thing)
No matter how much you enjoy creating content, it is still possible and valid to feel like you’re sometimes running on a hamster treadmill. What helps me handle these emotions is to look for a reason that makes creating on social media enjoyable that isn’t related to business growth or promoting your art. For me, I enjoy thinking about these topics and writing about them, engagement be dammed. My LinkedIn posts and newsletter serve as a public record for my thinking, and captures how I felt about a topic at a given time.
This is why I believe if you practice any form of creative work (writing, speaking, etc) - you need a space where you can practice it for practice's sake - i.e your hobby stays a hobby, rather than a commercial practice that's linked to your income and lifestyle.
That being said, I acknowledge I am not directly financially dependent on social media. If LinkedIn and this email newsletter went down tomorrow, I’ll be super frustrated, but I can rebuild. That financial independence is a privilege in itself.
Whew. Lots of thoughts on this topic, and I’m aware there’s nuances I haven’t explored in detail. After all, I’m not immune to these lines of thinking either.
But I think Tara nails it when talking about the difference between making content and making offers (the more explicit “I have something to sell or work with me here posts)
I make content because I have something to say. And I make offers because I have something to sell.
Maybe the lines are a bit more clear-cut when it comes to B2B content marketing. But maybe not either. After all, we’re all humans trying to appeal to other humans, not counting the AI bug bear, which is a whole other topic I’ll save for another day.
Some valuable perspectives on the creator economy and “self-promotion” I enjoyed
Author Platform Is Not a Requirement to Sell Your Novel or Children’s Book by Jane Friedman: Speaking from the POV of someone who has experience in the media and publishing industry, Jane dives into some of the points raised by the Vox article, and questions the idea of platform (it’s not just a social media presence!)
When Every Action Is A Transaction by Tara McMullin: Incredible piece which dives into the psychology of why it’s so easy to think of social media interactions and making content online as transactional interactions, and the dangers of doing so
Sorry (Not Sorry), Self-Promotion Doesn't Work also by Tara McMullin: Does self-promotion REALLY work? Nah. Special mention for the Good Place reference in this essay. I loved this bit in the end too, although she also acknowledges the economic realities that can make this perspective difficult to sustain.
I want to write and podcast in a world where sharing our knowledge and experiences is part of what we owe to each other. If not in this particular form, in whatever form “works.” I want to work in a world where the value of what I share freely isn't attached to the assumption that I'll receive financial value in return.
Tara McMullin
who told you it would be easy? by Leigh Stein: All the above pieces are all a bit more serious, so it’s great to see a perspective from someone who’s actually positive about creating online. Pretty cool analysis on Internet culture as well.
These are some of my thoughts on this topic, and i’ll love to hear what you think!
See you soon,
Joshua
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