Yep! I walked away from Social Media on January 1. I'm just writing on Substack now for many of the reasons you list above, and working on becoming even more consistent with it. And in just 9 days, I feel better about myself. I had already stopped posting as much on social media, but now, I'm not scrolling or reading posts that I wish I could unsee. It's been glorious!
Glad you're back to "blogging" Jeff. I followed your old blog for a long time when you were writing about writing and working for a nonprofit. Good to "see" you again.
Thank you, Heather! It's good to be here. I share the same feelings you've expressed here. I was caught in the constant scroll/judge/resent cycle, and I just got tired of it. After almost a month of no social, my life feels calmer and more peaceful. I've got a great community here on Substack, I'm making some extra cash, and it all feels a lot more manageable. With social media, I felt like I was keeping up; whereas, here I feel like I'm setting the tone and pace for the conversation. Feels better for me. :)
I understand this on a personal level; but from a marketing perspective, how do you see this affecting your ability to connect with clients/readers? I’m asking out of genuine curiosity because I struggle with this as I’m just working to “build my audience”…
Yeah, Sue. Valid question. Honestly, I don't really care. I've built up enough of a following over the years, have a strong enough brand and subscriber base, that I can do without it. Almost all my business has come from referrals and/or my email list. Very little, if any that I could track, came from social. Also worth noting: the time and energy I save from the constant distraction of scrolling can now be directed towards other, more fruitful efforts. I don't necessarily recommend this for everyone. It was just the right move for me and long past the right time. Best wishes to you.
Interesting. I think I've only had one or two people contact me about editing at writewithoutborders.com based on social media. All my other business comes via personal contacts from people who have heard me at writers' workshops or been referred by people who have.
I feel this, Sue. Most of the articles I see about people leaving social media are written by people who are already super established in whatever they're doing and can afford to take the risk. I'm in the curiosity boat with you...
I quit Social Media back in 2018 and have recently started building an audience on Substack. I have to be quite imaginative in how I do it. It's still difficult and at times I really rue my morals and sensibilities but over the years I have learnt to make peace with my choice.
Many days I’m for giving up on social media--but I’m not sure how to “get my name out there.” I run a side business with a full time job and family--so I need to do my best with growing on social media. I don’t blame Jeff and others for doubling down on their existing audience. Just don’t have that luxury right now. Maybe Notes will be a better, more curated social network for creators. Time will tell.
Same! I've heard from so many great souls who have resonated with these reasons and others. And I'd be lying if I hadn't been inspired by others who were braver than me. I'm just following in their foot steps.
I’ve had these same thoughts on and off for a while. But I also thought you HAD to have social media to share ideas. I love sharing ideas but I hate playing the algorithm game. I love how your using Substack and I think I’m gonna really double down on it to build and connect with an audience.
100% with you. I just don't want to do it anymore. I'm one of those assholes who smoked for 10 years and then one day was like "You know what? I think I'm done with this," and quit. This feels like that.
I've spent the last year or so loosely hoping I'll be able to figure out a way for my next career to not require social media. I still don't know what I'm doing next, but I've mentally moved into the space of "If I have to be on IG in order to do my work, it's not the right work for me." Even if it sounds great on paper, or would be lucrative, or whatever other reason that makes logical sense. Will I make less money? Probably. Will I love my life more? Definitely.
There are some artists and photographers on Instagram I follow because the work they share is updated and fresh, whereas their websites are static. One can blog without social media, but good luck with discoverability. Substack at least has a built in community. The best bet is to find work that doesn’t depend on a social media presence. YouTube is another time drain, so I try to avoid it in favor of books.
Well said. Another thing I'm learning, John, is that just because something "works" doesn't mean it's for me. I suppose in a sense I've always known this, but I certainly resisted it years ago. By no means do I think this choice is a one-size-fits-all approach; I just knew it was time for me, and I'm grateful for the deeper, more meaningful connections I've found here.
When I sat down to honor the big dream for my life with my ink, I realized that nowhere in my dreams did social media come in to play. I want real friendships with real people doing in real life in person things. Thank you for this article!
Hi Jeff. I was having coffee with a friend this morning who suggested I go on Instagram to increase my reach for Gentle Creative. A couple of people have said this to me as they like what I do and think I would find a good audience there. I'm not sure but I'm also open to it. Who knows. And I replied to her that I have noticed a big shift away from social media - just as you're doing. Ultimately, I don't think it matters where one is "on it" or not - just whether it serves one, or one serves it!
I walked away from social media after posting a picture a day for an entire year. I don't miss it an ounce. I also read the book "Stolen Focus" by Johann Hari and highly recommend it to seal the deal. Great piece. Thank you, Jeff.
And to mention Hari's book "Lost Connections." And for further evidence of the power of community read Hari's "Chasing The Scream," especially the use in Switzerland of community to break heroin addiction.
I would love to talk about how to stay off of social media though. I don't miss it in the slightest but it's undeniable that a lot of the work I get when you dig back it stems from social media almost every time. I just got a big job today and they would not know who I was but for my daily posts.
The only social media I use actively is Facebook. I don't struggle with many of the things on your list but the use of time. During the Trump years I also had issues with political discussions until I decided to let go of a lot of friends/followers who stirred the pot.
My complaint about all this online writing and marketing activity is different. It's the constant busywork. The logins, the passwords, the emails, it becomes overwhelming. Wordpress, Facebook, Twitter, Bandcamp, SoundCloud, MailChimp, Domain, Flywheel, Amazon and that's just some of the ones related to keeping a website and sharing product. Add all my other personal sites for medical, dental, etc., and my work sites. It's exasperating keeping up with everything.
I remember when I'd only get a handful of emails a day. Now I get dozens everyday, most of which are junk, on several different accounts. I want that to stop. I don't want to spend my retirement years being chained to this thing. I want to write. I want to compose music. I want to share my content with others. But it begins to feel like the efforts are not worth the reward.
By the way, I did start a Substack and published a few articles. I'd really appreciate it if you might follow mine. danstevenerickson
I'm not enjoying Substack so far because like much of the Internet it feels like I'm a man in the middle of nowhere, screaming at no one. Building any kind of audience seems to have become a more difficult challenge in the years since I've started writing online. I'm not sure I see the point in using yet another app.
I’m considering an information diet Jeff and social is a big part of the menu. I write daily on LinkedIn and Twitter, but find myself struggling to keep up with the volumes of nonsense by those that I’m comparing myself to... albeit unintentionally. Good thoughts here.
Social media is addictive because it's designed to be that way. Those companies keep tweaking their AI and algorithms to make us spend a lot of time on them. But the advantage of social media is we can be become instant experts and argue/comment on economy, wars, politics, health, celebrities, movies, and practically any subject under the sun without any formal education or experience :-)
Haha. Not necessarily an "advantage" in my view. But I imagine that's what you were getting at. Soon, I imagine, social media will be driven by and optimized for AI. Then we can go back to walking through the woods like all the other organic material and let the robots feed themselves on each other.
I think that’s the bottom line, the return on social is really non-existent. If “feels” productive at least while growing a brand, but in reality it’s not. Thanks for this thoughtful post. I’m loving the new format.
As someone who recently squeezed out half a dozen limes, I can attest to the frustration one experiences when the juice is, indeed, no longer worth the squeeze. Shoulda just bought the bottle o' lime juice.
Agree with so much of what you’ve said here 💜 I actually followed you to substack and would love to hear more about your hopes & plans for this platform!
I took a break from social media for a few months after I gave birth to my daughter in October and it was good for the soul. I’m back on it now, but I consider leaving often for many of the reasons that you mentioned above. It feels shallow and dishonest, and a total time suck.
That said, I do yearn for a creative outlet - a place to share my writing and engage with others, which I haven’t been able to find. the way of “building an audience” via social media & a website & course offering & free pdf & podcast etc etc is so unsustainable, and ultimately a distraction from the real work (for me).
Anyway, I’m cautiously excited about the community here. After moving from wordpress to podia to medium and now here, I’m hoping it’s not just the latest passing craze.
I'm with you on that cautious excitement, Lauren. I want to do a few things here:
1) Have a thoughtful place to share my best writing and continue to build/grow/deepen my audience. (I hope to write another book at some point, and I want folks ready to read whatever comes next from me.)
2) Use the community aspect to provide a space for other writers and creators to share and practice their work.
3) Do some fun stuff for paid subscribers including offering small freebies (like PDFs and such) as well as interactive writing challenges and at least one monthly call. I'll probably do some sort of weekly Q&A thing, as well. I'm all ears if you have ideas, too.
Yep! I walked away from Social Media on January 1. I'm just writing on Substack now for many of the reasons you list above, and working on becoming even more consistent with it. And in just 9 days, I feel better about myself. I had already stopped posting as much on social media, but now, I'm not scrolling or reading posts that I wish I could unsee. It's been glorious!
Glad you're back to "blogging" Jeff. I followed your old blog for a long time when you were writing about writing and working for a nonprofit. Good to "see" you again.
Thank you, Heather! It's good to be here. I share the same feelings you've expressed here. I was caught in the constant scroll/judge/resent cycle, and I just got tired of it. After almost a month of no social, my life feels calmer and more peaceful. I've got a great community here on Substack, I'm making some extra cash, and it all feels a lot more manageable. With social media, I felt like I was keeping up; whereas, here I feel like I'm setting the tone and pace for the conversation. Feels better for me. :)
Welcome to a healthier life!
I understand this on a personal level; but from a marketing perspective, how do you see this affecting your ability to connect with clients/readers? I’m asking out of genuine curiosity because I struggle with this as I’m just working to “build my audience”…
Yeah, Sue. Valid question. Honestly, I don't really care. I've built up enough of a following over the years, have a strong enough brand and subscriber base, that I can do without it. Almost all my business has come from referrals and/or my email list. Very little, if any that I could track, came from social. Also worth noting: the time and energy I save from the constant distraction of scrolling can now be directed towards other, more fruitful efforts. I don't necessarily recommend this for everyone. It was just the right move for me and long past the right time. Best wishes to you.
Interesting. I think I've only had one or two people contact me about editing at writewithoutborders.com based on social media. All my other business comes via personal contacts from people who have heard me at writers' workshops or been referred by people who have.
I feel this, Sue. Most of the articles I see about people leaving social media are written by people who are already super established in whatever they're doing and can afford to take the risk. I'm in the curiosity boat with you...
I quit Social Media back in 2018 and have recently started building an audience on Substack. I have to be quite imaginative in how I do it. It's still difficult and at times I really rue my morals and sensibilities but over the years I have learnt to make peace with my choice.
Many days I’m for giving up on social media--but I’m not sure how to “get my name out there.” I run a side business with a full time job and family--so I need to do my best with growing on social media. I don’t blame Jeff and others for doubling down on their existing audience. Just don’t have that luxury right now. Maybe Notes will be a better, more curated social network for creators. Time will tell.
Reason #5 hit home for me. Thanks for sharing these words. It helps me to know I’m not alone!
Same! I've heard from so many great souls who have resonated with these reasons and others. And I'd be lying if I hadn't been inspired by others who were braver than me. I'm just following in their foot steps.
I’ve had these same thoughts on and off for a while. But I also thought you HAD to have social media to share ideas. I love sharing ideas but I hate playing the algorithm game. I love how your using Substack and I think I’m gonna really double down on it to build and connect with an audience.
100% with you. I just don't want to do it anymore. I'm one of those assholes who smoked for 10 years and then one day was like "You know what? I think I'm done with this," and quit. This feels like that.
I've spent the last year or so loosely hoping I'll be able to figure out a way for my next career to not require social media. I still don't know what I'm doing next, but I've mentally moved into the space of "If I have to be on IG in order to do my work, it's not the right work for me." Even if it sounds great on paper, or would be lucrative, or whatever other reason that makes logical sense. Will I make less money? Probably. Will I love my life more? Definitely.
Thanks for writing this!
There are some artists and photographers on Instagram I follow because the work they share is updated and fresh, whereas their websites are static. One can blog without social media, but good luck with discoverability. Substack at least has a built in community. The best bet is to find work that doesn’t depend on a social media presence. YouTube is another time drain, so I try to avoid it in favor of books.
Well said. Another thing I'm learning, John, is that just because something "works" doesn't mean it's for me. I suppose in a sense I've always known this, but I certainly resisted it years ago. By no means do I think this choice is a one-size-fits-all approach; I just knew it was time for me, and I'm grateful for the deeper, more meaningful connections I've found here.
When I sat down to honor the big dream for my life with my ink, I realized that nowhere in my dreams did social media come in to play. I want real friendships with real people doing in real life in person things. Thank you for this article!
Wow. That is so well put. Good on you!
Hi Jeff. I was having coffee with a friend this morning who suggested I go on Instagram to increase my reach for Gentle Creative. A couple of people have said this to me as they like what I do and think I would find a good audience there. I'm not sure but I'm also open to it. Who knows. And I replied to her that I have noticed a big shift away from social media - just as you're doing. Ultimately, I don't think it matters where one is "on it" or not - just whether it serves one, or one serves it!
Right. Best thing to do is not listen to anyone, including me.
I walked away from social media after posting a picture a day for an entire year. I don't miss it an ounce. I also read the book "Stolen Focus" by Johann Hari and highly recommend it to seal the deal. Great piece. Thank you, Jeff.
And to mention Hari's book "Lost Connections." And for further evidence of the power of community read Hari's "Chasing The Scream," especially the use in Switzerland of community to break heroin addiction.
I would love to talk about how to stay off of social media though. I don't miss it in the slightest but it's undeniable that a lot of the work I get when you dig back it stems from social media almost every time. I just got a big job today and they would not know who I was but for my daily posts.
so whereas I don't miss it at all, I have to face there's a marketing arm of it I'm going to have to consider moving forward.
The only social media I use actively is Facebook. I don't struggle with many of the things on your list but the use of time. During the Trump years I also had issues with political discussions until I decided to let go of a lot of friends/followers who stirred the pot.
My complaint about all this online writing and marketing activity is different. It's the constant busywork. The logins, the passwords, the emails, it becomes overwhelming. Wordpress, Facebook, Twitter, Bandcamp, SoundCloud, MailChimp, Domain, Flywheel, Amazon and that's just some of the ones related to keeping a website and sharing product. Add all my other personal sites for medical, dental, etc., and my work sites. It's exasperating keeping up with everything.
I remember when I'd only get a handful of emails a day. Now I get dozens everyday, most of which are junk, on several different accounts. I want that to stop. I don't want to spend my retirement years being chained to this thing. I want to write. I want to compose music. I want to share my content with others. But it begins to feel like the efforts are not worth the reward.
By the way, I did start a Substack and published a few articles. I'd really appreciate it if you might follow mine. danstevenerickson
Thanks for sharing, Dan. That's a lot of logins. I get that. I am enjoying spending most of my online time on Substack, email, and in Google Drive.
I'm not enjoying Substack so far because like much of the Internet it feels like I'm a man in the middle of nowhere, screaming at no one. Building any kind of audience seems to have become a more difficult challenge in the years since I've started writing online. I'm not sure I see the point in using yet another app.
I’m considering an information diet Jeff and social is a big part of the menu. I write daily on LinkedIn and Twitter, but find myself struggling to keep up with the volumes of nonsense by those that I’m comparing myself to... albeit unintentionally. Good thoughts here.
I totally get that.
Social media is addictive because it's designed to be that way. Those companies keep tweaking their AI and algorithms to make us spend a lot of time on them. But the advantage of social media is we can be become instant experts and argue/comment on economy, wars, politics, health, celebrities, movies, and practically any subject under the sun without any formal education or experience :-)
Haha. Not necessarily an "advantage" in my view. But I imagine that's what you were getting at. Soon, I imagine, social media will be driven by and optimized for AI. Then we can go back to walking through the woods like all the other organic material and let the robots feed themselves on each other.
I think that’s the bottom line, the return on social is really non-existent. If “feels” productive at least while growing a brand, but in reality it’s not. Thanks for this thoughtful post. I’m loving the new format.
Still not there yet, but I am starting to recognize how bad social media is and how draining on time and resources it is.
Do what's right for you. I just knew it was time for me.
I so get it. I’m working towards it, and knowing I’m not alone in feeling like doing it helps me to more seriously consider it
Yes yes yes to all of this. Thanks for your honesty. Inspiring!
You bet, Joce!
“...the juice was no longer worth the squeeze”. I love this line. I intend to use this metaphor as a filter for myself this coming year. Thank you!
As someone who recently squeezed out half a dozen limes, I can attest to the frustration one experiences when the juice is, indeed, no longer worth the squeeze. Shoulda just bought the bottle o' lime juice.
Agree with so much of what you’ve said here 💜 I actually followed you to substack and would love to hear more about your hopes & plans for this platform!
I took a break from social media for a few months after I gave birth to my daughter in October and it was good for the soul. I’m back on it now, but I consider leaving often for many of the reasons that you mentioned above. It feels shallow and dishonest, and a total time suck.
That said, I do yearn for a creative outlet - a place to share my writing and engage with others, which I haven’t been able to find. the way of “building an audience” via social media & a website & course offering & free pdf & podcast etc etc is so unsustainable, and ultimately a distraction from the real work (for me).
Anyway, I’m cautiously excited about the community here. After moving from wordpress to podia to medium and now here, I’m hoping it’s not just the latest passing craze.
I'm with you on that cautious excitement, Lauren. I want to do a few things here:
1) Have a thoughtful place to share my best writing and continue to build/grow/deepen my audience. (I hope to write another book at some point, and I want folks ready to read whatever comes next from me.)
2) Use the community aspect to provide a space for other writers and creators to share and practice their work.
3) Do some fun stuff for paid subscribers including offering small freebies (like PDFs and such) as well as interactive writing challenges and at least one monthly call. I'll probably do some sort of weekly Q&A thing, as well. I'm all ears if you have ideas, too.
Thanks for responding and sharing this info! Looking forward to what comes next from you, and will definitely let you know if I have other ideas :)