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To Use or Not Use Social Media to Grow Your Business

LESLIE WEIDNER

RDN

SOCIAL MEDIA COORDINATOR

It’s easy to count the times I’ve considered quitting social media� For me, it’s a love/hate relationship� It can be super-fun and exciting at times, especially once you start gaining lots of engagement or “traction�” But other times it can be all-consuming, emotionally draining and stressful� Here’s what I’ve learned from several years of managing two small business Instagram (IG) accounts in two separate niches and a private Facebook (FB) group in my current niche:

y It takes time and planning. Yes, you can (and should) have a content calendar to plan out your content ideas ahead of time�

Additionally, create a strategy to attract your ideal client to help build the know-like-and-trust factor� And you still need to put in the work on the backend� This may include creating graphics for static posts, brainstorming ideas for video, recording, editing, writing captions, showing up daily on

IG Stories and prepping for LIVE videos and workshops, etc� If these tasks sound exhausting to you, then trying to use social media to grow your audience may not be your thing� And that’s okay! y Consistency is key. Regardless of which platform you use, consistency is the key to growing your audience on social media and building trust�

This doesn’t mean you need to be posting every single day� It means showing up around the same time on certain days that work best for you and your audience, whether that’s four days a week or seven days a week� Pick how often you plan to post and commit� y Show your face on video. In 2022 you have to be comfortable using video, whether that’s in IG Stories or Reels, TikTok, LIVE videos, etc�

Some people really enjoy the video aspect but the feeling of having to be constantly “on'' can be draining� y Lean in to your creative side. There’s so much “noise” out there that it’s getting more and more difficult to stand out� The more you can connect and engage with your audience in entertaining and educational ways, the more successful you’ll be� If you’re thinking maybe social media isn’t your thing, what can you do? There are many options to grow your practice without using social media� See Stephanie’s article for some ideas! What are the pros to having social media to grow your business (besides the fact that it’s free)? What might you be missing out on if you decide not to use it?

PROS:

y There’s so much untapped potential� y You can call the shots and make it your own� y You can use it to build an email list or funnel more people to your website or blog� y You can build relationships with other RDs and other professionals in your niche�

CONS:

y It takes A LOT of time no matter how organized you are� y It’s easy to get burned out which can take a toll on your mental health� y It can distract you from other important aspects in your business and actually slow your growth� y Each year it gets more and more saturated and harder to stand out� Whichever route you choose is up to you� For now, I’m not leaving social media anytime soon� I’m sticking it out and hoping that I will continue to build an audience, however painfully slow the process may seem at times�

Leslie Weidner, RDN, is a registered dietitian nutritionist with a virtual practice where she provides 1:1 nutrition coaching for women in perimenopause� She enjoys helping women over 40 learn how to eat in a healthy, balanced way that supports their hormonal health without any strict rules or diets� Leslie is passionate about the principles of mindful and intuitive eating, which she discusses often on her IG and FB accounts� On the weekends, you can find Leslie hanging out with her husband and watching their two boys play basketball, football, baseball or soccer, depending on the season�