#FtheHUSTLE ~ 092 – Think You Might Hate Social Media?

You might be thinking, “hey! I don’t hate social media!” or maybe you’re thinking, “I know I hate social media!”

I hear you on both fronts… but stick with me; this will still be helpful.

It’s safe to say I have (had?) a love/hate relationship with social media.

I love it because of the relationships, friendships, and business that has been created because of it.

I hated the time suck it always felt like or the pressure of the “highlight reel” lifestyle.

Until recently.

I’ve completely reframed social media. How I think about it, how I feel, and most importantly, the time and attention I’m giving it.

Let’s get one thing out of the way first.

First and foremost, I KNOW there are people on the other end of whatever I create who are reading/listening/viewing my content. That will always come first.

This is clear in how I communicate.

I don’t think of followers/subscribers as a number on a list.

After that?

It’s simply marketing & traffic.

Social media is marketing in the 21st century. It’s not “digital marketing.” It’s just marketing.

If you want to grow & build a sustainable business, it’s part of the game.

Can you do it without it? Sure. But it will cost you a lot of money.

And when you stop spending money, the traffic and relationships stop (why you need evergreen content on a property you own).

But this isn’t an argument “for” or “against” social media. You do what works for you.

This is about reframing something that has completely flipped the script for me and how I approach marketing.

Instead of feeling pressure to do something that doesn’t always feel right or natural, I’m treating it more like a laboratory.

I’m creating formulas and testing them as I go.

When I find one that works, it becomes part of the system.

As the system improves (i.e., better results from measuring traffic and conversions or email subscribers), I can increase the output with the help of a team.

I’m sticking to what I do best: long-form content (this newsletter, the podcast, or longer-style blog posts).

From there I’ll create content for the different platforms based on my longer-form content.

For example: I’m going back through previous issues of #FtheHUSTLE and creating short-form video from the first part of the newsletter (this part that you’re reading right now).

I’m not reading it, I’m simply doing a short video on the same topic. From there, I’ll repurpose that for different platforms (not simply push the same video to each platform).

I also recorded 12 of these in one shot (I’m all for batching things).

Right now, all of this feels like a boatload of work. But that’s how systems and processes are created.

I’m willing to put in the time now for the long-term benefit (side note: did you know TikTok is a search engine?).

It’s amazing how this one simple reframe of my mindset has me feeling excited again.

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A Little Brainpower 🧠

This piggybacks a little off the two storytelling recommendations I made on Monday. It’s a great reminder that content marketing existed long before the internet. Read, “The Future of Content Marketing is Already Here” by Jason McBride.​

Related: Choose Your Story, Change Your Life

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I think Newsletters are one of the best types of content you can create. Too many people quit too soon. Here’s “How the Pour Over grew a daily newsletter from 0 to 100k subscribers with referrals.”​

Related: 39 Punchy Lessons On Writing Newsletters People Love

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Tool Time  🛠

I found a few tools I’m excited to try and maybe add to my normal tool stack.

• Email: Another new email service provider! Free for your first 100 subscribers and $29 for your first 1000. Try Maildroppa free here.
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• Screenshots: Create a great-looking screenshot & share it in seconds! iOS app coming soon too! Free while in beta. Try Xnapper here.
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• Writing: This is more than writing… here’s their tagline: Write like a doc, present like a deck. Also free while in beta. Try Gamma free here.
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• Video: This is a video planning tool. If you’re serious about your YouTube channel, give this a look! Check out PlannerVid here.

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On the Podcast 🎙

I had a great time with my friend, Kevon Cheung, talking all things Twitter, his new book, “Find Joy in Chaos” (about Twitter growth), and his “Build in Public Mastery” cohort.

Kevon went out on his own two years ago as a full-time creator, leaving software and SaaS behind.

​Listen to “Build in Public & Grow on Twitter with Kevon Cheung FTH: 098” here.

A Little Reminder this Week

I hope you’ve all had a great week!

I hope their school year is off to a great start for those of you with kids going back to school or heading off to college.

Pura Vida, my friends,
Kim

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