Traditional marketing advice has always felt out of alignment for me. If you’re wondering how to market your business without social media, you’re not alone.
I have always wished I could be the type of person who could show up consistently and batch-create content. Still, even more than that, I’ve struggled with the “social” side of social media.”
Here’s something people don’t talk about much – it’s not always about the visibility of showing up.
Why social media marketing doesn’t work for everyone
For me, it’s the aftermath of posting—the overstimulation of notifications, the mental energy required to decode comments and craft the right response. What emoji should I use? Wait, what do they mean? Is this sincere enough? Does my reply sound too formal or too casual? It’s exhausting.
As a late-diagnosed autistic person, I used to take these struggles as a sign that something was wrong with me and that I was just not cut out for this!
But understanding this part of myself has led to more compassion and clarity. Instead of forcing myself into a marketing approach that drains me (leading to those inevitable periods of hiding), I’m learning to create one that works with my natural rhythms.
This is why I’m leaning more into long-form content like Substack and YouTube when thinking about how to market my business without social media.
Alternative marketing platforms for sensitive business owners
These platforms give me space for nuanced thoughts and deeper connections while allowing me to show up weekly rather than daily. The content has a longer lifespan too, meaning I can take those necessary breaks without disappearing completely.
Whether you’re neurodivergent or not, there’s something powerful about creating a marketing approach that energises rather than depletes you.
When I stopped trying to force myself into traditional marketing moulds and started working with my energy, something shifted—not just in how I show up online but also in how connected I feel to my work.
How to market your business without daily social media in 2025 – my cosy marketing plan
This year, I’m creating cosy little pockets of space to connect with people and share more about my work. I imagine a cosy bookshop where people can stumble upon my content, curl up in an armchair, and stay a little while.
It’s the experience I want to create for you, the person consuming my content.
There’s so much content these days. While we can hope the algorithm will introduce our work to new people, we can’t rely on it to maintain connections with those who genuinely resonate with what we do.
Creating marketing that energises rather than depletes you
Visibility is more challenging now, and staying connected with people who deeply connect with our work requires more intention. This isn’t just about being seen—it’s about creating meaningful touchpoints without overwhelming anyone.
As a sensitive person who loves to go deep, this will be a good trait for marketing in this new era. Yes, we can learn to play the game of getting discovered, but what will make a difference is how we make those people stay.
Think about those people whose work you love. You eagerly await their newsletter or for their next YouTube video to go live. You check back in on them rather than waiting for an update. This is the type of content I want to create.
Finding alternative platforms for your content
I’m grateful that I’ve already built strong foundations for this deeper connection—thoughtful content, ways I am making the most of my content, and the cosy spaces I am creating for people to linger. Having these pieces in place means I can now focus my limited energy on making it easier for the right people to find this space I’ve created.
This is exactly why I love platforms like Substack and YouTube; they feel different from traditional social media. They align perfectly with how I want to show up and my energy.
With Substack Notes, I can breathe new life into the content I’ve already created – re-sharing favourite quotes from past posts or adding new thoughts that have emerged since writing. It’s like having gentle conversations about ideas unfolding without the pressure of creating something entirely new each time.
YouTube acts as a search engine, meaning someone could discover a video I made months or even years ago, and at the moment, it’s most helpful for them. This creates a lovely sense of spaciousness—knowing my content can serve people even when I need to step back and recharge.
What I love most about both platforms is how they support intentional presence over constant visibility. Instead of forcing myself to show up daily (which honestly depletes my energy), I can focus on creating thoughtful weekly content that has the space to ripple out naturally over time.
A quick side note – I’m not suggesting these platforms are perfect (far from it!) or that they’re right for everyone. I simply encourage you to consider how different platforms support or drain your energy and choose what works best for you.
Creating a “cosy” content home base that isn’t social media
In the past, I used to think about my content as part of a traditional sales funnel—you know, awareness at the top, nurturing in the middle, and conversion at the bottom. But that never quite felt right to me. People’s journeys aren’t linear anymore—they might discover you through a YouTube video from two years ago, a friend sharing your Substack post, or a random Pinterest pin.
But when exploring how to market my business without social media, I’ve started thinking about my content more like a map, with different pathways all leading back to my cosy home base – my email newsletter. Each platform is like a different path that people can wander down, with lovely places to pause and linger along the way.
I want Substack to become the heart of my content world; I am using this instead of a blog post because my business isn’t discoverable with SEO, so Substack provides that missing discoverability element. It’s where I share my deepest reflections and seasonal insights. It’s a space where people can settle in, whether curling up with a cup of tea to read or listening to the audio version while walking.
YouTube feels more like inviting people for a cosy chat where I can share and explain things in more detail. These spaces allow for those deeper connections I value while giving people different ways to discover and explore my work.
My email newsletter is where all these paths eventually lead – it’s the space I control, free from algorithms and platform changes. I’m using it differently now, though. Instead of putting all my deeper content directly in emails where it only lives once in someone’s inbox, I’m using my newsletter to share content in easily digestible formats and let people choose how they want to dive deeper – whether that’s through my Substack (where they can even listen to audio versions) or through my YouTube videos.
Pinterest has become a bonus discovery tool – when I have extra time or energy, I can take all the content I’ve already created and give it new life there. It’s not about constant posting, just creating additional pathways for people to find my work.
This approach feels much more natural than moving people through predetermined stages.
While it might sound similar to a traditional funnel, there’s a key difference – I’m not trying to push people toward a single destination or conversion point.
We are all experiencing digital fatigue and can spot manipulative tactics instantly. I believe my potential clients make decisions through relationship-building and trust rather than following a linear path.
I want to create a sales experience centred around trust and connection. I want to create experiences that honour their unique decision-making rhythms, not ones that rush them toward a sale before they’re ready.
Transforming my marketing from tasks into gentle rituals
Having a clear marketing strategy is one thing, but bringing it to life in a sustainable and aligned way is another entirely different thing. When to figure out how to market my business without social media, I’ve tried to transform my marketing from a series of tasks into an intentional weekly practice anchored by gentle rituals that help me show up consistently while honouring my energy.
For me, this practice begins with reconnecting to my deeper intentions. Before diving into content creation, I revisit my marketing manifesto and check in with what I’m really trying to create this year. This helps ground me when getting swept up in all the marketing advice we hear online.
My practice centres around dedicated Marketing days – this boundary means I don’t feel I have to be “on” all the time. The morning starts with a walk, lighting a candle, wrapping my hands around a warm drink, and settling in with my manifesto. This quiet time helps me remember who I’m here to serve and what matters most in my business.
I’ve noticed that my energy flows better when I start with writing – usually my Substack post – before moving to video content. There’s something about letting one piece of content naturally inspire the next. Once these main pieces are created, I can thoughtfully repurpose them.
Just as important as the creation is the integration. I end each marketing day with a walk to clear my mind or twenty minutes of reading in the garden. It’s my way of honouring the work and trusting that my content will find the right people at the right time.
These rituals aren’t just about getting things done – they’re about staying connected to what matters in my business. When I regularly check in with my goals and intentions, I can better serve my soul-aligned clients and create content that genuinely resonates rather than just adding to the noise.
Marketing strategies for small service-based businesses
I’m building a “cosy business” that supports me and the life I want to live – and understanding this has completely transformed how I approach marketing. Here’s the thing – we often end up following marketing advice from people building very different kinds of businesses with very different goals from our own.
When running a service-based business with limited spots, your marketing needs look entirely different from someone selling digital products or trying to scale to multiple seven figures. For me, success means:
- Aiming for 12 perfect-fit clients per year (I’ve already got 8 for this year, so I’m really just looking for 3-4 more)
- Creating enough income to sustain my family and my business comfortably
- Having plenty of space for my daughter and family life
- Honouring my need for processing time as an autistic business owner
Understanding these goals has helped me create a marketing strategy that makes sense for my business. I don’t need complicated funnels or to post content three times a day—I just need to connect with a small number of people who truly resonate with my work.
I’m particularly grateful that I’ve spent the past few years building strong foundations – creating an offer I love, setting up systems for managing client work and developing ways to nurture people through my email newsletter. Having these pieces in place means I can focus my energy differently this season.
Right now, my focus is on discoverability – finding gentle ways to get my work in front of new people. If you’ve also been wondering how to market your business without social media, I don’t think you need to reinvent your business or create complex marketing systems. You need to help the right people find their way to the cosy corner of the internet you’ve already created.
This clarity around my numbers and goals makes a difference in my marketing. Knowing I only need to attract 12 amazing clients each year helps me stay focused and takes the pressure off. It lets me show up more intentionally, rather than feeling like I need to be everywhere, all the time.
If this post resonated with you, here are a few questions to help you explore what a more aligned marketing approach might look like in your business:
✨ What marketing “shoulds” are you following that don’t actually align with your energy or goals?
✨ What would success look like if you designed your business around your natural rhythms?
✨ Where do you most enjoy showing up online – and where does it drain your energy?
Let’s transform how your marketing feels behind-the-scenes
P.S. If we don’t know each other, I’m Stacey. An (anti) productivity guide & business manager, helping deeply feeling photographers & solopreneurs reshape their businesses so you can go from feeling stuck and drained to knowing how to manage your business and energy in a way that supports you! If you want to learn more about my 1:1 work, click here.
P.P.S. Thanks so much for reading – If you enjoyed this post, feel free to share it with a friend who will love it too!
P.P.P.S If you enjoyed this post and would like more thoughts delivered straight to your inbox, you can sign up for my email newsletter, Rituals and Remedies. I love to share my personal practice and rituals for running my business in alignment with the wheel of the year and the natural rhythms of life.
