Don't Build Your Dream Brand on Rented Land

Why Relying on Social Media Alone is a Risky Business Move and What to Do Instead

I think we can all agree, social media is a powerful tool for building your brand, connecting with your audience, and generating leads. Platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook offer amazing opportunities to showcase your offerings, share your story, and grow your business with true value. 

But while social media can be a fantastic part of your marketing strategy, relying on it alone to sustain your brand is a risky little move.

Let’s paint the picture using Instagram as an example…You’ve spent years building a loyal following on Instagram. Your feed is filled with beautiful content, your stories are engaging, and your DM inquiries are rolling in. Then, out of nowhere, your account gets hacked, or worse—suspended. Overnight, you lose access to your 50,000+ followers, your only source of leads, and your only way to communicate and connect with your audience.

Unfortunately, this isn’t just a nightmare scenario—it’s a reality that I’ve seen happen to real businesses and quite a few clients who come to us. 

One of my clients learned this lesson the hard way. After building a strong brand presence on her Instagram and growing it to an authentic, high-engaging following of 50k, she decided not to invest in a website or email marketing strategy and only focus on branding. When her account was hacked, she lost her entire lead generation platform. She had no email list and no website, she had no way to reach her audience or even let them know what happened. Her business momentum came to a fast stop.

She came back to me, understandably panicked, and we immediately got to work. We built her a beautiful, on-brand website and implemented a strategic email marketing plan to ensure she never found herself in that position again. Now, not only is her business thriving, but she also feels more confident and secure than ever. Her website and email list have become a secondary powerhouse for lead generation, working alongside her Instagram to build connections and keep her loyal fans engaged (no matter what happens on social media!). She owns her audience now, and that kind of security is priceless.

With that being said, there's good news and a MUCH better way! By building a brand on your own platform (aka your website) and nurturing an email list, you can create a stable and secure foundation for your business that can’t be taken away. This doesn’t mean leaving socials behind, if anything, having these additional platforms helps connect even further with your people.

The Risks of Solely Relying on Social Media

If you’ve ever thought, “I’m getting so many leads from Instagram right now, do I really need a website?”—you’re not alone. It’s easy to feel like social media is all you need when the followers are climbing and the engagement is popping. 

But here are a few points that often go unsaid…

• You Don't Actually Own Your Audience - Social media platforms can change their algorithms, policies, or even shut down your account at any time. When this happens, your followers and leads disappear along with it.

• You Have Limited Control Over Content - Your reach and engagement are at the mercy of social media algorithms. Even your most valuable posts may never even reach your intended audience.

• Decreased Organic Reach - As platforms push for more paid advertising, organic reach is on the decline. In other words, fewer people are seeing your posts unless you’re paying to play.

Let’s chat about this for a second. The lifespan of social media posts is short. An Instagram post, for example, typically only holds attention for about 19 hours before it gets buried in the feed. Compare that to platforms like Pinterest, where your content can keep driving traffic for months, or even Google, where a well-optimized blog post can continue bringing in leads long after you hit publish.

This is why diversifying your marketing strategy is so important! Your brand deserves more than just 24 hours in the spotlight.

• The Dreaded TikTok Ban Looming - With the ongoing talks about potentially banning TikTok in various regions, relying on any single platform becomes even riskier. Imagine losing all your content, followers, and communication channels overnight—not because of anything you did, but because of political or corporate decisions beyond your control.

What Owning Your Platform Looks Like

If you’re nodding along thinking, “Okay, but what’s the alternative?”—I've got you. By building your brand on solid ground with a website and an email list, you take control of your business's future.

• Full Control Over Your Brand - With a website, you decide how to present your brand, what content to share, and how to guide visitors through your strategic journey (aka your sales funnel). I always say, it’s like inviting a good friend to visit you at your home.

• Full Ownership of Your Contact List - An email list is the most important business asset. Unlike social media followers, your email subscribers are yours to keep, allowing you to communicate directly without third-party interference.

• SEO and Organic Traffic - When you search for something, where do you go? Probably a quick Google, right? A well-optimized website can drive organic traffic from Google, increasing your visibility to potential clients who may not follow you on social media.

• Consistent Communication - Email marketing allows you to nurture relationships and fans who opted in to hear from you so you can provide value, and stay top of mind with your audience, even if your social media goes dark.

How to Build a Brand Foundation for Your Business

If you’re feeling a little panicked, don’t worry, I’m here to help combat that fear. The solution is simpler than you might think.

• Invest in a Website for Your Brand - Your website is your digital storefront, your home base, and your most valuable marketing asset. Make sure it’s well-designed, on-brand, and optimized for both user experience and SEO. Not sure what your brand strategy is or have a brand just yet? Check out our free Signature Brand Strategy Guide!

• Build and Nurture an Email List - Start collecting emails from your followers through lead magnets, opt-in forms, and exclusive offers. Then, nurture your list with valuable content, special promotions, and regular updates. Check out this free nurture sequence guide!

• Use Social Media as a Tool—Not Your Entire Strategy - While social media is fantastic for visibility and engagement, it should act as a gateway to your website and email list, not the final destination.