Marketing Without Social Media (10 Strategies That Work)

Updated: April 23rd, 2024

Have you ever said, “I hate social media but need it for business?” Fortunately, marketing without social media is entirely possible. In this article, I'll share 10 ways to build your brand without social media.

Whether you're looking for additional marketing strategies or want to avoid social media altogether, the methods below can help you market your business to reach and connect with your target audience.

I've tried most of these and find that they're more effective and sustainable than social media. Website SEO, blogging, and email marketing are my favorites. That said, marketing isn’t one-size-fits-all, so explore various strategies to find what works best for you and your business goals.

Can I market my business without social media?

There are many ways to market your business without using social media. Technology offers endless possibilities, and word of mouth provides more opportunities than many realize.

Here are the best ways to grow your business without social media marketing:

1. Nail your branding

2. Ask for referrals

3. Create an SEO-friendly website

4. Blog consistently

5. Pitch podcasts

6. Host workshops

7. Create business cards

8. Use email marketing

9. Get active on LinkedIn

10. Write guest blogs

1. Nail your branding

Branding helps you create an identity for your business to build trust with your audience and stand apart from your competition. No matter which marketing platforms you use (a website, podcasting, email marketing, etc.), your brand cohesively represents your business.

Your branding should include:

• Visuals - colors, fonts, and logos

• Brand voice and tone - words and personality

• Messaging - mission and vision of your brand

You can use templates on Canva or work with a brand designer to create your brand guidelines. 

Canva’s brand guidelines templates

2. Ask for referrals

An excellent but often overlooked marketing strategy for business owners asking for referrals. Word of mouth is often the best way to reach new customers or clients because your referrer's good word does a lot of the work for you.

For example, I’m a copywriter, and when I successfully finish a project with a client, I let them know to feel free to refer me to anyone they know who might need copywriting services. I’ve secured several new projects (and more money) this way.

Referrals work for just about any business. Here are a few more examples of how you might do this:

• Send clients or customers a discount code they can use when they refer you to a friend

• Ask friends and family to share your business card (more on these below)

• Let your email list know they can forward your marketing email to someone they know who might be interested

3. Create an SEO-friendly website

A website gives your business a home on the internet, making it a great alternative to social media.

Websites help you show up as an expert, build trust, and allow people online to find you. My website is the number one way I reach my target audience. 

Many people, especially social media coaches, will say social media is more important than a website. However, studies show website SEO drives 1,000+% more traffic than organic social media. And 68% of online experiences begin with a search engine.

If you don’t have a website yet, consider setting one day aside to create a simple one, then add to it over time unless you prefer and have the budget to hire a website developer. Squarespace is my favorite website builder and is what I use for my own website. It’s user-friendly, has ready-made templates to create your website, and offers self-hosting.

4. Blog consistently

Once your website is ready, you need to drive traffic to it. The best way to get people on your website is by creating valuable content with blog articles.

I’ve tested out Instagram posts vs. blogging for my own business. I actually spent a couple of years testing both to see what worked better. I’ve found that blogging usually leads to more conversions that Instagram, likely because many people on social media aren’t in a buyer mindset.

As opposed to social media, when people search Google for something, they’re often ready to buy.

Consider when you want to buy a service or product. Do you look for it on social media or Google?

Most often we use Google when looking to buy something or need a solution to a problem. For example, people go to Google to search for “budget-friendly travel destinations” or “clean skincare products.”

When you search Google, blog articles usually show on the SERPs (search engine results page). Blog posts can answer people's queries and direct readers to buy something to solve their problems.

I recently performed a survey and asked people where they search when they want to find a new service or product. Here are the results:

Instagram can be good for market research with its poll feature ;)

5. Pitch podcasts

About 40% of podcast listeners report making purchases after hearing about it on a podcast.

Consider pitching podcasts that have an audience related to yours. For example, if you sell jewelry, you might pitch a podcast for moms. Or, if you sell copywriting services, you could pitch a business-related podcast. When you're on a podcast, you want to talk about more than just your service or product. 

Podcasts often have guests for interviews, where you answer a series of questions, and you can usually promote your offer(s) at the end of the episode.

When pitching podcasts:

• See if there’s a pitching process on their website, or send an email with your personalized pitch.

• Showcase your personality and why you’d be a good fit.

• Share why you’re interested in their podcast specifically and topic suggestions.

6. Host workshops

Workshops are sessions where you teach an audience about something you’re skilled in.

Similar to being a podcast guest, hosting workshops is an effective way to grow your reach, raise brand awareness, and potentially find new clients or customers.

You might lead your own workshop or host one for another business with a similar audience.

For example, I might host my own workshop and encourage my audience to bring someone along. Since I’m an SEO writer and consultant, I could host a workshop on how to grow your business with website SEO. 

I could also work with a business coach and host this workshop for their coaching program.

Here are other examples of workshops different businesses could lead:

• Interior Designer: how to create a mood-boosting space

• Pet brand: how to train your dog

• Travel blogger: how to travel on a budget

• Life coach: how to improve your self-confidence

7. Create business cards

People have business cards in 2024? Absolutely.

I’ve actually had quite a few potential clients ask me for a business card.

Business cards are useful for marketing without social media (or even with it) because they:

• Offer a tangible connection

• Help you stand out and promote your brand

• Demonstrate credibility

The best part? Printing business cards is incredibly affordable. In fact, I custom-made and ordered 150 business cards from Canva for only $21.

8. Use email marketing

If you want to know how to build an audience without social media, email marketing is one of the best answers. In fact, 59% of marketers say email is more than twice as effective at generating leads than pay-per-click and social media marketing.

Email lists are a valuable marketing strategy because they allow you to grow and stay in touch with your community. 

You can use email to:

• Nurture leads and build relationships

• Do market research

• Promote existing and new offers

I use Flodesk for my email list and love it. Flodesk is affordable and easy to use. It also offers customizable templates for emails and opt-in forms. 

Use this link for a free trial, then half off if you decide to move forward with a Flodesk subscription.

Flodesk email marketing platform

Tip: Grow your email list by creating a free offer to share on your website. When your audience signs up, they share their email and join your list. For example, you might create a self-care checklist if you're a wellness blogger. Or, if you're a skincare brand, you can create a PDF with skincare tips. 

9. Get active on LinkedIn

Although LinkedIn is technically social media, I find it to be much different than traditional social platforms.

LinkedIn used to be known more as a job board but has become a networking space for professionals, including those not actively looking for work. I think of it as a large, virtual networking event.

With 930 million users, you can reach a large audience and increase your brand awareness. Whether you’re a product or service-based brand, you can use LinkedIn to increase your reach, make connections, and market your business.

Although LinkedIn seems to work best for service providers, some product-based businesses can also benefit from it, with the following tips:

• Create a LinkedIn profile that showcases your brand

• Include customer or client reviews in your profile and posts

• Make posts your target audience may resonate with

• Share personal stories others can relate to

• Connect with your ideal clients or customers and engage with their content

• Share calls to action on your post to encourage your audience to engage, visit your website, etc.

10. Write guest blogs

As a guest blogger, you can reach your target audience via someone else’s website by writing an article for them and linking your website.

Some brands will pay guest bloggers, while others don’t. Depending on how established your business is and your writing skills, you might offer to guest blog for no pay in exchange for linking your website. If you go this route, confirm how much traffic the blog gets to ensure it’s worth your time.

Here are some tips for guest blogging:

• Find people who have a similar audience as you do

• Use Semrush’s free Domain Overview tool to check traffic numbers

• When you choose a blog to write for, come up with a topic idea that aligns with their content

• Send a personalized pitch with your idea and why you’d like to blog for them

• Before agreeing to write an article with them, confirm they’re okay with you linking back to your website

Semrush's free Domain Overview tool

Don't get discouraged if you don’t immediately find brands willing to work with you on this. Some don't work with guest bloggers, and that's okay. You might also Google your niche + guest blogger and see if anything relevant comes up.

Examples of successful companies without social media

Many “marketing experts” teach us that social media is necessary for success, so most brands don’t even consider the possibility of marketing without social media. But a few big brands have caught on and see success without social media marketing.

LUSH, a cosmetic company, and Bottega Veneta, a fashion company, don’t use social media platforms for business. Instead, these brands attract leads through their organic website traffic. 

Marketing without social media FAQs

Learn more about how to build a brand without social media and reach your target market with these answers to common questions.

Can you build an audience without social media?

There are many ways to build an audience without social media. Although social media is a popular marketing strategy, there are many effective alternatives. Website SEO, referrals, and email marketing are a few of the best ways to reach your target audience and build your brand without using social media.

Does my business need social media?

Your business doesn't need social media because many other marketing channels and strategies work as well or even better.

In fact, website SEO drives more traffic than social media. This is likely because there are more than 4 billion Google users. Meanwhile, Instagram and Facebook each have about half that number.

Marketing without social media: conclusion

I hope this article has helped and encouraged you to market your business without fighting the social media grind.

There are many ways to market your business, reach your target audience, and make sales without using social media platforms. What’s helped me grow my business is remembering there's no one right way to reach your goals and to focus your time and energy on what works best for you and your brand.

If you want to improve your website SEO to reach more people and generate strong leads, check out these website freebies and SEO blogging resources.