You Are Not on Social Media to Build a Business

Stop lying to yourself

Image: ChatGPT

You may have opened Twitter this morning to “build your audience” but you stayed on Twitter to scroll memes and discuss international politics.

You tapped Instagram to “grow your brand” but you stayed on Instagram to see what your high school buddies are up to.

You were bored. Or anxious. Or procrastinating. And now you’ve spent 47 minutes doomscrolling through crypto hot takes, passive-aggressive subtweets, and photos of people’s espresso foam. Again.

If this feels like an attack, don’t worry — I’m not pointing fingers. I fell into the same trap myself. I joined Twitter to grow a business, to find clients, to connect with smart people. But when I stepped back, I realized I was mostly just wasting time, and calling it strategy.

This article is for the builders, solopreneurs, indie hackers, and creators who say they’re using social media to grow something real — but who secretly know they’re lying to themselves.

Let’s unpack the trap — and then talk about what to do instead.

The Fantasy: “I’m Here to Build an Audience”

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