Instagram Isn’t Working? Grow Your Email List Like This Instead [Ep 262]

They are not.

Someone listening to this podcast is part of my audience.

Someone joining my email list has given me their permission to continue the relationship.

Those things have different value to me.

And this is where I think some businesses get themselves into trouble.

They've built an audience, but they haven't necessarily built a way to keep that relationship if the platform changes.

That's what jumped out at me about this recent conversation.

150,000 followers is incredible.

But if Instagram stops giving you access to those people in the same way, what happens? And this isn't me saying Instagram is dead, Instagram is bad, none of that.

As you might know, in the past, I have taught more passive Instagram strategies, like how can we have a presence there without being present there, right? And I've been playing with some really interesting ideas around how Instagram can work differently in our businesses, but that's the point.

I want Instagram for all of you to just be a tool, an option.

I don't want it to be the business.

Now, I think one of the biggest things the online business world has done is make visibility and social media feel like the same thing.

Somebody tells you, "You need more visibility," and your brain goes, "Ugh, more content, more reels, more stories, more carousels, more posting, more showing my face.

Maybe TikTok, maybe LinkedIn, maybe Threads." Like, no wonder [laughs] we're all exhausted.

But social media is just one visibility strategy.

One.

That's it.

And I don't want you building a business where your entire ability to find new people is dependent on whether Instagram decides to show your content today.

I want Instagram just to be one door.

Podcasting, another door.

Google can be another door.

Pinterest, another.

Summits, another.

A podcast interview can be another.