Ready to quit instagram in your creative business? Here’s how to do it:

If you’re thinking it’s time to quit instagram, this post is for you. How does it feel to use instagram in your creative business? No, really—I’d love for you to consider this question. When you open that little app on your phone and scroll around for awhile, how does it feel to your mind and body? What about creating content for instagram? Does it feel rewarding? fulfilling? nourished?… Or does it leave you feeling drained? Tired. Defeated.

Now maybe you can imagine the opposite: what would it feel like if you never had to log onto instagram? How would it feel to stop trying to please the algorithm? To ditch the feeling of online comparison? What if a steady stream of inquiries continued to land in your inbox, even if you never posted?

What would it feel like to trade all those hours of scrolling and content creation for more time doing what you love—or more time with the people you love?

I promise, it’s possible. You can do it—and it’s more achievable than you think.

——

A quick recap:

Aside from Brand Design inquiries, most of the emailed questions I get are about instagram—more specifically, about how to run a business without it.

By now, most of you have probably heard me talk about this topic. If you’re new, take a look at my original post about leaving instagram back in 2021… and then read the updates I sent to my email list after six months (Email Update 1 | Email Update 2). More recently, I recorded a podcast episode about this topic in more detail with Shanna Skidmore.

For those of you who want to follow suit and quit instagram: today’s post is for you. Today I’m sharing a few key insights about how to leave instagram for your business.

1. Tell people what you’re doing and why you chose to quit instagram.

If you want to move away from instagram, it’s best to be transparent about it. Share your thoughts with your audience: tell them why you’re moving away from instagram, and how you plan to still serve them through other channels. Invite them to come along on this adventure with you—and be candid about your expectations, hopes, and fears. People love to share a stake in your journey.

This is the post I originally shared in 2021, and it got a lot of traction at the time. It still does a great job of explaining my intentions behind leaving instagram. I still link to this post frequently as a starting place for my audience to understand more about my philosophy and values.

2. Choose your alternative marketing channels.

Wouldn’t it be lovely if we could all run our businesses without any marketing at all? It’s nice to think our dream clients would easily come pouring in the door… but in reality, we probably will need to do something to reach our target audience. Consider where your ideal clients might spend their time (other than instagram): Do they listen to podcasts? Pitch yourself as a guest speaker on one of their favorite shows. Maybe they subscribe to a certain print magazine—it might be worth advertising there.

If you’re choosing not to post on instagram, I do recommend making a marketing effort elsewhere. I’ve chosen to implement an Evergreen Content Cycle in my business (you can learn all the details here).

Alternative marketing platforms:

• Pinterest
• Google SEO
• Referrals
• Podcast
• Podcast Guest
• YouTube
• Facebook Groups
• Guest Blogs
• Online Course Guest Expert
• Online Publications
• Print Publications
• Reddit
• LinkedIn
• in-Person Networking

No matter which platform you choose, you should also include an email list—your email list is the best way to communicate directly with your audience in a personal space. Create an effective email opt-in to grow your audience, and nurture your list with helpful insights and resources.

3. Ask current and past clients for referrals.

Your past clients are your BEST resource to book new clients. Your past clients are all people who were willing to invest in your services or products in the past; chances are, they know other like-minded people who would be a good fit for your offerings. They’re likely to be connected to other people in the same target demographic, industry, and income bracket… not to mention people who have a similar style and personality.

Don’t be afraid to ask for what you want: ask your current clients to share your name with anyone in their circle who might be seeking your services.

Need some assistance with the verbiage? Here are a couple of sample scripts below:

“Hi [Client], Can I ask a favor? You have been so wonderful to work with, and I’d love to connect with more clients like you in the future. Will you keep me in mind as a referral if you come across anyone seeking my services? Thank you in advance—your referral means so much to me.”

“Hi [Client], I’m trying something new this year: in an effort to be more intentional with my time, I’m stepping away from instagram and focusing on relationships outside of social media. I sincerely enjoyed working together, and I would love to connect with clients who share your elevated sense of style. If you come across anyone who sounds like a good fit for my services, would you pass my name along? I would love to connect with them over email or a phone call. I would so appreciate your help! Thank you.”

4. Uplevel your client experience.

Along the same lines… this is a perfect time to make a lasting impression on your current clients. Take special care to create a positive experience for each of them—knowing they will become your brand advocates long after your work together is completed. Take the time you would have spent creating content for instagram, and use it to enhance your client experience in a way that feels personal to your clients and true to your brand. Focus on serving them especially well in this season.

A few ways to enhance your client experience:

• Revisit your workflow and processes
• Revisit your booking process
• Refine your email templates
• Send a welcome gift upon booking
• Send a thank you gift upon offboarding
• Send a handwritten thank you note
• Send a surprise Starbucks gift card
• Include branded packaging elements

Make sure every part of your client process is seamless, branded, and personal.

And remember—even if you aren’t using instagram, they might be! It never hurts to create shareable moments for your clients to post on instagram (let them do the social media marketing for you!). We send each client a branded bottle of champagne as a welcome gift when they book; it’s our way of sharing our excitement for the project to get started… but it also turns out that our clients love to share the gift on instagram stories!

This is also a great opportunity to stay top-of-mind with past clients. Send a handwritten thank you note or a surprise Starbucks gift card letting them know how much you enjoyed working together. You don’t have to ask for anything—just keep your name at the top of their mind and reinforce a positive brand connotation. They’re more likely to think of you when they encounter people seeking your services!

*Not offering 1:1 services? You can still uplevel your experience for a product-based business! Think about your website shopping experience, product delivery (digital or physical), packaging, and follow-up experience. There is plenty of room to create a memorable experience, even on a large product-based scale.

5. Be patient. Good things take time.

It might take some time to see shifts in your business. If you’ve been getting leads from instagram for years, this will feel like a big change. Have faith in the process. I think it’s helpful to set a goal: try this strategy for six months, and see how you feel. Give yourself time to adjust to new mental space—where do you find inspiration now that your mind has some breathing room?

When you feel tempted to download that app again, choose to focus instead on relationship building and networking. Instagram feels like the easy option: you know it can generate leads for your business. But remind yourself that all the time you put into instagram is not in fact easy. The time you spend scrolling comes at a precious cost.

You’re shifting to a longevity strategy in your business—and your life. It may take time, but the freedom you find will be so worth it.

6. Remember: nothing is permanent.

You make the rules. This doesn’t mean you have to quit instagram forever. You can always return to instagram if it feels like the right place to invest your time and energy—and you can do it on your own terms. Personally, I hop on instragram once or twice a year to post all of my recent portfolio highlights so my grid feels up-to-date for anyone who might come across my profile. That’s what works for me… but there may be a different balance that works for you! Listen to your intuition, and be mindful about your approach. You’ll find what works best for you and your business.

---

In the meantime… enjoy freedom from the algorithm. Personally, I’m so grateful I quit instagram. I love to see the benefits in my business and my relationships. So, let yourself disconnect from your screen. Invest your extra time and energy into real-life relationships. Fill your mind with purpose and your heart with wonder.

---

Ready to quit instagram? I highly encourage you to shift toward marketing with longevity on Pinterest. I’d love to invite you join my online course: Pinning with Purpose. I’ll guide you through every step of my tried-and-true Pinterest marketing methods, showing you the exact strategies that have worked for me, one step at a time.