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Decline of Social Media Engagement!
“You should be building a brand, not just a following.” — Rand Fishkin
In the early 2000s, when I got into affiliate marketing, there was no Instagram.
No Reels. No Stories.
Just search engines, blogs, and the occasional forum.
I’d publish SEO-optimized content and direct every click straight to a merchant’s sales page.
I was thrilled to see traffic flowing.
But there was a problem I didn’t notice right away:
I was sending people away from me, without collecting a single email, building a relationship, or creating a reason for them to come back.
It felt like growth.
But I wasn’t building anything of my own…
…only generating traffic for third parties.
Fast forward to today, and I see a version of that same mistake playing out again.
This time, it’s happening on social media.
Creators, coaches, and aspiring entrepreneurs are investing time and energy posting every day, feeding platforms that no longer give much in return.
You may have noticed it too:
Your content that once got 300 likes now barely cracks 30.
Comments are drying up.
Followers aren’t converting.
And your posts feel like they’re disappearing into the void.
This isn’t just a blip.
Social media engagement is declining across the board.
And it’s leaving creators and side hustlers frustrated, confused, and wondering:
Is it me, or is something bigger going on here?
The truth?
It’s not just you.
It’s the platforms.
And today, we’re going to break down what’s really happening and how to shift your strategy so you’re not just chasing engagement, but building something that lasts.
Why Is Social Media Engagement Declining?
Before we talk about what to do differently, we have to understand why the engagement metrics are falling, often drastically.
And spoiler: It’s not because your content suddenly got worse.
It’s because the environment changed.
Let’s break it down.
Algorithms Serve the Platform, Not the Creator
Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok don’t exist to help you grow. They exist to keep people scrolling.
So unless your content keeps users on the platform better than ads or trending videos, it gets pushed down the feed.
Even your most loyal followers might not see your post at all.
There’s Just Too Much Content
Everyone is a creator now.
The sheer volume of content flooding the feed means your post is in a digital traffic jam, stuck between memes, influencer drama, and AI-generated clips.
People Are Consuming, Not Interacting
We’re seeing more lurkers than ever before.
People scroll without liking, comment without posting, and save content without ever engaging publicly.
The Era of “Insta-Trust” is Over
Audiences are becoming more cautious.
They’ve seen enough clickbait, phony advice, and overpromises to be skeptical.
Engagement now takes time and trust—two things the algorithm doesn’t accelerate.
You can post great content every day and still feel invisible.
That’s not a reflection of your ability.
It’s a reflection of how social media has changed.
So… what do you do?
What You Should Do Instead (And Why It Works)
You don’t need to quit social media.
But you do need to stop depending on it.
The smarter move is to use social platforms strategically—as a funnel, not a foundation.
Here’s what that looks like:
Send Traffic to an Asset You Own
Remember how I said I used to send visitors directly to a merchant’s page?
That mistake cost me the chance to build an audience.
That’s what’s happening again today when you drive engagement to social platforms without offering a next step – one that brings people into your world.
Use your content to guide people to something you own:
- A blog
- A newsletter
- A podcast
- A simple landing page
Once they’re there, you have the opportunity to build a deeper connection, without battling an algorithm.
“Don’t build your content house on rented land.” — Joe Pulizzi, founder of Content Marketing Institute
Book Recommendation:
Content Inc. by Joe Pulizzi – A roadmap to creating content that builds an owned audience before you sell anything.
Build and Nurture an Email List
Email isn’t just about newsletters.
It’s your insurance policy against platform changes.
An email list is permission to talk to your audience directly.
No middleman. No algorithm. Just trust.
More importantly, people still read email.
And unlike an Instagram post that vanishes after a few hours, a good email stays in their inbox, ready to be opened at the right moment.
If you’re not already building a list, start today.
Even 100 subscribers can outperform 10,000 followers when it comes to real engagement and conversions.
Book Recommendation:
Newsletter Ninja by Tammi Labrecque – Hands down the most practical book for writing emails that people love to read.
Invest in Evergreen, Searchable Content
Your social post has a shelf life of maybe 48 hours.
But a blog post or YouTube video can live for years, attracting new traffic, building trust, and driving leads without needing daily maintenance.
For example, I’ve had a podcast episode recorded over a year ago that still brings in listeners and email signups today.
That’s the power of long-form, evergreen content.
Book Recommendation:
They Ask You Answer by Marcus Sheridan – Brilliant insights on creating content that solves problems and earns trust.
Use Social Media as a Discovery Channel
Social media still matters, but its role has changed.
Instead of thinking of it as your main platform, treat it like a preview window.
It’s where people discover you, but not where they stay.
Use your content to spark curiosity and point people toward your email list, podcast, or site.
And remember: you don’t need to be everywhere.
You just need to be consistent, valuable, and intentional.
Final Thought: Engagement Is Not Ownership
Yes, the likes are down.
The comments have slowed.
But that doesn’t mean your content is worthless.
It means the rules have changed.
And now, it’s your chance to build smarter.
Because while engagement is fleeting, ownership is forever.
“The audience you own is more powerful than the audience you rent.” — Seth Godin
So, don’t chase likes.
Chase leverage.
Build the kind of audience that sees your name in their inbox and actually looks forward to hearing from you.
That’s the kind of engagement that turns a side hustle into a real business.
Recommended Newsletters
Here are few newsletters that I would recommend that you sign up to if you are interested in learning the art of running a side-hustle:
- Write, Build, Scale
- Why we buy
- The Book Bub
- The Stacked Marketer
- The Growth Bulletin
- Unconventional Productivity for Online Business Owners
- Side Hustle Weekly
- The Affiliate Guy
- I will teach you to be rich
- How Brands win
- For the Interested
- Send and Grow
Sign up to these and follow them. You will get a lot of information and content for your blog posts, podcasts and even social media posts.
I will share more such ideas in my future newsletters.
I put in about 18 hours every month to create this newsletter, starting from researching to writing and editing it.
So, If you enjoyed reading this Newsletter, I would sincerely appreciate it if you could recommend it to others. You can send them to https://thegrowthcreator.com to subscribe to it for FREE!
What am I reading?
I absolutely love books and I read a lot.
In fact, I don’t just read a lot, but I also take notes on every book that I read.
I have pages and pages of information in my Notion Second Brain, so that I can find them and use them when ever I need.
I have added some of the newest books that I have been reading, to the Amazon store, so you might want to check it out.
Want to know more about the books I read. You can check it out here!
Whenever you are ready, here’s how I can help!
If you are liking my articles and other content pieces that I am publishing and are looking for any additional step, then here are 2 ways I can help:
Consultation calls:
If you are still struggling to make money online or, have no clue how to build a passive income business online, then you can book a consultation call with me.
Book a consultation call here!
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This community will be a good medium to get support while supporting others.
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That’s it for this week!
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