How Do I Promote Myself & My Business On Social if I'm Not a Creator?

An animator & entrepreneur wants to know if she needs to create content on social to get clients. I told her "obviously," and shared exactly how.

Hi happy Sunday. If you live in New York like me, can we discuss that it was 75 degrees yesterday!? Summer is coming. It’s like 42 today but we take what we can. We have so much coming up at Betches this summer that I’m excited about, I’ll be traveling a bit for work, and I’m speaking at several events so hopefully I’ll be seeing more of you in person soon. Oh and a few of you had dm’ed me saying you'd like for me to post my work outfits – let me know if that’s something you want, because I can do that here too. Anyway, let's talk about content. It’s not a short one this week but I include a healthy amount of very practical content tips throughout…all the way to the bottom.

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Hi Aleen!

Huge fan! So happy you're doing this. Made me feel so warm hearing about how you started betches 14 years ago on the pod last week. I started my own animation studio last year with my husband, and we're having our second kid this summer... it's hella stressful.

Trying to find ways to make money, reach out to clients, passive income... Basically what's the key for getting eyeballs on your work? I don't want to rely on Instagram, but I don't see another way to get engagement? How do you get more engagement on your site?

It's definitely a parasocial relationship with you three but I feel so connected because I feel like I was brought up similarly (Jewish), except born in Montreal, Canada.

Anyway hope this made sense, thanks again!

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Hi!

Thank you for listening to our show and following! Congratulations on starting your new business and the new baby on the way. Taking the leap into entrepreneurship, especially while raising young kids, is incredibly brave and not for the faint of heart. Major kudos to you. It’s clear you truly believe in the work you’re doing, and I really admire that. Also, good luck with the working-with-your-husband stuff! Unsolicited relationship advice here but while things are great, find a good couples therapist, or relationship/business coach. It’ll be a worthy business investment.

Yes, this stage is absolutely stressful. Marketing your product is just as crucial as the product itself, because if a product is made but no one ever sees it, does the product even exist?! Of course it does, but if you’re trying to run a business rather than pursue a passion project or hobby, visibility is essential. People need to find you in order to work with you.

So the first question to ask yourself is this: where does your potential client spend their time?

I’m not super familiar with the exact type of animation you specialize in, but I would guess that, like most people, your audience is spending a significant amount of time online. Whether it’s on Instagram, TikTok, Youtube, Pinterest, LinkedIn, Google, or elsewhere, that’s where attention lives these days. Whether we like it or not, those platforms are where people go to discover and engage with new businesses. So while it may not feel appealing or natural to rely on social media for visibility, it is one of the most effective tools available right now for marketing yourself. It’s also not going anywhere, proven by the fact that brands are investing even more in social and influencer content this year than ever before. For example, Unilever CEO just announced he will be spending 50% of his marketing budget on social. Wild.

All kinds of creators and businesses are being discovered on platforms like Instagram every single day. Right now, all platforms are competing hard for TikTok’s users. That competition is actually creating a window of opportunity for people to grow quickly. Instagram in particular is trying to attract creators who are feeling unsure about TikTok’s future, and they are working hard to create an environment where new voices can thrive. It’s similar to how TikTok felt in the early days when content had the chance to reach large audiences organically. That means the algorithm is favorable to small creators at the moment, and the more content you post, the greater your chances of it getting noticed.

I recently read (ahem - saw on IG) that Ben Stiller discovered the animator who created the opening credits for Severance on the platform. That animator hadn’t done work like that before, but he had been consistently sharing content in his own creative style. He was discovered not for his resume, but for the distinct visual voice he had been sharing online.

So the next question becomes: how do you grow, and what kind of content should you create?

FYI there are soooo many creators on all platforms right now who are building their own brands based on teaching others how to do the same. It can feel overwhelming if you don’t know where to start, but the good news is that you only need to find a few voices that resonate with you and the algorithm will provide the rest. I recently followed @jera.bean, who I really like, and @rico.encarnati, who is great at explaining algorithm changes and how to respond to them. If you follow just one or two creators like that, the algorithm will quickly start showing you more of the same, and you’ll have a steady stream of useful advice and examples to work from.

Something I learned (ahem - saw on IG, again) is that a great way to begin is by choosing a few accounts whose content you feel inspired by. Look for creators whose tone, aesthetic, or audience you admire, and study what they’re doing. Study their reels, carousels, and stories. Take note of which posts seem to perform best in terms of views and engagement (you can see it when you click their reels). Then, ask yourself what you like about them, what keeps you interested, and what makes the content feel effective. Then try creating something in a similar style, but with your own voice and creative vision.

Remember, follower count doesn’t matter much anymore, engagement does. I guarantee that if you put out content that you love over and over again, you will get discovered by those who want to find you.

By the way, Instagram now offers a feature called trial reels that are shown only to non-followers. This is a great opportunity to test out different types of content and see what resonates with new audiences. Posting frequently and consistently is important, because the more content you put out there, the better your chances of reaching someone who may become a client.

I know that self-promotion and putting yourself out there can feel uncomfortable, cringe, and annoying that you even have to do it. Honestly, I feel the same way. If I could, I’d keep everything private and anonymous. But I’ve come to understand that if I want to reach the goals I’ve set for myself, I have to self promote. That’s the reality of the world we live in. Even doctors are now creating content on Instagram, not because they enjoy it or were trained to do it, but because they are running businesses and need to attract new patients. Just like you need clients, they need a steady stream of people coming through the door.

Fifteen years ago, this kind of visibility might not have been necessary. But the world has changed, and the marketing strategies that worked back then are no longer as effective. As technology evolves, so do our tools, and if we want to grow and succeed, we have to evolve along with them.

Engagement is a measurement of connection with your audience. Regardless of what the algos are promoting now, I have always set engagement as the key metric for success at Betches because it means people actually connect with the product we make and want more. So take some time to really think about your ideal customer. Where are they spending time? What kinds of visuals or stories grab their attention? What type of work could you share that would make them feel seen or inspired? Most importantly, remember that the majority of your content should be engaging and entertaining, not just promotional. I know that might be hard to hear, but I promise you that entertaining, relatable content is what builds trust and draws people in because it’s for them, not you. That’s what leads to conversions. Posts that simply say “check out my website” serve a purpose, but they won’t carry you as far as something that creates a real connection. Still do those, but not as often.

Also, don’t discount making content that helps your audience get to know you as a person. People follow (and hire) people they like. It might not immediately convert clients, but having it on your page personalizes your work a bit more and like I said, people hire people whose stories resonate or inspire them. Another strategy I would employ is to imagine the type of clients you want to create work for one day and just start making and posting that content now. Reimagine campaigns in your own voice, redesign logos, showcase why people need animation vs non animated work. Do it as if you were the one hired instead and show them how much better the work would have been had they actually hired you. Use your content to showcase a bold and distinctive point of view—something that reflects your artistic vision and makes it impossible to ignore what you bring to the table.

Once you have a sense of the kind of content you want to make, just start. It will feel awkward at first, and frankly it’ll probably be terrible. That’s totally normal. But it gets easier, and you get better. Share platform-appropriate versions of your content across as many platforms as you feel comfortable with. Engage with people who comment and DM you, and make sure your bio clearly explains what you offer, why people should trust you, and how they can reach you.

If you need more inspiration for what to post, start with content that aligns with what people are talking about right now. Because the content is broadly trending, it will get shown to more people, and therefore probably seen by a few potential clients. Also remember that you won’t get clients right away. At first your goal should be to get people to like and recognize your work so that they keep you in mind if they ever need you. Eventually, you will want to people to want to make your work a necessity i.e. want to hire you even though they were not originally looking for you. So, you may want to create a specific niche or style of work so that extremely recognizable. And maybe you could even make some free animated work (you will always have to expend some form of resource for marketing) for influencers and creators that you like *but* ask them to collab post with you. Everyone is always looking for something unique to represent themselves as more and more people are investing in their personal brand in order to stand out. And don’t forget, when your content goes viral, spend $$ to boost it, and suddenly it becomes an advertisement for your studio. There’s so much you can do with this, I’m excited for you!

That said, I honestly think you already know what you’re doing. You reached out to me, and now I’m fully aware of your animation studio. I’ll definitely keep you in mind if I ever need animation or design work. That was a smart move on your part, whether you realized it or not.

Good luck. I’ll be cheering you on and can’t wait to follow you.

Aleen

P.S. she just shared with me that she is happy to share her studio with everyone: @studiohomework & homeworkstudio.ca

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Thank you for reading! If you’d like to submit a question email hi@aleen.co or dm me @aleen. If you liked this post share it on IG <3