Before committing to a high-effort "hustle," creators must first have deep self-awareness. Knowing your strengths (e.g., writing vs. video) and identity is the foundation that makes any hustle effective and sustainable, preventing wasted effort on the wrong communication style.
Instead of treating visual-first platforms like Instagram and Facebook as places to only share links to external blogs, creators who excel at writing should post multi-paragraph articles directly in the captions. This captures attention natively without requiring users to leave the app.
When challenged on the direct ROI of social media, reframe the conversation away from short-term metrics. Comparing it to the "ROI of your mother" highlights that its value lies in long-term relationships, trust, and foundational support, which are essential but not easily quantifiable on a spreadsheet.
View platforms like Facebook and YouTube as modern equivalents of TV networks (ABC, NBC), not just channels to blast a single piece of content. Each platform requires its own native "show"—content formatted and styled specifically for that audience and algorithm—to succeed.
To get initial traction, systematically DM thousands of relevant influencers and accounts in your niche. Frame the outreach by offering value first, then ask for a signal boost. Expect a low success rate, but view it as a necessary grind to gain exposure when you have no audience.