The big idea: Social media is bad for our focus, our mental health, and our politics. I don't spend my time there anymore, and I don't want to give you another reason to spend time there.

In an era where almost every business, big or small, is clamoring for space on Big Social, I’ve consciously chosen to avoid them. Why? Because I believe less time spent on social media is better for our individual mental health and our collective political health.

It’s now undeniable: social media has net negative impacts on mental health, and not just for kids. It consumes folks’ time, instigates feelings of inadequacy, and fosters false perceptions of reality. I value my mental well-being, recognizing its profound impact on creativity and attention. By sidestepping social media, I gain more time for focus and clear thinking.

I also care about our collective political health, which has also been negatively impacted by the spread of misinformation and propaganda prevalent on social media platforms. I’m not excited about the monopolistic nature of these platforms and their use as a tool for political manipulation. It has accelerated the polarization of our politics and the rise of nihilism/hopelessness among those who aren’t polarizing towards the extreme ends.

My marketing strategy doesn’t hinge on social media. I rely on good old-fashioned 'word of mouth' and, secondarily, tutorial videos I post to Youtube. (You could argue that Youtube is quasi-social-media, and you’d have a point. But it is, first and foremost, the world’s second-largest search engine, and also a fast track to ranking in Google and LLM results.) My clients are my best advocates, spreading news of my good work.

Given what I know about the net impact of social media, I would be uncomfortable getting paid to manage my clients’ social media. I’d essentially be getting paid to get people to spend more time on platforms designed to harvest their time and attention. So I don’t offer that. Instead, I invest my efforts in creating awesome Squarespace templates, useful tutorial videos, and custom web design and strategy for my clients.

I interact with my clients daily via phone calls, emails, video calls, and (when local) in-person meetings. I believe in keeping these lines of communication direct, without the pressure, noise, and distraction that social media can bring.

While this approach may seem odd in the current digital landscape, it's not without its benefits. I’m choosing quality over quantity, and and I sleep soundly knowing I’m staying true to what I believe in.

This is why I don't 'do' social media - because I’m more than capable of doing good work (and making a good living) without it.

You know what I do do, though? Email. Very occasional email. 😉

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