The Social Media Hustle
I know a friend. Jake. Full-time job. Side hustle? Photography. He posted here and there. Shared his work. But nothing happened. No traction. No engagement. It was a sense of screaming into the void.
Then he pivoted. Started posting with purpose. Showed up consistently. Engaged with his audience. Before he knew it? Clients started rolling in.
The Importance of Social Media for Side Hustlers
A side hustle doesn’t mean you’re selling. It’s about building a brand. Perhaps showing more of these human qualities can help your potential clients come to know, like, and trust you better as an individual. And social media? That’s the quickest way to make it happen.
Struggles common to side hustlers:
Content written but receiving zero interactions.
Not knowing what to post.
That there’s no time for social media.
Growing too slowly.
They compare themselves to bigger brands and feel disappointed.
The secret? Strategy. Not just posting randomly.
The Real Social Media Strategies That Work
Pick the Right Platform
You don’t have to be everywhere. Exactly where your audience hangs out.
Instagram — Best for visuals, creatives, lifestyle, and personal branding
TikTok— An engaging short video. Ideal for flying fast to the punch on new audiences.
Before that, you can try your hand at LinkedIn: perfect for B2B, and business audiences.
Pinterest: Great for bloggers, crafters and e-commerce.
Market through Facebook (Best Form of Community based marketing)
Pick one or two platforms. Master them before expanding. Each platform has different algorithms so Study them. Know what works and what doesn’t work.
Show Up Consistently
Algorithms love consistency. So do people.
Make it a point to post 3-5 times a week.
Stick to a schedule.
Use scheduling tools such as Later, Buffer, or Hootsuite
Share at the right time when your audience is online.
Don’t go AWOL for weeks and expect an immediate bounce back when you reappear.
Consistency = growth. But don’t burn yourself out. Quality over quantity.
Post Content That Connects
Not every post has to be a sales pitch. Mix it up:
Day in the Life: share your process, your work space, your daily hustle.
Educational: Share something useful in your industry or niche
What I woefully lack in Praxis experience I can only cover with personal stories—sharing my wins and failures as well as what I learned from them.
Engagement Posts: Questions, polls, comments.
Demonstrate Your Expertise: How to do What You Do.
Branding should be people to people, not brand to brand. Be relatable.
Engage, Don’t Just Post
Social media is social.
Reply to comments.
DM potential clients.
Interact with people in your target area.
Be a part of conversations.
Comment on trending posts.
Engage in related hashtags.
The more engaged you are = the more visibility. Don’t drop the content and disappear.
Use Hashtags & Trends
Hashtags boost reach. But only if used right.
Find niche-specific hashtags.
Use a combination of popular and less competitive tags.
_RECOVERY- Pause! LIE LOW, LIE LOW! Women recover without GEAS and 2020 pinches give extra entitlement.
You are committed to trends, viral content.
You are using the hashtags for your business.
Riding the wave of trends early on can make visibility soar. But ensure it fits your brand.
Leverage Video Content
Videos get more reach. Period.
Instagram Reels.
TikTok videos.
YouTube Shorts.
Live sessions with Q&As.
Storytelling behind the scenes
Show your face. Talk to your audience. Build connection. People need to see you.
Repurpose Content
One post = multiple formats.
Twitter a blog to Instagram carousel.
Turn a video into a tweet thread.
Post screenshots of tweets on LinkedIn.
Create graphics with customer testimonials.
Work smarter. Not harder. Make every post go further.
Track and Optimize
What gets measured gets done, gets done better.
Measure not only the likes but also the engagement rates.
Study insights and analytics.
See what kind of content resonates.
Adapt according to what the data says, not to what your guess is.
It takes more than luck to succeed at social media. It’s strategy + data + persistence.
Follow People, Not Only Accounts
If no one cares, numbers matter little. Focus on community-building.
Respond to messages as you would a human.
Support others in your niche.
Create value-driven content.
Let people feel like they are seen and heard.
An engaged audience is more valuable than a big, inactive one.
The Reality Of Growth On Social Media
It won’t happen overnight. Some days? Crickets. But the key? Keep going.
Jake? He stuck with his strategy. His photography business? Booming now. But he remembers that struggle well.
Social media isn’t just about likes. It’s about establishing trust, expanding a brand and creating opportunities.
Your hobby business need the focus. Just show up, be consistent, and allow the right people to come to you.
Final Thoughts
Building an audience on social media takes time, strategy and a refusal to ever not show up. Consistency, learning from your data, and appealing to your audience will have you ‘making it’ in no time.
Dont stress about the algorithm. Start focusing on people. These are the people who will stick by your side hustle for the long haul.