Why Not to Build Your Online Business Solely through Social Media

This is a guest post by our top contributing author and travel blogger Ryan Biddulph He is the founder of Blogging From Paradise, his course 11 Fundamentals of Successful Blogging and the author of more than 126 eBooks.

I wrote and published 4000 plus blog posts on Blogging From Paradise.

I wrote and placed 10,000 plus guest posts on various blogs in my niche.

I commented on 100,000 plus various blogs in my niche.

Right now, Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn could shut down my accounts. I could care less. Why? I would still be in 114,000 plus spots. I also spend little attention and energy building my business through social media because me and my trusted friends do not own social media sites.

But imagine if I did virtually all of my creating and connecting through social media? Being shut down would mean the end of my business. I do not own social media sites. I am the product. Social media site owners own my social media image, likeness and content. Trying to build a thriving business solely through social media is like trying to build a mansion on quicksand.

What solution works best for building a sustainable business online?

Buy your domain and hosting. Blog on WordPress.org to own your online real estate.

Own Your Cyber Real Estate

Review the numbers above.

I own 4000 plus web pages via Blogging From Paradise. My blogging buddies own 10,000 plus web pages where I guest post. Thousands of bloggers own the 100,000 plus web pages where I published genuine comments. Unless bloggers quit or sell their blogs I will be seen in roughly 114,000 plus spots with or without social media in my blogging arsenal.

Owners create on real estate owners own. Owners create on real estate their buddies own. Think like an owner. Spend most of your time and energy creating and connecting on real estate you and your blogging buddies own to build a sustainable, stable online business.

Minus a tiny bit of ownership or quitting flux, my eBook links, course links, audio book links, paperback links and advertising opportunities remain permanently on sites me and my blogging buddies own. I may know a small percentage of bloggers who own blogs where I published my 100,000 plus comments but most appear to be paying their domain and hosting bills for the past 3, 5 to 10 years.

Lay a rock solid foundation for your online business. Buy your domain and hosting. Blog on WordPress.org to own your cyber real estate. Link to your:

courses
eBooks
coaching services
consulting services
freelancing services
audio books
paperbacks
advertising opportunities

via your blog through pages you publish on your blog. Create a lasting online business asset by setting up your online business through content you publish on your blog. Link to your blog through guest posts and genuine blog comments. Grow your online business through the principle of leveraging.

Social Media Changes with the Wind

Facebook allowed for massive organic growth years ago. Business owners boosted their profits by simply sharing content and engaging generously on the platform. But Facebook moved to a pay to play type model to grow your business. Facebook quickly shifted to a paid advertising model if you wanted to even sniff at boosting your profits. Imagine if you depended heavily on free advertising to make coin through Facebook? Wave your online business profits generated through Facebook goodbye.

But Facebook proves even more fickle – and deadly to business owners – by changing rules, regulations and interpretations of said rules as time progresses. I know one of blogger whose 35,000 Like Facebook Page got shut down with no rhyme, reason or explanation. He was smart. He owns his domain, invests money in hosting and owns his email list. But picture if he spent 10,000 hours over the past 12 years creating and connecting through Facebook to build his online business. Overnight, the 10,000 hours worth of status updates, videos, comments and business-profits-driving content disappears forever.

Never build your online business only through social media.

Buy your domain and hosting. Blog on WordPress.org to own your cyber real estate.

Build your online business on a rock solid, stable foundation.

For more tips on how to succeed as a blogger read;
6 Reasons Why Bloggers Succeed