Can Artists Succeed Without Social Media? I’m Finding Out

An artist’s thoughts on Instagram, burnout, algorithms, and learning to create without the pressure to constantly be seen.

Social media can be a wonderful thing for artists.

It can help us build communities, connect with other creatives, share our work, find customers, and turn something we love into an actual business.

But it can also be absolutely exhausting.

Especially when you’re a small artist trying to build something meaningful while competing with algorithms, trends, influencers, and thousands of other creators who are all trying to be seen.

And lately, I’ve been asking myself a question:

Can artists still find success in the digital age without relying on social media?

I think we can.

Actually, I’m hoping to prove it.

With Every Rebrand Came Another Instagram Account

I’ve been running my creative business since 2016.

Over the years, I’ve experimented with different brands, creative directions, websites, shops, and social media accounts.

And you know what seemed to happen with almost every rebrand?

I created another Instagram account.

New brand? New Instagram.

New creative direction? New Instagram.

Different audience? You guessed it. Another Instagram.

I thought that was what I was supposed to do.

After all, if you’re an artist, photographer, designer, or small business owner, everyone tells you that you NEED social media.

You need to post consistently.

You need to create Reels.

You need to understand the algorithm.

You need to engage with followers.

You need to keep up with trends.

You need to show your face, tell your story, create videos, and somehow become a marketing expert on top of actually being an artist.

But when exactly are we supposed to have time to create the art we’re trying to promote?

Seriously.

Somewhere along the way, it started feeling like I was spending more energy trying to get people to see my work than actually enjoying the process of creating it.

And that’s when I started questioning everything.

The Pressure of Posting to Imaginary Followers

Okay, maybe imaginary followers is a little dramatic.

But sometimes that’s exactly how it feels.

You spend hours creating something.

You edit the photos, write the caption, choose your hashtags, and hit publish.

Then…

Crickets.

Maybe a couple of likes.

Maybe someone views your story.

Maybe the algorithm decides to show your beautiful creation to approximately three people and a suspicious-looking bot.

Wonderful.

And I know that likes don’t determine the value of our artwork.

I’ve said that myself countless times.

But when you’re trying to grow a creative business, low engagement can eventually get discouraging.

You start questioning your work.

Is my art not good enough?

Am I posting at the wrong time?

Should I be making more videos?

Do people even care?

The funny thing is, you can be a talented artist with beautiful work and still struggle to get noticed online.

An algorithm doesn’t get to determine your talent, your worth, or whether your artwork deserves to exist.

That’s something I’m learning to remind myself.

So, I Finally Left Instagram… Sort Of.

Recently, I made the decision to stop using Instagram to promote my creative business.

And you know what?

I feel better.

I mean, genuinely better.

I’m no longer worrying about when I need to post next, what the latest trending audio is, or whether anyone is actually seeing my artwork.

I’m not checking engagement every few hours.

I’m not stressing over how to turn every creative idea into a Reel.

I’m just creating.

And that feels incredibly freeing.

Now, before anyone asks, yes, Instagram is still installed on my phone.

I know. The irony.

But here’s the difference.

I’m using Instagram as a source of inspiration instead of treating it like another job.

I still enjoy seeing artwork from my favorite creators, discovering creative ideas, and occasionally doomscrolling when my brain decides that’s apparently what we’re doing today.

I’m human.

I’m a millennial.

Sometimes I just want to look at pretty artwork and funny animal videos without feeling like I need to market something.

And I think that’s perfectly okay.

As for Facebook, I still use my personal account to keep up with family and friends.

But I’ve stopped posting on my business accounts altogether.

For now, I’m giving myself permission to step away from the constant pressure of social media marketing.

But Wait… Didn’t I Just Start Another Online Project?

Yes.

Yes, I did.

And you’re actually reading it right now.

Because apparently my brain looked at everything I already had going on and thought:

You know what would be fun? Another creative project.

Classic me.

But this one feels different.

Instead of trying to build another Instagram presence, I’ve been creating a space where I can write, share my thoughts, talk about art, mental health, creativity, adulthood, and all the random things that float around in my head at 3 AM.

A place where I can be myself.

Where I don’t need to squeeze everything into a caption.

Where I don’t have to worry about whether my thoughts are trending.

Where a story can be a story instead of another piece of content designed to please an algorithm.

And honestly?

That’s the kind of creative freedom I’ve been missing.

I still have my main website, AbbyJuli.com, where I share my artwork, mental wellness resources, creative projects, shops, and everything else that makes up my slightly chaotic creative world.

I’m not disappearing from the internet.

I’m just choosing how I want to exist on it.

Can Artists Really Succeed Without Social Media?

I believe so.

But I also think we need to redefine what success actually means.

For some artists, success might mean thousands of followers, viral videos, brand collaborations, and a full-time income from their creative business.

And there’s absolutely nothing wrong with that.

Social media has helped countless artists find opportunities they may never have discovered otherwise.

But for others?

Success might look like selling a few pieces of artwork every month.

Having a website where people can discover their work.

Building a small community of genuine readers and supporters.

Creating products they actually love.

Or simply enjoying their creativity again without feeling pressured to constantly perform for an audience.

We have websites, blogs, newsletters, online marketplaces, search engines, Pinterest, and other ways to help people discover what we create.

Of course, these platforms have their own challenges too.

Building an audience without social media isn’t necessarily easier. It may be slower, require patience, and involve learning an entirely different approach to marketing.

And I’m certainly not claiming to have figured it all out.

I’m still experimenting.

Still learning.

Still trying to make my creative business work in a way that fits my personality, mental health, and lifestyle.

But I’d rather build something slowly that feels authentic than burn myself out chasing numbers that don’t necessarily mean anything.

Artists Are Allowed to Be Artists, Not Influencers

I think this is something we need to talk about more.

Not every artist wants to be an influencer.

Not every photographer wants to make Reels.

Not every designer wants to film themselves working.

Not every small business owner wants to spend hours on social media.

Some of us are introverts.

Some of us struggle with anxiety.

Some of us have jobs, families, responsibilities, and mental health challenges that already take up a tremendous amount of energy.

And some of us just want to sit at our desks, turn on our favorite music, grab our sketchbooks, and create something meaningful.

We shouldn’t have to become full-time content creators just to be considered successful artists.

Our creativity existed before Instagram.

Art existed long before social media algorithms.

And it will continue to exist regardless of what the next platform decides to prioritize.

Maybe it’s time we stopped treating social media as the only pathway to creative success.

I’m Choosing Creativity Over Constant Visibility

Will I ever return to posting regularly on Instagram or Facebook?

Maybe.

I don’t know what the future holds.

I might change my mind next year.

I might discover a completely different platform.

Or maybe I’ll continue building my little corner of the internet through writing, blogging, my websites, and my creative projects.

That’s the beauty of being an independent artist.

I get to decide.

For now, I’m enjoying creating without the pressure of constantly having to prove that I’m creating.

I’m enjoying writing longer thoughts.

I’m enjoying building things at my own pace.

And most importantly, I’m learning that being visible online and being successful aren’t necessarily the same thing.

So, if you’re an artist who’s exhausted by social media, I hope this gives you permission to reconsider what works for you.

You don’t have to disappear entirely.

You don’t have to abandon your business.

And you certainly don’t have to follow every new trend.

You can find your own way.

I’m doing exactly that.

Still figuring it out.

Still creating.

Still doing my best-ish.

And probably starting another project I don’t need. Because apparently that’s my specialty.

For Now, You Can Find Me Here

If you’d like to follow along with my creative adventures, random 3 AM thoughts, millennial reflections, and everything I’m learning along the way, you’re already in the right place.

You can also visit my main creative home at AbbyJuli.com, where I share my art, mental wellness projects, shops, and more.

No algorithm-chasing required.

Just a creative human trying to make something meaningful out of this wonderfully chaotic digital world.

A question for my fellow artists and creatives:

Do you think artists can still build successful creative businesses without Instagram or Facebook? Or has social media become something we simply can’t avoid?

I’d genuinely love to hear your thoughts.

Because I have a feeling I’m not the only artist who’s getting a little tired of trying to keep up.

— Abby

30-Something & Still Figuring It Out