Chasing social media fame is keeping you broke

Let’s cut the fluff: social media fame might look good, but it’s not paying your bills. I’ve been there, done that. You’re spending all your time chasing likes, followers, and viral posts. It feels like progress, right? It’s not. Trust me.

You can have all the likes in the world and still be dead broke.

Here’s the reality - I’ve got more than 16k followers on TikTok and have had posts reach millions of views. I’ve gone viral multiple times. But guess what? That alone didn’t translate into real money. One of my best posts was on LinkedIn. It hit 19 million views, got 224,000 likes, and racked up 14,000 comments. You’d think that level of engagement would’ve made me some serious money, right? Wrong. Not a penny. Meanwhile, another post on LinkedIn got just 1,400 impressions and 35 likes—but that one? It made me £300k. Let that sink in. Massive attention doesn’t mean massive money.

You already know this, don’t you?

Deep down, you’ve probably felt it.

And here’s something that’ll confirm your suspicions: fame is just noise if you’re not turning that attention into paying clients.

Fame looks good, but it won’t make you rich

At an event where I was speaking, I met a female influencer with 130,000 followers - someone who looked like she was killing it. But when we talked, she admitted she had to take a second job because she wasn’t landing enough clients. She was posting nonstop - personal stories, business tips, and inspirational quotes. Her engagement was great, but none of it was converting into real business. She had the audience but was still broke.

And she’s not alone. I met a LinkedIn “social selling” expert at another event. His posts were exploding with engagement - thousands of likes, hundreds of comments. But when we spoke, he confessed that he hadn’t landed a single client in months. His wife was the main breadwinner. Despite all that attention, his business was barely hanging on.

If you’re feeling this too - like the attention isn’t leading to actual income - you’re right. Social media fame can be empty. If you’re not converting that attention into paying clients, you’re just wasting time.

Vanity metrics can help, but they won’t be your foundation

Look, I’m not saying vanity metrics - likes, followers, engagement - are useless. They can help build your brand’s credibility and spread your message further. But if you’re treating them as the foundation of your business, you’re setting yourself up for disappointment.

Here’s the order: win clients first, then scale. Build a solid financial base before you even think about expanding your reach. I’m telling you - stop obsessing over going viral. The post that went viral for me? Didn’t do a damn thing for my bank account. But the smaller, more targeted post? That’s where the money was. Once you’ve figured out how to win clients, then you can start scaling. Until then, scaling without a solid foundation will only leave you with a big audience and no income.

The Time-Wasting Trap: Social Media vs. Getting Clients

Let’s get real. If you need 10 clients to hit your income goals, but you’re wasting 10 hours a week on social media with no results, what are you even doing?

Think about it.

You’re spending hours crafting posts, chasing likes, and watching views, but how much of that is actually getting you closer to signing a client? Probably none of it. Social media feels productive because it gives you instant gratification - likes, comments, shares - but if it’s not leading to money in your pocket, it’s just a time-suck.

Here’s the blunt truth: if you need clients, spending all your time posting into the abyss isn’t going to get them. Those 10 hours would be better spent reaching out directly to potential clients, following up on leads, and closing deals. Stop fooling yourself into thinking social media engagement equals progress. If it’s not turning into clients, it’s just noise.

Every hour you spend crafting the perfect post just to rack up more likes or chase the latest trend is an hour you’re not spending on what really matters: making money. Stop trying to hack the algorithm. Stop worrying about what time of day is best to post.

Here’s what actually works:

• Focus on leads, not likes: If your content isn’t bringing in qualified leads, you’re just making noise. Start tracking how many leads each post generates, not how many people hit the “like” button.
• Get clear on your call to action: Every post should have a purpose beyond engagement. Is it getting people to book a call, join your email list, or buy something? Make sure your content actually leads somewhere.
• Build real relationships: Engagement is about more than just getting comments. Move your conversations beyond the comments section - send direct messages, get on calls, and start closing deals.

The likes and views don’t matter if they aren’t leading to money in your pocket. It’s that simple.

You don’t need to go viral - you just need the right people

Here’s the biggest truth bomb I’m going to drop: you don’t need to go viral to make real money. You just need to reach the right people - the ones who are actually willing to pay for what you do.

How do you do that?

1. Solve their problems: Speak directly to the needs of your ideal clients. You don’t need to entertain the masses. Focus on the people who matter most to your business and help solve their problems.
2. Position yourself as the go-to expert: Share content that demonstrates why you’re the solution they need. When you’re seen as the expert, people will pay for your help.
3. Tell them what to do next: Don’t post just to post. Guide people to the next step - whether that’s booking a call, subscribing to your list, or investing in your services.

Here’s the harsh truth: going viral might boost your ego, but it won’t pay your mortgage. Focus on getting in front of the right people, not all the people.

Build your financial base first, then scale

Here’s what I’ve learned after wasting too much time chasing fame: you need to build a financial base before you even think about scaling. Trying to scale without a foundation is like building a house on sand. It’ll crumble the second you stop posting.

Here’s what you need to do:

1. Direct outreach: Stop waiting for clients to come to you. Get proactive - send personal messages, connect with leads, and actually ask for the business.
2. Use referrals and word of mouth: Your current clients are your best asset. Focus on delivering such great results that they can’t help but refer you to others.
3. Target your content to high-value clients: Forget trying to appeal to the masses. Create content that speaks directly to the people who can afford your services and are ready to invest.

Once you’ve got paying clients and steady income, then you can focus on growing your audience. But until then, vanity metrics won’t get you where you want to go.

Stop chasing fame—start chasing money

Let’s stop pretending social media fame equals success.

It doesn’t. You know it. I know it. Fame is fleeting, and it won’t keep you financially secure.

What matters is building a business that pays.

Remember this: win clients first, then scale.

Build a solid financial foundation before you try to conquer social media. Fame might come later, but it’s not the goal. The goal is to make money, serve your clients, and build something sustainable.

The likes, the views - they’ll come. But they don’t matter if you’re not making money.

So stop chasing empty engagement and start chasing what really matters - your financial success.