Why Your Socials Aren't Growing

Are you struggling to get new eyes on your work?

Have you been creating on-brand content, posting consistently, trying all the tips, following all the advice, doing all the things… and yet nothing is changing?

You probably don’t have a content quality problem.

You might have a content type problem.

Specifically, you might be creating nurturing content when you actually need discovery content.

Let me explain...

Two Types of Social Media Content

What Is Nurturing Content?

Nurturing content is content designed to build trust and loyalty with your audience. This content teaches, shares, and deepens a relationship so someone can eventually move from “I follow you” to “I want to support you / hire you / buy from you.”

In plain English, nurturing content assumes the viewer already knows who you are.

Examples of nurturing content:

• personal or professional updates

• behind-the-scenes posts

• progress photos

• deeper educational tips

• community posts directed at existing followers

This type of content is super valuable, but it works best for people who are already familiar with you.

What Is Discovery Content?

Discovery content, on the other hand, understands that the viewer has no idea who you are. The job of discovery content is super simple: Get attention → spark curiosity → earn a profile visit.

Strong discovery content is clear, interesting, relatable, visually engaging, or emotionally resonant enough to make a stranger stop scrolling. The concept may sound simple enough, but this is where many artists and small business owners run into trouble.

Social Media Is Primarily For Discovery

Here’s something you probably already know, but maybe haven’t been thinking about while posting: Social Media is primarily for discovery. Most of the content you're seeing these days is not from people you follow.

Think about how you view TikTok or Instagram Reels. You open the app and immediately start watching strangers. You scroll through video after video, and only the ones that really manage to catch your attention will even get the consideration of whether you care enough to visit their profile.

Now apply that to your own content.
Your latest video is showing up between a cookie recipe and a cat-fail compilation with zero context.

This may literally be someone’s very first impression of you.

So when making your next video, ask yourself:
Will this make sense to someone who has never seen me before?

Because you have less than 2 seconds to stop someone from scrolling past your video... and if you accomplish that, you have less than 10 seconds to GET. TO. THE. POINT.

How to Make Discovery-Focused Content

Don't let those numbers send you into a panic spiral. The last thing we want is for you to be making videos where you're waving and shouting "HEY!I'MANARTIST!PLEASEBYMYFROGPAINTINGS!!" as fast as you can into the camera. To make discovery content, you don't need to be loud or talk super fast; you just need to be clear. 

Creating discovery content does not mean:

• shouting

• aggressive selling

• fake high-energy, super cringe hooks

The idea is to have some sort of opener that captures the attention of your intended audience and gives immediate context to your video. You want to grab attention and then let them know what they're getting into.

Some quick tips on how to do that are:

• Add text at the beginning of the video

• Use visuals that immediately communicate your brand

• Avoid long lead-ins

• Keep the message viewer-focused

• Start with a hook, then introduce yourself

Example 1: Viewer-Focused Introduction

Instead of starting by introducing yourself, introduce the intended audience:

“If you love Over the Garden Wall, I bet you'll also love my cozy pumpkin characters!”

Now you have the attention of the people this content is meant for. They've definitely stopped scrolling, and you can start talking about your webcomic starring those pumpkin characters you mentioned. Note: This only works if you know who your art is for.

You can further strengthen that opener with the visuals and music of your video. Create a similar atmosphere, colour palette, and soundtrack. Not only have you grabbed your audience's attention, but you’ve communicated your brand before you even said your name.

Example 2: Hook First, Introduction Second

Start with a statement sure to capture the interest of your intended audience. Perhaps it is a pain point?
“If your social posts aren’t reaching new people, it might be because you're posting the wrong kind of content.”

Boom! You've stopped their scroll. Now you can introduce yourself.
“Hi, I’m Sara, your friendly neighbourhood social media manager, and I’m here to show you how to create content that can boost your brand’s reach...”

Hook → curiosity → context → introduction

Now that you've got their attention and given them context, you have time to talk more in-depth.

Discovery Happens Mostly Through Video

By now, you might be wondering: “If social media is for discovery… when am I actually supposed to build relationships?”

This is where understanding nurture vs. discovery and the big, scary algorithm really matters.

At the moment, because of how most algorithms on social media platforms work, discovery usually happens through video. Short-form video (Reels, TikTok, Shorts) is built to reach non-followers. The platforms are literally designed to push those videos out to strangers first and your followers second.

That means your best discovery content is short-form video, and it should almost always be created with new viewers in mind. This is not follower content. This is stranger content. It’s being shown to someone who has never heard your name before and has no reason yet to care.

So those videos should focus on:

• clarity

• quick context

• strong first impressions

• curiosity
  

But not everything you post needs to be discovery-focused.

Your photo posts, Instagram Stories, and long-form videos are far more likely to be shown to people who already follow you. So you don’t necessarily need to put as much effort into that initial hook and immediate context. Still, everything you post should be created with the thought that this might be the first thing someone new sees from you.

Want More Than the Algorithm Gives You?

When you intentionally create videos as discovery content, you stop only talking to your followers and start talking to your future fans. Growth often doesn’t come from posting MORE content, but from posting content specifically designed to do the job it’s meant to do.

If this was an “a-ha!” moment, you might like my newsletter! I send an email out approximately every Monday with tips on how to up your social media marketing game. It's actually crazy how much free content I give away both on this blog and in that newsletter! That's because this is where I put my nurturing content… which means I am, technically, inviting you to voluntarily jump into my own digital marketing funnel. On purpose.

But hey, I promise it'll be a good time!

Nurturing Happens on Familiar Ground

Social media marketing does both discovery and nurturing, however your real nurturing platform is wherever someone has actively chosen to hear from you.

That usually means:

• your email newsletter

• Patreon

• Substack

• Bandcamp

• membership communities (Discord, Facebook Group, etc.)

  
  

These aren’t just random viewers. These are people who have purposely opted in.

They know who you are, and they want to hear more from you.

And that changes how you talk to them!

When someone joins your mailing list, they’re no longer a random viewer. They’ve moved into a different stage of the marketing funnel.

A traditional small business digital marketing funnel might look like this:

Social Media (Discovery) → Website (Trust) → Email List or Membership (Nurture & Sales)

For artists, it might look like:

• Social Media → Patreon

• Social Media → streaming → Bandcamp
  

The exact platform changes, but the psychology doesn’t.

Social media is for discovery and building brand awareness.
Your deeper platforms are for nurturing existing relationships