I started posting more on LinkedIn in the latter half of last year. Since then, I’ve seen incredible results. Not just the three-digit growth in analytics but also new clients, leads, and contacts. I’ve decided to trust the process, and now I’m seeing CONCRETE results.

Case in point: I’m now working with a client who found me on LinkedIn. He reached out to me through a Slack channel, asked for my rates, and decided to hire me.

I thought it was weird that he never asked for a writing sample. So I asked if he would like to see any first. I also asked how he found me.

Here’s what he said:

LinkedIn’s awesome like that.

And this whole thing tells me that building my online presence is the way forward for my business and how I plan to expand it.

So 2024 started with me creating more videos on Instagram and TikTok — even if it was a tad uncomfortable. And it takes way more effort than writing my thoughts (at least 30 minutes to edit Reels and TikToks).

The results weren’t as instant as the ones on LinkedIn. I would often get stuck with 200+ views on TikTok. And while organic reach for my posts is promising, I have slow follower growth.

Is it even worth doing?

I consulted a dear friend who’s been creating on TikTok for two years. She told me about a common pitfall new creators have when starting.

They often focus on the numbers. Did this content generate views? How many followers did I gain today?

But we need momentum before you can even see results. This means we need to start building content first. It doesn’t matter how many views or followers it generates for us at the start. We need to build our channel first.

Only then will we slowly get increased engagement and views. Because people who find us and like our content will end up binge-watching our content.

At least that’s my behavior on socials. I’ll stumble upon entertaining content, then go to the owner of that content. Before I know it, I’ve watched seven of their posts in a row.

We need to put in the reps.

Then we’ll learn which videos work. How we can streamline our content creation process. How to edit faster. What format or topics to focus on.

For instance, after ten Instagram reels, I’ve learned that my videos are too long (max length of 90 seconds). Analytics tell me that less than 1% of viewers finish ALL of my videos.

So on the 11th reel, I used a 17-second clip from the Critics Choice Awards to talk about Imposters Syndrome. From an average of 200+ views, the last reel has so far generated 1,400+ views—and counting. They’re all from strangers.

Maybe it’s because of the meme, the length of the video, or the lengthy caption that this Reel has been my most successful yet. But I’ll keep experimenting and learning to find out.

It’s probably something I already know as a marketer but decided to ignore because I’m too focused on the results. Not the process.

I completely forgot that, just like when I first started at the gym, everything would feel awkward, foreign, uncomfortable, and uncertain.

But we need to put in and respect the reps. We need to start with a 40-kg deadlift before you can PB at 100 kg.

So I’m treating this stage as my first week in the gym.

Trust the process.