Why Chasing Likes is Killing Your Coaching Business (And How to Create Content That Actually Gets Clients)

How much time do you spend creating content for social media?

And how much ROI are you getting for your time?

As a career coach, I spent a year doubling down on social media content and got very little in return.

I spent hours and hours every day trying to craft the perfect social media post.

Some of them tanked.

And others took off…At least I thought I did.

There was a moment in time when I felt like I cracked social media.

I was getting tons of likes and comments on my posts and it felt like I was making progress.

But when I looked at my income, it told a very different story.

The time I spent on social media didn’t match the number of new clients working with me.

I realised I had been wasting my time focusing on the wrong numbers.

The Biggest Mistake Coaches Make.

Chasing likes and shares are fooling you into thinking your content is working

If you’re focused on vanity metrics such as

• likes
• shares
• generic comments

or trying to go viral with one game-changing post, you’re playing the wrong game.

Instead, you need to focus on what your clients want. And let go of shallow metrics that mean nothing.

Let's dive into why this happens, why it’s problematic, and what you can do to course-correct.

Focusing on Vanity Metrics

Likes, shares, and comments like “Great advice” or “Well said” might make your content seem successful, but these are empty numbers.

Vanity metrics don’t translate into clients.

Sure, it feels good to see a post get traction, but is it really helping you?

Probably not.

Vanity metrics create a false sense of achievement.

To know if your content is working, you need to go beyond these surface-level numbers.

It’s not about how many people clicked the like button. It’s about how many took meaningful action as a result of what you shared.

Trying to Go Viral

Many coaches make the mistake of thinking that one viral post will change everything.

They invest time and energy into making one piece of content blow up.

But even if a post goes viral, it doesn’t guarantee new clients.

Viral content can disappear as quickly as it arrives.

Chasing virality is a gamble. Instead, focus on consistency. The posts that create clients are often less glamorous but steadily build relationships and trust over time.

Why Everyone Wants Virality

It’s easy to fall into the virality trap.

You see big influencers getting thousands of comments and likes and think that’s what success looks like.

Plus, these vanity metrics offer instant validation.

You spend hours creating a post, and when it gets attention, you feel like it’s working.

Those likes and shares give a dopamine boost and create the illusion that your business is growing.

It feels like you're making progress because there’s visible activity.

However, real progress doesn’t always come with fireworks. Real business growth happens when content resonates deeply with your audience.

The Truth About Vanity Metrics

None of these metrics—likes, shares, or short comments really matter.

What truly counts are meaningful engagements and actions that move the needle.

Instead, focus on:

• Meaningful Comments: When someone resonates with your content, they leave thoughtful comments, share their struggles, or ask a question. These are the people who are likely to become clients or refer others to you.
• Number of Enquiries: Are people messaging you to book meetings, enquire about your services, or visit your website? These are the tangible indicators that your content is working.
• Conversations About Your Content: Pay attention to how often your content is mentioned in networking or sales calls. If people mention your posts without you asking, it’s a sign that your content is landing.

Real Indicators

To measure the effectiveness of your content, you need to take a long-term view.

Look beyond daily metrics and instead track your progress over one to three months. This allows you to see trends and real engagement over time, which is far more telling than the instant gratification of a single post going viral.

Here’s how to track your progress:

1. Monitor Inbound Leads: Keep a simple tracker of how many leads or enquiries come through your posts over time. This could be direct messages, LinkedIn requests, or booked meetings.
2. Eye Test for Engagement: Pay attention to the quality of comments and conversations sparked by your content. Are people asking genuine questions, or are they just saying “great post”?
3. Check Your Audience: Are the people engaging with your content actually clients you want to work with? If your ideal clients aren’t noticing you, then your content isn’t working.

What Really Matters

To grow your coaching business through content, play the long game.

Building relationships and trust takes time.

When you focus on creating valuable content, your numbers will probably drop.

But this is a good thing.

You’ll start attracting the right audience, people who are genuinely interested in what you have to offer.

You can shift your approach by:

• Being More Targeted: Tailor your content specifically to your ideal client. Mention their challenges, goals, and desires in your posts. This might reduce the number of likes, but it will increase the quality of engagement.
• Expect Fewer Vanity Metrics: Don’t panic when you see fewer likes. What matters is the quality of the interactions you’re having.
• Think Long-Term: Don’t expect instant results. The best content creates a snowball effect over time, building momentum and credibility gradually.

Conversations = Clients

At the end of the day, we build personal brands to drive conversations that lead to sales.

Chasing likes and viral moments might offer a quick ego boost, but it’s not what creates clients.

You need to focus on what matters - creating meaningful interactions that lead to real results.

Stop wasting time on vanity metrics that don’t serve your business.

Start investing your energy into content that sparks genuine conversations.

The excitement from a viral post fades but the relationships you build through thoughtful, targeted content last.

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