Content Marketing Strategist

I went to Shanghai a few years ago, and I was so surprised at how many people walked around with their phones glued to their hands. Head down, screen up, totally plugged in. 

I try not to walk around with my phone in my heads, mostly because I’m clumsy, but as a business owner, I definitely feel the pressure to always be online just to stay visible.

You’ve properly felt this too – the constant need to show up, post, engage, repeat. Seeing other people doing all the time but how? There’s not enough hours in the day, right? 

But visibility doesn’t have to mean being online 24/7. In fact, some of the most successful UK brands aren’t doing that, but they are still staying front of mind. 

Here’s how you can build visibility without being online constantly.

1. Get found in search without writing a blog every day

You don’t need to churn out blog after blog to show up on Google. You need strategic content that answers the exact questions that your ideal clients are typing into the search bar.

Use tools like Answer the Public or even Google’s own autofill to find what your clients are searching for. 

For instance, if you’re a social media expert, your clients might type, ‘how to hack the Instagram algorthim’.

Once you know what your ideal clients are searching for, then create one really solid, long-form blog that hits all those points. Use keywords they’d actually use not industry jargon, and let it work for you in the background. 

Take Tropic Skincare for example. They’re not constantly live on Instagram, but their search-optimised content, especially around ingredients, ethics and skincare routines,  means they show up when people are looking for answers. Smart, clean, and consistent, as well as searchable.

2. Create evergreen content that lives on

Instead of trying to keep up with trends, create content that stays relevant for a long time. Think podcasts or videos that deliver your core message and can be shared again and again.

YouTube and TikTok are great examples of evergreen channel. Create content that’s relevant to your ideal client, and it will get seen, sometimes months and years later. 

Evergreen content doesn’t expire. It doesn’t need you to keep feeding the algorithm every day. And if it’s good, your audience will keep sharing it for you.

Not On The High Street are great at this. Their gift guides and small business features pop up on Pinterest, Google and in inboxes, months after they’ve been created. They’re designed to stick around and still do the job long after they’re posted.

3. Plan your content and schedule it

Winging it isn’t a strategy. Planning your content in advance means you can show up consistently without being chained to your phone.

Start by mapping out your key messages and content them, then build a simple schedule around them. Batch create, bulk schedule, and walk away. It’s that simple. 

You don’t need to post every day. You just need to be intentional with what you’re sharing and when.

Fearne Cotton’s Happy Place shares content that is clearly planned. Podcast episodes, snippets, event promos, all scheduled in a way that feels consistent without being overwhelming. It’s not reactive. It’s thoughtful and well-paced.

4. Automate 

You don’t need to be available, you just need to be present. Set up your core content to run on autopilot. 

Automate welcome email sequences that introduce new subscribers to what you do. Set up an autoresponse message on social media that replies to everyone that messages you. 

Let the tech do its job, so you can prioritise your most important tasks.

5. Be rememberable, not just visible

If you want people to talk about you, give them something to talk about. That means showing up in a way that’s you, and keep repeating those stories. Not generic, not the AI version of you, not trying to be “professional” at the expense of being real.

Your story, your opinions, your personality, that’s what makes your content stick. And when you show up with a clear message, people remember you even when you’re not posting constantly. 

Dishoom are good at this. They’re not in your face on social every day, but they’ve nailed their voice and brand identity across everything they do from menus and emails, to how they talk about their team and values. They’ve built a brand people rave about and return to (me being one of them), not because they post all the time, but because everything they do put out feels meaningful, consistent and unmistakably them.

Final words

You don’t need to sacrifice your time and energy to stay visible. Real visibility is about consistency, not constantly. When you use content that does the work for you, and systems that keep you present even when you’re offline, you get to build a business that works without working all the time.