Avoiding Social Media Burnout in Your Cake Business

When you started your cake business, you probably didn’t realise you’d need to become a full-time content creator too. Suddenly you're not just the baker — you're also the social media manager, content creator, advertiser, sales manager, and customer service team… all while trying to actually make the cakes.

And while social media can help build a business, it’s a lot to carry, especially when life gets heavy.

Why You Might Need a Break from Social Media (And That’s OK)

There are so many valid reasons for needing to step back from social media, and not one of them means you’re failing at running your business.

You might be:

• Nearing burnout from a busy wedding season or intense workload

• Navigating a personal family matter that needs your energy and attention

• Feeling uninspired or disconnected from your business

• Managing parenting, health, or life changes

• Struggling with a creative block or a confidence knock that makes posting feel too much

• Questioning the direction of your business and what you really want moving forward

And here's the thing — you are allowed to pause.

Real Life Happens: My Own Break from Social Media

At the end of December, just before Christmas, my grandmother was suddenly taken ill. Normally, I’d take a small break over the festive period to spend time with my young children and recharge. But this time was different. My grandma was soon placed on end-of-life care, and the weeks that followed were filled with hospital visits, supporting family, and trying to look after myself through it all.

Work became the last thing on my mind. And even though January is often my busiest time for wedding enquiries, I had to completely step away from the admin and socials, and I don’t regret it. That break was necessary. It didn’t stop enquiries forever. It didn’t damage my business. And I came back when I was ready, knowing I hadn’t stretched myself too far during a very emotional time.

“I Don’t Even Feel Like Myself When I Post”

This came up recently in one of my group coaching calls inside The Cake Pro Academy (my online membership for cake business owners). A member was considering giving up their business in the next year or two. They’d had a tough few months, with minimal orders and no drive to find more. The passion had dipped, and the pressure of “having to” post on social media, especially showing their face, just made it all feel worse. They didn't feel like themselves when they post, and that can make you feel like you are being fake - and you should be your genuine self.

My advice to them? Take a break. Take the pressure off. Focus on the orders already booked for this year. Use the next month or two to reflect, recharge, and think about what you want from your business, not what Instagram says you should be doing.

And in the meantime, here are a few more ideas for keeping your social media running in a low-maintenance, manageable way...

What Happens If You Stop Posting?

Here’s the truth: not much. Definitely not the disaster you might fear.

I didn’t post anything for 3 weeks, and when I came back and shared a reel, it reached over 4k views — which is above average for me. This reel also had 72% of viewers watch past the first 3 seconds. My average reel is only 40% of viewers.

This really does show that its the quality of what you are posting over the quantity of posts.

Social media doesn’t show your posts to everyone anyway. Even if you posted the same photo every day, many followers might only see it once. So if you only post once this week instead of five times? You’ll probably still reach the right people.

Yes, the more you post the more visible you will be, but if you simply do not have the time, your business isn't going to disappear. You should be using other platforms for marketing (such as, Google and your website) to be visible, and if the majority of your leads and bookings are coming from here, put your efforts into them for now.

Low Energy Ways to Stay Visible

If you're not quite ready to come back in full force, here are some low energy ways to keep things ticking along:

• Use Instagram stories: A great way to stay connected. Share a “behind the scenes” moment, a quick poll, a repost, or just say hello. You don’t have to post stories every day — some days it might be one, some days fifteen. Do what works for you.

• Engage, don’t post: Spend 10–15 minutes a day liking posts, replying to stories, or leaving a comment on something you relate to. Not only does this help your account stay visible, but it often encourages others to check out your page too.

• Reuse content: posting something you have already created takes less time than creating something new. Find something you haven't posted for a while, collaborate/tag another page, give the previous content another purpose - just don't forget the call to action!

  
  

Do You Really Need to Show Your Face?

I get asked this a lot and I do believe people buy from people. They love knowing who’s behind the business. But showing your face doesn’t mean talking to the camera every day or sharing your life in detail.

A weekly selfie with some context is enough. Maybe it’s you at a wedding fair, delivering a cake, or just having a coffee break. Say “good morning” or share a quick update. Keep it simple and true to you.

And most importantly: be yourself. Don’t perform for the platform. If you love heavy metal gigs (like I do!) and your ideal client doesn’t — who cares? You can live your life and still serve your dream clients with professionalism and creativity.

Your Wellbeing Matters More Than the Algorithm

Running a business, especially from home, especially alone, is tough. If you’re juggling parenting, health, family, or simply the mental load of doing everything, it’s no surprise you feel overwhelmed by social media.

Not everyone can afford to hire a content creator or social media manager. Many of us are wearing all the hats. So be kind to yourself.

Take breaks when you need to. Show up when it feels right. Build a business that supports your life, not one that drains it.

Your dream clients will still find you. They’ll still want what you offer. And they’ll appreciate the real, grounded version of you — not the overworked one trying to please an algorithm.

If you're feeling the weight of social media, business burnout, or just not sure how to move forward — you don’t have to figure it out alone.

You can book a free discovery call or a 1:1 Power Hour with me to talk through ways to reduce your workload, take a break without guilt, or explore why your motivation and confidence might be feeling low.

And if you’re craving connection with others who get it, come and join my supportive community inside The Cake Pro Academy — you’ll be so welcome. 💛

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