Can Social Media Get in the Way of Spirit?

I have a confession.

I spend money advertising my spiritual business.

Every month.

I run Meta ads.

I promote my books.

I advertise Spirit Social.

Like most people who run a business, I know that if nobody knows you exist, it's incredibly difficult to help anyone.

And yet...

There's a question that keeps circling around in my mind.

How does that fit with Spirit?

Does Spirit bring you the right people?

For years, I believed that if I simply showed up with integrity, taught honestly and trusted Spirit, the right people would naturally find me.

In many ways, I still believe that.

I've watched incredible coincidences happen.

People have stumbled across my podcast at exactly the right moment.

Someone has picked up one of my books when they desperately needed it.

Students often tell me,

"I don't know how I found you, but it felt like I was supposed to."

Those stories are beautiful.

They make me wonder whether Spirit really do nudge us towards the people we're meant to learn from.

But then...

There's social media.

What happens when algorithms get involved?

Social media has changed everything.

Years ago, if you posted something on Facebook, most of the people who followed you actually saw it.

Now?

Not so much.

Algorithms decide.

Advertising budgets decide.

Artificial intelligence decides.

If I stop advertising Spirit Social, sign-ups drop dramatically.

Not because the community has suddenly become less valuable.

Simply because fewer people know it exists.

So I find myself asking a question I genuinely don't know the answer to.

If someone discovers my work because they saw an advert...

Did Spirit bring them to me?

Or did Meta?

Can you advertise a spiritual business ethically?

I think you can.

But I also think it's something we should think about more carefully.

Marketing isn't inherently bad.

If you've written a book that could genuinely help someone, surely it's okay to let people know it exists.

If you've created a community that supports people through grief, spiritual awakening or mediumship development, surely it's okay to tell people about it.

The problem isn't visibility.

The problem is what we're willing to sacrifice to achieve it.

When does marketing become manipulation?

We've all seen it.

The dramatic headlines.

The exaggerated claims.

The fear-based marketing.

"Your spirit guides have an urgent message..."

"If you're seeing this, you're one of the chosen ones."

"This one thing is blocking your abundance."

It works.

That's the uncomfortable truth.

Fear grabs attention.

Curiosity keeps people scrolling.

Algorithms reward engagement, not integrity.

Sometimes I look at social media and think,

"I could probably grow much faster if I stopped being so honest."

But then I'd have to become someone else to do it.

And that doesn't feel like success to me.

Are we attracting our tribe or buying their attention?

This is the question I keep coming back to.

There's a huge difference between helping people discover your work...

...and convincing people they need you.

One feels like an invitation.

The other feels like dependency.

As a teacher, I'd much rather someone chose to work with me because my philosophy resonated with them than because I frightened them into believing they couldn't develop without me.

That's a very different energy.

Do the right people still find you?

I think they do.

But perhaps not in the simple way we imagine.

Maybe Spirit nudge someone towards your advert.

Maybe they inspire you to write the blog post that answers exactly the question someone has been asking.

Maybe they encourage someone to click on a podcast episode they'd normally scroll past.

Perhaps Spirit don't work around technology.

Perhaps they work through it.

I don't know.

And I'm strangely comfortable admitting that.

What I do know

I know I don't want to build a business based on fear.

I don't want people to work with me because I've convinced them they're broken.

I don't want to promise certainty where none exists.

I don't want to sensationalise Spirit simply because it gets more clicks.

Could I?

Probably.

Would it grow faster?

Possibly.

Would it still feel like my work?

No.

The temptation is real

Sometimes it feels as though the loudest voices win.

The boldest claims.

The biggest promises.

The most dramatic stories.

It's easy to wonder whether integrity is quietly disappearing beneath clever marketing.

I've certainly had moments where I've questioned whether I'm doing enough.

Whether I should make bigger claims.

Create more sensational headlines.

Lean into the mystery.

Then I remember something important.

I'm not trying to build the biggest audience.

I'm trying to build the right one.

Building trust takes longer

Integrity is rarely the fastest route.

It asks you to tell the truth, even when the truth is less exciting.

To admit you don't know all the answers.

To say,

"This is what I've experienced..."

rather than,

"This is the only truth."

It means some people will scroll past.

That's okay.

Because the people who stay are usually looking for exactly that.

Honesty.

Nuance.

Space to think for themselves.

Maybe this is how Spirit work now

Perhaps we've been asking the wrong question.

Instead of wondering whether Spirit or algorithms are responsible for bringing people together...

Maybe it's both.

Perhaps technology is simply another tool.

A modern meeting place.

A doorway.

What matters isn't whether someone found you through an advert or an algorithm.

What matters is what happens after they arrive.

Do they leave feeling more empowered?

More hopeful?

More themselves?

If the answer is yes...

Perhaps that's where Spirit have been working all along.

Don't lose yourself while trying to be seen

If you're building a spiritual business, I know how tempting it is to chase the algorithm.

To copy what everyone else is doing.

To say things a little more dramatically than you normally would.

To become louder.

More shocking.

More certain.

Before you do...

Ask yourself one question.

If someone books with me because of this post, will the real me match what I've promised?

If the answer is yes...

Carry on.

If the answer is no...

Change the post.

Not yourself.

Listen to the full podcast episode

This article is based on an episode of the Mediumship Matters podcast, where I answered a listener's question that unexpectedly led to one of the biggest conversations I've been having with myself: how do Spirit, integrity and social media coexist in a world driven by algorithms?

If you'd rather listen than read, you'll find the full episode wherever you get your podcasts.

For spiritual business owners

You don't have to choose between visibility and integrity.

You can market your work honestly.

You can advertise without manipulating.

You can grow without becoming someone you're not.

It might take a little longer.

But I think you'll sleep better at night.

And for me, that's worth everything.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can Spirit guide people to the right teacher?

I believe they can. Over the years, I've met many students who tell me they discovered my work at exactly the right time in their lives. Whether that happens through intuition, coincidence or something more mysterious, I do think Spirit can gently guide us towards the people, books and experiences we need.

Does advertising a spiritual business go against spirituality?

Not at all. If you've created something that genuinely helps people, there's nothing unethical about letting others know it exists. The important question isn't whether you advertise, but how you advertise. Marketing rooted in honesty and integrity feels very different from marketing based on fear or manipulation.

Can social media algorithms affect spiritual businesses?

Yes. Algorithms play a huge role in determining who sees your content. That's simply the reality of modern marketing. I don't see that as being separate from spirituality, but it does raise interesting questions about how Spirit, free will and technology work together in today's world.

Is it okay to pay for Facebook or Instagram ads as a spiritual teacher?

I believe it is. Advertising is simply a way of increasing the chances that people will discover your work. What matters is that your adverts genuinely reflect who you are and what you offer. If the real experience matches what you've promised, advertising can be a perfectly ethical way to grow your business.

How do I market my spiritual business without being manipulative?

Focus on serving rather than convincing. Share your knowledge, your experience and your values honestly. Avoid creating unnecessary fear, urgency or dependency. The goal is to help people decide whether you're the right fit for them, not to persuade everyone that they need you.

Why do so many spiritual businesses use fear-based marketing?

Fear captures attention, and attention is valuable on social media. Claims about psychic attacks, urgent messages from Spirit or hidden blocks often generate clicks because they create emotional reactions. While those approaches may grow an audience quickly, they don't always build long-term trust.

Can you grow a successful spiritual business with integrity?

Absolutely. It may not always be the fastest route, but I believe it's the most sustainable one. When people choose to work with you because they genuinely resonate with your values and teaching, they're far more likely to become long-term members of your community than if they were drawn in by sensational claims.

How do I know if my marketing is aligned?

A simple question to ask yourself is: "If someone books with me because of this post, will the real experience match what I've promised?" If the answer is yes, you're probably on the right track. If the answer is no, it may be time to rethink the marketing rather than changing who you are.

Can Spirit still work through technology?

I believe so. While I don't pretend to know exactly how it works, I don't see technology as being separate from Spirit. Whether someone discovers a podcast through a recommendation, a book through an online search or a community through an advert, I believe Spirit can still work through those moments if we're open to the possibility.