The Truth About “Support for Support”

If you’ve ever joined a “follow for follow” thread or asked other bakers to follow your business page to “support each other,” you’re not alone. It comes from a genuine place of kindness because we all want to feel seen and encouraged.

But here’s what most people don’t realise. When your social media audience is mostly other bakers, it sends the wrong signals to the algorithm and slows your growth.

It might look like your account is growing, but those numbers rarely turn into real enquiries, sales, or loyal customers.

Why This Approach Doesn’t Work

When you post something, platforms like Instagram and Facebook show your content to a small group of followers first. If that group doesn’t engage or interacts for reasons unrelated to buying, the algorithm assumes your content isn’t relevant to your ideal audience and shows it to fewer people.

If your followers are mostly other bakers, your reach drops because they scroll past instead of engaging like customers would. Your insights become misleading because you see numbers that don’t translate into sales. You spend time creating content that looks active but doesn’t actually build your business.

What You Actually Need

You don’t need more followers. You need the right followers. The ones who connect, comment, save, share, and eventually buy. That’s how you build a business, not just an audience.

Here’s how to start attracting them.

1. Know Who You’re Baking For

Your content should speak directly to the people who buy from you. Think about what matters to them - moments, gifts, flavour, quality, and trust.
Before posting, ask yourself if your ideal customer would stop scrolling for what you are about to share.

2. Post What Your Buyers Care About

Show the texture of your sponge, the shine of your ganache, how your mini loaves look in their packaging, or how your desserts fit into celebrations.
Show your product in real life because buyers connect when they can picture it on their table, not just in a styled photo.

3. Engage With Your Local Community

Instead of focusing on other bakers, spend time connecting with small businesses, florists, cafes, event stylists, and wedding suppliers in your area.
Those are the people whose audiences overlap with yours. That is where real visibility happens.

4. Create With Intention

Every post should have a purpose. Does it inspire? Does it teach? Does it help someone see the value in what you offer?
When you create with intention, your content becomes easier to plan and more powerful to share.

5. Watch What Truly Performs

Forget about likes. The real indicators are saves, shares, and messages.
If a post is being shared privately, that is your customer showing genuine interest. Pay attention to what they respond to and do more of that.

6. Support Other Bakers The Right Way

Supporting fellow bakers doesn’t mean following every business page. True support looks like leaving kind comments when you genuinely love someone’s work, recommending another baker when you are fully booked, and sharing something because it inspires you, not because you feel you have to.
That is how you build community without confusing your marketing.

💡 Ready to price your bakes with confidence?
Download my free guide The Baker’s Simple Pricing Framework - and learn how to charge fairly, avoid burnout, and build profit into every cake you sell.
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Remember What You’re Building
You are building a business, not a fan club.
I say this as someone who has lived through every stage, running a home bakery, owning a patisserie, and now mentoring bakers around the world.

Growth doesn’t come from chasing numbers. It comes from alignment.
When your message speaks directly to your customers, everything changes. Your posts perform better, your content feels lighter, and your sales start to reflect your effort.

Take the next step:
Once you’ve priced your bakes confidently, it’s time to create products that sell themselves.
My bestselling framework, Mini Loaf Cakes Made Easy, shows you how to bake professionally consistent cakes that look elegant and sell effortlessly.
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