Ask HN: Is it possible to succeed without social media?

First, define in detail what "success" looks like to you in relation to what you are trying to do. Be specific, here, because that yard stick varies from person to person, profession to profession, etc.

As an example, I consider myself a pretty successful controls technician because I have a good reputation in the circles I run in, generally get the job done quickly so my customer can get back to work and stop losing money and my work hasn't resulted in anyone getting hurt (a very real possibility in my industry). I have almost no social media presence.

My friend is in real estate, and he has spent years building a client base that feeds itself on referrals by making himself very open, accessible and interactive on nearly every social media platform that most people use daily. He is also quite successful and has cultivated a reputation for trust and honesty because of his social media presence.

To define success, it's important to understand what it is you want to accomplish.