3 common social media mistakes to avoid

A staggering 320 million new users joined social media between January 2023 and 2024. With this number only set to rise, sharing quality content that cuts through the noise is more important than ever. 

But we get it. Social media is easier said than done and can take up lots of time and resources if you don’t have a dedicated social media manager or team. You end up rushing and posting low-quality content that doesn’t serve a purpose or do your brand justice. Then you wonder why you’re not seeing real, tangible results!

If you’re managing your brand’s social media channels and want to improve your game, keep reading. I’m going to share three common mistakes that brands make on social media, why you should avoid them, and what to do instead. 

Social media mistakes to avoid

Low-quality posts 

83% of marketers agree that it’s more effective to create higher quality content, less often. So don’t fall into the trap of sacrificing post quality for quantity. Instead, allocate time to take a variety of photos and videos showcasing your products, team, office or venue. This way, you’ll have a catalogue of content ready to post whenever. Good lighting is key, so keep creating content and the better you’ll get. 

We did this for Mysa Flowers, and now have access to a bank of professional product photography at all times. (Full case study here).

Inauthentic content

When sharing photos and videos of your team, keep them natural. People can spot inauthenticity a mile away, so your team members have to want to be on camera and feel comfortable to come across as genuine.

You could even create a montage of short employee videos and clip them together so they don’t feel like the focus is solely on them. Here’s an example of a social media video we created of our team over Christmas 2023, which really helped everyone feel comfortable and have a laugh at the same time.

Encourage your team to get involved and film their own employee-generated content (EGC) too. Research shows that 92% of consumers place greater trust in content shared by friends, colleagues and family, compared to other forms of brand messaging. So empower your team to share content through their personal social channels and give your audience a look into the ‘behind the scenes’ of your company. This will help them get to know the real people within your business, build long-term trust and loyalty. 

Sales-heavy posts 

Nobody likes being sold to, so don’t use social media as a platform to sell sell sell. Instead, provide your followers with real value, whether that be entertaining them, engaging them, or educating them. Play around with different content types and consistently analyse your data to see what gets the most engagement, from styled product shots to photos and videos of your team, to infographics and branded visuals. 

By understanding your audience and the types of content they enjoy, you can tailor your strategy and start to build a loyal community. In fact, 90% of marketers agree that building an active online community is crucial to a successful social media strategy, so focus on community building and the sales will come naturally.

But that’s not to say selling doesn’t have any place on social media. Some posts should be promotional, for example, if you’re running exclusive offers, discounts or flash sales. You could even promote these in paid social ad campaigns as well, to target different audience segments at different stages of the funnel. 

Ultimately, it’s the content types you use to promote your offering that determines their success. One example of brand that does this well is our client Castle Green Homes. Its marketing team shares engaging photos and video tours of inside their homes to give you a real feel for what they’re like inside. By sharing content that captures each room’s elegance and aesthetics, users are highly engaged and more likely to keep Castle Green front of mind when looking for a home in future.

Summary

Social media is all about being authentic, sharing valuable content and building communities. Don’t just share content for the sake of it and instead, establish what you’re trying to achieve. Is your goal to raise brand awareness? Is it to generate leads? 

Once confirmed, you can create a strategy aimed at getting you there. Use your team (they’re your biggest asset), learn as you go and listen to your audience. Do this and avoid the above mistakes, and you’re on your way to creating an effective social media strategy.

If you need social media marketing support, whether it be for your organic presence or paid ads, we can help. Simply fill in the form, and we’ll be in touch.