Top Social Media Mistakes Businesses Make (and How a Social Media Manager Can Help)
Social media is essential for businesses looking to connect with their audience, build brand awareness and drive sales. However, many businesses unintentionally make critical mistakes that hinder their success. Let’s break down some of the top social media mistakes and explore how a skilled social media manager can help you avoid them.
Inconsistent Posting
No one’s perfect, we all know that and as a business owner, there are a million things that are racing through your mind daily. However, posting sporadically or not at all is one of the most common mistakes businesses make that stop them from growing online. A dormant account gives the impression of a neglected brand and can cause potential customers to lose trust.
How to Avoid It: Develop a content calendar and stick to a consistent posting schedule to keep your audience engaged and your brand top-of-mind.
Ignoring Analytics
Social media platforms provide valuable insights into what’s working and what’s not, but we don’t all know what those numbers and graphs mean or even how to interpret that data into real-world changes in our posts. Failing to analyze or understand this data can lead to wasted time and resources on ineffective strategies.
How to Avoid It: Use analytics to track performance and adjust your content strategy to focus on what resonates with your audience. Some platforms like Instagram are now offering “testing” posts which allow you to see how a post will do with your audience before you schedule it!
Not Engaging with Followers
This is one of my biggest and most important points! Social media is a two-way street. Businesses that don’t reply to comments, messages, or mentions miss out on opportunities to build relationships, share user-generated content (UGC) and foster loyalty.
How to Avoid It: Make engagement a priority. Respond to questions, thank customers for their feedback and actively participate in conversations around your brand. Most social media algorithms favour comments, sharing and saves way more then likes.
Focusing Solely on Sales
A feed full of sales pitches can turn off your audience. Social media should be about building relationships, not just pushing products. Some of the best and most effective ads I’ve ever seen weren’t even ads trying to directly sell a product, they were telling a story and focusing on the “why” of the product.
How to Avoid It: Follow the 80/20 rule—80% of your content should educate, entertain, or inspire, while 20% can promote your offerings.
Using Poor-Quality Visuals
Low-quality images or graphics can harm your brand's reputation. Visual content is often the first thing people notice, so it needs to make a good impression. Make sure the photos and videos you’re uploading are the correct dimensions for the platform you’re posting and that the quality is up to standard.
How to Avoid It: Invest in high-quality visuals or use professional tools to create polished, on-brand graphics.
Skipping Strategy
Posting without a clear plan often leads to content that feels random and unfocused. A lack of strategy can make it hard to achieve tangible results.
How to Avoid It: Set goals, define your target audience and develop a content strategy aligned with your overall business objectives.
Not Staying Current with Trends
Social media evolves rapidly and ignoring new trends or platform updates can make your content feel outdated. You don’t need to hop onto every “viral” trend but knowing what’s being viewed on mass and getting shared will help you determine what to take part in.
How to Avoid It: Stay informed about trends and experiment with new features like Reels, Stories and interactive polls.
How a Social Media Manager Can Help
Avoiding these common pitfalls requires time, expertise and consistent effort—something many businesses struggle to manage on their own. That’s where a social media manager comes in. Here’s how someone like me, can help:
Create and Execute a Strategy: A social media manager will develop a tailored strategy to help you achieve your goals, whether it’s increasing brand awareness, driving website traffic, or boosting sales.
Consistent Posting: They’ll ensure your accounts stay active and engaging with a steady flow of high-quality content.
Engagement: Social media managers actively respond to comments, messages and mentions, building a strong connection with your audience, using your brand voice as their guide.
Analytics and Reporting: They’ll monitor performance, analyze data and refine strategies to maximize results.
Trend Spotting: A social media manager stays up-to-date on the latest trends and features, ensuring your brand remains relevant.
Investing in a social media manager is an investment in your brand’s future. With their expertise, you can avoid costly mistakes, save time and focus on what you do best—running your business!
Ready to level up your social media game? Let me help you create a strategy that works!