Written by: Jennie Persson, Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.
Being yourself and being authentic is increasingly important if you want to use social media effectively. We see trends in content, audio, and formats, and it becomes growingly difficult to stand out in the crowd. So your unfair advantage is your personality. But there are some things you should avoid on social media.
1. Buy followers.
I know, the vast majority of you think that of course, you shouldn't buy your followers. Nevertheless, there are unexpectedly many who consider and maybe click on the buy button, when the offer appears.
These followers are not someone who chooses to follow you. Maybe some of these are real people, but the service is still bought and not self-selected. These are not your people and will likely never become your clients. Just don’t do it, you will regret it and at worst get your accounts suspended.
2. Follow others to get followers back.
This was a strategy well used in the past. Let's make it stay there. Since you spend a lot of time on social media, you should take care of yourself and follow those you want to follow. You have the power to create the feed you want to see and feel good about, people who inspire you, whom you learn from or who is your role model.
3. Forget the lighting in your reels, photos, or videos.
Quality comes before quantity when it comes to your content. Both in photos and videos. Take the time to find a good light so we can see you. Dark videos or photos that are hard to see, make us scroll past. Go outside, stand by a window or invest in good lighting. It makes all the difference!
4. Take too long breaks.
Sure, you can log out for a while, a couple of weeks or so, but if those weeks turn into months and years, you'll lose followers and have an uphill battle once you're back. There are tons of scheduling tools on the market, perfect to use if you know you need to take some time off.
5. Put the text boxes outside the ratio in your reels and videos.
Different platforms have different ratios and formats. On Instagram, when creating your reels and adding text, pay attention to the thin lines that center the image. If you put your textbox outside of these, they probably won't be visible to the viewer. Since many of us watch videos with the sound off, the text is very important for you to add.
6. Not respond to comments.
You want to get attention on social media, you want people to interact with your content, and you want to build relationships. Then the first step is to take advantage of the comments you receive, don't let them hang unanswered in the comment section.
Social media are not, and never have been, a megaphone for one-way communication. Relationships, networking, and conversations are highly rated, so start by replying to the comments.
7. Endless scrolling.
This advice is targeted at those who use social media in your business. If you want results on the platform, you must treat it accordingly; as a business owner.
Feel free to scroll for content ideas, build relationships and get inspired, on the other hand, avoid scrolling for hours that lead nowhere. Start by shifting your mindset from consumer to producer today.
8. Prioritize the visual before the practical.
Nice fonts and pretty colors are less important than getting the message to your target audience. Make sure the text contrasts enough with the background. Although colors are lovely, black and white usually work best, along with a third color that pops.
9. Blame the algorithm if you're not happy with the results.
The algorithm is machine learning, it values nothing. It neither likes you nor dislikes you. Check your insights, which posts have given you the best results? Find out why they performed above average and create more content similar to it in different ways. Listen to the followers, notice what content they interact with and what they wish to read more of, and build your content plan accordingly.
10. Be shy, insecure, or belittling yourself.
Everyone is busy thinking about how they look, whether that reels transition is cool enough, or if the captions work or not, so no one has the time to think about you. This is a good thing.
Go out and try things, experiment, make mistakes and learn from them. Be you, but a braver version. You have so many opportunities with your business and brand on social media. But it is all up to you. Find a routine that you can keep long-term, focus on relationships and bring out your message to the world.
Jennie Persson, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine
Jennie Persson is an Instagram expert, business educator and a cheerleader for your business, based in Stockholm, Sweden. She’s passionate about helping entrepreneurs in building the business of their dreams by learning how to brand their business online.
