3 Generic Pieces of Social Media Advice to Throw Out [And What to Replace it with]

There is an endless stream of generic advice for social media. However, what works for one brand in one industry does not always work for another.

Here are 3 generic pieces of advice and how to make them your own

1 | Post Consistently

If you haven't heard this, you may not have logged onto Instagram for awhile. Posting consistently is a MUST.

But the advice from the social media management world often stops here.

The reality? You can post the wrong stuff consistently, and it won't move the needle on attracting customers or racking up sales.

What to do instead?

Create a simple, doable social media plan that includes: a posting cadence you will stick to, 3 types of content your audience cares about that you will post, and time allotted to talk to every customer that DM's or comments on your page.

The key difference: With this strategy, you are focused on finding out what your audience (community) wants and then delivering that type of content to them.

People are smart. They can tell when a business is posting generic pictures and captions just to post, versus posting to draw in customers and give them something valuable to watch or engage with.

2 | Make Only Short Form Video Content

Trends change, algorithms change, platforms compete for viewing time. And amidst all of this change, short form content has consistently ranked high with viewers.

But that might change in 2024.

Trend reports are coming out with indicators that social media platforms, and viewers, may be moving towards long form content (think 6(ish) minute videos rather than 7 second clips).

What to do instead?

Get ready to adapt, but don't chase the algorithm.

At the end of the day, customers will enjoy your content if you're creating value. Yep, not all your content is going to get treated the same way by every algorithm. But that is okay.

If you want to stay informed on platform trends, watch for what different platforms are rewarding through their monetization and incentives programs. This is different than chasing the algorithm and online predictions from people who don't work at the company.

No one can predict the exact algorithm on say, Instagram. But you can keep an eye out on what TikTok, Instagram, Youtube, Pinterest, and others are incentivizing.

If a platform's CEO or team comes out with a new announcement about their company focus, and if monetization tactics are changing, then these are two decent signs that certain types of content may be shown more often to users.

The key difference: Rather than thinking you can only create short form video, you can make different types of content (that have value to viewers) and realize that not everything is going to perform the same way. Different content pieces have different purposes.

3 | Show Your Face on Camera

Depending on your brand, you may or may not show your face (or your employees faces) on camera.

And you don't have to.

User Generated Content (UGC), influencer marketing, social media managers, they can definitely help you out if you are camera shy.

But also, your brand may not require that you appear on camera.

Whether your brand includes products or services, showing up on camera will depend on your unique brand identity and goals, not on the latest trend.

What to do instead:

Let go of the pressure to be on camera if it does not align to your brand image and values. Define how your brand shows up in your marketing. Product first, UGC, influencer, and many other marketing tactics will take the pressure off of you as a founder from showing up on camera.

The key difference:

Rather that following the trend of the moment, you can determine how and why your brand appears online. Creating a clear set of values and content pillars that fit your business goals. This will relieve the pressure to follow the latest trend or generic advice.