Lately, I’ve been writing about what businesses should avoid on social media. Magical thinking is something I come across a lot, and wrote about recently. There are quite a few things to avoid, it turns out! Here are just a few (maybe the tip of the iceberg). And by the way, larger businesses should avoid these things, too. And maybe even some of your friends (ahem!).

Make spelling errors

If you make spelling mistakes, chances are you’ll turn some people off, and they won’t read what you have to say. There are so many ways to check your spelling these days–why not use them? Not only do spelling errors look unprofessional, they’re distracting. Same with grammatical errors–they’re a distraction and are easily avoided. You can use a program like Grammarly (they have a free spellcheck) or even Google docs. And WordPress itself–which I’m using to write this article–has a spellcheck function. You could even get an editor if you needed one.

Sell, sell, sell!

I’ve probably said this a million times, but selling all the time is boring. Any kind of self-promotion all the time is boring. People would rather hear about themselves than about you, and they’re not going to buy from you unless you quit it. What to do instead? Talk about your audience’s lifestyle or their pain points. Unless what you have to share is going to affect a lot of people who have the same pain points as you, direct selling just doesn’t work well on social media. And if you haven’t already read this, you might like: Social Media Isn’t Actually about Sales.

Talk about yourself incessantly

Nobody likes hearing someone talk about themselves nonstop 24/7. If you have a fascinating life, travel a great deal, and have ideas that nobody else has ever thought of you might be an outlier. But for the most part, we don’t need to hear about your breakfast, especially if you’re posting on behalf of a small business. For your private friends, that’s another story altogether! Voicing insecurities occasionally might be ok on a personal front, but on a business account? No thank you!

Not showing any personality

It’s ok to have a personality. It really is. A few weeks back, I talked about Wendy’s and their fun, upbeat personality. Maybe you don’t have someone like whomever does the social media for Wendy’s, but chances are they still have an interesting personality. How could you and they use that personality on social media? How about trying to include some words and phrases that are casual and fun? If you’ve been living under a rock and haven’t heard about Wendy’s social media, you might like: 32 Hilarious Twitter Roasts by Wendy’s That Will Make You Think Twice Before Posting.

If you’re a newcomer to social media, or even if you’ve been around for some time, where you should spend your time on social media can be extremely confusing. So here are a few things to consider and hopefully you’ll feel a bit less confused.

Where is your audience?

I’d argue that where your audience is (where they spend the most time) is where you should be. How do you know? You could ask them. Text them, call them, knock on their door if they’re close by. Just find out where they spend their time. You may be surprised. While you’re at it, find out how much time they spend on their most popular platforms. Here’s a post you might like about audience: Who Are You Writing For? Target Audience and Social Media.

Which platform do you enjoy the most?

Some social media managers may argue with me over this one. But if you enjoy the platform (Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, for instance), you’ll spend more time there and be less stressed. One caveat: I wouldn’t go to a platform that has very little traffic or that is completely unpopulated by your audience. For instance, I enjoy TikTok, but don’t spend much time there because my audience isn’t there. Neil Patel mentions the big three: Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn. Do any of those have more pull for you than the others? The other three he mentions are Pinterest, Instagram, and YouTube. You might be more creative there, and those are also good places to get started.

What’s the easiest way for you to get started?

If getting on Facebook is easy for you, that’s a good way to start. If you’re already posting there, or just lurking, then you have a good idea of what to post. You may want to see what others are doing, especially businesses similar to yours. What do they write about? Do you enjoy those posts? You might like this article: Social Media in 60 Minutes a Day. Yes, it’s entirely possible. But you need to be very focused.

What will your posts be about?

Again, look at what others in your business are doing. Find three that you like. Don’t copy them, but let them inspire you. What kind of voice do they use? How often do they post? What do you like about them and–also very important–what do you not like? In the beginning, keep it simple. As you become more comfortable, your posts may become more creative and complex. Sometimes you may have to write something over and over until you’re happy with it. (I write and rewrite quite a lot, if that helps.)

Social media isn’t free

Despite what others say, there’s a cost for social media. Much of social media is now pay to play so that others see your posts. You may want to outsource your social media if it takes up too much of your time. The main piece of advice I’d give you is not to hire your niece or nephew unless they have at least a little experience.

A really common misconception, especially among small businesses, is thinking that social media is about sales. People will tell me that one person will tell two people will tell two people, and so on. In their minds, they’re already millionaires–without any “real work.”

Use social media to increase awareness of your brand, connect with people, and for engagement. That’s it. Of course, social media can lead to sales, but chances are it will be an indirect route. You can build trust, and let people know what you’re up to, but trying to sell on social media isn’t usually the aim.

Increase brand awareness

It’s perfectly fine to tell people about your brand. This might include posts about what’s happening behind the scenes, or even what’s on sale, but not direct selling. When is it a good time to increase brand awareness? Some of my clients have started before they even have a product or service to sell. So I’d say the earlier the better. Here’s a post about being on social media for small businesses that you might like. (Hint: you can appear like a bigger business if your social media is good.) If you’re doing a good job, people might even know you from your social media, and have a good impression of your business!

Who does a good job with brand awareness? One excellent account is Wendy’s. And why is their account so terrific? Because they have a personality! Check out this fun tweet from Wendy’s, below. So much personality! And because of their fun, casual style, they get plenty of engagement. So don’t be afraid to show some personality.

Wendy’s breakfast 2 for $4? Oh Yeah! Get 2 sammies just 4 buckaroonies ya lil rascals.

— Wendy’s (@Wendys) July 6, 2021

Connect with people

People will be interested in your brand and what you offer, but it’s important to show an interest in them first. The best way to share others’ posts is if you think your ideal clients will also be interested in what you share on social media. So for example, say you’re posting for a zoo. Sharing information about animals, how to care for pets at home, what not to do with exotic animals, etc., would all be good things to share. Maybe even share posts from zoos in other parts of the country or world. But sharing about a local auto parts store is probably not going to interest your audience.

Engage through active listening

Listen to what your customers have to say. Sometimes there will be a perfect way to sell through your social media *if* you hear of someone needing exactly what you have to offer. A good example of this is plumbing. You may hear someone say they have a leak or broken pipe. If you’re local and can help, then why not offer? But that scenario is rare, to be honest. I really do believe engagement is the gold standard of social media, by the way. I even wrote a book about engagement!