As we all dive further and further into the realm of social media, tactics and strategies to dominate the various platforms have emerged (as well as some things to avoid). We’ve compiled a list of a few of the best and worst practices to help you tackle the world of social media marketing in 2023. In the spirit of the holidays, we present to you our social media naughty and nice list!

Naughty List (Don’t Do This) 🤦‍♀️ 

Post and Ghost

It isn’t enough anymore to simply post and wait for the engagement to roll in. As you know by now, social media feeds are no longer made up of posts by the people we follow arranged in chronological order. We have to play by the rules of the algorithms and similar to humans, they do not like ghosting. 

Posting and ghosting can be defined as posting without taking part in any engagement yourself. It is important to reply to comments on your own posts, as well as comment, like and engage with the posts of others. Not only will this prove to the algorithm that you are not a robot and increase your overall reach, but it will also help you connect with other accounts and build valuable relationships.

Think You Have to be Active on ALL Platforms

The world of social media is constantly changing and evolving. We’ve seen Vine come and go and Musically take over the world once again as Tik Tok, all while social media giants like Facebook and YouTube remain strong. Many are quick to jump on the bandwagon of every new social media platform in an effort to be ahead of the curve. The truth is, not every social media platform makes sense for every brand, and it’s a lot more valuable to use the right platforms to the best of your ability than to stretch yourself thin across all. It’s important to do research on what demographics of people are on each platform and be realistic about whether or not the content you have to offer can be presented in a way that resonates. 

Blindly Follow Social Media Trends

This should be an obvious no-no, as doing anything blindly in marketing is not usually a wise decision. Please, make sure you look up a trend or hashtag before you decide to be a part of it because once it’s out there, there’s no going back. Countless accounts have received brutal backlash for participating in trends that stemmed from inappropriate, controversial or sensitive beginnings. And let’s be honest, the odds that your followers will understand that you made a mistake, in this day and age, are slim to none. We recommend simply playing it safe.

Post Without a Purpose

Even if you’re not asked to buy, join or sign-up for something, every “good” social media post has a purpose. It could be to establish the brand as an expert in a specific topic or industry, build or improve reputation, create brand awareness, and the list goes on. Your posts should be strategic. Having a presence on social media is only as valuable as you make it, and those who don’t put thought and purpose behind their posts are likely missing an opportunity to influence their audience in one way or another. 

Prioritize Follower Count Over Engagement Numbers

We’ve all seen those accounts with a ridiculous number of followers, yet there are no likes, comments or other engagements to be found on their page. Even so, people think a high follower count is the social media golden ticket. You could have a million followers, but it does you no good if they aren’t engaging or responding to calls-to-action. Not only does this not benefit you, but you’re also not likely to attract any social media partners either. Aim for a loyal, active and engaging audience if you wish to see an ROI on your social media work.

Nice List (Do This) 🤩

The following best practices can go without saying, but for kicks and gigs ...

• Understand your audience and write as if you’re talking to them.

• Size your images correctly for each platform. (Use Hootsuite’s 2023 Social Media Image Sizes for All Networks [CHEATSHEET] to avoid pixelated and cut-off graphics.)

• Prioritize quality content over a crazy number of posts. #qualityoverquantity

• Set measurable goals and diligently track them on a weekly, monthly and annual basis.

• Use a content calendar to plan posts in advance. (There are so many resources out there, such as Hootsuite, Buffer and HeyOrca, that not only provide you with a content calendar but also allow you to schedule posts ahead of time!)

• Establish your brand’s social media identity and voice (and stick to it), which might be unique compared to the other ways your brand is represented.

Now, of course, this is not every best and worst practice in the books, but it is a good place to start. Making simple changes such as these can have a huge impact on your social media success! If you’re looking at these lists going, “that is way too much work. I don’t have time for that,” then you’re in luck! Serendipity Media is here to do all the work for you. So, if you have a story but need a little help with the strategy, connect with us today!