Why do you hate social media so much?

You’d think that I’d shy away from working with people who say they hate social media, right?

Nope.

In fact, this is often something I look out for when I’m in conversations with other business owners.

I love nothing more than converting a social media cynic into a fierce advocate of everything these incredible tools can do for them.

Here are four reasons why you might have beef with social media – and what you need to do to overcome your limiting beliefs and start embracing everything these platforms can offer!

You think that social media just won’t work for your type of business.

This may be because you’ve got pre-conceived ideas about the kinds of individuals and companies that can make a splash on social media, or because you’ve generated disappointing results from a campaign you’ve managed in the past.

Either way, you need to get rid of these negative beliefs and embrace a more positive outlook. As long as you’re talking to the right people and working with the right platform (more on that later!), there’s no reason why you shouldn’t gain great connections, increase awareness of your brand, and perhaps even drive direct enquiries and sales from your social output. The key is to approach your social media strategy with an open mind and be prepared to change tact if what you’re doing isn’t working as well as you’d like it to.

You’re blaming the algorithms for your lack of success on socials.

OK, so the algorithms that govern our favourite social platforms DO have some bearing over who will see your content, and when. But you can’t put your poor reach and low engagement entirely down to bots, you know. The biggest reason why your followers aren’t liking, sharing and commenting on your content is that it’s just not resonating with them.

They’re probably lurking in the background, reading your musings and watching your Reels… but if they’re not reacting to what you’re producing, then Instagram will assume it’s not of value to them, and will decide that it doesn’t want to push out your content any further.

So, get honest with yourself. Have you really researched what kind of stuff your audience are going to want to see on your feed? Are you creating content that will stand out on their timeline – or are you just going through the motions, hoping that something will stick eventually? It’s a tough pill to swallow, but maybe you’re not quite doing enough to give your campaign traction right now. 

If you’re struggling to keep the ideas flowing and the posts coming, here are 15 ideas to get you started.

You’re working with the wrong platform(s).

Hate Facebook? Sick of Instagram? Bored of LinkedIn? We’ve all been there. But aside from the way you feel about these sites, you might not be seeing brilliant results from your socials simply because you’re promoting yourself to the wrong community (or communities).

Every platform has a different audience profile. For example, some are better suited to retailers, while others are a great fit for service providers. You need to show up where your potential customers are hanging out, otherwise you’re unlikely to get any bites.

Luckily for you, I put together a blog a little while ago that talks you through which social media channels will bring you the best results for your business.

The thought of managing your own social media campaigns leaves you feeling uncomfortable and overwhelmed.

If you’re not a natural social media marketer, or you feel like you don’t have enough knowledge or experience to run your own social campaigns, I totally understand. It’s not everyone’s favourite thing to do. But if you’re serious about using social media to your advantage, you do need to start somewhere.

My advice would be, don’t spread yourself too thin. Start by posting once or twice a week on one or two platforms that are a good fit for your business. It’s better to post less frequently and be consistent than blitz your profile with a flurry of activity and then go quiet again for months on end.

If you can, set aside a couple of hours every week to work on the content within your social media strategy. Hold yourself accountable for this and see it as an essential business task (not something you’ll do after you’ve caught up with ‘everything else’, because that day will never come!).

Pack in a little light reading to get yourself up to speed with the latest social tricks and techniques, too. This will make you feel more confident in what you’re doing, and why. My blog is a great place to start, or you can ramp up your social education by joining my Brainiacs programme, which comes packed with a wealth of strategy and platform guides and hosts regular workshops with experts who can help you on your journey.