10 Small Business Social Media Myths Busted

Today in business we’re all thrown into social media as a way of marketing. However, we’re not all confident or have the skills yet to show up online as small business owners in the way we need to in order to sell.  This can leave us clutching at straws, taking the wrong advice and looking for the ever-elusive overnight success.

As small business or charity owners, social media is yet another hat you have to wear on top of the many other hats you’re trying to juggle! If you’re not intentional with your social media strategy, it can start to feel like a burden. 

But, if you follow the right steps you can do social media in a way that’s right for you and your life! It’s possible to create a social media strategy that not only converts your followers to sales but also allows you to have fun at the same time!

We’ve rounded up our top ten social media myths and in this blog Allexia, one of the amazing social media mentors in our community, is going to bust them for us so that you can get more confident growing your business on social media!

Hashtags don’t work

Of course they do, they’re the filing system of social media! If you don’t use hashtags, your post doesn’t get to the right person.  

I like to think of it using a mail analogy. Imagine that the algorithm is your postman and you want to send your posts to your friends. The algorithm will use your hashtags like postcodes to ensure that your posts get delivered to the right people, in the right place!

Social media platforms want to be good postmen and ensure posts are reaching the right people, so the better you use hashtags, the happier your platforms will be.

Trending audio guarantees engagement

Viral audio puts you into a popular space, but the content should always match your ideal client. Remember, it’s not the audio that works, it’s the content that’s working. And if your content isn’t working, viral audio isn’t going to fix that! Try stripping things back and reconnecting with what your audience wants to see from you and focus your energy on that rather than trending audio 😊

The algorithm doesn’t like posts created with scheduling tools

The platforms want content and they want you to create the right content for the right people. It doesn’t make sense for platforms to not like posts created with scheduling tools. What they don’t like is links taking your audience off-platform. More likely if your post hasn’t done well when you’ve scheduled content, it’s likely another part of your post that has affected the performance, not the scheduler. Do a deep dive into your graphics, copy and most importantly calls to action (CTA) and ensure that every part of your content is engaging your audience 🧡

Posting multiple times a day is the only way to grow your audience

This is one of the most common myths we see! Posting consistently is part of making your account seem credible to the algorithm – but so is engaging and consuming other content on your chosen platform. When you’re growing your channels, engaging on the platforms is arguably more important than posting multiple times a day!

Here are my tips on how to be an active platform user so that the algorithm recognises and prioritises your account:

• Don’t post and ghost! When you post content, take time to engage with your audience and have real conversations.
• Watch reels right to the end when you can
• Watch and engage with other creators’ Stories
• Like, comment, save and share content that you enjoy

You don’t need a website if you have social media platforms

Think of social media platforms as rented spaces – you own the content but you don’t own the space that you’re posting on. Whereas with a website, you own the content and the space – so you have full control! If the worst-case scenario happened and your social media channels were taken down for some reason, your website is a guaranteed space where you have full control over your content and how you communicate with your audience.

So you definitely need a website! It’s a good idea to create a funnel that moves your audience over to your website so that you can connect with them through your email list and engage them there.

Dance videos are the only content that works on TikTok

Dance videos are the most popular content on TikTok because they’re entertaining and they stop the scroll. But remember, other things can also stop the scroll! For example, entertaining educational content is just as capable of holding your audience’s attention as a dance video 💃 TikTok is mainly good for highly creative, imaginative brands to shine in inventive ways. Don’t just resort to dance videos as a quick win, they may not be right for your audience. Think of other creative ways to engage your audience on TikTok – the most important thing is to have fun with it!

LinkedIn isn’t right for small businesses

LinkedIn is a corporate space so it can take longer to grow but with employee advocacy (where employees share the business’s content with their own opinions to their network) it can work really well and result in the growth of loyal followers! Tapping into your employee network boosts loyalty and trust, and gives an existing, connected audience base. 

You need to be on all social media platforms to grow your business

No, you shouldn’t be on every platform! By being on all of the platforms, you’re at risk of spreading yourself too thin and will likely struggle to create valuable, engaging content. It’s all about being on the right platforms for your audience, not all the platforms. Choose a few platforms and do them well as a small business.

Facebook is dead for small businesses

Facebook could be the place where your ideal audience is based so don’t write it off! There are lots of small businesses that have highly engaged audiences and are driving huge growth through their pages! It’s dependent on your business and the clients you want to attract. 

A high follower number = a successful account

Absolutely not! It’s not about the number of followers, it’s about the followers being the right audience for your brand and your product. Followers mean nothing if they don’t convert to sales. The most important thing is having your ideal clients ready to convert through your content. 

Conclusion

Social media doesn’t have to be scary and it’s something that everyone can master! By using simple strategies, staying true to you and your brand, and focusing on creating real connections in the virtual world, you’ll be on track to nailing your social media as a small business in no time at all!

Want an extra helping hand? We have hundreds of amazing volunteer mentors like Allexia who are all here to help you as you grow your business 🎉  All our mentoring sessions are 100% free and completely unlimited, so you can access support whenever you need it 🩵

Meet the mentor

Allexia is the founder of Soash Media, she helps start-ups and small businesses navigate the minefield of social media. She takes a simple approach to social media, aiming to reduce overwhelm for founders and provide them with a clear plan for their social media and business goals! Allexia volunteers her time as a mentor for Digital Boost to help small businesses and charities with their social media and marketing!