Passed on 7 April, 2025

6. Avoiding social media pitfalls

In this lesson, we’ll look at essential strategies to help you avoid common social media pitfalls.

✅ Learning objectivesBy the end of this lesson, you’ll be able to:Identify common social media pitfalls and understand why they can harm engagement.Apply best practices to maintain an engaging, authentic, and sustainable social media presence.

Learning objectives

By the end of this lesson, you’ll be able to:

Identify common social media pitfalls and understand why they can harm engagement.

Apply best practices to maintain an engaging, authentic, and sustainable social media presence.

Avoid over-selling

Common pitfalls in social media strategy.

Avoid over-selling

Followers are already interested, so avoid constant sales pitches. Instead, focus on valuable content like helpful tips, updates, and behind-the-scenes moments. Balancing sales posts with high-quality content and authentic storytelling can keep your audience engaged.

Avoid one-way communication

Don’t just broadcast; interact. Monitor comments, respond to feedback, and address complaints constructively. AI-powered tools can help personalise responses, but over-reliance on automation can feel impersonal, so maintain a human touch. Engaging with your audience builds trust and shows you value their input, turning followers into a loyal community.

Don’t spread yourself too thin

Focus on a few key social media sites where your audience is most active. Prioritise consistent, valuable updates on those sites instead of trying to maintain too many accounts, which can dilute your efforts and lessen the impact. Remember, it’s better to post less frequently but with higher-quality content tailored to your audience.

Neglect audience research

Not knowing your audience can lead to content that misses the mark. Take time to understand who you’re speaking to, what they care about, and how they interact with social media. Audience insights also help refine your strategy, ensuring content aligns with their preferences and behaviors.

Overlook analytics

Ignoring insights from social media tools means missing opportunities to improve. Track what type of content is working for you and refine your strategy to stay connected with your audience. Use analytics to identify trends, optimise post timing, and improve overall content performance.

Overgeneralise your approach

Every platform is different. Treating them all the same can be ineffective – what works on Instagram might not resonate on LinkedIn®professional networking services or TikTok. Tailor your strategy to each platform for the best results.

Best practices for social media success

Follow these tips to help create a strong following and an engaged audience.

Consistency is key

Regular updates show your brand is active and reliable. Keep audiences engaged with a mix of content – like behind-the-scenes insights, product highlights, and tips. Most social media platforms and management tools allow you to schedule posts in advance, making it easier to stay consistent.

Measure your efforts

Track performance using built-in insights and tools available on most social media platforms. Metrics like engagement rates, shares, and views help you identify top-performing content. Use these insights to refine your strategy and boost engagement.

Avoiding social media pitfalls in practice

In this activity, you’ll analyse a short case study to identify common social media pitfalls and explore practical ways to address them.

Meet Georgie, from Brim & Stitch

Georgie is the proud owner of Brim & Stitch, a handmade hat business with big ambitions. Georgie loves crafting unique hats for every occasion, but when it comes to social media, they need a little help.Here’s Georgie’s current posting schedule:Monday: ‘Buy now’ posts featuring new product arrivals.Wednesday: Discount promotions and flash sales.Friday: Product highlights with a focus on pricing.Engagement on their posts is dropping, and followers are interacting less. Meanwhile, Georgie has access to behind-the-scenes content, customer testimonials, and styling tips, but they rarely post these.

Here’s Georgie’s current posting schedule:Monday: ‘Buy now’ posts featuring new product arrivals.Wednesday: Discount promotions and flash sales.Friday: Product highlights with a focus on pricing.Engagement on their posts is dropping, and followers are interacting less. Meanwhile, Georgie has access to behind-the-scenes content, customer testimonials, and styling tips, but they rarely post these.

Here’s Georgie’s current posting schedule:Monday: ‘Buy now’ posts featuring new product arrivals.Wednesday: Discount promotions and flash sales.Friday: Product highlights with a focus on pricing.Engagement on their posts is dropping, and followers are interacting less. Meanwhile, Georgie has access to behind-the-scenes content, customer testimonials, and styling tips, but they rarely post these.

Monday: ‘Buy now’ posts featuring new product arrivals.Wednesday: Discount promotions and flash sales.Friday: Product highlights with a focus on pricing.Engagement on their posts is dropping, and followers are interacting less. Meanwhile, Georgie has access to behind-the-scenes content, customer testimonials, and styling tips, but they rarely post these.

Monday: ‘Buy now’ posts featuring new product arrivals.

Wednesday: Discount promotions and flash sales.

Friday: Product highlights with a focus on pricing.

Engagement on their posts is dropping, and followers are interacting less. Meanwhile, Georgie has access to behind-the-scenes content, customer testimonials, and styling tips, but they rarely post these.

Engagement on their posts is dropping, and followers are interacting less. Meanwhile, Georgie has access to behind-the-scenes content, customer testimonials, and styling tips, but they rarely post these.

Check your knowledge

It's time for you to check and reflect on what you've learned so far.

Question 1 of 4

From the information provided in the case study, what is Georgie from Brim & Stitch doing wrong?

Not using paid advertising

Posting too much sales-focused content

Submit

Submit

Yes.Georgie is focusing too heavily on sales-driven content, which can overwhelm followers and reduce engagement.

Question 2 of 4

What types of content could Georgie use to boost engagement?

Behind-the-scenes content

More discount promotions

Submit

Submit

Yes.Behind-the-scenes content helps connect with the audience authentically.

Question 3 of 4

What is the most important change Georgie should make first?

Replace sales-focused posts with a mix of engaging, varied content

Run more frequent flash sales

Submit

Submit

Yes.Replacing some sales posts with behind-the-scenes content, testimonials, and tips will make their feed more engaging and relatable while maintaining balance.

Question 4 of 4

What metric should Georgie monitor to see if their new content strategy is working?

Engagement rate

Number of posts per week

Submit

Submit

Yes.Monitoring engagement rate (likes, comments, shares) will show whether followers are responding positively to the new content strategy.

Lesson complete

Great job!You now have the tools to avoid common social media pitfalls. Next up, we'll exploreMeasuring success in social media– get ready to make an even bigger impact.

You now have the tools to avoid common social media pitfalls. Next up, we'll exploreMeasuring success in social media– get ready to make an even bigger impact.