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The biggest social media myths (and what actually works!)

Are you struggling to grow on social media despite following all the so-called “expert” advice? If so, you might be falling for some of the biggest social media marketing myths that often get bandied around. Far from helping businesses, these can hold them back from real success.

If you’re a business owner, marketer, or aspiring/existing entrepreneur, understanding what’s actually working will save you time, frustration, and wasted effort. So, let’s bust the biggest myths and uncover the real strategies that drive engagement, followers, and sales!

Myth #1: “Posting every day is the key to growth”

What actually works: Consistency, quality, and strategy. 

Many businesses assume that they need to post every single day in order to grow. The truth is, posting daily for the sake of it won’t bring you more engagement or sales.

Do this instead:

  • Instead of focusing on quantity, focus on quality. A well-thought out, valuable post twice a week will outperform seven rushed, random posts.
  • Use a content calendar to maintain consistency and plan strategic, engaging posts.
  • Test different post formats such as reels, carousels, stories, etc to see what your audience responds to.

Myth #2: “You need a huge following to make sales”

What actually works: Engaged followers > large audience 

It’s easy to believe that you’d need 10K+ followers to start making money on social media, but the reality is that you can generate leads and sales with just a few hundred engaged followers.

Focus on:

  • Building relationships by replying to comments, DMs, and engaging with your audience.
  • Using social media as a trust-building tool, not just an online billboard for promotions.
  • Using testimonials, client results, and behind-the-scenes posts to help convert your followers into customers.

Need proof? Well a personal brand coach with 1,000 engaged followers can sell a £1,000 coaching package easier than a business with 100K disengaged followers.

Myth #3: “Hashtags are the secret to going viral”

What actually works: Content that encourages engagement 

Hashtags only help with visibility, but they are NOT a magic key to unlocking virality. The real secret is creating engaging and valuable content that keeps people watching, commenting, and sharing.

Make sure you:

  • Focus on strong hooks as it’s the first 2 seconds of a video or post that determines if people will keep watching.
  • Encourage conversations by asking questions, adding polls, or creating content that sparks a conversation.
  • Use storytelling in your posts to make them feel relatable or educational – it’s a great way to get more shares and saves than basic promotional posts.

Myth #4: “Social media is just for awareness, not sales”

What actually works: Social selling and converting through engagement 

Social media is not just a brand awareness tool, despite what many think. In fact, it’s now become of the most powerful platforms to use.

Here’s how:

  • Use content that directly leads to sales such as client results, product demos, testimonials, and limited-time offers work best.
  • Engage with leads in DMs as many businesses make sales directly through Instagram and Facebook DMs.
  • Utilise social commerce features such as Instagram shops, TikTok shop, and LinkedIn Sales Navigator to help turn engagement into revenue.

What you should be doing instead

If you want to finally see results from your social media platforms, here’s what actually works:

  • Create valuable, engaging content (think education, storytelling, and social proof).
  • Use strong hooks and calls to action in every post.
  • Focus on engagement, not just posting frequency.
  • Use short-form video such as Reels and YouTube Shorts for maximum reach.
  • Use ads strategically, not just boosting posts.
  • Turn engagement into conversions by talking to your audience and guiding them to buy.

Need help growing your social media? Let’s chat!

At The Social Pig, we focus on helping businesses like yours grow and sell more through high-impact social media strategies that actually work.

Want expert social media management, content creation, or paid ads? Let’s make it happen.

Feel free to to DM us on social media @thesocialpig or book a consultation today.