My education and professional experience in the marketing industry have allowed me to learn a lot of valuable lessons that have shifted the way that I view social media as a marketing tool. The more I’ve learned through college, graduate school, internships, and freelancing, the more I’ve realized that there isn’t one “right” way to do marketing.
Social media is constantly changing and evolving, and the strategies marketers use are changing right along with it. While trends and algorithms may come and go, there are a few lessons I’ve learned that have completely changed the way I think about social media. Here are the top ten lessons I’ve learned and how I use them everyday as a freelancer.
#1 The algorithm isn’t your audience
The algorithm is constantly changing and it’s hard to keep up with sometimes. It can be tempting to spend all your time trying to figure out what Instagram or TikTok wants from you, but at the end of the day, the algorithm is not your audience.
Instead of asking yourself what the algorithm wants, ask yourself what your audience wants. What kind of posts are they saving? What questions are they asking? What sort of content are they actually engaging with? When you create content that serves your audience first, you’re much more likely to build trust with your audience than if you are constantly chasing whatever the algorithm is doing in that moment.
#2 Virality is not an effective strategy
Having a post go viral feels good. But virality is not an effective long-term strategy.
You can’t expect every piece of content you post to blow up, nor should that be your goal. Your primary strategy should always be communicating with your target audience and building a recognizable brand that people trust.
I’d much rather put out content that reaches the right people than one that gets thousands of views from people who were never going to become customers in the first place. If a post goes viral, that’s great. If it doesn’t, that’s okay too.
#3 Consistency beats perfection
People value brands that simply show up.
It’s easy to get caught up trying to make every graphic perfect or rewrite a caption ten different times. This becomes a major problem when weeks have gone by without a post because nothing feels “good enough.” I am guilty of this myself sometimes.
Not every post is going to be perfect, and that’s totally okay. Showing up consistently is what helps people remember your business and builds trust over time. Consistency will always beat waiting for perfection.
#4 Every platform has a different purpose
Every social media platform has a different purpose, and it’s important to understand how to tailor your content to fit each one appropriately.
The same exact post isn’t going to perform the same way on Instagram, LinkedIn, TikTok, and Facebook because people use those platforms differently. That doesn’t mean you need to reinvent the wheel every time you post, but it does mean you should think about how your audience uses each platform and adjust your content accordingly.
#5 People connect with people
People connect with people, not businesses.
That’s why humanizing your brand is so important. Whether it’s showing the faces behind your business, sharing behind-the-scenes moments, or celebrating your employees or customers, those personal touches help build meaningful relationships.
People want to know who they are supporting. The more authentic your content feels, the easier it is for your audience to connect with your brand.
#6 Follower count is a vanity metric
It’s easy to get caught up in follower count, especially when you’re comparing your business to others in your industry. But having thousands of followers doesn’t automatically mean your content is successful.
I’d rather see a business with a couple hundred followers and a highly engaged community than thousands of followers who never interact with their content. Engagement, reach, shares, saves, website clicks, and even conversations in the comments tells you so much more than a follower count ever could.
#7 AI is a tool, not a replacement
AI isn’t going away, but it also isn’t a replacement. It’s a great tool for organizing your thoughts, brainstorming ideas, and outlining captions. Used the right way, it can save you a lot of time.
Where I think businesses run into trouble is when AI becomes the entire creative process. When every graphic, caption, and social media post comes straight from AI, your brand starts to lose what makes it unique. Your audience wants to hear from your voice, not a robot’s.
AI should help support your creativity, not replace it. The best marketing still comes from real people with real ideas.
#8 Not every trend makes sense for a business
Social media trends can be a lot of fun, and when they fit your brand, they can be a great way to connect with your audience. But not every trend is going to make sense for your business.
Sometimes businesses force themselves into trends that have absolutely nothing to do with their industry, and it can come across as forced. It’s the age-old saying that “just because everyone else is doing something, it doesn’t mean you have to as well.”
It’s much more important to create content that makes sense for your audience than it is to prove that you can keep up with every trend. If a trend organically fits your brand, go for it. But if it doesn’t, it’s okay to skip it.
#9 Marketing is more about listening than talking
An underrated skill of marketers is the ability to listen.
Your audience is constantly telling you what they want. They’re asking questions in the comments, responding to certain types of posts, sharing their feedback, and showing you what they’re interested in through their engagement.
The best content ideas aren’t usually just pulled out of thin air. They come from paying attention to what your audience is already saying and what they want to know. The more you listen, the easier it becomes to create content that resonates.
#10 The best marketers never stop learning
Marketing never stands still, so you shouldn’t either.
There is always a new platform, feature, trend, or strategy to learn. That’s one of the things I love most about marketing. I have always loved to learn and expand my skills, and there is always something new to explore in this industry.
Some of the best marketers I know are the ones who choose to stay curious. They aren’t afraid to ask questions, to experiment with new ideas, and they aren’t afraid to adapt when things inevitably change.
I definitely don’t know everything, and I probably never will, but that doesn’t mean I won’t try. The day you stop learning is the day you stop growing.
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