For years, I used social media just for fun. Then I started something I’m not sure I can even call a business! I started making mobile charms and bracelets.
At first, I sold them to people around me. Soon, my classmates were buying too.
One day, a friend asked, “Why don’t you post your products on social media?” So, I opened an Instagram account and posted almost every day.
Growth was slow, and I almost lost hope. But I kept posting. Slowly, my likes went up, and I started adding Stories too.
Then I noticed a problem. Only people I already knew were buying. I had likes and views, but no stranger bought anything.
The biggest question in my head was, “Why?
All of these events happened while I was a student. Now I work in a digital marketing agency, and I can clearly see the mistakes I made.
Here are the five biggest ones.
1. Posting Every Day Without a Goal
I thought posting daily was a plan.
It was not.
Many businesses do the same. They post regularly and hope sales will come. But without a clear goal and Socialmedia marketing strategy, posting is just activity.
It is easy to count how often you post. It is much harder to know if those posts help your business grow.
2. Chasing Likes Instead of Sales
My likes felt like progress. They weren't.
High social media engagement looked great on my screen while my sales stayed flat. I kept celebrating the numbers, and still nobody outside my circle ever bought a single thing.
3. Only Reaching People I Already Knew
My followers were my neighbors and classmates. They loved my work, but strangers who wanted a bracelet never found me.
Even big brands face this problem. Their posts keep landing in front of the same followers, not fresh faces who might actually buy.
The fix starts with knowing exactly who your ideal customer is and where they hang out online.
That might leave you wondering, “So I can’t run my own business’s social media?”
You can. Plenty of owner’s post, show off their products, make sales, and pick up some traffic on their own. The tricky part is reaching the right people and turning them into paying customers.
That takes more than a steady posting habit.
4. Treating Instagram Like a Catalog
I used Instagram only to show product photos. I never gave people a reason to care about my brand.
Many businesses do this too. Their pages are full of product pictures and sales messages.
But people follow brands for many reasons.
Some want helpful tips. Some want fun videos. Others want updates or a chance to chat.
Good social media is more than pretty pictures.
5. Ignoring Instagram Insights
I never opened my Instagram Insights. Nobody told me views, reach, and audience engagement were sitting right there in the app. So, I had no idea if the right people were seeing my posts.
And I wasn't alone in overlooking performance data.
Many businesses make this mistake too. The problem is often not a lack of data. It is not knowing what the numbers mean or how to use them to reach business goals.
What Has Changed Since Then?
Back then, I thought posting regularly was enough to grow a business. Working at a digital marketing agency has changed how I see all this.
Posting and chasing likes was how I thought social media marketing worked. It’s a lot messier than that. The real work is knowing who you’re talking to, planning with purpose, and making sure every post earns its place.
Our team at SubmitInMe helps businesses with social media strategy, audience engagement, setting up profiles, and tracking results.
So, before your social media marketing meets the same fate as my business, check out our Social Media Marketing Services.