Relax! There Is No Magic Social Media Growth Hack

I need everyone to take a second and just breathe.

There’s a new arms race in town and it’s over the newest and best “growth hacks” on social media platforms.

The thirst for followers is too real.

Here are a list of tactics, tips, and tricks that may be helpful if implemented properly, but also may be harmful to your cause (or more likely just a waste of time) if you do not know what you are doing:

• Hashtags
• Influencer marketing & shout outs
• Collaborations
• Content Syndication & cross-posting
• Memes
• Catch-all: Stressing over number of posts a day, verification, font size, comment pods, length of Instagram/ Facebook/ Snapchat Stories, length of videos, contests, Facebook Live multiple times a day because it “helps with reach,” paid ads on every platform… You get where I’m going with this.

You WILL make yourself miserable. At the very least, you’ll make yourself crazy trying to implement every trick in the book.

The reality is: that book is changing all the time. I’m all for staying up on trends, testing, and optimizing. First mover advantage is also a real thing. However, just like other things in life, you can’t be the best at everything.

Businesses and brands are getting so caught up in the hacks that they aren’t focusing on the most important part: valuable content plus a strategy.

A loyal audience is not built overnight. Be authentic. Be consistent.

This always sounds like a cop out, but it is ridiculously true, which is why it sounds so cliché: put out consistent content that is valuable to your desired audience and you will attract the right people. Optimize accordingly.

Being smart and strategic about your brand is going to pay off much more in the long run than just copying what the account with 8 million followers is doing. If you want people’s continued attention, a shout out is only going to go so far.

You can and should adapt with the times, but be selective about it. You don’t need to ditch what was working because something hot and new comes along.

Everyone is looking at everyone else’s test papers for some cheat, but most of those people have different exams. Everything works, but not everything works for you… or at the same time. (No, you do not need that meme in the middle of your perfectly curated food Instagram). Social media steroids are temporary at best.

Take a step back and put your time and energy into the bigger picture first. There will always be new tricks to try. While you are looking at what everyone else is doing, take a look at what actually makes sense for your brand. Then, “hack” away selectively.

If you liked this, please push the little heart. If you didn’t like it, also push the little heart to really stick it to me. ❤

Originally published on my blog at brittanykrystle.com.