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It is the age of the influencers! Be it Instagram, Snapchat, or Tiktok, everyone wants to maximize their reach and followers. Even on the more traditional social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube, content creators are constantly trying to grab eyeballs.

With so much content already out there, it can sometimes feel like there just aren’t enough growth opportunities. A feeling of stagnation amidst such an onslaught of content is very natural.

If you are one of those creators who want to grow their influence and reach but are unable to do so, this list is for you. Just make sure the following top mistakes aren’t being made by you.

Stuck in the old ways

Social media is such a dynamic platform that the way it is used by its target audience keeps changing very quickly. Sometimes the way a platform is currently running, or the kind of content that “works”, can be wildly different from how it initially was when you signed up. For example, Instagram started out as an app where we all shared our favorite pictures along with (sometimes quite embarrassing) trending hashtags. Cut to 2022, almost all engagement on Instagram is via its extremely addictive Reels feature. So make sure that you remain up-to-date not only with the latest trends but also keep an eye on what you think could be trending in the near future.

Consistency is key

Don’t expect a consistently growing audience if you’re not consistently posting new content for the audience to engage with. Of course, it is important to take your time and create content that is both creative and out of the box, but it’s also important to keep posting! Remember, posting more frequently will almost always result in more engagement. Also, it is not just about posting brand-new content. A lot of the very successful creators not only post their own original content, they also curate and share content that they find interesting and they feel goes with the ethos of their account.

You are not responding to the audience

When you respond to your audience, it will result in creating a critical bond between you and them and will have your audience return to your page/profile/account again and again. Reply to audience comments and get a true sense of what type of content they expect from you and how you can better cater to them. A simple, cold “yes, understood” or “of course” isn’t going to cut it. Take the time and put in the energy to actually understand what a follower of yours is saying in the comments and let them know your point of view as well. This is true engagement that you can’t (and shouldn’t) automate. Remember, you have to be social on social media. There just isn’t a way out of it!

You are simply trying in the wrong segment

Very honestly, if you are trying to, say, be a fashion blogger on Instagram, it will be a very tough road. Instagram, as we all know, is chock a block full of fashion bloggers. So unless you are supremely talented and bring something very unique to the table, redirecting yourself to another niche is perhaps the wiser thing to do. In order to do well on any medium, it is important to understand its nuances as well as what that medium requires from you as a creator.

Trying too many things at once

Yes, all the big content creators and influencers make it look extremely easy but amassing a large following and then growing it even further is hard, hard work, and what it needs is laser-sharp focus. Playing to your strengths, understanding the audience’s expectations, and keeping at it are all equally important. Instead of trying to do everything all at once, create a game plan that works for you and the platform you want to succeed on, and focus on it. There is no need to try to actively create content for eight different platforms and then try and manage all of them at the same time.

Unrealistic expectations

Even though you really, really want it, you will not be an overnight success! You will have to do the grunt work, and you will have to do the planning, you will have to do the creation, you will have to fail again and again – before you finally succeed. Setting an unrealistic expectation for yourself is only going to demotivate you in the long run. Small, achievable, practical goals are what you should aim for.