Most business owners have a love–hate relationship with social media. It’s important, but it’s also time-consuming, constantly changing, and therefore can be confusing and/or overwhelming.
Then, when you finally get a quiet moment to post something, you start overthinking it.
- What do I say?
- What will people think?
- Does this even matter?
However, at the end of the day, social media isn’t meant to be perfect. It’s meant to be consistent, intentional, and human.
So, when you approach it that way, it becomes far more useful and far less stressful.
Here’s a few tips on what works (and what doesn’t).
1. Stop trying to be everywhere
You don’t need to be on every single platform. Pick one or two where your ideal clients actually spend time and do them well.
Trying to keep up with every new app or trend just spreads your energy too thin. If your clients aren’t on TikTok, don’t force yourself to be. If you get better engagement on LinkedIn than Instagram, focus there.
You’ll create better content, be more consistent, and stop feeling like you’re constantly behind.
2. Show up like a human, not a brand
People buy from people. Especially when it comes to small business.
That doesn’t mean sharing every detail of your personal life. It just means showing a bit of personality and realness.
Share the behind-the-scenes moments, the small wins, and even the occasional stuff-up (we’ve all got them). Let people see who’s behind the business.
Authenticity builds trust, and trust leads to connection, which is what social media is all about.
3. Quality over quantity, always
You don’t have to post every day to get results. What matters more is showing up consistently and adding value when you do.
That could mean educating, entertaining, or inspiring your audience, ideally all three over time.
If you’re posting just for the sake of it, your audience can tell. They’ll scroll right past. But when you share something that’s genuinely helpful, relatable or thought-provoking, people pay attention.
4. Repurpose like a pro
You don’t need to reinvent the wheel every week. If you’ve written a blog, recorded a video, or shared a long LinkedIn post, break it into smaller pieces. Use snippets, quotes, or highlights across different platforms.
The same core message can be reshaped for different audiences. That’s how you get real mileage from your effort.
5. Don’t get stuck on the numbers
Metrics are useful, but they don’t tell the whole story. A post with 20 likes that leads to a real enquiry is far more valuable than one with 2,000 likes and no follow-up.
Look at what’s actually helping your business grow, not just what looks good on a graph.
6. Set boundaries (and stick to them)
Social media can be all-consuming if you let it. Set clear boundaries around when and how you engage. Batch your content, schedule your posts, and give yourself permission to switch off.
You’ll be more focused, creative, and far less likely to resent the whole process.
7. Keep it simple
At the end of the day, the best social media strategy is the one you can actually stick to.
Show up where your customers, clients and potential clients are, share value in your own voice, and be consistent. That’s it.
You don’t need to go viral. You just need to connect. And when you do that well, everything else starts to work.
About the author
Mell Millgate is the Founder of Starfish Marketing, a boutique marketing agency based in regional NSW and Victoria. She helps business owners make their marketing happen through strategy, content, and mentoring, with a simple, client-first approach that gets results.
