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Things we’ve changed our mind on after running social media for brands for years.
Posted by on March 30, 2026 at 3:50 amWe run social for consumer brands and apps. Here are opinions we used to hold strongly that we’ve since reversed or significantly updated based on what we’ve actually seen work.
We used to think posting frequency mattered more than content quality. We were wrong. Posting 7 mediocre videos a week gets worse results than posting 3 good ones. Volume helps, but only when the quality floor is high enough. One great post generates more growth than five forgettable ones.
We used to think trending audio was essential on Reels and TikTok. We’ve mostly moved away from this. Original audio with captions has been outperforming trending audio for us consistently. Trending audio can still help in some situations, but it’s no longer a default part of our content strategy.
We used to think hashtags mattered a lot. Now we think they barely matter at all. We’ve tested every hashtag strategy imaginable. niche hashtags, broad hashtags, no hashtags, branded hashtags. The differences in performance have been negligible. We still use a few relevant ones out of habit but we’ve stopped spending any real time on hashtag research.
We used to prioritize follower count as a KPI. Now we barely look at it. Engagement rate, saves, shares, and profile actions tell us way more about whether a content strategy is working than the follower number does. Some of the most commercially successful accounts we manage have modest follower counts but incredible engagement.
We used to think you needed different content for each platform. Now we think the core content can be the same, you just need to adjust the format and context slightly. The idea that you need completely unique strategies for TikTok, Reels, and Shorts is mostly gatekeeping. The same good content works across platforms with minor tweaks.
We used to think B2C brands needed to be aspirational on social. Now we think they need to be relatable. The shift toward authenticity isn’t a trend. it’s a permanent change in how people use social media. Brands that try to look perfect are losing to brands that are willing to be real.
Changing your mind when the evidence changes is a feature, not a bug. Holding onto strategies that worked two years ago because they used to work is how brands fall behind.
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1 Reply
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The hashtag one took us a while to accept too. Spent so much time building these elaborate tag lists and the results barely moved. The follower count shift is the big one though. Had clients obsessed with hitting arbitrary follower milestones while their engagement was quietly telling a much better story.
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Any data to support this? Number of impressions, results per hashtag strategy?
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