14 Social Media Trends You Should Avoid if You Want to Preserve Authenticity

Social media trends come and go, but authenticity is timeless. In today’s digital landscape, it’s crucial for brands and individuals alike to maintain their authenticity to build trust and credibility with their audience. While it’s important to stay current with social media trends, certain practices can actually detract from your authenticity. Let’s delve deeper into 14 social media trends you should avoid if you want to preserve your authenticity.

1. Fake Followers and Engagement

Purchasing followers and engagement might give the appearance of popularity, but it undermines your credibility in the long run. Authentic engagement with real followers is key to building genuine relationships. Building a loyal and engaged audience takes time and effort; however, the relationships formed are more valuable in the long term.

Practical Tips:

• Invest in Community Building: Focus on creating content that encourages discussion and interaction. Host live Q&A sessions or create polls to engage with your audience.
• Utilize Analytics: Platforms like Instagram and Twitter offer analytics tools. Use these insights to understand what content resonates with your audience and tailor your future posts accordingly.

Case Study:

Take a page from brands like Patagonia, which actively engage their community with environmental campaigns that reflect their core values. This approach has cultivated a loyal, engaged following who genuinely connect with the brand’s mission.

2. Overused Influencer Marketing

While influencer marketing can be effective, overusing it can lead to inauthentic partnerships that may not resonate with your audience. Focus on creating genuine connections with influencers who align with your values.

Strategies for Authentic Partnerships:

• Select Niche Influencers: Opt for influencers with a smaller, more engaged audience that fits your niche. This often results in better engagement and a more authentic connection with followers.
• Co-Creation: Work with influencers to create content that feels organic and true to both your brand and their personal brand. This could mean collaborating on product development or storytelling.

Example:

Lush Cosmetics partners with environmentally conscious influencers for campaigns, ensuring the collaboration feels authentic and resonates with both parties’ audiences.

3. Automated Comments and Messages

Using bots to leave generic comments or send automated messages can come across as insincere. Take the time to engage authentically with your audience to build meaningful relationships.

Best Practices:

• Personalize Interactions: Whenever possible, address followers by name and reference specific details from their comments or profiles.
• Respond Promptly: Quick responses can make a significant difference in perception and engagement. Consider setting aside time daily to interact with your audience.

Common Mistake:

A frequent error is using a one-size-fits-all approach when interacting on social media. This can make your brand feel distant and robotic, which deters genuine engagement.

4. Clickbait and Sensationalism

Clickbait headlines and sensationalist content may drive short-term engagement, but they can erode trust in the long run. Opt for genuine, valuable content that resonates with your audience.

How to Create Valuable Content:

• Educational Posts: Share industry insights, how-to guides, or behind-the-scenes content that offers real value.
• Storytelling: Use storytelling to connect emotionally with your audience. Share customer success stories or personal brand journeys that reflect your core values.

Example:

The skincare brand Drunk Elephant uses educational content to inform their audience about the benefits of their ingredients, fostering trust and credibility.

5. Inauthentic Brand Voice

Authenticity starts with your brand voice. Avoid trying to mimic trends or personas that don’t align with your values. Stay true to your brand identity to build trust with your audience.

Tips for Authentic Brand Voice:

• Define Your Brand Persona: Clearly outline your brand’s tone, language, and personality. Ensure everyone on your team understands and embodies these elements.
• Consistency Across Platforms: Make sure your brand voice is consistent across all social media platforms, from Twitter to TikTok.

Example:

Wendy’s has successfully cultivated a unique, sassy brand voice that stands out and resonates with their audience, proving that staying true to your brand personality pays off.

6. Follower Count as a Measure of Success

While having a large following can be beneficial, it’s not the only measure of success. Focus on building genuine connections and creating valuable content, rather than obsessing over follower counts.

Measures of Success:

• Engagement Rates: Track likes, shares, comments, and other interactions as indicators of content success.
• Community Growth: Evaluate the quality of interactions and the growth of a loyal community rather than sheer numbers.

7. Ignoring Negative Feedback

Ignoring negative feedback or deleting negative comments can damage your authenticity. Embrace feedback, both positive and negative, as an opportunity to learn and improve.

Handling Negative Feedback:

• Acknowledge and Address: Respond to negative comments with empathy and a willingness to address the issue.
• Highlight Improvements: If feedback leads to changes, share these updates with your audience to demonstrate responsiveness and commitment to improvement.

Example:

When Netflix receives criticism, they often respond directly to user comments on Twitter, providing clear communication and demonstrating a commitment to customer satisfaction.

8. Overly Filtered and Edited Content

Airbrushed perfection may look appealing, but it can distance you from your audience. Embrace authenticity by being real and transparent in your content creation.

Steps to More Authentic Content:

• Behind-the-Scenes Content: Show the human side of your brand with unfiltered images or videos.
• Embrace Imperfections: Sharing candid moments or mistakes can make your brand more relatable and trustworthy.

9. Trend Hopping Without Purpose

Jumping on every social media trend without a clear purpose can dilute your brand identity. Choose trends that align with your values and goals to maintain authenticity.

Strategic Trend Adoption:

• Align with Brand Values: Evaluate whether a trend supports your brand’s mission and values before participating.
• Add Unique Spin: Incorporate trends in a way that showcases your brand’s unique perspective.

10. Lack of Transparency

Transparency is key to building trust with your audience. Be open and honest about your practices, partnerships, and intentions to preserve authenticity.

Building Transparency:

• Share Behind-the-Scenes: Offer insights into company culture, product development, or decision-making processes.
• Be Honest About Mistakes: Don’t shy away from admitting errors; instead, communicate what you’re doing to rectify them.

Example:

Brands like Buffer openly share their internal processes and company culture through blog posts and social media, fostering a transparent relationship with their audience.

11. Following Unrelated Trends

While it’s important to stay current, following trends that have no relevance to your brand can come across as inauthentic. Focus on trends that align with your brand values and resonate with your audience.

Avoiding Trend Misalignment:

• Conduct Audience Research: Understand what trends your audience values and engage with those selectively.
• Test Before Committing: Try small-scale tests of new trends to gauge audience reaction before fully committing.

12. Plagiarizing Content

Copying or plagiarizing content from other sources is a surefire way to erode your authenticity. Create original, valuable content that showcases your unique perspective and expertise.

Encouraging Originality:

• In-House Content Creation: Develop a team or process for generating fresh content ideas and executing them authentically.
• Credit Where Due: If inspired by others, give credit and add your own perspective or commentary.

13. Lack of Engagement and Interaction

Social media is a two-way conversation. Failing to engage with your audience or respond to comments and messages can signal a lack of authenticity. Make time to interact with your followers and build relationships.

Enhancing Engagement:

• Create Interactive Content: Use features like polls, quizzes, and stories to engage your audience.
• Host Live Sessions: Live streams or webinars allow for real-time interaction and foster a deeper connection.

14. Inconsistent Brand Messaging

Consistency is key to building brand trust and authenticity. Ensure that your brand messaging is cohesive across all social media platforms to maintain a strong, unified voice.

Maintaining Consistency:

• Develop Brand Guidelines: Clearly outline your brand’s messaging, tone, and visual identity. Ensure these guidelines are accessible to everyone involved in content creation.
• Regular Audits: Conduct periodic reviews of your social media content to ensure alignment with your brand’s identity.

In essence, preserving authenticity on social media requires a commitment to genuine interaction and consistent, values-driven content creation. By avoiding these pitfalls, you can foster a loyal community that truly resonates with your brand.