The Dumbest Social Media Habit That Still Lives On Every Feed
There’s a habit haunting your social media feed. It’s not the algorithm. It’s not your gear. And no, it’s not that you aren’t posting enough. It’s something far sneakier. Something that sounds smart on the surface, but actually strangles your growth behind the scenes.
You’re still treating social media like a billboard.
This one mistake, more than any algorithm shift or trend you missed, is keeping your engagement flatlined and your audience tuned out.
If you want posts that actually pull people in, keep reading. Because the fix is simple, and it starts with how you talk.
You're Talking at People, Not to Them
Scroll through your last five posts. How many are announcements? How many are product promos, discount codes, or feature spotlights? Now ask yourself: Did I start any of those posts by making the reader feel understood?
When you blast out content like a megaphone in a mall, you're doing what most brands still do. It's loud. It's polished. But it's also invisible. Because people don't want to be talked at anymore.
They want to be seen.
They want to feel like your post was written for them in the exact moment they're scrolling.
And here's the thing: when you talk to them, like a friend, like someone who gets their problems, your content doesn't just get noticed. It gets remembered.
Still treating your feed like a brochure? Let us turn it into a conversation engine. Book your free call with Multipost Digital
The "Look at Me" Trap
Most brands fall into this without realizing it. You hire a photographer. You get your best angles. You highlight your milestones.
And while there's nothing wrong with showing your wins, the moment every post becomes about you, you lose the very thing that fuels engagement: relevance.
Here’s a test: count how many times you used the word "we" or "I" in your last caption. Then count how many times you said "you."
If you’re leading with "we launched," "we created," or "we're excited," you’re missing the mark. Your audience doesn’t care what you launched. They care what problem it solves for them.
Flip the script.
Start every post by hitting their pain point, their dream, their curiosity. Lead with the thing they're already thinking about. Then position your solution like a lifeline.
Want help rewriting your feed to connect instantly? Let’s make it happen
The Data Doesn’t Lie: Conversation Wins
When we audit underperforming accounts, this is the number one issue we spot. Feeds full of announcements. Posts with no conversation starters. Static content that looks great but feels empty.
And the data? Brutal.
Engagement plummets when posts feel one-sided. Comments drop. Shares disappear. Saves become rare. Why? Because no one wants to engage with something that feels like a speech.
Compare that with conversational posts:
Posts that ask questions
Stories that reveal vulnerability
Wins that spotlight your audience, not you
Those posts spark replies. They get tagged. They make people feel seen. And when someone feels seen, they come back.
The algorithm notices too. Engagement signals like comments, replies, saves, and DMs push your post higher. More people see it. More people interact. It snowballs.
Don’t guess what’s working. We’ll show you. Get your feed audited by our team
How to Break the Billboard Habit
Want to stop sounding like an ad? Here are five shifts you can make this week:
1. Start with "you," not "we."
Instead of "We’re excited to announce," try "Tired of wasting hours on content that flops?"
2. Use real language, not marketing fluff.
Your audience isn't reading a press release. Talk like a person, not a brand manual.
3. Ask better questions.
Not just "What do you think?" Ask specific, emotional questions: "What’s one thing you wish you could fix about your social media right now?"
4. Make the audience the hero.
Feature their stories. Highlight their wins. Show how your product or service helps them win.
5. Close with a real CTA.
Not just "Learn more." Ask them to comment, DM, click, or tag a friend. Make it specific, make it natural.
Want our team to build your content system from scratch? Let’s talk about your strategy
Why Most Brands Won’t Change (But You Should)
It feels safe to post like a billboard. You stay polished. You stay "on brand."
But here's the truth: growth doesn’t live in perfection. It lives in connection.
People want real. They want messy, honest, emotional, raw. Not 24/7, but enough to feel like you're human. Enough to make them stop scrolling and lean in.
Most brands will keep posting like it's 2012. They'll keep wondering why their numbers are dropping. They’ll chase new features, new filters, new trends.
But none of that matters if you’re still talking at people, not to them.
Change how you speak, and you change how people respond.
Start talking with your audience, not at them. And watch everything shift.
Want help turning your social presence into a magnet for real engagement? Book your free strategy session now
