I'm gonna say something controversial: your goal on (organic) social media should not be to sell your company's product. 🫢 People don't want to be taught about a product's value through a brand's social media account. They want bite-sized, entertaining content that takes 0.2 seconds to absorb. They want a community where they can share their personal stories. They're following your account because they're already interested in - or have already purchased - your product. Know your audiences and post accordingly.
My forever challenge to this perspective: it becomes a license to make content that doesn't really show your product's emotional benefits. So yes, I agree you don't need to explicitly sell in every piece of content! BUT, the overwhelming majority of your content should help someone understand why your product would benefit their lives.
I like to think of organic social as an extension of PR. We are in the game of building trust, establishing credibility and creating conversations, all of which we hope will EVENTUALLY drive someone to buy.
Respectfully; Yes and no. Modern social media algorithms can help accounts reach more non followers now than ever.
This is such an important post. Yes!! Thanks for sharing this. I’ll add, too, I think people want to follow and engage with a brand that doesn’t feel like “a brand.” Some of the most engaging accounts I follow on social media are brand accounts, but ones that are personified and relatable, with a truly human voice. This doesn’t have to mean following popular trends that have no relevance to the companies offering or relevance to the audience, but what you said about quick, compelling and easy-to-absorb is so spot on. Love!
Agreed. Social media is for engagement not for acquisition. If your social media game is on point than acquisition will happen as a byproduct.
High time brands realised this. Sadly, however, people still don’t understand how social media works. It’s not just about posting content and getting growth overnight. 🫡
Love this perspective! Social media is definitely more about connection than a direct sales pitch. I think there’s a sweet spot where brands can build community and subtly showcase value. For example, sharing how real customers use your product in their day to day lives creates relatable, engaging content while reinforcing the product’s role. It’s not selling, it’s storytelling. Curious, how do brand specialists strike the balance between entertaining content and maintaining brand relevance?
That shouldn't be a controversial take. And yet...
dare I say that this is only controversial to marketers who don't understand social 🙊
Creative Director | Production Leader | Clio Health & One Club/NCL Juror
5d💡 Completely agree with this. As someone who has been in this space for 20+ years, the key to social isn’t selling—it’s connecting. People aren’t following your brand to be hit with sales pitches; they’re there to find content that resonates with them, makes them laugh, feels relatable, or even gives them an escape. This is where so many brands miss the mark—they treat every platform like a storefront instead of a space to connect. Social platforms are for stories and conversations, not transactions. Building these connections is essential for long-term brand building and top-of-funnel awareness because it creates a foundation of trust and emotional connection that keeps your brand top-of-mind when customers are ready to buy. And to make this work, you need leadership buy-in so your social team can focus on building relationships, not just driving sales. When you meet your audience where they are and give them what they actually want, trust and loyalty come naturally—this is what makes social and brand building so powerful when it's done right.