Stop Falling for Surface-Level Social Media Advice: Here’s What Actually Works
As a complete YouTube Beginner
Are you feeling overwhelmed by social media advice that promises quick fixes but leaves you frustrated? You’ve probably seen tips like “just use hooks” or “turn on this setting,” but these surface-level hacks miss the bigger picture.
In this post, I’ll reveal the two biggest misleading pieces of advice I see on Instagram and YouTube—and what you should do instead. This is the strategy I’ve learned from my mentor and applied successfully to my own platforms and clients, resulting in consistently viral Instagram Reels and a 50% increase in YouTube outliers.
Let’s dive in and uncover how to grow your audience authentically and strategically.
Myth #1: “Just Use Hooks and Trending Audios” (Instagram)
You’ve heard it: “Use catchy hooks!” “Hop on trending audio!” While these tips may sound promising, they often lead to content that feels disconnected from your audience's needs.
Why This Advice Fails
Surface-Level Focus: Chasing trends without understanding your audience creates hollow content.
Burnout: Constantly trying to keep up with trends can leave you feeling drained.
The Real Strategy
Focus on solving problems and addressing your audience’s needs. Instead of relying solely on hooks, create content pillars—3–5 core topics your audience cares about—and produce high-value content consistently.
Myth #2: “Just Turn On This Setting” (YouTube)
A popular piece of advice circulating on YouTube suggests that growth is as simple as flipping a setting on. But if your storytelling is weak or your content feels random, no magic switch can fix that.
Why This Advice Fails
Lack of Substance: These quick fixes don’t address the root of low engagement, which is often content quality and messaging.
Empty Promises: Many “hack” videos offer lots of hype but no real solutions.
The Real Strategy
Strong storytelling is key. Define your niche, research your audience’s problems, and create compelling videos that align with their needs. Invest time in planning your content so every piece has a purpose.
How to Fix It: The Power of Competitor Analysis
A game-changing strategy that I teach all my clients is competitor analysis. This involves studying creators in your niche to identify what’s working for them and applying those insights to your content.
How to Do Competitor Analysis
Identify 10 Creators: Choose mid-sized creators with strong engagement (e.g., 2,000–50,000 YouTube subscribers or Instagram accounts with high-performing Reels).
Analyze Their Best Content: Use the “Popular” tab on YouTube or the Reels tab on Instagram to find their top-performing content.
Note Key Details:
Titles and thumbnails that grab attention.
Captions, keywords, and hashtags.
Storytelling techniques or visuals that resonate.
Create a Content List: Document these ideas in a Google Doc, breaking them down by platform and creator.
Your Path to Growth
Building an audience on Instagram and YouTube isn’t about trendy hacks or quick fixes. It’s about consistency, strategy, and staying curious.
Here’s your roadmap:
Define Your Niche: Identify the problems you solve and create content pillars.
Research Competitors: Study 10 creators and learn from their successes.
Focus on Quality: Consistently produce content that serves your audience’s needs.
Stay Adaptable: Learn from your analytics, refine your approach, and stay curious.
Growing your audience is a long game, but with the right strategy and mindset, you’ll see meaningful results. Let me know in the comments: What’s your biggest challenge with content creation? What’s one thing you’ll change starting today?
Watch The Video!
If you're still not sure or want to follow along with a step-by-step video, I’ve created a video for you. You can click below thumbnail to watch it.
