Owning Your Social Media Presence: Green Flags to Recognize & Red Flags to Avoid

I know what you’re thinking: “Ma’am, it’s scary and loud out there. Don’t make me do this.” Stepping into a social media strategy can feel daunting when you first start your business – you have the idea, but you’re not exactly sure where to begin. Social media also feels overwhelming because it’s constantly changing, and there’s just… so. much. content. As a communications professional, the most frequent question I receive from clients is: how can we break through the noise? 

People spend an astonishing amount of time trying to keep up with social media trends or create their own ideas for how to “go viral.” But the reality is that you don’t have to break through the noise. Your audience just needs information about who you are and what you do on a consistent basis. Businesses were successful far before social media existed, and you can still be successful, whether you have 25 followers or five million followers. Trends and algorithms will continue to change with each passing day. So even with a viral hit, by tomorrow, you’ll be yesterday’s trend anyway. As a small business owner, you already do more than most, with less resources. Don’t let social media fall to the wayside, but don’t overthink it either. Here are some green flags to apply to your own strategy, and some red ones that might give you pause. 

Green Flag #1: You’re Consistent 

Set a cadence for how often you want to post. Start with three times per week. Don’t wait until you think you have something worthy to post. Come up with something proactively. When your business is searched online, you might be shocked to find out how many people go straight to your social media instead of your website – because that’s usually where the latest information is. Websites aren’t updated nearly as often as social media accounts. If someone is visiting your page, they should be seeing posts from that week, not four months ago. Every post doesn’t have to be exciting, and they don’t all have to be videos (though dynamic content is definitely preferred to static). If you’re short on content, have “evergreen content” on hand as filler, like a simple photo of your business with your hours, or a graphic that shows the best way to get in contact with you. Don’t skip posting altogether because you think your content isn’t “good enough.” 

Green Flag #2: You Post Authentic Content 

Stock footage and AI-generated content is easy to spot, and our feeds are oversaturated with it. It feels like maybe we’re finally starting to turn a corner, where people are fed up with the void of authenticity. This turning point has the potential to greatly benefit small businesses. As people seek out more sincerity on social media, you already have an authentic brand for them to engage with. Corporations are seen as institutions, whereas small businesses are all about people. Feature your employees as part of your social rotation, whether they got promoted, came up with a new idea, or spent hours volunteering at the local animal shelter. If you showcase your people, their people will like, comment and share. Boom  engagement! 

Green Flag #3: You’re Part of the Conversation 

Social media isn’t a set-it-and-forget-it recipe. You can’t just post and then move on with your life. I know, it’s not fair. Posting is only half the battle. You should be liking posts on other pages, commenting and engaging (word to the wise: NOT on political topics). If someone asks a question on one of your posts, do your best to respond (again: NOT on politics). You’ll be able to weed out the baiting from the genuine feedback or solicitation for more information. A sneaky, back-end way to be part of the conversation: use your subject matter expertise. If someone on a Reddit thread asks why their generator won’t start and you own an HVAC company, give them a couple of troubleshooting suggestions and then link back to your company’s online presence. Same thing if you’re in HR or Finance—contribute to group feeds or threads on relevant discussion topics, like tax code changes. It’ll grow your engagement, as long as you’re posting under your company brand. 

Green Flag #4: You Take Time to Plan 

I have a friend in a highly technical field whose organization has a fantastic organic social media feed. I see their posts when I scroll, and while it isn’t content that’s relevant to me, I always notice it because it’s authentic, informative, and has consistently high engagement—with many people liking and commenting on each post—which is most likely why it populates in my feed, even though the organization has no correlation to my field or interests. Finally, I asked: “Who does your social media?” I assumed they had a 23-year-old influencer behind the scenes, or a competitor of ours on retainer. “I do!” she said, to my profound awe. “But…how?” I asked. She isn’t in a creative field and has no communications background. Her explanation was simple: “I set aside time on my calendar each week to think about it and plan it in advance.” Purposeful intention pays off. While I did state earlier that you shouldn’t use AI to generate content, it can serve an intended purpose. If you’re short on content, use it to suggest a few prompts, or tell it some things your company has going on that month, and it’ll suggest ways to promote. Just don’t give it the keys to the castle. Make sure your authentic voice prevails. 

Red Flag #1: You Never Spend Money on Social Promotion 

I get it. This is the “Mom, I’m scared, come pick me up” part. You should occasionally boost posts to ensure you are staying in the feed of your dedicated followers, and to generate new ones. Even if you have a decent social media following, stagnation is fatal. Great news: boosting on social is significantly cheaper than traditional advertising. You can do a lot with as little as $50. Make sure to invest in it once in a while. 

Red Flag #2: Your Business Has an Account for Every Single Form of Social Media 

Why are you doing that to yourself? You don’t have to, I promise! Just find your audience. If you have a highly visual product, such as baked goods or a skin care line, you should absolutely be on Instagram. If you host events, product launches, or run specials, Facebook is your home base. If you’re a supplier or in professional services, you should be connecting with other businesses and trade associations on LinkedIn, posting long-form content on industry trends. Not every business lends itself well to every form of content. Don’t burn yourself out trying to post everywhere, all the time. Analyze where your audience hangs out and focus there. 

So don’t worry about breaking the Internet. You can’t, you never will, and you don’t need to. Consistent, intentional, and authentic is the only social media formula your small business needs. 

By Anna Heaton; originally published in SBAM’s March/April 2026 issue of FOCUS magazine.

Anna Heaton is Vice President at Resch Strategies, a public affairs firm in Lansing, and previously worked as Press Secretary for former Gov. Rick Snyder. She specializes in crisis communications and advocacy strategies. You can reach her at Anna@ReschStrategies.com. 

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