By Kyra Oakland

When I first started managing social media for local cafés and vintage shops, I thought posting pretty pictures would be enough. Spoiler alert: it wasn’t. Most small businesses are doing the work but still not seeing real results. These are the top mistakes I see over and over.

Mistake #1: Posting Without a Strategy
You’re posting because you have to, not because you want to. I’ve been there. But if there’s no plan behind your posts, you’re just shouting into the void.
Fix: Start with a simple monthly theme. For example, one of my café clients focuses on “Summer Iced Chai” for July — all posts lead back to that feature.

Mistake #2: Ignoring Local SEO
If your Instagram bio doesn’t mention your town, how are people supposed to find you?
Fix: Add location tags, geo-specific hashtags, and update your bio to say: “Leamington Spa’s go-to for authentic Indian chai.”

Mistake #3: No Call-to-Action (CTA)
Your post can’t just be “Here’s our new sandwich.” You need to TELL people what to do next.
Fix: Simple CTAs like “Order via DM” or “Tag a friend who’d love this” work wonders.

Mistake #4: Overloading Posts with Text on Images
I’ve had to gently tell clients: “Your menu doesn’t need to be crammed into a graphic.” Text should be in the caption for SEO and clarity.
Fix: Use clean visuals. Let your captions carry the info.

Mistake #5: Inconsistent Stories & Engagement
You can’t post and ghost. Engagement builds relationships.
Fix: Set aside 10 minutes after each post to reply to comments and DMs. That’s where the conversions happen.

The truth is, most marketing mistakes aren’t because business owners are lazy . I’s because they’re overwhelmed and trying to do everything at once. But when you simplify and focus on small, strategic actions, you’ll see bigger results. The difference isn’t working harder. It’s working smarter.

Simply yours, Ky