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(Original post from 2022 has been updated January 2026)
Automation for marketing purposes can be an amazing time saver when it’s used strategically and thoughtfully. When it isn’t though, a business can risk appearing disengaged.
One time I often see examples of this online is when businesses are auto posting an identical piece of content from one social media platform to another. There are times, such as with important announcements, when auto posting one piece of content across channels can make sense – such as for the sake of expedience, if it’s urgent. But when it’s being used regularly and mainly as a convenient time saver, that savings can come with some sacrifice:
- Every social platform has a different “vibe” and culture, so posts pushed from one platform to another don’t always land the way you’d hope they would, if they’re not a fit for that type of audience.
- These types of posts are also sometimes very obviously not platform specific… inadvertently signaling to your audience that you’re not actually taking the time to be present where they are.
- If there is overlap in your audience between the platforms you’re posting the same identical posts to, they may have already seen it, and could therefore just scroll past it the second time, costing you potential engagement.
So, what to do?
You want your biz to have a presence in as many places as possible, but don’t have time to visit each platform every day, right?
Consider the following:
It’s a common misconception that being active on every platform is a “must”… but that’s not necessarily the case for every business – there is no such thing as a one-size-fits-all strategy.
So, which social platform(s) to use? This depends entirely on unique factors including your goals and your audience profile. Every business has (or… should have!) a different strategy, so be sure to create your own in order to get the right answers.
Watch out for this common pitfall: If your research determines that your audience is active on 5 platforms, but you don’t have time to use all 5 each day, you don’t “have to” use all 5! Stretching yourself or your team too thin in order to meet unrealistic goals is not strategic, and the quality of the content you’ll be able to put out could be compromised.
Determine how much time your business can realistically commit to social, and utilize the platforms you’re most likely to stay active on first – actively engaging with your audience is a key piece of building relationships, and helping you get better reach. You can always become active on additional platforms later, once you have more capacity.
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