Things Your Business Needs to Leave in 2024 (Seriously, It’s Time!)

Let’s be honest: running a business and trying to keep up with social media can feel like juggling flaming torches while riding a unicycle. It’s not easy. We all want more engagement, a bigger audience, and actual sales. But somewhere along the way, some pretty questionable practices slipped into the mix, and it’s high time we stop doing them. Here are a few that need to go yesterday—or at least by 2024.

1. The Infamous Follow/Unfollow

This tired strategy should’ve been left in 2014. The idea is simple: you follow a bunch of random people in hopes they’ll follow you back, then promptly unfollow them once they do. Not only is this incredibly tacky (and, quite frankly, a waste of everyone’s time), but it also sets you up for a low-engagement audience that doesn’t actually care about your content.

The Algorithm Doesn’t Like It: Instagram’s algorithm notices when you engage with people who aren’t really in alignment with your brand, or when your follow-to-unfollow ratio is out of whack. Think of it like Hollywood typecasting—you end up pigeonholed and never get the roles (or audience) you truly want.
It’s Icky: No one likes feeling used. Building real relationships means genuinely being interested in your followers and potential customers. Quality > quantity, always.

Pro Tip: If Gary Vee hasn’t already told you to stop, imagine he’s standing right behind you, yelling in your ear. Because it’s just that important to let this tactic die.

2. Posting Non-Stop Without Storytelling

We get it—you’re excited about your product or service and you want to post, post, post. But here’s the thing: if all you’re doing is dumping content on your feed every hour (and ignoring Instagram Stories or Reels that could actually tell your story), your potential customers might start tuning you out.

Quality Over Quantity: It’s better to post less frequently and make those posts impactful. A well-thought-out caption paired with an eye-catching image or video can do wonders.
Use Stories to Let People In: Short, casual clips on Stories (or even Reels) help followers get to know the real you and the heart behind your business. Storytelling sells because humans love connection.

Pro Tip: If you’re too busy running your business to handle the storytelling component, consider hiring someone to help or using automated services like Later or Meta’s own business suite. They’ll help you schedule content so you’re not chained to your phone 24/7.

3. Having an Unclear or Inactive Bio & Brand Presence

Let’s say you’re scrolling through Instagram and see a business named “Candles by [Your Name].” You click on the profile, ready to find your next cozy candle obsession…but there’s zero mention of candles. No posts showing them. No links to buy them. The bio simply says: “I make candles in [Your State]. Email me.” That’s it.

Where’s the story? Where’s the link to your Etsy or website? How can people actually buy your amazing candles?

A Good Bio Matters: Your Instagram bio is prime real estate. Use it! Include a short, clear description of what you do, who it’s for, and a call-to-action—like “Shop now” or “DM for collabs.”
Link Up: Whether you have a website, Etsy, or a simple Linktree, make it easy for people to find and buy your product.
Highlight What You Offer: Use Story Highlights to showcase your best products, share behind-the-scenes footage, or answer FAQs about your brand.

4. Following Thousands with Less Than 100 Followers

We’ve all seen (or been) that account. You’re following thousands of people, but only a handful follow you back. It’s not necessarily about “looking cool,” but it signals to Instagram that your content might not be resonating—or that you’re engaging in the dreaded follow/unfollow cycle.

Refine Your Follow List: Only follow accounts that truly inspire, educate, or align with your business. This way, you’re engaging meaningfully, and you’ll see the kind of content that actually helps you grow.
Engage to Build Real Community: Comment genuinely on posts, respond to Stories, and nurture relationships with your actual audience—those who are interested in what you do.

5. Overlooking Help & Tools

Social media doesn’t have to be overwhelming, especially when there are tons of tools out there to help. If you’re serious about growing your online presence (and sales), consider one of the following:

Hire a Social Media Manager: If you have the budget and you’re serious about scaling, bringing on a professional who gets your brand can be a game-changer.
Use a Scheduling Platform: Later, Planoly, Meta Business Suite—these tools make it easy to plan your posts, so you can spend more time actually running your business.
Outsource Content Creation: Don’t be afraid to partner with copywriters, photographers, or videographers who can help you tell your story in a compelling way.

Final Thoughts

Social media shouldn’t feel like a chore or a shady numbers game—it should be a space where you can connect with like-minded people who actually want what you’re offering. Authenticity will always outperform any quick-fix tactic in the long run. So let’s all agree to leave these unproductive habits where they belong (in the dustbin of 2024) and step into the new year with a fresh, genuine approach.

Remember: it’s better to have 100 raving fans than 10,000 indifferent followers. Focus on delivering value, building relationships, and telling a story people can relate to. Your future customers (and your sanity) will thank you for it.