Social Media Icks According To Social Media Managers (ditch these tactics in 2024)

Social media trends and strategies are always changing and what resonates one day might suddenly become an ick overnight. Need an example? Think of the boomerangs of the early 2010s… What started out as a trendy way for people to turn everyday moments into something fun and unexpected, now brings up feelings of cringe. And if you’re using social media for business at all, cringe is something that you definitely want to avoid.

So, stay up-to-date with the latest social media trends. Here are 5 social media icks according to social media managers that you should ditch in 2024.

First off, what’s an “ick”?

Usually used in a lighthearted way but lowkey sometimes in a serious way, an “ick” is a feeling of discomfort or aversion towards someone or something. A social media ick usually refers to posting something that the majority of users have deemed a faux pas on the platform.

So, here are 5 social media icks that you should avoid in 2024.

1. TikTok Watermarks on Reels

Instagram has clearly stated that they penalize users who post watermarked content to their Reels so it’s a huge ick when brands continue to do so. If you’re managing a corporate or branded account, the more appropriate move is to save the video before posting and then uploading it separately afterwards.

2. Links In Instagram Posts

While it’s important to link back to your offers and always end your captions with a strong call-to-action, putting the link directly in the posts is a huge ick amongst our social media managers. You can’t click the links in the caption and they take up valuable caption space; instead, end your caption with something like “drop a ❤️in the comments and we’ll send you the info” instead.

3. Buying Fake Followers

This should be an obvious one by now, but a huge social media ick is when a brand or corporate account buys fake followers. When the engagement on an account is hugely disconnected from their follower count, it makes the account look suspicious. We would rather an account grow slowly and sustainably with real followers than for it to have inflated vanity metrics.

4. Putting QR Codes On Social Graphics

QR codes are extremely helpful everywhere else but on social graphics. Because users are largely using their phones to browse Instagram, it’s virtually impossible for people to scan. Instead, use the tactic we described above and DM the links to your users directly.

5. When Brands Like Their Own Posts

We’re not entirely sure when this started or why brands even do this, but it’s a huge ick when brands like their own posts. The action does nothing to boost visibility and makes the brand look self-absorbed. It’s alright if a sister account likes your main account’s posts, but liking your own posts is a huge no-no.

So, there are the five social media icks that you should leave behind in 2024. Which other brand actions make you feel deeply uncomfortable and what else would you recommend people leave behind in 2024?