What Is The Ick? (in marketing of course)
The Ick (noun) is that feeling that just gives you a weird energy and you have no clue as to why. It can be used for anything, but when you get the ick, it’s irreversible. It’s like a bad feeling you can’t just shake off, and this is absolutely true for social media. In this blog post, we go into 7 ways you could be giving your audience the ick on social media.
The Seven Ways You Could Be Giving Your Audience The Ick On Social Media
#1 Links In Instagram captions
Links in Instagram captions can be a double-edged sword. Unlike platforms like LinkedIn and Facebook, Instagram doesn’t allow clickable links in captions, making them visually unappealing and inconvenient for users. The inability to copy and paste captions further reduces the chances of followers visiting your website through a lengthy URL.
What To Do Instead: Consider optimising your Instagram bio by placing a direct link or utilizing tools like Linktree, offering a clean and efficient way for your audience to access multiple links.
#2 Liking Your Own Posts From The Brand Account
Liking posts from your own brand account can look self-serving to those who can see them. Not to mention, it won’t boost you on most social media algorithms, so it doesn’t do much to help your account perform at its best.
What To Do Instead: Put that energy into creating posts that’ll encourage engagement – like creating value-adding content or optimising for keywords.
#3 TikTok or Capcut Watermarks on Instagram Reels
Although crossposting is a great way to repurpose content, it can really damage your post’s performance if their is a watermark from TikTok on your reel.
What To Do Instead: Either remove the watermark before posting, or even better, make your reel in Instagram as this increases the amount of exposure your reel will get.
#4 Buying Fake Followers
Most people who have some understanding of social media can tell when you buy followers. Buying followers clearly increase your follower count, but unfourtunately does nothing for your engagement rate, and this is usually the key giveaway. When you have 1000+ followers but only getting 10 likes, your audience will see that as ingenuine and can even get you banned from various platforms.
What To Do Instead: Build a loyal following of actual Instagram users who reguarly engage with your content.
#5 Not Engaging With Other Users
Not engaging with other users can be seen as ironically, antisocial, to your audience. It’s called SOCIAL media for a reason. If you’re a smaller brand, you could respond to each comment as it positions your brand in a friendly light
What To Do Instead: Engage with your audience to position yourself in a friendly light
#6 Only Creating Content With The Purpose To Sell
Doing this might cause your audience to see you as a brand who only cares about the bottom line and not have their customer’s best interests at heart. When businesses prioritise profit over customer satisfaction, it erodes the trust and goodwill that are crucial for long-term success.
What To Do Instead: Make sure your social media posts offer value to your audience. Social media is a great way to show your audience that you know what you’re talking about . By consistently demonstrating a commitment to providing value, and aligning business practices with their well-being, you can cultivate a positive image that goes beyond mere profit motives.
#7 Not Having Any Integrity With Posting
Failing to uphold integrity in your online content can have broader implications for your brand image. Today’s audiences are savvy and discerning, capable of recognizing authenticity from a mile away. When your online presence lacks sincerity and fails to align with your brand values, your audience is likely to pick up on the inconsistency, creating a disconnect that can elicit a sense of skepticism.
What To Do Instead: Consistently post content that resonates with your brand values and authentically communicates your message is essential for fostering trust, building a loyal audience, and establishing a positive, lasting brand perception.
Ignite Search – The Ick Free Marketing Agency
We create content for clients that will foster brand loyalty and absolutely will not give your audience the ick. If you need more guidance, feel free to download our free branding worksheet, read our blog for more inspiration, or contact us for a consultation.
