Here’s a hard truth that many small business owners don’t want to hear: Most small businesses would sell just as much if they stopped marketing altogether.

But, that’s not a marketing problem. That’s a brand problem—and until you fix it, no amount of marketing content can carry the weight of a brand no one connects with.

Here are 7 of the biggest social media mistakes brands are making with their social media content, plus the top reasons people do follow brands (so you can focus on doing more of what works).

Trust is the foundation of every sale. Without it, even the best product or service will struggle to gain traction. If you’re a small business, where every customer or client counts, building that trust isn’t optional—it’s essential.

So how do you create trust as a small business?

Ever see a business and think, “What do they even do?” or “Why should I care?” If someone has to work to figure that out, the business has already lost them.

The brain is wired to conserve energy. If your message is confusing, vague, or trying too hard to be clever, people won’t stick around—they’ll scroll right past.

Starting a small business is exciting, but common mistakes can slow your success. From poor planning to undervaluing your services, these pitfalls can be costly. In this post, we’ll cover seven key mistakes and how to avoid them—so you can build a stronger, more successful business.

Marketing is one of, if not the, most important parts of your business’s success. No matter how great your product or service is, if people don’t know about it, they can’t buy it.

So, what exactly is marketing?