Why No One Likes Your Posts: 3 Social Media Mistakes You Must Stop Making

If you’re putting in hours creating content but barely getting any likes, comments, or shares, you’re not alone. The truth is, social media is crowded, competitive, and unforgiving. Chances are, you’re making a few common mistakes that are silently killing your engagement. The good news? They’re easy to fix once you know what to look for. Let’s break down the three biggest mistakes stopping your posts from getting the love they deserve and how to fix them.

Mistake #1: Treating Social Media Like a Billboard

Too many creators and businesses treat their profiles like a one-way megaphone — shouting “Buy my product!” or “Check out my course!” without building any real connection with the audience.

Why it hurts your engagement:

• People don’t come to social media to be sold to, they come to be entertained, learn, laugh, and share.

• Overly promotional posts tend to be lacking in the value/substance that catalyzes follower growth.

• Most viewers can easily recognize ads and are quick to skip them (or in some cases ridicule them), you don't want your social media presence to be akin to a telemarketer spam calling someone's phone, or an uninvited salesmen knocking at your door.

What you should do instead:

• Engage, don’t broadcast. Reply to comments, ask questions, build conversations, build community.

• Lead with value. Share tips, insights, or entertaining stories before pitching anything. No one likes to feel like they're giving value (time) and getting nothing in return.

• Be human. Showcase personality, humor, and authenticity wherever possible.

Mistake #2: Posting Low-Quality Content

You don’t need professional-grade equipment, but blurry photos, pixelated videos, and sloppy designs will not perform well as the average viewer's standards for production quality increase

Why it hurts your engagement:

• First impressions matter. Low-quality visuals make you or your brand look unprofessional.

• High-resolution, polished content gets prioritized by algorithms.

• Audiences subconsciously associate content quality with credibility and trustworthiness.

What you should do instead:

• Invest in good lighting. Even a well-lit phone photo can outperform a poorly lit DSLR shot.

• Invest in your tools. The quality video and photo editing tools used to be expensive. Today, tools like CapCut and Canva have lowered the financial barrier to entry for high-level video and photo editing. If your serious about see social media growth, investing in the full versions of these tools can take your post quality to the next level.

• Keep it clean and simple. Avoid cluttered graphics or over-the-top filters. Clarity is crucial in a space where keeping viewer attention is key.

Mistake #3: Too Many Hashtags

Hashtags can boost discoverability, but using too many can actually hurt your post's performance. Advancements in the algorithms on most social media platforms have increased the importance of high quality posts and good descriptions over hashtag volume.

Why it hurts your engagement:

• Algorithms may have a more difficult time reaching your target audience if your hashtags are too broad.

• Algorithms may treat excessive hashtags as low-quality content.

• Hashtags that are too unrelated to your page or content can lead to low engagement

What you should do instead:

• Focus on relevance. Use 3–7 targeted hashtags that align with your niche and audience.

• Mix trending and specific tags. Combine a few popular hashtags with smaller, highly relevant ones.

• Write good descriptions. Today, algorithms usually include your description when looking to match your post to an audience. Writing a detailed description with the right keywords can in some cases be more valuable than the number of hashtags.

Bonus Tip: Don't Post Without a Strategy

Random posting doesn’t work anymore. You can’t just throw up a picture, add a caption, and hope for the best. Without a clear content strategy, your posts blend into the noise.

Why it hurts your engagement:

• Your audience doesn’t know what to expect from you.

• Inconsistent topics make it hard for followers to stick around.

• Algorithms don’t favor accounts without a defined niche or posting pattern.

If your posts aren’t getting likes, it’s not because the algorithm is bad — it’s because your strategy needs a refresh. Focus on clarity, quality, personality, and connection, and you’ll see your engagement grow.