It’s easy to get bogged down with orders and forget your social media – but not with twin2 lurkin’ behind a phone screen! As she goes to engage weekly with the group hashtag, #sugarcookiemarketing, I asked her to come up with a list of the top 8 offenses she sees bakers makin’ on social media that’s likely robbin’ from their bottom lines.

Here goes:

😒 1. Not Putting your Location in the Instagram Bio

Check out Corrie’s Instagram below (and give her a follow here) – see that? You can have your name and your location in your Instagram name – which is searchable (shout out to Kimberly for this tip) – that means not only will your handle be searchable, but any information provided in the name section of the profile as well. In this example, Corrie mentions location twice: once in the name, and again in the bio – in two different ways – her city and then the general area (Northern Virginia) to snag the attention of both her hyperlocal and broader, local audience.

🙁 2. Baker’s Letting their Pinned Post get Dated

It’s easy to set and forget a pinned post – and with Facebook’s New Page Experience rolling out (with its fancy featured section), it’s all the more important to keep this section updated. Recreate your pinned posts so the date reflects the current year – 2023 – even if it’s the same exact content. It’ll make your page look up-to-date (which reminds me – I need to do this myself 🙃).

😞 3. Just Posting Photos on TikTok – no video content, no catch, no hook

Tiktokkers want one thing – video content filmed vertically – and they won’t settle for less. Late 2022, TikTok gave us the (unfortunate) option to upload pictures as a slide show instead of video files. It’s… well… boring, and not what the platform is intended for. So while – yes, awesome that you’re getting content out there – 👀 it’s a better use of time to get content that gets eyes out there. Remember, time = money!

Oh yeah – and don’t forget that reach-giving hook. 🪝 Hooks like, “This is the best thing I’ve ever heard in my entire life,” “I just had the WORST experience,” and “Here’s something cookiers will never tell you…” are all great ways to get views (just be sure to follow up with content that matches the hype).

😔 4. No Email Capture

What if Facebook and Instagram disappeared? Where would your business be? If you’re thinkin’ “up a creek sans paddle,” consider creating an email capture. It’s easy to do – even if you’re not ready to send out emails just yet. Mailchimp allows for free account creation AND a free signup form – so you can start building that list now should Meta ever go the way of the DoDo.

😖 5. Cross-Posting with Hashtags

Facebook just can’t seem to make #hashtags work, and we shouldn’t try either. With apps like Facebook’s free Planner (or Hootsuite, OneUp App, and Planoly), you can create content designed for the platform you are posting to. In two clicks, you can create a unique caption for the same content piece for both Instagram (a hashtag reach treasure trove) and Facebook (hashtag Sahara desert) that’ll have your audience feelin’ center stage and not like a posting afterthought.

😓 6. Making Shop Links Hard to Find

Your audience ain’t got the time to play hide and go seek with your website links. Making links hard to find (like putting links in Instagram captions where they’re not clickable) means less money in your pocket. Telling people from a comment to go click on your website (rather than just linking to your website in that comment) is another game of “go fetch” you won’t likely win.

Using menu apps like LinkTree or Shorby can help direct traffic to your shop where they can give you their money in exchange for product. People are busy! Make their ability to buy easy as pie… er, well, cookies.

😢 7. Out-of-Date Bios / Pinned Posts with “Fully Booked”

It was awesome that you were fully booked in November, but baby girl, we are in February – make sure your bio reflects the most up-to-date information. Nothin’ says “don’t give me your money” like an out-of-date bio that says fully booked. Same goes with pinned posts – check those regularly OR put in content that doesn’t expire – like a “meet the baker” post, your order process, and your best sellers.

😭 8. Inconsistency

Most marketing doesn’t require being a branding genius – it really comes down to consistency. Posting and ghosting won’t win you any awards with the algos and it screams “if I give you my money, are you going to give me my product??” doubts. Stay consistent with your marketing, and your lead generation will be more consistent. A healthy posting schedule doesn’t include a 2-month posting gap.