5 Marketing Myths That Are Holding You Back (And the Truths You Need to Hear)
Have you ever felt like you’re doing everything right in your marketing, only to see little to no results? The truth is, you might be following advice that’s holding you back without even realizing it. Today, I’m going to bust five of the biggest marketing myths that could be sabotaging your success—and trust me, you’re not alone in falling for them.
A "marketing myth" is a widely believed but completely false idea about what works in marketing. And thanks to the internet, there’s no shortage of misinformation out there. Too often, these myths come from people who haven’t actually gotten their hands dirty—they sound convincing, but following their advice can lead to frustration, wasted time, and even losses in reach, revenue, or awareness.
For solopreneurs and small business owners, this can be especially overwhelming. Without a strong marketing background, it’s easy to fall for outdated or simply wrong strategies that seem like they should work but don’t.
So, why should you listen to me? Unlike many creators out there, I’ve spent years getting my hands dirty in the marketing world—managing campaigns across multiple industries, running social media accounts, creating content strategies, and even experimenting with tools like AI to make marketing more efficient. I’ve seen firsthand what works and, just as importantly, what doesn’t.
I’ve also been where you are. I know what it’s like to feel overwhelmed by conflicting advice and to waste time on strategies that don’t pay off. That’s exactly why I’m here: to help you cut through the noise, avoid the mistakes I’ve made, and focus on what really drives results.
I’ll admit, I’ve been there myself. When I first started, I believed one of the biggest myths out there: “You have to be on every social media channel.” So, I tried to do it all—posting daily on Instagram, making videos for YouTube, experimenting on TikTok, tweeting, and keeping up with my blog. It didn’t take long for me to feel completely burned out. My efforts weren’t paying off because I was spreading myself way too thin.
Eventually, I realized that success doesn’t come from trying to be everywhere at once. Instead, it’s about focusing on one or two platforms, truly mastering them, and building a strong presence before expanding to others. Once I shifted my focus, not only did I feel less stressed, but I also started seeing real results.
That’s just one example of how a myth can lead you astray—and why busting these myths is so important. So, let’s dive in. Here are five marketing myths that might be holding you back, and the truths you need to hear to set your strategy straight.
Myth 1 – “You Have to Post Every Day to Be Successful”
Let’s start with a big one: “You have to post every day to be successful.” If you’ve been scrolling through social media advice, you’ve probably heard this one before. It’s a common belief that the more you post, the better your chances of going viral or getting followers.
On the surface, it makes sense—more posts equal more eyeballs, right? Well, not exactly.
Why This Myth Exists
A lot of creators and influencers perpetuate this idea, encouraging people to post as much as possible. For example, some say you should post up to 15 times a day. It’s easy to see why this resonates—if one post gets you some engagement, then logically, more posts should multiply your chances of success.
But here’s the thing: just because something sounds logical doesn’t mean it’s effective.
Why It’s Harmful
This mindset often leads to extremely mediocre content. When you’re cranking out posts just for the sake of posting, quality takes a backseat. I’ve seen this happen to business owners—they feel so pressured to meet unrealistic posting schedules that they start sharing anything and everything under the kitchen sink.
The result? Mediocre content that doesn’t resonate with their audience and can even damage their reputation. Social media isn’t just about showing up; it’s about how you show up.
And let’s not forget how time-consuming this approach is. For solopreneurs and small business owners, posting daily—or even multiple times a day—can feel like a full-time job, leaving little room for other important tasks.
The Truth: Quality Over Quantity
Now, don’t get me wrong—if you have the ability to create high-quality content and post daily, go for it! But for most business owners, it’s not about volume; it’s about value. Every piece of content you post should serve a purpose.
Ask yourself: Is this content educating my audience? Is it making them laugh? Is it solving a problem or motivating them? If the answer is no, then don’t post it. Posting for the sake of posting doesn’t help anyone—it’s about creating meaningful connections.
A Strategy That Works
Here’s what I recommend: Start with a content calendar to map out your strategy. Define your goals for each platform and the type of content you’ll post. For example, on Instagram, aim for a mix of Reels, Stories, in-feed posts, and carousels.
Next, align each post with a specific goal:
Is it for brand awareness (Top of Funnel)?
Is it to nurture leads (Middle of Funnel)?
Or is it to convert customers (Bottom of Funnel)?
Also, be flexible enough to jump on trends that align with your brand, but only if they serve your overall strategy.
How to Apply This to Your Social Media Strategy
At the end of the day, there’s no one-size-fits-all solution in marketing. You have to find what works for you. But as a general rule of thumb, posting 3 times a week with high-quality, value-driven content can be enough to grow a channel.
For example, when I worked with a law firm, I grew their TikTok channel organically to over 40,000 followers in just a few months. We weren’t posting daily; instead, we posted 1 to 4 times per week. But every single video was packed with knowledge and guidance that really helped the viewers. It wasn’t about quantity—it was about impact.
Myth 2 – “You Need a Huge Budget to Run Ads That Work”
A lot of people assume this because they see big brands like Apple or Coca-Cola spending millions of dollars on Super Bowl ads. And while those massive budgets grab headlines, they also create a misconception—that success with ads is only possible if you’re spending big.
Why This Myth Exists
This myth also stems from a lack of transparency. Many creators or businesses don’t share the real details about what it takes to run effective campaigns. If you’re new to digital ads, it’s easy to think you need to shell out thousands just to make an impact. And without knowing key factors like the cost-per-click, cost-per-impression, or how to structure a campaign, it’s no wonder so many people feel overwhelmed.
Why It’s Harmful
Here’s why this belief is so damaging: it stops small business owners and solopreneurs from even trying ads. I’ve seen people get burned before because they didn’t know how to set up their campaigns. They’ll throw their entire budget into one ad, get no results, and then decide ads “don’t work.”
I’ve been running ads for over 10 years, and let me tell you—it’s not about how much money you spend; it’s about how you spend it. The key is knowing your end goal. Are you trying to generate leads? Build brand awareness? Get more video views? Your objective shapes your entire strategy, including how you allocate your budget.
The Truth: You Don’t Need a Huge Budget
If you’re just starting out, you don’t need a massive budget to see results. For example:
On Facebook, you can start with as little as $50 per campaign. Allocate a small daily budget, say $10–$20, and test different ads. Once you see what’s working, put more money behind your top-performing ad.
On Google, the budget can be a little higher depending on the keywords you’re targeting. If you’re running a lead generation campaign, you might need closer to $400/day for meaningful results, but video view campaigns can cost just 1–2 cents per view.
And here’s the truth about platforms: not all of them are created equal for small budgets. If you’re working with limited resources, I recommend starting with Facebook Ads. The algorithm is incredibly smart at finding the right audience for you. Platforms like LinkedIn and Google are more expensive and require more expertise to optimize, while TikTok requires a lot of creative assets to test effectively.
How to Get Started on a Small Budget
If you’re working with a smaller budget, here’s what I suggest:
Start Small and Test: Begin with one campaign, one ad set, and a clear goal. For example, if you have $50, allocate it toward one high-quality ad on Facebook. Monitor it closely and see what works before scaling.
Keep Your Targeting Open: Facebook’s algorithm is highly trained and can identify your ideal audience better than overly narrow targeting. Trust the system and let it optimize for you.
Monitor Closely: Check your campaigns daily, especially in the beginning, to ensure you’re not overspending. Look at metrics like cost-per-click, cost-per-lead, or cost-per-thousand impressions.
Define Your Goal: Are you aiming for awareness, video views, leads, or conversions? The clearer your goal, the easier it is to structure your campaign and optimize your budget.
In my experience, I’ve managed ads with budgets ranging from a few hundred dollars to tens of thousands, and the same principle always applies: start small, optimize, and scale. For instance, I once worked on a campaign with a $50/day budget on Facebook. By testing different creatives and letting the algorithm do its work, we identified the winning ad and scaled it to deliver incredible results—all without breaking the bank.
Myth 3 – “Marketing Results Should Be Instant”
I’ve heard variations of this so many times, and I’m sure my fellow marketers are nodding along. The idea that you’ll see instant success the moment you hit the publish button—or that an ad will magically start bringing in leads the second you launch it—is a widespread misconception.
Why This Myth Exists
In my experience, this myth usually comes from people who are new to marketing or simply don’t understand the process. It’s not really encouraged by platforms—it’s more about a lack of knowledge.
Think about it: someone sees the “publish” button on an ad platform and assumes that’s it—just hit “go,” and the results will roll in. They don’t realize there’s an approval process or that ads need time to reach the right audience. It’s like expecting a meal to be ready the moment you turn on the stove!
Why It’s Harmful
This myth can be harmful for a few reasons. First, if results don’t come right away, people assume the strategy isn’t working. I’ve seen small business owners and solopreneurs give up on ads entirely because they didn’t get quick wins, even when their campaigns were actually on the right track.
For marketers, this mindset creates unnecessary pressure. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve had to answer questions like, “Why aren’t the ads delivering yet?” or “Why haven’t we seen leads?”—and the ad had only been live for a few hours! It’s all about managing expectations and understanding that Rome wasn’t built in a day, and neither are successful campaigns.
The Truth: Marketing Takes Time
Here’s the reality: Once an ad is approved and running, it usually takes a full day before you can assess initial performance. If there’s no engagement or delivery after 24 hours, it’s a sign something might be off—like your targeting, budget, or ad creative.
But to truly assess a campaign, you need to give it at least 3–4 days. This is when you’ll start seeing meaningful trends in your metrics, like click-through rates (CTR), cost-per-thousand impressions (CPM), or cost-per-lead (CPL).
Patience and consistency are key here. Ads are like a slow-cooked meal—they need time to simmer before they deliver results. If you’re constantly tweaking too soon, you’ll never give your campaign a chance to optimize.
How to Apply This Truth to Your Business
Here’s how you can avoid falling into the “instant results” trap:
Understand the Process:
Every ad goes through an approval process by the platform. Don’t expect results the second you hit publish—give it time to get approved and start serving.
Monitor Metrics Carefully:
Once the ad is live, wait at least a day before assessing its performance. Look for key indicators like impressions or clicks to make sure it’s delivering.
Be Patient but Proactive:
Give your campaign 3–4 days to gather data before making changes. If you’re running an awareness campaign, focus on metrics like CPM (cost-per-thousand impressions). If you’re driving conversions, track CPL (cost-per-lead), click throuh rate (CTR) and your conversion rate.
Set Realistic Expectations:
Remember, marketing is a long game. It’s about optimizing and building over time, not achieving overnight success. If running digial ads would be that easy, everyone would be doing it.
Myth 4 – “More Followers Equal More Sales”
At first glance, this one seems logical, right? The more followers you have, the more influence you must have. But that’s not always the case. In fact, I’d argue that focusing too much on follower count can hurt your strategy more than it helps.
Why This Myth Exists
People tend to associate big numbers with big success. Seeing a large follower count makes us think, “Wow, this person must be killing it.” But social platforms have evolved. Most have shifted from follower-based algorithms to interest-based algorithms, meaning your content is shown to people who care about it, not just your followers.
Let me share a story. Back in 2015, when I was working as a digital marketing manager for a skincare company, we decided to collaborate with an influencer for the holiday season. Influencer marketing was booming, so we thought this was the perfect way to boost sales.
We chose an influencer with a huge YouTube following and worked with them to create a custom lip liner and lipstick bundle. It seemed like a match made in heaven—until it wasn’t. The bundle flopped spectacularly. We later realized that this influencer’s followers weren’t actually engaged with their content or interested in their recommendations. In hindsight, we could have asked for more insights about their audience, but it was a valuable lesson: follower count doesn’t always translate to influence or sales.
Why It’s Harmful
This myth leads to what I call “chasing clout.” Small business owners and solopreneurs start focusing on vanity metrics—like hitting a certain follower milestone—rather than creating meaningful connections with their audience.
I once worked with someone whose main goal was to gain a million followers on a social media platform. They were convinced that going viral was the only way to achieve this, as if it were something you could just “request” and make happen. Instead of focusing on high-quality, consistent content that could attract an engaged audience over time, they wanted immediate results—and it just doesn’t work that way.
The Truth:
The reality is, you can have 20 followers and still make money if those followers are engaged and aligned with your brand. It’s about:
The quality of your audience: Are they genuinely interested in what you offer?
How you position yourself online: Are you seen as a trusted authority?
The strategies you use: Are you leveraging ads, email marketing, or direct engagement effectively?
A smaller, highly engaged audience will always outperform a large, disengaged one when it comes to driving sales or conversions.
How to Apply This to Your Strategy
So, how can you shift your focus from chasing followers to building real connections?
Create Actionable Content:
Encourage your audience to take action, whether it’s commenting on a post, sharing your content, or signing up for your email list.
Engage Authentically:
Build relationships by responding to comments, engaging in direct messages, and showing your audience that you care.
Prioritize Value:
Focus on content that educates, entertains, or solves a problem for your audience. When you provide value, your followers will naturally want to support you.
I’ve worked on campaigns where the focus wasn’t on growing followers but rather on creating high-quality, engaging content. Even with a modest audience, we were able to drive sales by prioritizing engagement and connection over sheer numbers.
Myth 5 – “Organic Reach Is Dead”
The final myth I am busting today is a big one: “Organic reach is dead.”
If you’ve been on social media for any length of time, you’ve probably noticed a decline in engagement—maybe fewer likes, comments, or shares compared to what you used to get. Combine that with constant algorithm changes, and it’s easy to see why people believe this myth.
But here’s the thing: organic reach isn’t dead. It’s just different.
Why This Myth Exists
Platforms like Facebook and Instagram have changed significantly over the past few years in terms of how content is shown to users. It’s no longer about simply posting and hoping your followers see it. Now, it’s about playing to the strengths of each platform—whether that’s using Reels, leveraging trending audio, or understanding how TikTok prioritizes content.
When engagement drops, it can feel like the platform is working against you. But that’s not the whole story.
Why This Myth Is Harmful
Believing that organic reach is dead can be extremely discouraging for solopreneurs and small business owners. You might spend hours creating a post, only to get five likes—and instead of celebrating those five likes, it feels like a personal failure.
I’ve been there. It’s frustrating to put so much effort into content and not see the results you were hoping for. But the truth is, it’s not the platform that’s failing you—it’s about how you’re approaching it. If you understand each platform and play to its strengths, you’ll see that organic reach is very much alive.
For example, I’ve worked with clients who thought organic reach was impossible until we started focusing on creating platform-specific content. Once we prioritized Reels on Instagram and embraced trends on TikTok, their reach skyrocketed—all without spending a single dollar on ads.
The Truth: Organic Reach Still Works
Here’s the truth: organic reach is all about understanding the platform and creating content that resonates with your audience.
On platforms like TikTok and YouTube Shorts, organic reach is thriving. Both platforms prioritize content that captures attention quickly, whether it’s through trending audio or compelling storytelling.
Instagram Reels is another great tool for boosting your reach. Since Reels are still being prioritized by Instagram’s algorithm, jumping on trends or creating educational, entertaining, or inspiring short-form videos can help get your content in front of more people.
The key is to focus on what works for the platform you’re using and stay consistent.
How to Apply This to Your Business
So, how can you improve your organic reach? Here are a few actionable steps:
Create Platform-Specific Content:
Tailor your content to each platform. For example, TikTok is great for quick, casual, and relatable videos, while YouTube Shorts thrives on storytelling and tutorials.
Leverage Trends:
Jump on trends that align with your brand. This doesn’t mean you have to dance or lip-sync—it’s about making trends work for your message.
Focus on Resonance, Not Virality:
Create content that speaks directly to your audience’s needs or interests. Viral moments are great, but consistent, engaging content is what builds relationships.
Celebrate Small Wins:
Instead of focusing on low engagement as a failure, view it as a learning opportunity. Did those five likes come from people in your target audience? If so, you’re on the right track.
When I first started experimenting with TikTok, I didn’t expect much. But by creating short, value-packed videos that resonated with the audience, I saw one video gain thousands of views overnight. It wasn’t because I had a huge following—it was because the content hit the mark.
Platforms like TikTok and YouTube Shorts are incredible opportunities for organic growth, but only if you’re willing to adapt and create content tailored to your audience.
So, the next time you hear someone say, “Organic reach is dead,” you can smile and know the truth. It’s not dead—it’s just about knowing how to work with the platform, not against it.
Now that we’ve busted five major marketing myths, let’s put these truths into action and start building strategies that work.