Finding Time to Improve Skills
In 2021 I thought I basically knew everything about social media already. And you can tell by my arrogance, that was about to teach me something.
I was Head of Marketing at a new education company and my forceful and fast moving boss insisted we test a lead generation technique by promoting a lead magnet using organic posts on the account.
Naturally, after finding out he got the idea from a course, I wanted to roll my eyes out of my head (FYI, we’re close friends now). I’d been managing corporate social media management for years, and from all the hundreds of posts across Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn, I had decided that social was good not much. Just for updates and showing that the lights were on at a company. And courses? Pah, those mainly taught bogus techniques that were promoted as silver bullets to the masses.
But I followed orders. I briefed design, had the copy written and posted it. The caption and content asked people to reply if they wanted it. Then I moved onto the next thing in the day.
However, this time people responded. A lot of people.
But I didn’t feel relieved or anything. I felt.. annoyed.
Not because I was wrong in thinking it wouldn’t work. It always sucks being wrong.
I was annoyed because I realised I wasted years not even trying to be right.
For 9 years, I created copy, graphics, and scheduled posts - and I hadn’t properly learned anything about social media. Because I simply went through the motions, I didn’t know or care to find out:
How people actively grow followers without more content, in sustainable ways.
What types of posts were best for getting followers versus nurturing audiences.
Image formats or copy structures for engagement or conversions.
How to use call to actions in the caption copy or graphic to draw attention to a lead magnet or offer.
Most of these micro-tests would have taken just 20 min to research and test. Which could have built up slowly over time into a spell book of well-honed skills and know-how.
Pretty much every client or employer I worked with has wanted to do social media marketing, too. I have had countless opportunities to practice with live accounts.
So when the results were rolling in bringing new sales for the company it felt like a run-up kick to the pants.
This approach changed how quickly my skills developed. For instance, in my Facebook advertising the way I write ads in 2025 is way different to the way did in 2023. Why?
Because I’ve tested:
Different ad frameworks
Different ways of doing hooks
Long vs short copy
Carousels vs statics
Researching positioning and appeals
Implementing emotions into copy
etc
Hundreds of iterations such that it’s even become hard for my team to keep up. If they take a break too long, the system of doing the work will have changed substantially.
So if you’re anything like me, don’t simply go through the motions, friends. Start making small tests and improvements to your skills with the opportunities in front of you now. Or else you’ll realize later you've wasted years, like I did.