Every marketing blog, conference, and course is packed with "best practices." Post at this time. Use these hashtags. Follow this template. But here's the uncomfortable truth: most of this advice is either outdated, oversimplified, or simply wrong.
The Problem with Best Practices
Best practices become popular not because they're universally effective, but because they're easy to teach and follow. They give the illusion of expertise without requiring the hard work of actual analysis.
Consider the classic advice to "post on social media at 9am on Tuesday." This recommendation is based on aggregate data that may have nothing to do with your specific audience. Your followers might be most active at midnight. Or Sunday morning. Or never.
What We Found
After analyzing hundreds of campaigns across different industries, we found that the businesses achieving the best results were often doing the opposite of conventional wisdom:
- They posted less frequently - Quality over quantity consistently outperformed high-volume approaches
- They ignored optimal posting times - Instead, they focused on when their specific audience was most engaged
- They broke format rules - Long-form content often outperformed the "keep it short" advice
- They invested in fewer channels - Deep expertise in one platform beat shallow presence across many
A Better Approach
Instead of following best practices blindly, consider this framework:
- Understand the principle behind the practice - Why does this advice exist? What problem does it solve?
- Test against your data - Does this actually work for your audience and business?
- Iterate based on results - Let your data guide your strategy, not industry dogma
The Bottom Line
Best practices are a starting point, not a destination. The businesses that win are those willing to question conventional wisdom and let data drive their decisions. Don't follow the crowd—test, measure, and find what works for you.