How to Avoid Common Grammar Mistakes in Social Media Writing (Without Sounding Like a Robot)

Yikes!

My business partner updated our company’s LinkedIn page and it’s a mess. I found three writing mistakes in just one post. I’m almost afraid to check our other social media accounts.

—Miranda

Social media isn’t exactly known as the epicenter of perfect grammar. But if you’re using platforms like LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, or Bluesky to promote your brand or grow your business, writing mistakes can turn potential customers away. Good grammar, by contrast, can give your business or brand a competitive edge.

After examining her business partner’s posts more carefully, Miranda realized that his writing mistakes were all small, common ones. “But there were a lot of them,” she said. “I don’t understand how this could happen. My partner is a native English speaker with a master’s degree in marketing.”

As our TextRanch editors are well aware, being a native English speaker or having an advanced degree does not prevent someone from making writing mistakes. Even excellent writers can lose their focus or slip up while they’re typing, especially if they are trying to do some other task at the same time.

So whether you’re writing something for social media—or checking on your business partner’s posts—here are some grammar mistakes to watch for…

1. Your vs. you’re

These two words are homophones. They have the same sound, but different meanings.

• Your = something that belongs to you (“Our brand new, all-natural facial mask will make your skin look fantastic!”)
• You’re = you are (“If you’re ready for smooth, clear skin, try our brand new, all-natural facial mask.”)

Quick tip: If you can replace it with “you are” and the sentence still makes sense, then “you’re” is correct.

2. There, their, and they’re

Like your/you’re, these three words are homophones. Our TextRanch blog has an entire article about them, but here’s a quick rundown:

• There = a place (“We will be there at noon.”)
• Their = belongs to them (“Their office is located on Fifth Street near the railroad tracks.”)
• They’re = they are (“They’re performing a concert at the Hilltop Coffee House on May 7.”)

3. It’s vs. its

Here are two more homophones that confuse native speakers as well as English language learners, so double-check for this one before you publish your content.

• It’s = it is (“It’s a great time to invest in the stock market.”)
• Its = shows ownership (“Does your car have problems with its transmission?”)

4. Lose vs. loose

These two words aren’t homophones, but they are almost the same. The “s” in “lose” has a “z” sound, the same as the “s” in “because” and “wise”. Meanwhile, the “s” in “loose” sounds the same as the “s” in words like “see” and “silly”. But if you’re not a native English speaker, you might not hear the difference.

As we pointed out in an previous blog article, “lose” and “loose” have different meanings.

• Lose = to misplace something, or to fail at a goal (“I don’t want to lose this game.”)
• Loose = not tight (“These pants don’t fit. They’re too loose around the waist.”)

5. Run-on sentences

Sometimes when a person uses social media they feel really excited about their post so they cram multiple ideas into one sentence without punctuation when they should break things into two or more sentences making it easier for their audience to follow because when you go on and on like this it’s like expecting your readers to swallow an entire plate of spaghetti and meatballs in one huge gulp.

See how exhausting it is to make sense of a run-on sentence? Use commas, periods, or (in casual/informal posts) emojis to guide your reader.

 

6. Mistakes with apostrophes

An apostrophe in the wrong spot can turn a great social media post into a cringe-fest.

Remember, apostrophes are for contractions (don’t = do not) or possessives (Miranda’s laptop). They are not for plurals.

• Incorrect: We offer discount’s on all our product’s.
• Correct: We offer discounts on all our products.

Still confused about apostrophes? Here’s an article with additional details and examples.

7. Inconsistent tone and tense

One minute you’re writing in the past tense, and the next you’re in the present. Or you start off casual and friendly, but end up sounding formal and stiff.

Keep your voice consistent from start to finish. Your audience will thank you.

Bonus Tip: You want to sound human, not robotic

These days, a lot of business owners are using AI tools to help them craft social media posts. This is fine if you’re just using AI to help you get organized or if you’re working through a difficult passage. But don’t let your real, authentic voice get lost in the shuffle.

• Is the AI using words and expressions that don’t sound like something you’d say/write? Change them!
• Is the tone of the AI-generated post too formal? Give it a more casual feel by using contractions (like “you’re” in place of “you are”), plain English, and a friendly voice.
• Did the AI churn out a social media post that sounds too much like the one it churned out for you last week? Rewrite it using your own words.
• Think about how you’d explain something to a friend or colleague, and write like that.

Social media users scroll fast, but they do notice mistakes. An occasional typo or grammar error won’t destroy your brand, but too many can make you look sloppy, careless, or untrustworthy.

On the flip side, clear, polished writing builds trust. It shows your audience that you are a professional who cares about your work. And when people trust you, they’re more likely to click, follow, share—and buy.

Even short social media posts and photo captions deserve a thorough proofread. A second set of eyes can catch the little things that spellcheck or an AI tool might miss. So before you hit “publish”, click the blue button below. Our TextRanch editors can make sure your post is perfect and polished.