We broke down some advice from a few 8-year olds into actionable steps you can take right now for marketing your business via social media. Sometimes advice in the simplest form makes the most impact.

Do not keep secrets from your parents.

In other words, be as open and transparent as you can be on social media. Authenticity is a form of currency in how a brand is conveyed online and is often rewarded with higher engagement on social media. In some cases, such as with Elon Musk’s SpaceX rocket landings, he held details of his space launches back from his social media channels and instead only tweeted out after having a successful landing. We may be a few more years off from commercial space travel and Musk is better off not sharing his failures, instead figuring out the technology in the process. There are some instances where secrecy is baked into a public relations strategy and for companies innovating the future of space travel, they can get away with a little more secrecy. For everyone else, maintaining a level of behind-the-scenes exclusivity that fits with your brand is just right for social media sharing.

Don't be afraid to just be yourself.

Finding your unique voice can be a process of trial and error, so once you find a tone and feel for your online persona, it can be smooth sailing. Don’t get caught up speaking in a formal professional tone, even if you are a law office of divorce attorneys. Instead, think about sharing employee anniversaries, conferences, and relevant industry information. It’s okay to show a little personality while still maintaining a level of professionalism.

Keep playing outside, keep exploring, and keep covering yourself in mud.

If there is one piece of advice that is the most important from children, it is to keep exploring. Social media is a broad term that encompasses so many outlets and platforms. No one can afford to stay still and maintain a status quo. It’s important to keep evolving and experimenting. If you post a blog article to LinkedIn to get more traffic to your website, try also posting to another platform like Medium. Try it out for fun and see if you get more readers on your blog as a result. If you usually just post photos, try creating a video from your phone instead and posting a new type of media. There are all sorts of ways to keep things fresh and interesting on social media. These platforms are constantly changing, which means standing still equals missed opportunities. So once you get comfortable posting video, get ready for another dimension.

Be more imaginative.

When Felix Baumgartner did the highest sky-dive on record, Red Bull quickly signed on as a sponsor and we all watched diligently from our smart phones. When it comes to creating content for social media, the sky is the limit. Host an “Ask Me Anything” session on Reddit and quickly find out insights from your customer’s questions. Try announcing a contest on Facebook that captures leads in the process. Many of these ideas will unfold during brainstorming and strategy sessions, and in turn become campaigns that are a lot of fun to execute.

Training wheels are for babies. Just let go already.

When children give tough advice, perhaps it is time to let go already. From taking risks, being yourself, and being authentic, you’ve now heard some pretty sage advice when it comes to managing your social media. If you have read this far, you are ready to take the training wheels off and start posting great content and building loyal followers. Once you learn the basics of how to operate social media successfully for a brand or company, it’s like riding a bike - you never forget.