6 Social Media Best Practices

Now that we're well into 2024, social media has taken on a life of its own. What was once a questionable platform that connected friends and family is now the backbone for digital marketers - and we're not just talking about Facebook anymore. With each platform comes noise; digital noise that brands have to breakthrough to get to their audience. Think of it like this, it's as busy as an intersection on a Friday afternoon.

While it seems simple when you take it at face value, it's more work than you think. You're probably thinking that you know social media. All you have to do is just post every now and then, right? However, there's more to it than that. It's not just creating a business account and then assigning someone to man the post. Dive a little deeper.

Coming back to the very point of this post, if you're unsure about social media's best practices and want to learn more, then this guide is for you.

What is Social Media Marketing?

Social media marketing is the act of producing content (be it ads or organic material) for an audience that wants and needs a certain service and/or product. It's about using copywriting best practices to achieve certain goals and objectives, to name a few: driving traffic to the website, engaging with the community, generating leads, and spreading awareness.

Social Media's Best Practices for 2024

What you really need to know about social media is that it's not about you anymore - it's about your people, your audience, your consumers and what not. Keep in mind, some of the best practices will take some effort on your part if you'd like to see high-five worthy results.

Let's dive right into it.

Side note: Be sure to click on each best practice arrow for more information.

1 - Study your audience

Your audience is the survival kit to your business. Everything about them speaks volumes about you. If you know and understand your audience, they understand you.

If you want to get prospects and regulars through the marketing funnel more than once, you've got to keep your wits about you.

One way to discover who you're talking to is by building customer profiles and personas, as well as using analytics to define your demographic in finer detail.

You should also learn to ask the right questions. For example, who makes up your demographic and why should they give you business instead of competitor A?

2 - You don't need to be on every social media platform

There are many businesses who think 'the more the better' - it does not. This is where studying your audience pays off. If you think that having their attention 24/7 is going to get you to engage with them, then think again.

• Look at how your content fits your audience. - Are they more more likely to share, shop,and engage with your brand on Instagram or Facebook?
  

• Decide whether you'll have enough content for that platform. You shouldn't have to repost or reshare on every platform. - If you have only so much to say, say it where it matters most.
  

• Review your ROI and marketing efforts. - You can perform social media audits as well as use a ROI calculator for each platform.

3 - Get more out of A/B testing

Reaching the right audience will come with a few trial and errors. A/B testing is notably the most insightful and accurate way to gage what content works well and what doesn't. You'll be able to find out what different groups want from you on one platform but have different preferences on another.

Look at testing organic and paid content in small variations.

4 - Be clear about your brand and policy

Brand guidelines represent you from a tone of voice perspective - it's what your online presence looks like in the eyes of the audience. Is it recognisable? Is it fun? Is it formal?

You will also need to develop your own policy for social media that your team can refer to. This is about social media best practices from an employee point of view. It will reduce any confusion as to how the company is to be represented online - even from personal accounts.

5 - Plan your content ahead of time

When you have all your ducks in a row, there's always room to brainstorm and review. However, if you have a number of assets to put out onto social media as well as tight deadlines, it's a good idea to come up with a content calendar so that you're not faced with last minute content.

6 - Use social listening as a strategy

Social listening is the practice that helps you monitor any mention of your business, trending content, competitors as well as keywords from social media platforms. Not only are you able to monitor data in real-time, you'll also be able to use the results to support your overall decision making process.

Overview

All in all, those are not the only go-to best practices for social media; there's an endless amount of tips and tricks available. However, your first priority is to make sure that you're using the right platforms for your business - tailor what you need to in order to get your content across in a more meaningful way.