The algorithm is always shifting. What worked yesterday might flop today and keeping up with it all can feel like a full-time job. Social media management often gets bundled in with other roles, but let’s be real, this is a specialised skill.
When I took on the task of managing social media for The Ripple Effect, I realised I needed to level up. I signed up to a 3-month course in Social Media Marketing to wrap my head around how it all really works, and how to get the most out of our digital comms.
Here is what I have learned – my personal Golden Rules for social media marketing…
Think about your audience
Never assume you know your audience. Before clicking post, do a deep dive into what has resonated before and who it has resonated with . Your audience isn’t “everyone”. Whether you’re a brand or creator, you need to understand who you’re talking to and why they should care about what you have to say. The content you post should feel like it was made just for them (because it was).
Focus on personas
Personas are your secret weapon. Think of them like Sims: each one is unique, carefully built with their own motivations, habits, and frustrations. These semi-fictional profiles help you understand the different audiences you are trying to reach.
Once you’ve created your personas, you can start creating content for them. What platforms do they use and what tone of voice speaks to them? How can your brand help them achieve what they want? Always think about tailoring your content to your personas, so it doesn’t feel like a stab in the dark.
Greggs knows their audience and posts a variety of TikToks, reels, and funny content that leans into the cult status of their brand. Everyone loves a Greggs sausage roll but they give you a legitimate reason to follow their socials – for a laugh. It seems that their purpose is to entertain.
Set out objectives
Every post should have a purpose. Never post for no reason: this is a difficult one to tackle as we often think that we should always be posting. Ask yourself whether you’re posting for engagement or awareness, or whether you’re trying to turn interested personas into loyal fans.
Pinpoint where your audience is in their social media journey and tailor your goals accordingly. Top of the funnel? Grab their attention. Already a customer? Make sure you stay relevant and helpful.
Always be measuring
No matter the platform, you need to know what’s working and what isn’t. Dive into your analytics, check your engagement, follow the click-throughs, and Google Analytics is such a good tool for this. Where is your audience coming from? What posts are landing and which ones are falling flat?
You don’t have to be everywhere so focus on being effective somewhere. Let the insight guide your efforts and make sure you are always learning from the data. Good content is a source of strength.
Stay up to date
There are always new features, changing algorithms, and new trends so staying up to date can feel like a constant race. Follow trusted scheduling tools like Hootsuite or Buffer for updates. Scroll through reels to see what’s trending and read blogs from marketers you trust. Keeping your finger on the pulse will help you stay relevant.
One brand that does this well is Duolingo. No matter whether you’re a fan of the bird, or have just heard of them from friends, they nail their social media presence. They hop on trends like Labubu, do stunts like ‘the Death of Duo’ and meme-ify themselves creating buzz that reaches new audiences and spreads awareness of their fun-loving brand.
As new versions of each platform roll out, and algorithms consistently change, it’s easy to feel like you’re constantly playing catch up. Here is my parting advice: play to your strengths. You don’t need to be on every platform, and you don’t need to go viral to be successful. Lean into the things you are good at and let your personality shine through. Not every charity needs a TikTok account and not every campaign needs a viral Tweet.
Do it right, do the research, learn from your data and your audience will grow.
