A Social Media Audit Guide
As technology evolves and society becomes increasingly connected virtually, social media applications are now more embedded in our daily lives. What’s the latest TikTok trend? Where are the coolest new cafes? These answers could all be found within the grasp of our social media applications—Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, TikTok and more.
With so much content being pushed out on several platforms, how do brands differentiate their content from their competitors? And most importantly, how do they know which social media platforms should they be on? And this, friends, is where our guideline on conducting a social media audit comes in handy.
Wait, hold up! What is a social media audit, even?
The professional definition of a social media audit is essentially, “the process of reviewing your business’ metrics to assess growth, opportunities and what can be done to improve your social presence.” (from Sprout Social) but in our own terms, a social media audit lets you know where, when, why and how you should be on social media. Bonus, you get to compare your brand to your competitors’ too, since humans enjoy the art of comparison.
Here is a quick guide we put together to help you on your social media audit!
Internal Review
It is important to review internally before looking outwards and this is especially crucial for your brand’s social media audit. By reviewing your social media presence, you have a hold on the platforms you actually own access to, and keeps you updated on potential issues which may arise.
Track all your social media accounts and record them
Align all social media accounts
Ensure your brand’s logo is consistently used across different platforms
Check through all profile images, banner photos, description etc.)
Determine the best posts/ content (tap into your analytics tool to find out!)
Reach
Reactions
Engagement Rate
Strategise content pillars based on the performance review from previous step
Evaluate platform performance (decide on performance metrics for you to track; i.e. traffic, engagement)
Our social media audit template (complete with competitor benchmark) can be downloaded here!
Research on Industry Trends/ Best Practices
After doing an internal review, you can starting doing additional research to inform your social media strategy — by looking up on industry best practices and industry trends. Understanding best practices and the specific’s platform performance go a long way in helping you develop a framework for your social media calendar. Certain industry/platform trends and best practices may include;
Demographics of the platform
Example: LinkedIn is popular among working professionals between the ages of 25 to 48, but these demographics different for TikTok, Facebook and so on.
Posting frequency
Content formats
Certain content formats perform better on different platforms (e.g. Carousel posts on Instagram getting higher impressions as compared to a static post)
Content dimensions
Proportion plays a part in getting good metrics on your social media platforms! If you are considering a landscape media for Instagram, you’d have to consider centring the focus of your content on a 1:1 ratio before expanding — this preview is especially important if you care about the aesthetics of your Instagram grid!
Image from Unsplash
Comparison & Evaluation
The third (and conclusive) step(s) of a social media audit involves doing a benchmark comparison between your brand and your competitor. While it is easy to get overly absorbed into comparing data, do be mindful that there are variables that affect the performance of your social media platforms and those of your competitors’. Look out for content that performs well on your competitors’ social media platforms; is the key visual eye-catching? Is the copywriting written in a serious or conversational tone? These are factors that affect content performance.
When it comes to evaluating performance, make sure you are aware of the metrics you are looking for. Many times, different sets of data will overwhelm you, but that can be prevented if you know what you are looking for. Are you tracking the total number of reach? Impressions? Reaction? Link clicks? Different data sets inform your strategy, so align them accordingly to what you hope to achieve!
One thing to note: set a time frame for your next review! Times change, and industry trends/ best practices change accordingly too. It is wise to set a recurring period (6 months, a year) to review your social media platforms. With constant review and strategising, you move ahead than the rest of your competitors ;)
All the best!