2026 Social Media best practices: What has changed and how to adapt

 

Social media has evolved rapidly in the past few years.  Algorithms are smarter, AI is now part of nearly every social media marketing workflow, and users are increasingly turning to social platforms as search engines.

For brands, social media best practices are no longer about posting consistently.  It’s about creating discoverable, authentic content that works across algorithms, AI apps, and social communities.

 

Three major changes are shaping social media marketing in 2026:

 

1. Using AI Tools

Artificial intelligence tools like ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini have become standard tools for marketers to brainstorm ideas, generate drafts, analyze performance data, and repurpose content.

Nearly all social media professionals now use AI in some capacity, though the most successful brands still rely on human creativity and editing to maintain an authentic voice.  If you have never used an AI tool like ChatGPT, read our blog, How to Use ChatGPT to Create Social Posts.

In addition to using AI applications to generate ideas and rewrite content, you will also need to consider how to create content that is found and referred to by ChatGPT, Claude, and Google Gemini to allow your content to be more discoverable.

 

 

2. Authentic content matters more than ever

On the flip side, as AI-generated content floods social media, audiences increasingly value real human voices and experiences.  Research shows many consumers trust brands more when they believe the content was created by a real person rather than entirely generated by AI.

 

 

3. Social Media and AI platforms have become search engines

More users are now searching directly on platforms like Instagram and YouTube instead of Google.  In addition, searches start in ChatGPT and Claude rather than in the Google search box.  That means two things.

#1: Captions, titles, and even spoken words in your Instagram Reels and YouTube videos should include keywords you want to be discovered for.

#2: You need to create content that is AI-friendly.

 

In short, social media success in 2026 requires a mix of authentic storytelling, smart use of AI tools, and search-friendly content.  Let’s dive in and explore new changes you should embrace this year!

 

 

Social Media Best Practices for 2026

 

In the ever-evolving realm of social media, staying ahead of the curve is crucial for both B2C and B2B businesses aiming to make meaningful connections and drive results.  As we move through 2026, understanding social media best practices, creating posts on the best days and times, and using AI correctly can help you maximize your social media efforts.

 

1. Using AI in Social Media Marketing (without losing your voice)

 

AI tools like ChatGPT have dramatically accelerated how marketers create content, but they work best when used as assistants, not replacements.  The most effective brands use AI to support their creativity, not automate it entirely.  Smart ways to use AI in social media marketing include:

• Brainstorming post ideas or campaign concepts
• Repurposing long-form content
• Summarizing blogs into multiple social posts
• Identifying keywords or hashtags
• Analyzing performance trends

 

Keep in mind, AI-generated content should always be reviewed, edited, and personalized before publishing.  Social platforms are increasingly detecting and labeling AI-generated content, and overly automated posts may see reduced engagement if they feel generic or impersonal.

 

The AI social media best practices for 2026 involve a “human-in-the-loop”.  Therefore, here are the steps to guide you:

• Use AI to speed up brainstorming and drafting
• Edit heavily to add real experience, personality, and brand voice
• Publish content that feels human!

For a deeper look at how to use AI tools effectively in social media marketing, read our guide: How to Use ChatGPT to Create Social Posts.

 

2. Be More Authentic

 

Wth AI-generated posts dominating the landscape, one of the best social media practices for 2026 is to be more authentic.  Human storytelling wins!

Be honest, revealing, and show that a human is still driving your business.  Authenticity can help you build trust and foster a stronger connection with your followers.  In addition, create more empathetic posts instead of relying solely on sales-focused messages.  Our blog, Empathetic Marketing: How to Communicate in Times of Crisis, can help!

 

3. Optimize your content for Social search

 

Creating content for social search means thinking like your audience and how they ask questions.  Instead of posting generic captions, use natural, keyword-rich language.  Use phrases like “best cycling gear for cold weather” or “how to train for a triathlon”.

Where to use keyphrases to optimize your content for social search:

• In your copy
• Video titles
• Saying the keyword or keyphrase out loud in the audio
• Descriptions
• Image ALT tags

 

This enables your content to be found when viewers search within channels like Instagram or YouTube.  The goal is to make your content discoverable not just in the feed, but long after it’s posted. 

Creating this optimized, AI-friendly content means structuring your posts so algorithms can easily understand, categorize, and recommend them.  Use clear language and descriptive captions so platforms can confidently surface your content to the right audience. 

 

 

4. Build community and foster engagement

 

Social media best practices are not just about broadcasting messages; it’s about building a community around your brand or organization.  Engagement is worth more than likes or follows!  By engagement, we mean your readers or followers are:

• Clicking on your links
• Adding a comment
• Sharing your post with others
• Sending you a DM (direct message)
• Sharing your posts in a text or on WhatsApp

 

These last two, sending you a DM and sharing your post in a text or WhatsApp, are a more ‘dark social’ or private engagement, but are still important.  In addition, engagement means liking, commenting, and sharing like-minded posts from respected brands and leaders in your industry. 

How do you determine which of your posts are getting the most engagement so you can replicate them?  Take a look at your LinkedIn, Facebook Analytics, or Instagram Insights to see which posts not only have good reach but also good engagement.  Tools like Hootsuite are also helpful as they can tell you when your audience is online and more likely to engage! 

 

How to Foster Engagement

 

Other ways to foster engagement and build community are to share testimonials and product reviews, and recount one-in-a-lifetime experiences!

If you’re not already doing so, encourage past customers or clients to share their experiences, photos, and videos through social media and with a review on your site or through Google.  See how we’ve done this for Maui Snorkeling!

In addition, make it easy for someone to leave a review.  On a trip to Sayulita, Mexico, we booked a boat tour with Chica Locca, and their staff had QR codes on the backs of the shirts!  You could easily scan and leave a review or submit a photo or video during the tour.  Leverage your social media platforms to amplify these authentic stories and testimonials!

One of the best social media practices is to foster a sense of belonging.  Make followers feel heard and valued.  

 

5. AI Is Driving What Content Is Seen

 

In 2026, social media algorithms rely heavily on AI to determine what content users see, analyzing signals like watch time, interaction patterns, and even scroll behavior.  Social media success isn’t about “hacking” the algorithm.  It’s about creating AI-friendly content that holds attention and feels relevant in the moment.

The more your content encourages people to pause, watch, save, or share, the more the algorithm learns to distribute it.  In this AI-driven world, strong storytelling and authentic moments will outperform overly polished or overly promotional posts every time.

 

6. Strategically use hashtags and emojis

 

Hashtags remain important for increasing your discoverability and reach on platforms like YouTube, Instagram, and X.  However, it’s crucial to use relevant and targeted hashtags rather than relying on generic ones.  Instagram now limits hashtags to a maximum of 5 per post or Reel.  Research trending hashtags in your industry.  Create a hashtag for your brand!  Remember, everything can’t be #instagood

For emojis, go lightly.  Social media best practices are to use emojis to break up copy; 2-3 in a post is plenty!  A runner emoji with the wind behind them or a monkey covering its face could catch your reader’s eye more than just text.

 

 7. Where to POST

 

Determine the best channels to distribute your content by defining your audience.  Once you know who they are and which social channels they spend most of their time on, focus on those channels.  First, if you need a refresher on how to use Facebook, Instagram, and X, read our blog: Social Media Back to the Basics!

• YouTube has more viewership and a larger active base than Instagram!
• X (formerly Twitter) has faced a rapid decline.
• TikTok is still the most popular among younger demographics.
• LinkedIn remains the go-to platform for B2B marketing.
• Facebook remains the largest social network!

 

Keep in mind, these social platforms may not be where YOU spend most of your time.  You may have deleted your personal Facebook page in 2016!  Instead, think about where your target demographic spends most of THEIR time.  Facebook users are an older demographic, but one with high purchasing power!

Not sure which social channels people are using to find your brand?  Look at your website’s analytics, or better yet, Google Analytics.  The data may surprise you!  Need more help?  Drop us a line!

 

 

8. What to post on social

  

Many of us stare at the blank slate when it comes to writing engaging copy.  This is where AI tools like ChatGPT and Claude can help! Easily create captions for your photos and videos, then edit to add your own voice and brand messaging.  If you haven’t read our ‘Using ChatGPT for Social Posts‘ Blog yet, bookmark it for later.  

 

Don’t rely solely on static images or text-based posts!  Experiment with videos, infographics, and Instagram Story panels.  Use a poll or ask a question to keep your feed dynamic and engaging.  If you are not using Canva yet, get on it!  With Canva, you can easily use their AI tools to build out infographics, YouTube videos, and Instagram Reels.

 

How to Create BetteR Videos with less effort

 

You do not need to pay someone to help you create videos!  Experiment with recording yourself, and use Canva’s video templates for YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok to save time and money.  Ensure you make them more authentic by overlaying your recorded audio, your logo, and using your brand colors and fonts.

 

As video content continues to be a powerhouse on social media, driving higher engagement and retention rates, we’ve packed this section with lots of ideas you can begin using today!

 

Leverage short-form videos like YouTube Shorts to capture your audience’s attention.  Think more Instagram Reels and less polished full-length YouTube videos.

 

Videos and multiple images will perform better than a single static image almost every time.  Therefore, here are 2 blogs to read for more ideas to take better photos and videos:

• How To Take Great Photos
• Create Videos for Social Media

 

Pro tip: Do not post the same exact copy and imagery across each social media channel on the same day.  First of all, the links, videos, image size, copy style, and @ mentions will not work across all channels in the same way.  In addition, broken links or missing images can be seen as spammy.  Or just lazy.  Change up the copy and imagery slightly for each post.

 

Split Your weekly posts into themes

• 1 sales post (advertising services or products)
• 1 curated or UGC post (user-generated content). Share something from an industry leader or an article.
• 1 blog post share (from your blog) 
• 1 stellar customer review or success story!

 

This mix can change depending on what your marketing strategy is that month.  Are you running a sale or hosting a fundraiser?  If so, prioritize that in your weekly content mix!

 

 

9. How to post: use a content calendar + scheduling app

 

Plan out your social media posts and videos using a content calendar.  You can also use a Content Calendar to:

• Track email campaigns
• Blogs to be written
• PR campaigns
• Product launch dates
• Events and holidays

 

Having everything in one place makes it easier for everyone on the team to know what you’re posting and when.  Once you’ve planned out your content and everything is approved, use a scheduling app like Hootsuite to schedule your posts.  This saves you time and, therefore, money, and is one of the best social media practices you can get started with today!

Even if you are just using one social channel like Instagram, planning and scheduling your posts will help you stay consistent.  Social networks love that!  In addition, this will also give you a good idea of how posts will look on your Instagram profile page and help you stay on brand with a color profile or page style.

Read more on how we’ve helped brands get started with scheduling posts!

 

Don’t use a Content Calendar yet?  Get started by downloading our Content Calendar Template from Google Docs for FREE!  We’ve included Instructions for Use in the Content Calendar template.  Make a copy of it, and start populating your content today.

 

10. When is the best time to post on social media?

 

Besides what to post, the next question we get asked about our social media best practices is when to post.  Specifically, what days and times are best to post on social media?

How do you determine when your followers are most active?  First, take a look at your social channel’s analytics.  Schedule posts at peak times and on peak days.

• Days with the best engagement:  Tuesday- Thursday
• Best times to post: 9am-3pm

 

Keep in mind that some posts may do well regardless of the day or time you post!  And the opposite is true.  If something newsworthy or scandalous happens, your post may not get as many likes and engagement.

 

 

11. How to listen on Social media

 

A great way to write more engaging content for social media is to listen.  Social ‘listening’ involves hearing what people are saying.  Are you creating content that addresses their issues or answers their questions?  Learn more about how and why we follow the They Ask, You Answer philosophy.

 

How do you listen well?  Set up a Google Alert.  In addition, this is a great task to have ChatGPT, Claude, or Google Gemini help with!

Pro tip: Another social media best practice is to listen to your competition.  How do you do this?  Follow them on social.  Sign up for their email newsletters!

 

12. Sharing Links on Social Media to Articles, Blogs, or Videos

 

When you share a URL or website link on platforms like Facebook, X, and LinkedIn, and there is no social sharing or preview image that appears, first, shame on the author of the article or news source for not adding a preview image!  If this is the case, you can leave the URL in your post and then add your own image.  A warning: Often, this does confuse people if they click on your image and it does not take them to the link.  To avoid this, be clear in the wording of your post.

Pro tip: Once you add a link to a website or news article to a social post, clean up your copy by removing the URL link from the text.  The preview image (with the embedded link) will remain.  Then you can schedule or post.

For posts on X, leave the link in place.  For Instagram, you cannot add a live link to your copy, so you will need to use the link in bio- more on this below.

Pro tip: Give credit, tag, or @ mention the news source or publication you are sharing.  Ex: “Read more about traveling to Italy from our friends @AFARMedia!”

 

13. Update your social media Bio and Profile Links

 

In this ever-changing world, the copy you wrote last year for your YouTube or Instagram bio may no longer be relevant.  Update your bio or social profile a few times a year.

In addition, your bio is a great place to put limited promotions or holiday sale discount codes!  For example, “Save 50% by using code SUMMER50.”  This could easily fit in your Instagram profile.  Use tools like Linktree or LinkinBio to share several links under one profile link on Instagram.

Why do this?  You want people to take action in the least number of steps.  As an example, if you only have your homepage linked in your Instagram profile, and you just launched a new blog, how do you get readers there quickly?  If you are saying ‘link in bio’ and it only directs people to your homepage, do you think they will take the time to click the link in bio, then find your blog page, then find the right blog you were speaking of?

 

14.  Your Content is Your Storefront

 

Treat your content as your storefront.  As more and more searches begin on platforms like YouTube and Instagram than on Google, make your social channel a place where people can see your products or services in real life.  Allow for in-app shopping!

Do you use Facebook and Instagram and have a separate store on Shopify or WooCommerce?  One of our social media best practices is to connect your store and import your products through Meta Commerce Manager. 

In addition, you can choose whether to sell directly through Facebook or Instagram, or people can complete their purchase on your website. 

 

 

15. Use AI to Evaluate Your Social Media Performance

 

Social media best practices for 2026 include not only reviewing your social media analytics, but also using AI to help!  Ask ChatGPT and Claude to evaluate a channel’s performance and make recommendations!  

Still not seeing steady growth?

• Review your posting strategy
• Switch up days/times of posts
• Change up the type of content posted (hint: more videos!)

 

16. Instead of AI, work with brand ambassadors + content creators

 

Instead of solely using AI tools to generate your social content, work with content creators and ambassadors.  If you haven’t read our blog on Finding the Right Brand Ambassadors– get on it!

It takes time to find and build relationships with the right content creators or brand ambassadors.  So be patient, ask lots of questions to make sure you have the right fit, and think long-term.  You’ll find the investment is worth it when your ambassador is connected with your brand for years to come!

 

Takeaways from our Social Media Best Practices

 

We’ve covered a lot of ground in our review of the 2026 social media best practices.  Here are a few to remember:

 

2026 Social Media Best Practices Takeaways:

 

• Be smart about using AI tools!
• Determine which social channels your potential customers use
• Be authentic and engage
• Plan out content with a Content Calendar
• Be an active ‘social listener’ 
• Use AI tools to evaluate performance
• Work with brand ambassadors and content creators instead of solely relying on AI tools like ChatGPT, Claude, or Google Gemini

 

Thanks for reading and happy posting!

 

Meredith McConvill, Top Rope Media

how to grow your Social Media and gain more followers

 

One of the most common questions we’re asked is how to achieve social media growth and gain more followers.  It’s become more challenging than ever to cut through the clutter and gain the attention of your potential customers.

And, since we generate many of our leads from social media channels like LinkedIn, Instagram, and Twitter, we continue to improve our social media strategy each year.  What worked in years past may no longer be generating the same engagement, impressions, or likes. So we’re going to show you how to change up your strategy to continue growing!

 

The quick + Dirty way: Why we don’t buy followers

 

Before we dive in, If you are looking for an easy way to gain followers and engagement, and have some room in your marketing budget, we got you covered.  In our steps below, we share how to more quickly achieve growth by spending on Instagram ads or promotions. 

However, since we often get the question about social media growth as it pertains to Instagram follower counts, we wanted to emphasize why we do not buy followers or use 3rd party apps to help grow on Instagram.

Instagram began cracking down on those that buy followers, create fake accounts, and accounts using 3rd party apps to generate likes and comments.  In addition, Instagram is quick to flag or suspend accounts that violate their terms of service.

So while buying likes and follows could be the fastest way to grow, you put your account at risk of being deactivated.  Don’t take our word for it.  Read more on experiments gone bad from our friends at Hootsuite.

Finally, we also urge you to think about the reason you want to reach 25K or 250K followers on Instagram. 

•  Is it just a vanity metric? 
• Do you believe those bought followers will visit your website? 
• Will they buy your products or services? 
• Share your stories on their social channels? 

Sadly, they will not do any of this.  So, here’s ways that actually work!

 

Best Practices for social media growth

1. Post AND ENGAGE on the social media channels where your audience spends their time

 

First, make sure you are posting + engaging on the social media channels where you have the best chance to connect with those interested in your non-profit, outdoor, or lifestyle brand.  Not sure where that is?

Well, start by defining your audience.  As an example, we tend to attract non-profit leaders, startups, and small outdoor + lifestyle brands without a marketing department.  Therefore, we make most of our connections via LinkedIn, but also on Twitter and Instagram.  

Need a refresher on how to best use social channels like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter?  Read our last blog!

Keep in mind, this may not be where YOU spend most of your time.  You may have deleted your personal Facebook page in 2016!  Instead, think about where your target demographic spends most of THEIR time.

Not sure where to find this information?  Look at your website’s analytics, or better yet Google Analytics, to see where you acquire your website visitors.  The data may surprise you!  Need more help?  Drop us a line! 

 

2.  Plan Out posts with a content Calendar

 

Now that you’ve outlined what your brand’s personality is, write out your posts for the month using a content calendar.  You can also use your Content Calendar to track the following:

• Email campaigns
• Blogs for each week or month
• PR campaigns
• Product launch dates
• Events + holidays

Yes, we know you have a calendar already, maybe two!  But adding all of these items to a separate Content Calendar makes it easier for everyone on the team to stay on the same page when it comes to what you’re posting and promoting, and when.

Select a weekly theme.  Or have certain days reserved for different types of content- sales, blog shares, or sharing curated content from like-minded brands or leaders in your industry!

Don’t use a Content Calendar yet?  Get started by downloading our Content Calendar Template below!

 

3. Write authentic content that showcases your brand’s personality

 

The best practice for what to post on social media begins with remaining true to your brand’s mission and values.  You can’t ‘stay on brand’ if you’re not quite sure what your brand stands for these days.  

Dial-in the persona that showcases your brand’s personality. 

• Is your outdoor brand or non-profit fun and playful? 
• Super into design or fashion?
• Trail running or camping?
• Do you always have your dog in tow as your co-pilot?  

Remember, this may not necessarily be YOUR personality.  But, that of your brand.

If you will be using these posts across several social media channels, change up the copy slightly for each.  Do not post the same exact content on as you do on Tiktok as you do on Instagram or Twitter.  Links, videos, image size, copy style, and @ mentions will not work across all channels in the same way. 

And that Tiktok logo in the corner of your Instagram video?  Yeah, you can do better.

Pro tip: Videos and posts with multiple images will perform better than a static image almost every time.  Therefore, read our blog on how to take better photos!

4. what to post + how often for better growth on social media

 

Best practices for how many social media posts are needed each week varies widely depending on the social network you are using.  And how much time you or your team have to dedicate to this! 

If you can post everyday, great!  We do not recommend posting more than this, unless you are posting to Instagram Stories or Twitter.

We break up our posts, and our clients’ posts, into the following categories:

• 50% sales (advertising services or products)
• 30% curated content
• 20% just for fun! 

This mix can change depending on what our marketing strategy is that month.  Are you running a sale, or hosting a fundraiser?  If so, that should take up more of your content!

 

 

example: what to post

• 2 posts per week that focus on your brand and drive traffic to your website.  Advertise your products, services, case studies, or blog posts.  Not enough content on your website fill these posts?  Well then read How to Use Your Website to Generate Better Leads!
• 1-2 posts per week that share curated content.  So for Facebook, LinkedIn, or Twitter, this might be a post that links to an article that you loved or found helpful.  Expert advice from an industry leader.  Something that provides value to your followers.  Remember to always give credit to the source you are linking.  This also helps them recognize you as a trusted name or expert in your industry.  
• 1 post per week that’s just for fun.  Fridays and Sundays are great days for this!  Showcase what happens behind-the-scenes, or your latest adventure.  Just be sure to stay true to your brand and personality!

example: how to Curate Content on Instagram

 

As we mentioned earlier, with Facebook, LinkedIn or Twitter, you can easily share content you curate like articles you think your readers might enjoy.  With Instagram, this becomes more challenging as you can’t share links in posts.

However, you can save Instagram posts that you love, and reshare them, creatively, in your Stories.  Here’s how:

• Click on the flag in the lower right corner under the posts you like and want to reshare in your Instagram Stories.
• Once you’ve selected all of the posts you like throughout the day or week, go to the upper right corner of your Instagram Profile Page and click on the Instagram menu to get a drop-down of options.
• Click on ‘Saved’ or flagged posts and here’s where you will find all of your saved images.
• Here you can also create Collections to further organize the images.
• Then, you can then repost these in your Instagram Stories, creating a theme by topic, product, color, sport, etc.
• You can add a link, yes, regardless of follower count, you can now add a link to bring people right to the website or article to learn more or shop!

Bam!  Beautifully-curated content ready to share each week!

 

5. When to Post

 

Besides what to post, the next question we get asked to improve social media growth is what days and times are best to post on social media. 

Your potential clients and customers might be on social throughout the day.  Here’s steps to take to determine when is best to post for your non-profit or outdoor brand:

• Determine when your followers are most active by looking at your social media analytics.
• Days with typically the best engagement: Sundays and Tuesdays
• Best times to post: 7-9am most days

Keep in mind that some posts, based on the content shared, may do well regardless of the day or time you post!  And the opposite is true.  If something newsworthy trumps your post that day, you may not get as much love.

 

 

6. Schedule Your social Posts

 

The best practice for social media growth by far is to schedule your posts.  This saves you time and therefore, money.  We love using Hootsuite to schedule both our posts for Top Rope Media and posts on behalf of our clients.  Why?  Some days we may have 15 different posts going out on 4 different social channels!

However, even if you are just using LinkedIn or Instagram, scheduling your 3-4 posts per week will help you stay consistent.  Social networks love that.  Read more on how we’ve helped brands getting started with scheduling posts!

 

Next, once your post is scheduled, check that is posted correctly.  For Instagram, add locations, tag brands, partners, collaborators as you cannot do this in Hootsuite.  And lastly, engage on behalf of your brand when your post goes up.  Like, comment, or share the post or similar posts in your Stories!

 

 

 

7. create more engaging content

 

Engagement is worth more on social media than likes or follows.  By engagement we mean your readers are:

• clicking on your links in a post
• visiting your profile page
• Adding a comment
• Sharing your post in their feed or Stories

How do you figure out what posts are getting the most engagement?  First, take a look at your Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook Analytics, or Instagram Insights.  Pay attention which posts not only have good reach but good engagement.  Not seeing much?

Take a good look at the content you’ve been posting.  Can you create more engaging posts?  Need more ideas on how we do it?  Ask for help!

 

Now then, when you do get a comment, message, or DM on social media, respond promptly to keep your response rate up as well! 

 

 

8. begin Social Listening + engage

 

A great way to write more engaging content for social media is to listen and engage with your audience.  Social ‘listening’ involves reading what people are saying about your brand, product, service, or industry online.  Are you creating content that addresses their issues or answers their questions?  Learn more about how and why we follow the They Ask, You Answer philosophy.

How do you listen well? 

• Set up a Google Alert
• Follow your brand’s hashtags, and also ones that align with your brand
• Listen to your competition.  Follow them on social.  Sign up for their email newsletters.  Add them to your Facebook Page Watch list!
• Read your industry publications!!

 

And what do we mean by engage?  Like, comment, share relevant content that you love and you think your audience will love too!  Apps like Instagram give you more love, and show more of your content to others when you spend more time on the app!

 

9. run ads + promotions

 

If you want that extra boost, and can afford to pay to play, run ads or promotions on your social networks!  So instead of paying $25/month to some 3rd party sketchy Instagram growth service to boost your followers or likes, pay Instagram, Facebook, or LinkedIn directly to do it for you!

Using Facebook or Instagram Ads can help you:

• Generate more brand awareness
• Get more donations for your fundraiser
• Increase the amount of followers on your social accounts
• Build more engagement
• Sell more products! 

Get step-by-step instructions on how to run ads on Facebook or Instagram.

 

10. Update your Bio and Profile Links

 

In this ever-changing world, the copy you wrote last year for your Instagram profile or LinkedIn bio may no longer be relevant.  As a best practice, update your bio or social profile every quarter. 

In addition, put promotions and discount codes in your social media bios.  For example, “Save 35% this holiday season by using code MBHOLIDAY35.”  This could easily fit in your Instagram profile.

Update your profile link often.  Especially on Instagram.  Examples: If a client’s content theme for a certain week focuses on summer activities, we may change the link to share a blog post where readers can learn more about how to prep for summer.  If we want to encourage more appointment bookings, we might swap out the main website link for the appointments link.  You get the idea.

Why take these extra steps?  Because you want people to find what they are looking for in the least amount of steps.  If you only have your homepage linked in your profile, and you just launched a new blog, how do your readers get to it quickly?

If you say ‘link in bio’ and it only directs people to your homepage, do you think they will take the time to click the link in bio, then find your blog page, then find the right blog you were speaking of?

Lastly, you can use tools like Linktree with Instagram to share several links under one profile link.

 

11. Use Emojis in your social posts

 

Use emojis to help break up text or to emphasize a point you’re trying to get across.  In this world of constant scrolling, a campfire or a monkey covering his eyes could catch your reader’s eye more than just text!

12. use Hashtags to help with social media growth

 

Everything can’t be #instagood.  Therefore, do some research on which hashtags are trending within your industry.  If you do not already have a hashtag for your brand, create one!  Or, take a look at what your brand ambassadors or competitors are using.  You can also view your post Insights on Instagram to see how many likes you get from your hashtag use!

What platforms do hashtags work best on?  Instagram and Twitter.  You can use up to 30 hashtags on Instagram, and as many as you want on Twitter.  However, as Twitter is limited to 280 characters, so keep your tweets to 2-3 hashtags!

Where should you put your hashtags?  After your copy.  We often separate our copy with line breaks and drop the hashtags so they are out of view, especially on platforms like Instagram.  Get the full scoop on Instagram hashtags from Hootsuite!

 

13.  Sell Through your Social media channels

 

If you use Facebook and Instagram and have a separate store on Shopify or WooCommerce, you can easily connect your store and sell directly through Facebook or Instagram, or people can complete their purchase on your website.

 

14. work with brand ambassadors + content creators

 

Work with content creators and ambassadors to help you create more brand awareness for your products or services!  If you haven’t read our blog on Finding the Right Brand Ambassadors– get on it!

At Top Rope Media, we think of working with content creators, which is the more PC term now as opposed to ‘influencers’, like backpacking.  To get the best results, to see the most beautiful and untouched terrain, you have to plan.  Prepare.  And, be willing to walk – a lot!

It takes time to find and build relationships with the right content creators or brand ambassadors. So be patient, and think long-term.  You’ll find the investment is worth it when your ambassador is connected with your brand for years to come.

 

 

15. Evaluate Your Post Performance

 

If you are not reviewing your social media analytics each week, you could be missing out on some great insights into your customers.  Set an alarm or add a meeting to your calendar each week to review your Google Analytics, along with your social media metrics.

 

Still not seeing steady growth?

• Switch up the days and times you are posting
• Engage on the network- this means spend time on it liking, commenting, and sharing other posts you find compelling!
• Change up the type of content posted (hint: add more videos or multiple images!)
• Upgrade your phone for better photos, use a camera, or buy a GoPro!

 

final thoughts on Social media growth

 

One of the biggest reasons to continue posting on social media for your brand is that shopping habits have changed tremendously!  In addition, there is a growth in online spending not only from Millennials, but Gen X, and Baby Boomers alike.

What are millennials, Gen X, and baby boomers purchasing through social media?

• Apparel + Accessories- Clothes, shoes, anything to save us from having to go to the store!
• Health + Fitness- gadgets, sneakers, yoga pants, swimwear, you name it.
• Jewelry- especially hand-crafted unique pieces
• Beauty + skincare products

 

And which social channels can you reach these Millennials, Gen Xers, and Baby Boomers?  Well, 67% of millennials are on Instagram, and 75% of baby boomers are active Facebook users.  9 out of 10 Gen Xers are on Facebook.

slow and steady Social Media growth takes practice

We’ve covered a lot of ground, but here are the top takeaways for growing your social media presence:

• Create videos and share multiple images in posts
• Use a Content Calendar and schedule that content using a tool like Hootsuite
• Be an active ‘social listener’ by following hashtags, creating Google Alerts, and pay attention to your competition!
• Engage on the social network you want to grow on by liking, commenting, and sharing relevant content
• Work with brand ambassadors or content creators
• Run ads or promotions in combination with your organic posts for that extra boost!
• Upgrade your phone, work with a professional, or learn how to take better photos

 

Thanks for reading and happy posting!

Meredith McConvill

SOCIAL MEDIA MARKETING

 

We recently wrote a social media marketing how-to guide for our clients.  It was 14 pages long!  This comprehensive guide covered tips and tricks for using LinkedIn, Pinterest, X (Twitter), Tiktok, YouTube, Facebook and Instagram.

 

Today’s world is unfortunately still a place where you can buy followers and likes.  However, writing this how-to piece was a good reminder of how much we can do, for free, to connect with our audience online.  So I’ve decided to post a portion of this guide here for everyone that needs help navigating through the wilderness that is social media marketing.

Back to the Basics

 

To begin, let’s get back to the basics: What to post, where to post, how to post and when to post it.  Other big questions we get:

• How do we use hashtags and on which channels?
• How can I mention a person, brand or organization? 
• Can I schedule posts? 
• Should I use emojis?
• What should I be posting?

We’ve got answers to these social media questions, along with many more.

 

While writing this social media marketing how-to guide, we spent our time focusing on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.  All three social media platforms are typically up and running for most clients we work with. 

 

Therefore, we could do screen shares and walk them through the best practices for each social media platform.  If you’re new to managing digital marketing for your business, and want to know what outsourcing your social media marketing costs, check out our Services page. 

Schedule your content in advance

You can always post instantly on Instagram or LinkedIn, but we recommend setting aside 1-2 hours every other week to set up and schedule your posts.  Why?  Because this gives you a chance to be more strategic with your social media marketing. 

Other tips for planning out your content in advance:

 

• Use a Content Calendar and a scheduling app like Hootsuite.
• Set up a theme for each week, working backwards from important events for your brand, or in the outdoor industry, or upcoming holidays.
• Share similar posts across several platforms, moving them to different days and times
• Share curated content or user generate content (UGC)
• Replicate posts that performed well

Facebook Marketing

  

Facebook Pages and even Instagram can be managed under Facebook Business Manager.  In addition, you can see all of your Business pages if you are an Admin on more than one page. 

Facebook and Instagram notifications are combined if your accounts are linked.  Therefore, you can see all of your messages and comments in one place if you choose to use Business Suite.  We recommend checking this on your desktop as opposed to your mobile to make it easier to see and respond to messages.

 

Need help with Facebook Business Manager, which is what you’ll want to set up if you plan to run ads?  Check out our latest Facebook and Instagram advertising post!

 

Once your Facebook Business page is set up, viewing your insights on Facebook is easy.  The amount of data is enormous, and you can set filters to see day-to-day performance, or for a given date range.  You can also view your reach and your past posts to ensure your social media marketing is on point. 

 

In addition, you can set up pages to watch so you can see how you’re doing compared to the competition. As data-lovers, we’re always excited to comb through the numbers each week!

How to Post on Facebook

One of the best pieces of advice we can give in regards to social media marketing is to schedule out your social media posts.  With Facebook, there’s a few ways to do this. 

Use Facebook’s Publishing Tools to create your posts and schedule them.  There are several applications, like Hootsuite, where you can manage all of your social accounts in one app.  This is by far our favorite time-saver when it comes to social media marketing!

When to Post on facebook and how often

Use your Facebook Insights, go to Posts, and there you can see when your fans are online.  Furthermore, you can see which days and times might work best to post. 

 

Lastly, you can see previous post performance here as well.  This will give you an idea of which style of post is performing best.  

 

How often should you post on your Facebook page?  We recommend that clients aim for 2-3 Facebook posts per week, and either before 10am or after 4pm.

 

What to write or what videos you should record

Need ideas for content for your Facebook social media marketing strategy?  Grab a piece of paper and write down the top 10 questions you often get asked about your outdoor brand, product, service or organization.

Turn these into blog posts or video posts, store ’em on your website and share a link to one of these each week in your Facebook posts.  Keep in mind, video content is still king, so get comfortable using video and set up a YouTube channel!  

In addition, once a week we’ll share a link to content we’ve curated from like-minded outdoor brands or outdoor industry publications.  As an example, we’ll share relevant stories from publications like SNEWS, Bicycle Retailer and Outside Magazine.  Pro tip: have the content come to you via tools like Google Alerts.

 Make sure you @ mention the publication by using the @ symbol and then their Facebook Page.  Only Facebook Businesses can be tagged, not individuals.

 

Need more content ideas?  Check out our latest blog: How to Use your Website to Generate Better Leads.

 

Hashtags and Link Sharing Tips

With Facebook, it’s a social media best practice to not use hashtags.  Save them for Instagram or LinkedIn.

 

For link sharing, Facebook lets you share direct clickable links in a post.  To keep your post looking clean, once you add the link in, you can actually delete it and the media portion of the link, with hopefully a great image, will remain.

 

If there is no image attached to the link, you can add in your own image. However, this image when clicked, will not take viewers to the actual link.  Pro tip:  When creating a blog or new webpage, ensure you include a social sharing or preview image for the post or webpage.

 

Facebook Stories

Facebook Stories is great place to share videos, reminders or new announcements.  To use Facebook Stories more easily, make sure your Facebook and Instagram accounts are connected so that your Instagram Stories push directly to your Facebook Stories as well.

 

Instagram Marketing

 

First, set up a business account for Instagram.  You’ll now have the option to add a Contact button, your address, directions to your business, direct messaging options, all appearing in your profile.  You can leave the address portion out if you offer an online product or service.  

 

With a business account, you can then view Instagram analytics.  Click the hamburger (menu) at the top right of your Instagram profile page to get started.  You can also view Instagram Insights by clicking on the ‘X profile visits in the last 7 days’ on your profile. 

 

When checking in, we recommend viewing your notifications first by clicking on the heart icon at the top of your profile page.  After checking all new notifications, click the message icon in the upper right corner.  This will allow you to see any direct messages (DM) .  If you’ll be posting regularly, get in the habit of checking these daily as many folks will reach out with a direct message.   

 

There are many paid services that will give you deeper insights into your Instagram posts and improve your social media marketing.  But when you’re just getting started, stick with the Instagram platform for your Insights.

 

Furthermore, you can check your Insights easily through the mobile app, but keep in mind you’ll only see about 7 days of data that compares to the previous 7 days.

 

 

How to Post on Instagram

 

Once again, we recommend using a tool like Hootsuite to schedule out your Instagram posts.  This will save you a considerable amount of time in your social media marketing efforts.  Otherwise, posting is done from the app on your phone. Not on a computer, although you can like and comment from a computer.

 

Want your post to have spaces or text breaks?  The best advice is to write the copy outside of the Instagram App, so using Hootsuite or in your Notes section.  Here’s more tips on getting those spaces or line breaks into your Instagram post! 

 

 

 When to Post on Instagram and How Often

 

Just like with Facebook, click on your Insights to see when the majority of your audience is online.  We find mornings are often best on Tuesday to Thursdays, and then anytime Sunday. 

  

How often should you post on Instagram?  We get this question quite a bit. We recommend no more than 3-4 posts per week.  However, this may differ based on your business’s goals and the time you have to dedicate to Instagram.

 

In addition, the Instagram algorithm is based on machine learning, so it’s constantly changing.  Factors that affect how many people will see your post include the interest people have in your post, timeliness, relationship, and engagement, among others.  Read more here on Later.com about How the Instagram Algorithm works. 

 

If you follow our recommendations about planning out your social media marketing content by using a tool like Hootsuite, you can then be more strategic with your Instagram posts.

 

For example, if a client has a big event coming up next month, or a sale, we’ll start talking about it now, scheduling a post once a week about the event.  We’ll use photos from last year’s event, or images of the items that will be on sale.

  

What to Share in Your Instagram Posts

 

Seeking content for your Instagram posts is always time-consuming.  Especially if you are not producing fresh videos and images each quarter.  Here’s more ideas on how to work with photographers and videographers and what this might cost.

 

Answering your most frequently asked questions is a good place to start, and we’ve written at length about this in our last blog post.  Link sharing?  It doesn’t work the same with Instagram as you cannot have a live, clickable link in your post.  However, you can use an app like Repost to share someone else’s post. 

 

Therefore, your best bet is to select a dozen photos each month that represent the content you plan to share.  If you do not have the best images or graphics to represent the theme you’re going for, try Canva or UnSplash for free images. 

 

Adding a location to each post, unless you’re not sure where the photo was taken, will allow users to click on that location and see more posts from there.  Secret location?  Best not to share. 

 

As with any social media marketing, you want to be sure to stay on brand.  Be consistent with the tone and style of the message.  Use the same filter, the same set of emojis, the same look and feel to each post. And then there’s hashtags.

 

 

using @ mentions and Hashtags on Instagram

 

Hashtags originally started on (X) Twitter, but have now become the norm across most social media platforms.  Instagram allows for 30 hashtags in a post or comment.  By using a hashtag, or set of hashtags, your post could be seen by more people who are searching the hashtag and do not follow you, yet.

 

We often place these hashtags in the 1st comment to avoid the post looking cluttered, or by adding spaces or line breaks, and placing the relevant hashtags after the space.

 

What are the best hashtags to use?  This should be based on your industry, and the product, service or mission of the organization.  Hashtags like #exercise or #optoutside are hugely popular, with over 15 million posts each using those hashtags. 

 

However, if you niche down to #backcountrysnowboarding this may be more effective in getting your post viewed by more people who do not already follow you. Here’s ‘the Ultimate Guide to Instagram Hashtags in 2020′.

 

For mentions, same as Facebook.  Use the @ symbol and then the Instagram handle of the person or organization you want to mention.  You can mention someone in your text, or your can tag them in your photo. 

 

Instagram Stories

 

Instagram Stories are great for sharing previously recorded or live videos, reminders, funny happenings or new announcements.  These are similar to Facebook Stories in how you set one up:

• Click on your avatar (logo) in your Instagram profile, or the camera icon if you’re scrolling through your feed
• At the bottom of the screen the setting is Normal, letting you record an image or video, or upload one from your photos.
• Add a hashtag, location, gifs, text, and send it out to your public feed, or share in private.
• Want to get more creative?  Swipe over to Boomerang, Layout (that’s where you see 2-6 photos on a Story), Superzoom (those cute hearts though), Hands-Free, Create (for text only pieces) or Live.
• Thinking about Going Live on Instagram?  Read our blog on How to Go Live with Facebook and Instagram first!
• You can also set up your Instagram Stories so that they push directly to your Facebook Stories as well

 

Advertising on Instagram

Interested in going beyond social media marketing and ready to get started with Instagram Advertising?  Check out our post that walk you through Instagram Advertising through Facebook. 

It’s a step-by-step approach that will get your Instagram ads up and running for as little as $5 a day!

Twitter and Why You Should Be Tweeting

  

Next stop on the social media marketing trail?  Twitter. I am often amazed when I hear things like, ‘Do we have to have a Twitter account?’  ‘Can’t we just focus on Instagram and Facebook?’ 

 

Well, yes you can. But, with over 330 million monthly active users, it’s in your best interest as an outdoor brand to tweet.  There are millions of athletes on Twitter that could use your product, services or support your non-profit! 

We’ve also found than most journalists use twitter, so it’s easier to connect with them here than via email.  We can also DM or direct message them to pitch an idea.

 

Twitter used to be limited to 140 characters in a tweet, and has now grown to 280 characters per tweet!  If you’re a clever writer, you can actually fit quite a bit into each tweet, including links, emojis and hashtags.

 

Twitter also offers free analytics which you can view from a computer.  Unlike Instagram, you can see several months of data.  Therefore, you can dive in to see your impressions, engagement rate, your top tweet and top mention.

 

How to Tweet

 

As with other social media marketing channels, there are countless blogs and how-to’s on using Twitter.  One of my faves is Mom This is How Twitter Works by Jessica Hische.  She makes me laugh out loud.

 

You can tweet from your phone or computer. And again, using a scheduling tool like Hootsuite will help you stay organized and reuse content you’ve created for other social media channels. 

 

Once you have the app installed and your profile setup, click the feather at the bottom of the screen to create a new tweet.  280 characters will feel limiting at first, but you’ll soon the get hang of being concise. 

 

 What to Share on Twitter

 

Here’s a few tips of what you might want to share on Twitter:

• Links to content you love (retweeting, with or without a comment from you)
• Links to your website (sharing blogs, new offerings, products)
• Current events and outdoor industry happenings
• Tips and resources to help others in your niche

 

using hashtags on Twitter

We recommend no more than 3-4 hashtags at the end of your Tweet.  Just like with Instagram, hashtags are helpful in showing your post to people outside of your followers that are searching the hashtag.

 

Other Stops on the Social Media Marketing Roadmap

 

From TikTok to SnapChat, LinkedIn and Pinterest.  Social media marketing channels keep growing. Even Venmo allows you to like and comment on when people you know pay someone for something. 

I don’t quite care how much Jen paid Lucy for her Thai food, but you can imagine this information on Venmo is useful to a company trying to determine your spending habits. 

 

Want to find out what channels your audience likes to use?  Ask them! 

Why Small outdoor brands and non-profits Need Social Media Marketing

 

I often find managing social media is an afterthought for many small organizations.  They do not have the time nor the resources.  They’re packing up from a long day at work, they jump on, post a photo and head home. 

 

Instead, be strategic!  This is an important part of your outreach, so treat it the same as answering emails or organizing a fundraising event.

Here’s some more tips to make social media marketing a success for your small business:

• Assign a social media marketing manager or hire one!
• Collaborate with your team to determine what you should focus on for the week
• Use a Content Calendar to plan
• Use a tool like Hootsuite to schedule posts across all of your social channels
• Assign content creators for the month and give them a range of topics or blog ideas. 

 

More social media resources:

• Hootsuite’s Social Media Best Practices

• Moz’s Beginner’s Guide to Social Media 

 

Final thoughts: OWN it

 

One of the biggest mistakes we see is when someone in your organization does not own social media marketing for your brand.  This person should not only be posting, but also planning and generating content.  They should also be engaging with brand ambassadors, and other like-minded brands. 

In the end, it’s all about engaging with your audience.  You need to share videos that are of interest to your followers, mention your partners, respond to comments, tag your volunteers in photos and use hashtags that will help people find you.

 

Until next time, happy posting!

– Meredith