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12 Valentine’s Day Marketing Ideas for 2025

Lucinda Starr — Thu, 06 Feb 2025 07:36:27 +0000

We’re headed into the season of love – Valentine’s Day is on February 14! The most romantic day of the year presents a prime opportunity to attract new audiences and boost sales for your product- or service-based biz.

Modern consumers are breaking the bank for Valentine’s Day more than ever. In 2024, spending hit an all-time high of $14.2 billion dollars, according to Drive Research. While chocolate and flowers are still popular, many shoppers are now prioritizing meaningful gift-giving in the form of romantic dinners, trips away and keepsakes from their favorite brands.

This presents a fantastic opportunity for brands that previously have not engaged with Valentine’s Day to curate a unique, strategy-led marketing plan that celebrates love in all its forms. There are tons of effective ways to spin your marketing tactics for Valentine’s Day, including love-themed social media campaigns, shoppable gift guides, email and SMS marketing plans and more.

Not sure where to start? We’ve rounded up 12 Valentine’s Day marketing ideas to try in the lead-up to Cupid’s arrival.

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1. Build the hype early with a cadenced email marketing plan

The lead-up to a holiday is arguably as important as the day itself, especially for marketers. Milk the days or weeks before Valentine’s Day with an email marketing campaign designed to build hype and inspire purchases or bookings.

As with any email marketing campaign, timing is everything. Be sure not to overwhelm by slating too many emails – but don’t let go of the reins, either! Depending on how far out from V-Day you begin your communication, a cadence of 1 to 2 emails per week is likely bang-on.

If you need a little inspiration for the content of your emails, here are a few ideas:

Tell Valentine’s Day stories from your staff or customers
Celebrate all kinds of love with a spotlight on Galentine’s Day
Share top product picks for different gift-giving scenarios
Encourage shopping ahead of time with exclusive early purchase discounts

2. Engage ambassadors to share the love on social media

Working with ambassadors is a great way to ‘show, not tell’ the benefits of your brand. They’re the ultimate form of social proof, building your business’s credibility with buyers who fit your ideal customer profile.

In the lead-up to Valentine’s Day, why not enlist one or a few ambassadors to shout out your best deals or product recommendations? It could be as simple as an Instagram Stories campaign with an exclusive discount code or as complex as a multi-platform content strategy designed to capture various audiences and offer them deals ‘til they hit ‘add to cart’.

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A post shared by Blayne (@blaynesadventures)

If you haven’t worked with brand ambassadors before, now’s a better time than ever to get your feet wet. Go into negotiations with brand ambassadors with an open mind and always ask to see stats to back up their prices or requirements. If you can, give each ambassador you work with a unique code so you can pinpoint exactly how many leads they’ve brought in and calculate your return on investment (ROI).

Keep Reading: Check out our comprehensive guide to calculating the ROI of your social media marketing activity.

3. Give your audience a chance to win with a Valentine’s Day competition

Everyone loves a competition – perhaps Valentine’s Day is the right time to share the love! Strengthen your ties to your existing audience and attract new followers by running a giveaway or competition on your social media accounts.

We suggest selecting one platform (e.g., Instagram) and cross-promoting the competition using a link in bio tool, like Linktree. This will help you grow your audience on your chosen platform and keep things tidy when running the competition, with all the eligible entries in one place.

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A post shared by Joico South Africa (@joico_sa)

While what to give away is entirely up to you, don’t skip the chance to make it Valentine’s Day-themed! If your budget is on the lower side, consider a love-themed pack of your brand’s best gifting options. For those with more coin to spend, a romantic activity or even a vacation giveaway will pique lots of interest and help you attract more followers.

4. Create product categories to cater to different kinds of buyers

Sometimes shoppers need a little help figuring out what to buy for occasions like birthdays and holidays, which is why product categories come in handy! By grouping must-haves together into easy categories, you’re handing customers – both new and seasoned – a go-to guide to finding the perfect buys for Valentine’s Day.

Product categories are also an essential website marketing tool. You’ve got ample placements across your site, including homepage banners, pop-ups and tickers that you could use to promote your Valentine’s Day categories. Don’t forget to hyperlink your categories in any blog posts, social media posts, and emails you create whenever the opportunity arises.

5. Offer a limited-time gift with purchase to drive holiday urgency

A little ‘surprise and delight’ never goes astray in the world of marketing, especially when you’re trying to retain customers and grow brand loyalty. We’ve seen it work for big brands all over the world – think Adore Beauty packing a chocolatey treat with every order, or Volkswagen’s history-making ‘Pods Unite’ campaign, which saw every new car owner drive away with an iPod as well as their vehicle.

Now, you don’t have to swing as big as Volkswagen did, but we’re certain a gift with purchase will entice shoppers this Valentine’s Day. You might choose to throw in a little something sweet with every order, or to reward purchases over a specific dollar amount with a free gift – this tactic can also drive up your average order value (AOV).

6. Run a Valentine’s Day rewards campaign for returning shoppers

Many marketing campaigns these days are geared in favor of new customers – but incentivizing past shoppers to make a repeat purchase is just as crucial. This Valentine’s Day, celebrate your returning customers with a carefully crafted rewards program that offers exclusive gifts or discounts to those who’ve shown ongoing brand loyalty.

You could do this across any medium with the right tools, as long as you have access to customer data and can separate past shoppers from new customers. Popular methods for rewarding existing customers include email marketing campaigns, remarketing with paid ads on Facebook or Instagram and in-app or email-based loyalty programs.

7. Introduce targeted social media ads to improve the shopping experience

Social media is saturated with ads these days, which has rendered most platforms ‘pay to play’. Consequently, every brand worth its salt should have a paid advertising strategy designed to complement and amplify its organic efforts.

One of the key benefits of social media advertising is the ability to not just deliver ads to new audiences likely to buy, but to intelligently ‘remarket’ to existing customers using their purchase and search history. The result is an extremely tailored, clever browsing experience that will enhance the likelihood of a sale.

As part of your Valentine’s Day campaigns, run a series of targeted social media ads to new and existing audiences promoting your best deals or top products. You can be as creative as you like here, using static tiles, shoppable carousels or even videos as your ad assets. Don’t forget to set up A/B testing to determine what resonates with your audiences!

8. Entertain audiences with a series of themed social media videos

Driving sales is just one piece of the puzzle when it comes to holiday marketing – the other crucial element is creating valuable content to engage and entertain potential customers. We all know content is your subtle sales secret, as it builds brand recognition and creates positive ties between you and your target audience.

As well as exhausting other content avenues like your blog and email newsletter, we suggest running a social media campaign to inspire love in the lead-up to Valentine’s Day.

The world is your oyster, here – you might go the heartfelt route, sharing love stories from your staff and customers. Or, you might play up Valentine’s Day stereotypes with a series of funny, tongue-in-cheek videos. Whatever you do, ensure the content you create reflects your brand’s unique value proposition!

Keep Reading: Discover 7 successful social media campaigns you can learn from.

9. Promote a Valentine’s Day gift guide across your platforms

The gift guide is an essential tool in your marketing arsenal if you want to decrease decision fatigue and boost sales. In the same vein as product categories, gift guides do all the thinking for your customers by offering up top picks for the occasion on a silver platter.

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A post shared by Anthropologie (@anthropologie)

While gift guides used to be offered up in print, nowadays, they’re best presented in an email marketing campaign, on social media, or both. Once you’ve collected all your must-buy products into a list, have fun with how you share it. Get creative – perhaps you could design a series of shoppable branded tiles for your Instagram feed or make a TikTok or Reel explaining each of the items in your guide.

10. Provide last-minute purchase reminders with an SMS campaign

Despite competing with a crowd of different social media platforms, SMS is still an extremely effective marketing channel in 2025 – just ask the 72% of people who have made a purchase after receiving a text message from a brand. To accompany your other Valentine’s Day marketing

efforts, consider implementing an SMS plan that commences a few weeks before the holiday, and ends in line with your sales or offerings.

If you’ve never run an SMS campaign before, this is the perfect time to master the art of text marketing. Tiny character limits (160 standard characters, or 70 if you’re using Unicode symbols) and no rich media mean you need to know your offerings inside and out to communicate them to customers. It’s a great exercise in sharp, succinct marketing without surrendering your brand’s personality or voice.

11. Celebrate all kinds of love with inclusive messaging

There’s more to Valentine’s Day than just romantic love, which we’ve seen come to the fore in recent years with the popularity of Galentine’s Day (thank you, Parks and Recreation!). Create an inclusive, well-rounded marketing strategy by considering and celebrating other kinds of love, like friendship, family and even love for your pets!

There are so many ways to put this into action, either as your ‘hero’ campaign or to complement a more traditional Valentine’s Day approach.

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A post shared by Ian Redpath & Jeremy Chopra (@allontheboard)

Not sure where to start? Try these ideas:

Run a Galentine’s Day-themed giveaway and ask your followers to tag their besties to win
Curate a ‘gifts for friends’ category on your site or socials
Offer a buy one, get one sale with Galentine’s Day messaging
Sharing mini gift guides for family and friends on social media

Keep Reading: Discover our complete guide to Valentine’s Day Instagram caption starters you can use and personalize for your brand.

12. Launch an exclusive sale on Valentine’s Day itself

While most shoppers are looking for gifts to give their loved ones on Valentine’s Day itself, who said all the fun has to stop when the big event rolls around? To keep the love going, think about running a sale on Valentine’s Day itself. You’ll capture late shoppers, tap into that ‘treat yourself’ mentality and tie up your campaign with a nice, neat bow.

There are endless opportunities to inject your brand’s personality into this, from the messaging you choose to the products you put on sale. A post-Valentine’s Day sale is also a great way to move end-season stock or give your numbers an extra boost in a notoriously slow sales period.

Ready to supercharge your success on social media in 2025?

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The post 12 Valentine’s Day Marketing Ideas for 2025 appeared first on Plann by Linktree.

2025 Social Media Holidays You Need To Know

Lucinda Starr — Tue, 28 Jan 2025 12:11:09 +0000

Ready to transform your social media feeds into a lively hub of engagement and connection? We’ve got your back with the ultimate lowdown on the must-know social media holidays for 2025.

Picture the buzz when your brand not only joins but leads the party! We get it – missing out on a key social media holiday is a bummer. Fear not, because 2025 is your year for strategic and on-point content.

Let’s plan ahead, laugh off FOMO, and make every post count. Our guide is filled with friendly insights, a touch of SEO magic, and pure excitement to keep you in sync with the hottest conversations. Get set to boost your online presence and spread joy across the digital landscape. Let’s dive into the 2025 Social Media Holidays you need to know about!

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January 2025 Social Media Holidays

Financial Wellness Month
January 1: New Year’s Day
January 2: Science Fiction Day
January 3: International Mind-Body Wellness Day
January 4: National Trivia Day
January 8: World Typing Day
January 11: Human Trafficking Awareness Day
January 17: Ditch Your Resolutions Day
January 19: National Popcorn Day
January 20: Martin Luther King Jr. Day
January 21: National Hugging Day
January 24: International Education Day
January 25: Opposite Day
January 27: Community Manager Appreciation Day
January 28: International Lego Day
January 29: Chinese New Year / Lunar New Year

February 2025 Social Media Holidays

Black History Month (US)
February 2: Groundhog Day
February 4: World Cancer Day
February 9: Super Bowl LIX #SuperBowlSunday
February 9: National Pizza Day
February 11: International Day of Women and Girls in Science
February 11: Safer Internet Day
February 13: Galentine’s Day
February 14: Valentine’s Day
February 17: Random Acts of Kindness Day
February 20: Love Your Pet Day

March 2025 Social Media Holidays

Women’s History Month
Endometriosis Awareness Month
March 1: World Compliment Day
March 3: World Wildlife Day
March 7: National Employee Appreciation Day
March 7: National Day of Unplugging
March 8: International Women’s Day
March 17: St. Patrick’s Day
March 18: Global Recycling Day
March 20: International Day of Happiness
March 21: World Poetry Day
March 22: Earth Hour Day
March 23: National Puppy Day
March 25: International Waffle Day
March 31: International Transgender Day of Visibility #TDOV

April 2025 Social Media Holidays

National Poetry Month
Celebrate Diversity Month
April 1: April Fools Day
April 2: World Autism Awareness Day
April 3: Find A Rainbow Day
April 4: Walk To Work Day
April 7: World Health Day
April 11: National Pet Day
April 15: Tax Day (US)
April 20: Easter Sunday
April 21: World Creativity and Innovation Day
April 22: Earth Day
April 23: World Book Day
April 28: National Superhero Day
April 30: National Honesty Day

May 2025 Social Media Holidays

Asian Heritage Month
Skin Cancer Awareness Month
Mental Health Awareness Month
May 1: May Day
May 4: Star Wars Day
May 5: Cinco de Mayo
May 11: Mother’s Day (US)
May 12: International Nurses Day
May 17: International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia
May 18: International Museum Day
May 25: National Wine Day
May 27: Sunscreen Day

June 2025 Social Media Holidays

LGBTQ Pride Month
Men’s Health Month (US)
June 3: World Bicycle Day
June 5: World Environment Day
June 6: National Donut Day
June 8: World Oceans Day
June 14: World Blood Donor Day
June 15: Father’s Day (US)
June 21: International Yoga Day
June 21: World Music Day
June 30: Social Media Day

July 2025 Social Media Holidays

July 1: International Joke Day
July 1: Canada Day
July 2: World UFO Day
July 4: Independence Day (US)
July 7: World Chocolate Day
July 14: Bastille Day
July 15: National Clean Beauty Day
July 17: World Emoji Day
July 18: Nelson Mandela International Day
July 30: International Day of Friendship

August 2025 Social Media Holidays

Black Business Month
August 1: World Wide Web Day
August 8: International Cat Day
August 9: National Book Lovers Day
August 12: International Youth Day
August 14: National Financial Awareness Day
August 19: World Photo Day
August 26: National Dog Day
August 26: National Women’s Equality Day

September 2025 Social Media Holidays

World Alzheimer’s Month
September 1: World Letter Writing Day
September 1: Labor Day
September 5: International Day of Charity
September 7: National Video Games Day
September 8: International Literacy Day
September 15 to October 15: National Hispanic Heritage Month (US)
September 18: International Equal Pay Day
September 21: International Day of Peace
September 22: Hobbit Day
September 27: World Tourism Day
September 30: International Podcast Day

October 2025 Social Media Holidays

Black History Month (UK)
Domestic Violence Awareness Month
Global Diversity Awareness Month
National Bullying Prevention Awareness Month
National Cyber Security Awareness Month
October 1: International Coffee Day
October 1: World Vegetarian Day
October 2: International Day of Nonviolence
October 4: National Taco Day
October 4: World Animal Day
October 9: World Sight Day
October 10: World Mental Health Day
October 13: Indigenous Peoples’ Day
October 16: World Food Day
October 20: Deepavali / Diwali
October 24: United Nations Day
October 31: Halloween

November 2025 Social Media Holidays

Men’s Health Awareness Month (Movember)
November 1: World Vegan Day
November 1: National Authors Day
November 8: Science, Technology, Engineering and Medicine (STEM) Day
November 13: World Kindness Day
November 16: International Day of Tolerance
November 18: National Entrepreneurs Day
November 27: Thanksgiving (US)
November 28: Black Friday
November 29: Small Business Saturday

December 2025 Social Media Holidays

AIDS Awareness Month
December 1: Cyber Monday (US)
December 3: International Day of Persons with Disabilities
December 4: National Cookie Day
December 10: International Human Rights Day
December 14: Hanukkah Begins
December 23: Festivus
December 24: Christmas Eve
December 25: Christmas Day
December 26: Boxing Day
December 31: New Year’s Eve

How to maximize these social media holidays for 2025

Phew, that’s a lot to digest. Now that you’re armed with the key dates you need to know about it’s time to get planning and build these timely moments into your social media strategy.

Our one golden rule when it comes to social media holidays is this: use them as the cherry on top of your existing content strategy.

Just posting about timely holidays isn’t going to be enough to build trust and cultivate an engaged social media audience. Instead, you should harness these time-sensitive dates as a way to boost

the relevance of your content and bolster your evergreen content (you know, all the posts that educate, entertain and share the behind-the-scenes of your brand).

So, how can you effectively weave social media holidays into your content calendar? Here are three tips to get you started:

Be selective with the holidays you celebrate: Consider what seasonal dates align with your brand’s industry, products and services. Plus, avoid overcrowding your social media feed with too many seasonal posts—celebrating one or two holidays per month is a good balance.
Leverage hashtags to boost visibility: Every social media holiday has an associated hashtag. By adding this hashtag to your time-sensitive posts, you can increase your chances of reaching a wider pool of potential followers.
Find a unique branded angle to timely moments: Simply celebrating a social media holiday with a static tile or post is a good first step. But to really maximize this moment, try to offer a unique take on this holiday, whether that’s running a competition, launching a limited-edition collection or even reinventing how this holiday is celebrated in a way that’s aligned with your brand.

And that’s a wrap! When it comes to building your brand and boosting your visibility on social media, harnessing trending moments is a powerful tool to leverage. With this calendar of 2025 social media holidays up your sleeve, you can plan ahead, be strategic and harness these topical moments on social media.

If you can’t find a particular international or social media holiday for 2025 that you were hoping to see, don’t hesitate to reach out to us at support@plannthat.com. We understand that there are countless meaningful causes and celebrations out there, and we may have unintentionally missed some. Your input is invaluable, and we welcome the opportunity to expand our list.

After all, the internet has an incredible power to connect otherwise isolated communities, and your contribution could help highlight a day that brings people together for the greater good. Let’s build a comprehensive and inclusive calendar, celebrating the diversity of causes that make our world vibrant and interconnected.

Ready to supercharge your success on social media in 2025?

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Ultimate Guide to Social Media Trends in 2025

Lucinda Starr — Tue, 14 Jan 2025 10:57:55 +0000

2025 is set to be one of the biggest years for social media ever. With so many external factors threatening to impact content, from societal change to the rise of AI and even looming legislation, digital marketers need to be reflexive to cement their success online.

Staying ahead of the latest social media trends in 2025 means more than just creating content that performs well. Having a solid understanding of the fabric of our social media landscape will help you drive sales, build community, strengthen your reputation, and grow your impact.

Micro-trends are one thing, but what really matters as we face the year ahead are the big things – the seismic shifts in social media behaviors that will govern the way brands and businesses show up online.

To help you plan out your 2025 social media content strategy, we’re unpacking the four biggest trends we predict will shape Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Facebook and more throughout the year.

Social Media Trend 1. Niche Micro-Communities

Just five short years ago, social media was dominated by big-name influencers, celebrities, and personalities, from the Kardashians and Tammy Hembrow to Mr Beast and Logan Paul. In the short time since, though, our attitudes as digital consumers have done a total 180.

Rather than clamoring to interact with the most popular and prolific creators, users want to feel seen and heard by relatable people with similar interests. Hence, the rise of the micro-influencer and their ‘micro-communities’ – a trend we predict will continue well into 2025.

Research from micro-influencer platform Statusphere shows that brands are collaborating with 33% more micro-influencers each year and the reason why is pretty clear. The average engagement rate for short-form video (SFV) posts for an account with between 10,000 and 100,000 followers is an impressive 11.9%.

Micro-influencers reinforce all of the broader societal trends we’re seeing at the moment – leaning into the things you love, connecting with others both online and IRL, and taking time for intentional interaction rather than mindless scrolling.

Instagrammer Laylah Lifts has built an offline run club leveraging her 120,000+ social media followers.

And now, the people behind these accounts are using their influence to build communities that promise endless value to their members. Using new features and platforms like Instagram broadcast channels and group chats, smaller creators are connecting their audiences both digitally and in the real world.

From virtual book clubs to in-person meet-ups in the form of coffee chats, run clubs, and more, 2025 is the year that we leverage the power of online mediums to enrich our offline lives.

The Shameless Book Club, an offshoot of popular podcast Shameless, has amassed a huge 78,000 likeminded followers and built a strong online presence.

Social Media Trend 2. Diversified Content Strategies

Everyone’s watching the impending TikTok ban like a hawk, waiting for a consensus over the app’s future in the United States – so it’s only natural we’re simultaneously looking for ways to diversify our content strategies and build community and brand awareness on other platforms.

We predict that 2025 will be the rise of new social media apps, including Bluesky, Threads, and a few soon-to-be-established platforms.

This year, we suspect we’ll see a mass migration to other content channels, whether they’re established favorites like Instagram and Snapchat, or new apps that are waiting to capitalize on TikTok’s demise. From Threads and Bluesky to Lemon8, Noplace, and even Letterboxd, there’s so much opportunity when you look outside of the box, and 2025 is the year to seize it.

Movie reviewing app Letterboxd has become a social media hit and a hub for engaging commentary from creators – could brands follow their lead in 2025?

Consider incorporating one or a few new channels into your content strategy and posting content through an experimental lens. You don’t need to be perfect from day one – showing up is half the battle! Of course, if you’re not in the US, TikTok is bound to still have its place in your content strategy. However, if you’ve been looking for a sign to create an account on that new platform, this is it.

Plann tip: When you’re setting up a presence on a new social media app, leverage existing avenues for cross-promotion. Share your content to your TikTok and Instagram Stories, add a LinkTree in your bio with your other handles, and consider collabs or giveaways to quickly build a strong following on your chosen platform.

Social Media Trend 3. Creativity over Consistency

As is the case for any marketing channel, social media trends are bound to become stale over time – and because of how fast the trend cycle online moves, this happens quickly. We’re at a point where even macro trends like user generated content (UGC) and behind-the-scenes insights are getting a little old, and collectively, we’re yearning for something more.

That’s why we predict that 2025 will be the year of creative, outside-the-box, experimental content – even for established businesses with harder-to-crack brand guidelines and identities. Consistency is about to take a much-needed backseat, and instead, we’re forecasting a rollercoaster of a year where the confines of social content really open up.

It’s been occurring right under our noses for years, but it’s been masked by the fast-paced nature of the social media machine.

Take Duolingo, for example. From viral in-person stunts at the Sweat Tour to positively unhinged commentary on X, the owl app has been shaking things up for a very long time. We laud them as an early adopter, one of the first brands to truly break the mould of what’s ‘acceptable’ online as a business trying to sell a product… but have they actually been 10 steps ahead of the rest the whole time?

@kelsdempz every week is a new side quest @Duolingo #sweattour #charlixcx #duolingo ♬ Talk talk featuring troye sivan – Charli XCX

Over the course of this year, we’re forecasting more and more brands who ditch their picture-perfect content strategies, abandoning or modifying their pillars to create more space for trial-and-error-based content with a human focus.

Of course, this doesn’t mean you need to treat your social strategy like the Wild West. Instead, think about what your audience craves and look to deliver it to them in unique, engaging ways that diverge from your usual approach. Introduce a new series or character, play with editing techniques, mix up your content formats, or broaden your scope with new topics, and see what comes of it.

Quirky brands like Scrub Daddy are already breaking the content mould, and seeing more success than ever from it.

Social Media Trend 4. AI-driven Commerce Opportunities

If 2024 was the year of social commerce, then we predict 2025 will be the year AI kicks it up a notch. It’s easier than ever to find and purchase products without leaving your go-to social media app, and with AI on our side, this process is set to become even more seamless and beneficial for brands and businesses.

Social commerce opportunities like TikTok Shop will become even more personalized and advanced as AI capabilities grow.

Here’s a look at how:

More personalization: We’ve all come to expect a tailored shopping experience from the comfort of our own homes, or, rather, our social media apps. AI can deliver this by analyzing customer data and offering up targeted suggestions, including recommended products to purchase and categories to browse. AI can also help auto-fill data, infer location information, select ad or product creative that will resonate with certain demographics, and much more, creating a shopping environment that rivals its in-person equivalent.
Better customer service: The introduction of AI chatbots and customer service agents is set to revolutionize in-app social commerce. Think seamlessly answered customer queries, real-time support, and customized upselling – all without having to invest additional staff resources into human customer service. Instead, you’ll be able to focus your efforts where they count, like creating content and dealing with complex customer queries.
Reactive feedback implementation: Have you noticed feedback buttons popping up on your social media feeds, whether they’re for organic content or ads? Well, this data is pure gold when you add AI to the mix, as it permits reactive feedback implementation to strengthen campaigns quickly. AI can analyze this data and use it to serve up products or ads that fit your preferences, whether that’s showing you something you’re likely to want to buy, or changing the way it’s presented (e.g., the ad copy or ad creative).
Augmented reality (AR) integration: One of the perils of online shopping is not being able to envision a product on you or in your space. But, new AI tools are set to completely revolutionize the online shopping game, with augmented reality-powered features like virtual try-ons and design tools. Once this is better integrated into social commerce on apps like Instagram and TikTok, we envision less customer decision fatigue, more confidence when purchasing, and an increase in average order value.

Of course, lots of this is already underway on apps where social commerce is booming. However, one thing we know to be true about social media is this – there’s always room for more innovation. We can’t wait to see further developments at the intersection of artificial intelligence and shopping in 2025, and see how businesses leverage them for happier customers, faster sales, and better brand loyalty.

Ready to supercharge your success on social media?

Go on, redeem your 7-day free trial of Plann Plus. If you don’t like it, keep using Plann for free!

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How To Create A Content Marketing Plan, Step-by-Step

Lucinda Starr — Thu, 09 Jan 2025 21:00:50 +0000

As the saying goes, ‘proper planning prevents poor performance’ – and this adage rings true in the world of social media marketing. At Plann, we think every business needs a content marketing plan to guide the way they show up online.

If you’ve tried and failed to develop your social media content plan, we get it. It’s not an easy feat, and it’s time-intensive for small businesses and solopreneurs. Instead of leaving you to labor over an Excel spreadsheet, we’ve put together a simple nine-step guide to building a content marketing plan that actually drives results.

Content planning is the key to making social media feel easy, and could be your gateway to more creativity, flexibility, and reactivity. It’s time to make 2025 your best year yet digitally – let’s get to work.

How to reverse engineer your way social media success

What is a content marketing plan?

A content marketing plan is a detailed outline of all the content you’re going to post for your brand broken down by channel. It’s a formula for what to post, when, and why. If outlined correctly, will make showing up online (and seeing success!) easy.

It’s up to you how far you want to take your content marketing plan. Some organizations like to split out their social media content plan from the rest of their platforms (e.g., website content, email marketing), whereas others prefer a broad view of every campaign: past, present, and future.

At the very least, your content plan should include your key channels as well as some overarching objectives and an explanation of your content pillars.

Why your brand needs a content plan

If you’re a small team or strapped for time, spending a day or more defining a content marketing plan may seem overwhelming – but we promise that the benefits outweigh the costs by a landslide.

Here’s what building out your social media content plan could give you:

A holistic view of your content strategy: A content plan lays your business’s content strategy out on the table. Instead of dealing with pieces of your strategy in siloes, having everything detailed in one document will give you a holistic view so you can identify where things are working or going wrong.
An efficient outline of your objectives: Your social media content plan should summarize your online objectives – for example, converting customers or building brand awareness. It’s a guiding light for posting to your digital platforms and will improve decision-making when you’re questioning whether a piece of content is brand-aligned or not.
A resource for all staff members: Every digital marketer knows that onboarding new staff to an established brand is tough stuff – but it’s much easier with a content plan in place. Your social content plan acts as a ‘strategy on a page’ that new staff members can pick up, read through, and run with, with minimal confusion or questions.
A cheat sheet: We’ve all experienced creative block before – that frustrating feeling when you’re fresh out of ideas to entertain and engage your audience. Instead of taking an involuntary digital detox, refer to your social media content plan to realign with your objectives. This is a surefire way to get ideas percolating again and ensure they’re on track with your goals.
A way to justify your decisions: If you need to justify your digital content to higher-ups within your business, agreeing on a social content plan first is a great way to ensure everyone is on the same page. This means there are no surprises on all sides – and if a post ever does get called into question, you can reference your content strategy to justify it.

9 steps to devising a foolproof social content plan

Drafting up an airtight content strategy doesn’t have to be daunting – and once it’s all down on paper, you’ll enjoy more clarity and direction than ever before.

This 9-step content marketing plan template will help you construct a detailed roadmap of exactly what, why, when, and how you post to your digital channels.

Step 1. Determine your purpose

Kick things off by figuring out exactly what you want to achieve by posting content online. This is where you outline your bigger objectives, such as raising brand awareness, attracting new audiences, building community, and converting leads to customers. You may choose to drill down on just one, or include a few with varying importance.

Step 2. Define your channels and audiences

Once you’ve got your goals established, it’s time to define where you’ll show up online and who you’re speaking to. If you already have a digital presence, write down all of your existing platforms – for example, social media apps like Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, TikTok, and Pinterest, as well as other digital avenues such as email marketing, your brand’s website, and your blog. If you’re just getting started with a new biz, list all the digital platforms you can think of.

We suggest numbering the channels you’ve written down in order of importance to your brand. Unless you’re a huge business, it’s unsustainable to have a strong presence on every channel, and defining your priorities will help you focus on nailing your content where it counts.

You can then dive into your insights to understand your audience on each platform. If you have the time, build out audience personas for each of your digital marketing channels, detailing who they are, what content they enjoy, and how they behave.

Step 3. Audit what works (and what doesn’t!)

A content audit is the most strategic way to figure out what your audience resonates with. It can help you focus your efforts and free up time and resources.

Using Plann, you can execute the key elements of your content marketing plan digitally, including your content pillars.

To perform a content audit, list all the content you have created by the channel for a set time period, either manually or using an analytics tool like the one available in Plann. Once you’ve got a clear picture of what’s been posted by channel, review your results, looking for the following:

Top performing and bottom performing posts overall
Posts with skewed metrics (e.g., that receive strong reach but poor engagement or vice versa)
Any content categories that emerge (e.g., help-based content, edutainment, memes, etc.)
Patterns by post type (e.g., static image vs carousel vs video)
Content gaps and opportunities

Aim to draw a handful of conclusions from analyzing your results. Keep these off to the side – we’ll use them later to design your social media content calendar.

Step 4. Build out content pillars and types

Every brand needs three to five purposeful content pillars to guide its output on social media and beyond. Using what you have learned from your content audit – particularly the content that works well – and your brand’s goals, define overarching pillars that can then be broken down into actionable content types.

Here’s an example we’ve drummed up for a sporting goods brand:

Content pillar: Foster camaraderie
Content types: Event-based content, community gatherings, relatable memes and videos, and influencer partnership content.
Content placements: Instagram Reels, TikTok, Instagram broadcast channel, Facebook community group, email marketing, loyalty program, brand app.

Using Plann, you can execute the key elements of your content marketing plan digitally, including your content pillars.

Everything you post should fall under at least one of your pre-defined pillars. Under each content pillar, list as many content types as you can think of (e.g., memes, how-tos, explainers, etc.). It’s up to you how broad or granular you want to be – just make sure it’s actionable.

Step 5. Design your social media content calendar

While it’s a separate entity to your social media content plan, your content calendar is just as important – and designing the two outputs in tandem will streamline your content creation.

Draft your content marketing plan and social media calendar using Plann’s built-in tools.

Draw up a calendar and add fields for the day, post theme, channel, post type, content pillar, status, and any other relevant information you’d like to track. You can do this as a spreadsheet or use a social media scheduling app like Plann, which is designed to make content planning easy and visual.

Step 6. Start creating content

Creating content is a key part of your content marketing plan, as you won’t know your strategy is sound ‘til you test it out. Using the roadmap you’ve defined, begin creating content that satisfies at least one objective, falls under one or more content pillars, and is tailored to one or a range of priority channels.

You can also use this step to outline the mechanics of how you create content within your team. Include roles and responsibilities in a section of your content marketing plan. If you’re using a digital system to track your social content plan and/or content calendar, you may be able to assign these roles digitally so your team members receive notifications when their part of the deal is due.

Step 7. Identify opportunities to repurpose

Before you schedule content using your go-to scheduling software, consider the breadth of your content and how you may be able to repurpose one idea across various placements. In 2025, the social media landscape is saturated, and it’s impossible to reach your entire audience – so don’t hesitate to create two, five, or even 10 pieces of content that focus on a single concept.

A video that works well on TikTok could have the same cut-through on Instagram Reels if edited differently. An Instagram Reels script could be turned into a blog post. A blog post could spark inspiration for a condensed, short-form LinkedIn post – and so the cycle continues. Stats show that 60% of marketers find their repurposed content actually performs better than the original – if that’s not enough reason to give it a shot, we don’t know what is!

In your content marketing plan, lay the ground rules around repurposing – how often will you do it, and how will you differentiate between each content piece? Then, translate this into your content calendar by identifying opportunities to repurpose existing and upcoming content across channels and mediums.

Step 8. Set reporting metrics

Every good social media content plan is driven by data. After all, we’ve got so much information at our fingertips – it would be remiss not to use it to guide your content strategy. In the final part of your content marketing strategy, define how you will measure content performance and quantify success.

You may choose to break this down by channel, macro goals, or content pillar, depending on your business objectives. Consider setting monthly KPIs to hit in addition to quarterly or yearly goals to measure your long-term success.

Step 9. Post, analyze, and realign

The final piece of the social content plan puzzle is testing and adjusting your strategy in line with performance. Start by executing at least a few weeks of your new content marketing plan and observing whether your posts deliver on your objectives or fall short. Then, using the analytics available to you (either through a scheduling tool like Plann, or natively on each platform), measure this success in a concrete way against the KPIs you’ve set.

Fitness content creator Brittany McCrystal repurposes the same recipe across multiple Instagram posts with different hooks.

Take what you learned from this exercise and tweak your social media content plan. It’s important to view this document not as a static source of truth but rather as an ever-evolving manifesto of how your brand shows up online. The digital landscape changes every single day, so it only makes sense that your strategy will shift as time passes, too.

Every brand needs a content marketing plan to define its social media strategy, so now’s the time to get cracking on yours. With a structured yet flexible ‘digital blueprint’ laid out on paper, you’ll take all the hard work out of social media content creation and make way for the good stuff – creativity, freedom, and fun.

Ready to supercharge your success on social media?

Go on, redeem your 7-day free trial of Plann Plus. If you don’t like it, keep using Plann for free!

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The Ultimate Guide to YouTube Video Sizes

Lucinda Starr — Tue, 07 Jan 2025 08:16:57 +0000

While many social media platforms have come and gone quickly, burning out within years or even months, YouTube is an internet stalwart. It launched in December 2005, and in the two decades since, it has amassed an unbelievable 2.5 billion users.

Unlike other platforms around in the mid-2000s, YouTube has stood the test of time – but that doesn’t mean it hasn’t evolved to keep up. YouTube is ever-changing in line with user behavior, so if you’ve got a presence on this popular video-sharing app, it’s critical to stay across the latest best practice protocols.

Nailing your YouTube video sizes and dimensions could be the difference between low user retention rates and a strong, loyal community of viewers. No one likes low-res content, and there’s power in perfecting your profile with the right banner, thumbnails, and profile pic.

So you don’t have to scramble every time you upload to YouTube, we’ve put together the ultimate guide to YouTube video sizes. Read on for everything you need to know, plus our top tips for establishing a polished and professional YouTube presence.

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Resolution vs Aspect Ratio: Understanding YouTube video size

When you’re first starting out editing and uploading video content, you’ll encounter two ways to describe a video’s size – resolution and aspect ratio. The difference can be a bit mystifying at first, so here’s what you need to know.

Pixels are tiny squares on a display screen that culminate to form an image or video. More importantly, they’ve become a unit of measurement used to describe a video’s resolution. So, when you see a video size communicated in large numbers separated by an ‘x’ – for example, 1080×1920 – that’s 1,080 pixels in width by 1,920 pixels in height.

Then, you’ve got aspect ratio – a way of communicating the orientation of an image or video as a mathematical ratio, where each of the two numbers is relative to one another. When you see two small numbers separated by a colon, this is a video’s aspect ratio. Take 4:5 – this means that the proportion between the width and height is 4 to 5. Square images, for example, are expressed at a 1:1 aspect ratio because the width and height are equal.

YouTube video dimensions to use in 2025

Now that you understand the building blocks of a video’s size – aspect ratio and resolution – let’s put them together for YouTube.

Aspect ratio for YouTube videos

The correct aspect ratio size for a YouTube video with a traditional horizontal orientation is 16:9. While most cameras and phones film in this orientation when angled horizontally these days, always be sure to check the aspect ratio is correct when you export your video file.

Resolution for YouTube videos

Aspect ratio is the easy part, while the other slightly trickier component to be aware of is your video’s resolution or dimensions. This determines the quality of the video you upload. The bigger the resolution, the better quality it will be.

The resolution you are able to access for your YouTube video will depend on two things: the quality you filmed in and the quality you export and upload your file as. Cameras and phones have settings that you can adjust to increase or decrease the resolution of your filming output, which allows you to control the overall quality of your video.

Here’s a quick guide to YouTube video dimension size:

240p (lowest resolution): 426×240
360p: 640×360
480p: 854×480
720p (high definition): 1280×720
1080p (full HD): 1920×1080
2K: 2560×1440
4K (ultra HD): 3840×2160
8K (highest resolution): 7680×4320

Creators should aim for a minimum resolution of 1080p. Close to half of YouTube viewership happens on a TV, so it’s important to select a resolution that will appear crystal clear on large screens to ensure viewer satisfaction! 2K and 4K are now commonly used by best-of-the-best creators, so if you want to give your videos a professional edge, consider putting in the time and effort to meet these standards.

File size for YouTube videos

As well as the resolution and aspect ratio of your YouTube video, you should be aware of its total file size in megabytes (MB) or gigabytes (GB) before you upload. If you try to upload something too large, this could chip into hours of your time and chew up data.

The file size of your video will correlate with its resolution – simply put, the larger the video resolution, the larger the file size will be. Of course, its length in minutes or hours will also play a big role here.

In 2025, the maximum file size for a YouTube video is 128GB, and the maximum length in hours is 12 hours.

Understanding the best YouTube video size, including dimensions and file size, will help you satisfy your audience with a high-res output.

YouTube Shorts video size guide

While horizontal long-form videos are still the main event on YouTube, in 2020, the platform launched Shorts – bite-sized vertical videos designed to rival Instagram Reels and TikTok.

If you’re firming up a YouTube strategy for your brand or small business, Shorts should be a core component, as these snackable vids get fantastic engagement. A study conducted in 2024 found that while Shorts receive fewer comments than traditional YouTube videos, they see more views overall, as well as more likes per view. So, nailing your size resolution for YouTube Shorts is critical.

For Shorts, opt for an aspect ratio of 9:16 – the inverse of the traditional YouTube format video size. Luckily, this is the same orientation as your phone’s camera when you’re filming vertically, so it’s not hard to create videos that satisfy these dimensions. When it comes to resolution, the same rules as a horizontal video apply, just with the width and height values flipped.

Aim for a minimum size resolution for YouTube Shorts of 1080p to 2K to ensure good quality across devices.

While we always recommend filming and uploading in hi-res, your Shorts videos don’t have to be as high definition as horizontal videos, as they’re predominantly watched on mobile devices and tablets with smaller screens. Aim for 1080p or 2K, and don’t stress if your quality caps out there – there’s no need for 8K videos when dealing with phone-sized screens.

Lastly, when it comes to file size and video length, the key to mastering Shorts is in the name. Keep things snappy at 3 minutes or less, and don’t exceed a file size of 60MB – although many creators say the sweet spot is around 10MB.

YouTube thumbnail size guide

When you’re trying to build a community on YouTube, your videos are a huge piece of the puzzle – but there are a few other things to consider, too. Your thumbnail images, especially when paired with snappy titles, are how viewers can easily find and categorize your content. Think of them as your video’s first impression, the cover of the book that’ll convince your target audience to turn the page.

In 2025, the minimum thumbnail size for YouTube is 640×360, and the recommended thumbnail size for YouTube is 1280×720. This is an aspect ratio of 16:9, the same as your YouTube video itself. There’s also a maximum file size for YouTube thumbnails of 2MB.

Nailing your thumbnail size for YouTube is critical, as this may be a viewer’s first touchpoint with your content!

For YouTube Shorts, thumbnails are less of a priority. You can’t upload custom thumbnails in the same way you do regular YouTube videos – instead, you can select a frame from the video as your still. This means the aspect ratio is 9:16, and the resolution is the same as your video.

YouTube banner size guide

Your YouTube banner tells visitors to your channel what to expect from your content. It should give insight into your brand’s personality, reflecting its visual identity and providing context on the type of videos you upload.

In 2025, the recommended dimensions of a YouTube banner are 2560×1440. Expressed as an aspect ratio, this is 16:9. The maximum YouTube banner file size is 6MB.

Travel vloggers Daneger and Stacey have perfected their YouTube banner size and safe zone.

However, there’s also a safe zone to consider. The YouTube banner safe zone is the recommended area to place important elements like images and text. This accounts for variation across devices – by adhering to the safe zone, you can ensure your banner looks good regardless of whether it’s viewed on mobile, desktop, or tablet, and that no key info is obscured.

The recommended safe area for YouTube banners is 1546×423.

YouTube profile picture size guide

Just like on other social media channels, your YouTube profile picture is how subscribers and new viewers will come to recognize you and associate your content with your brand. So, you want to make a statement – and half the battle of doing this is getting the specs right!

Beauty vlogger Estée Lalonde’s YouTube profile picture size ensures her photo fits perfectly in the circle and looks high quality on mobile and desktop.

The recommended profile picture size for YouTube has a 1:1 aspect ratio and is 800×800 in resolution. Like your video thumbnail, your file size shouldn’t exceed 2MB.

Your YouTube image and video size cheat sheet

So you can start creating content with confidence, here’s a final wrap-up of all the recommended YouTube video sizes you need to know in 2025:

YouTube video aspect ratio: 16:9 (horizontal).
YouTube video dimensions (px): Anywhere between 426×240 and 7680×4320, but the sweet spot for most creators will be 1920×1080 (full HD) or 2560×1440 (2K).
YouTube video file size and length: Maximum file size of 128GB and maximum length of 12 hours.
YouTube Shorts aspect ratio: 9:16 (vertical).
YouTube Shorts video dimensions (px): Anywhere between 240×426 and 4320×7680, but we recommend 1080×1920 (full HD) for the best upload size to quality ratio on mobile.
YouTube Shorts file size and length: Maximum file size of 60MB and maximum length of 3 minutes.
YouTube thumbnail size: 1280×720 resolution, 16:9 aspect ratio, and a maximum 2MB file size.
YouTube banner size: 2560×1440 resolution, 16:9 aspect ratio, and a maximum 6MB file size.
YouTube profile picture size: 800×800 resolution, 1:1 aspect ratio, and a maximum 2MB file size.

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Go on, redeem your 7-day free trial of Plann Plus. If you don’t like it, keep using Plann for free!

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What is Bluesky? Everything You Need To Know

Lucinda Starr — Fri, 27 Dec 2024 12:07:45 +0000

Ever since controversial tech mogul Elon Musk bought his way into X (FKA Twitter… not to be confused with Musk’s ex, FKA Twigs) users have been leaving the platform in droves. The alternative they’re flocking to is a decentralized social media platform that gives users control over their data, and it’s called Bluesky.

But, is the sky actually bluer on the other side? All signs point to yes – with a whopping 24 million users as of December 2024, people seem to be loving the Bluesky app and all that it stands for.

Many brands have been hesitant to jump on the Bluesky train, but social media leaders (think Duolingo and Netflix) are finally making their way across and seeing success. If you’re looking for a Twitter replacement for your brand, it might be time to fire up your Bluesky account.

But, before you do, it’s important to know the lay of the land. Here’s everything brands and small businesses need to know about Bluesky.

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What is BlueSky on social media?

Bluesky is a new, decentralized social media app for text-based posting and interaction. It was born out of a research project by former Twitter CEO and co-founder Jack Dorsey in an attempt to create a decentralized social media network – meaning the app is not owned by one single entity and data is hosted across a range of independent servers.

Bluesky has been touted as the new X (Twitter), which many brands, creators, and normal folk alike are leaving now that owner Elon Musk has relaxed the platform’s rules around hate speech and added new terms and conditions that permit the use of user data – even from private accounts – to train its AI bots.

What is Bluesky? Well, it’s a new, decentralized text-based social media app to rival Twitter.

Bluesky started out in October 2021, but it’s gaining traction rapidly now that many users can see the downfalls of sharing content on X. After Donald Trump won the US election in November 2024, Bluesky’s user base grew by 1.5 million users as X hemorrhaged 115,000 users in the same day.

Who owns Bluesky now?

Savvy social media users will know that while Jack Dorsey started out on the Bluesky board, he’s no longer a part of the company as of 2024.

So, who owns Bluesky now? With Dorsey out of the picture, the company is now owned by CEO Jay Graber as well as an unnamed collection of Bluesky employees referred to as ‘the Bluesky team’ across official records.

How do you use Bluesky?

Bluesky looks and functions a lot like Twitter, and that’s no surprise, seeing as it was designed to mimic the platform – just with a different mechanism underpinning data storage and management. Let’s unpack exactly how Bluesky works.

Creating a Bluesky account

To start out on Bluesky, you’ll need to create an account for yourself or for your brand. The steps here are pretty simple, but we’ve broken them down for you so you can start seeing success on this app ASAP.

1. Navigate to Bluesky: Visit the platform at bsky.app on your mobile or desktop browser, or by downloading the app from your device’s app store.

2. Click ‘Sign up’ and fill out your details: Once you opt to sign up to the platform, you’ll need to fill out your email address and date of birth, and pick a password.

3. Select where your data is hosted: Because Bluesky is a decentralized platform, you can choose to host your data on one of the app’s servers, or you can select your own hosting provider. If you pick the latter, fill in your hosting provider’s server address at this point.

4. Choose your handle: Like other social media platforms, you’ll need a handle for your account that reflects you or your brand. The name you pick will be automatically bookended by ‘bsky.social’ (e.g., ‘@plann.bsky.social’), however, if you’d prefer you can pick a custom domain later.

5. Set your profile picture: Give your profile a face by uploading a pic from your device or creating an avatar using the tools available on Bluesky.

6. Specify your interests: The last step in setting up your Bluesky account is telling the app what kind of content you’d like to see so it can accurately recommend accounts to follow and posts you might be interested in. Pick your interests from a line-up of 20+ options to customize your experience.

Finding people to follow on Bluesky

On Bluesky, you can find people to follow in the ‘For You’ feed or one of a number of other customizable feeds.

Like on Twitter, half of the fun of using Bluesky – even for brands – is following entertaining and engaging creators in your niche. While the app will recommend who to follow on Bluesky based on your preferences when you first sign up, you can also search for creators using a few techniques:

Search by username: If you know someone’s Bluesky handle and you want to follow them, simply type ‘@’ then their Bluesky username into the search bar. You can also use ‘to’ or ‘mention’ followed by a colon and their username for the same purpose.

Search using hashtags: Hashtags work the same way on Bluesky as they do on other platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and X. Type ‘#’ followed by your search term (for example, ‘#socialmedia’) into the search bar to bring up results from top creators. Then, you can click on each user’s profile if you want to see more of their Bluesky content.

Browse the ‘For You’ feed: Like many modern social media platforms, Bluesky has a ‘For You’ tab that you can scroll through to find posts (and creators!) you resonate with.

Posting content to Bluesky

The other half of the equation on Bluesky is posting your own content to attract an audience in your niche and keep ‘em engaged. Here’s how to publish your first Bluesky post:

1. Click the ‘New post’ button or blue icon: Depending on whether you’re accessing Bluesky on desktop or the mobile app, there’ll be a ‘New post’ button or blue icon with a pen inside a square – click this to create a new post.

2. Type out your post: Write whatever you’d like to say to your Bluesky audience. Don’t forget to include hashtags or mentions in this step, too!

3. Add media: At the bottom of the dialog box, click one of the four rich media icons to add a photo, video, or gif, or take a photo using your device’s camera.

4. Write alt text: If you’re uploading an image, click the ‘Alt’ button to add an image description as alternative text. This makes your post accessible for visually impaired users.

5. Publish: When you’re happy with your Bluesky content, click the ‘Post’ button to send it out into the world!

How does Bluesky differ from X?

While Bluesky was modelled off Twitter – and looks very similar – there are still differences to be aware of.

There are a few key differences between Bluesky and X that you should be aware of before you create your own account.

Bluesky is decentralized: Like we’ve explained, Bluesky is a decentralized platform, which means user data is hosted across multiple independent servers. The main repercussion of this is the safety of your data and the way it’s used – ultimately, compared to X, your Bluesky data belongs to you.
Account verification works differently: On X, users can pay a monthly fee for verification in the form of a blue checkmark, or they can receive a gold or grey checkmark if they are an official organization (gold for businesses, grey for government organizations). On Bluesky, you must self-verify your account by linking it to a public domain (for instance, we’d link ours to plannthat.com). This ensures more transparency because verification is not pay-to-play, a system that has been widely criticized.
The user base is smaller: While Bluesky has gained lots of new users recently, and its total audience base sits at a not-too-shabby 24 million, let’s face the facts – X is still a social media behemoth. Reports suggest X, Twitter, or whatever else you’d like to call it is repping over 335 million users as of 2024.
Bluesky has no native scheduling: One for the social media managers, Bluesky currently has no native scheduling functionality, which means you’ll either need to publish your content manually and in real time, or schedule them using a third-party app.

There are also a bunch of nitty-gritty differences between the way you post and interact with others on Bluesky vs X, from intricacies of the ‘For You’ feed to customizable hashtag settings, profile limitations, and more.

What are the potential benefits of using Bluesky for business?

It’s always important to think deeply before you add a new social media channel to the mix – especially for brand owners and small businesses with limited time and resources. Let’s break down a few of the potential benefits of including Bluesky in your social media strategy:

Expand your reach: If you’re creating engaging content, more platforms essentially mean more ways to reach your people. And, because Bluesky is still new, reach (and engagement!) on the platform are a little easier to win than in bigger, crowded marketplaces like the Metaverse.

Tap new audiences: Bluesky has become the hot new platform post mass ‘X-odus’ – but it’s not just Twitter defectors that you’ll find over here. The Bluesky app is also attracting new audiences who’ve never used a social media platform of this description before. Could this be your chance to tap them, entertain them, and convert them to loyal followers?

Escape the volatility of X: The app formerly known as Twitter has become a lawless land under Elon Musk’s reign, and he’s insinuated that this will never change. This opens brands up to way more volatility and dissent than ever before. Bluesky has been described as a ‘friendlier’ alternative to X, which presents a much more appealing landscape for brands.

Should your brand create a Bluesky account?

While some brands have slowly set up accounts on Bluesky, many are still holding out – so should you board the train or wait at the station? Unfortunately, we can’t answer that question for you – but what we can say is that users on the platform are growing rapidly, so if you take pride in being an early adopter, your time is running out.

If you have the internal resources to add a new platform to the mix, consider capitalizing on Bluesky in its infancy before the app becomes saturated and it’s harder to see engagement. However, if you’re already struggling to maintain a consistent social media strategy across your existing channels, Bluesky mightn’t be a good idea until you have that under control.

Other potential pros and cons to consider include whether brands in your niche are already on Bluesky, if you already have an X strategy you could lift and shift, and whether the nature of the platform correlates with your broader social media goals.

Ready to supercharge your success on social media?

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How the Threads Algorithm Works

Lucinda Starr — Mon, 23 Dec 2024 11:35:59 +0000

In mid-2023, Meta – the team behind Instagram, Facebook, and WhatsApp – announced Threads, an offshoot of IG designed for thought-sharing. Similar to Twitter and TikTok Notes (an invention that came later in 2024), Instagram Threads lets users share questions and musings as text posts and interact with each other’s posts on a fast-paced basis.

Many Instagram creators and brands alike are aware of the benefits of having a Threads presence, and they’re implementing a content strategy here to add value to their existing IG accounts. So, if you’re considering joining the fun, that begs the question – how does the Threads algorithm work?

While trying and testing are important on social media, it always helps to have a guide to start from – which is why we’ve collected all the latest facts about how the Threads algorithm works and how you can use it to amplify your content online.

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What is the Threads algorithm?

Like any other social media platform, Instagram Threads runs off an ‘algorithm’ – a set of hidden rules that govern how content is pushed out across the platform. This includes when and how content appears to your current followers, as well as to new people who fit a similar profile to your existing audience.

Algorithms have always been based on complicated back-end calculations, but in 2024, there’s also a high chance your favorite social media platform will use AI to back up its algorithm. This means that AI machines or systems are observing the content you post, view, and interact with, and making assumptions using that data to determine what you like and don’t like.

Understanding each social media platform’s unique algorithm is important for content creators, digital marketers, and business owners. Because this knowledge informs best practices, having an awareness of these algorithms will shape the content you create. Simply put, it’s the secret sauce that could help you level up your presence on socials and achieve the kind of cut-through you’re looking for for your brand.

View on Threads

How does the Threads algorithm work?

If you’re pondering ‘how does the Threads algorithm work?’ it’s time to stop guessing – we’ve collected every crumb the team at Meta has given us about the elusive Threads algorithm.

Threads’ three-step ranking system

Threads uses an AI system to do a ton of background work to figure out what you’ll like as a user and what to serve you on the ‘For You’ feed. Here’s exactly how it works, according to the big guys over at Meta.

1. Taking inventory: Threads’ AI system starts by taking stock of everything that has already been publicly posted on the platform that could be served to a user, including content posted by accounts that you follow.

The Threads algorithm analyzes everything that has previously been posted, as well as content you’ve engaged with, to rank content and deliver personalized recommendations.

2. Analyzing ranking signals: Then, it scrolls through its ranking ‘signals’ to better understand what you do and don’t like as a user. These signals include posts you’ve commented on or liked, and videos you’ve watched. It also takes factors into account including whether you’ve stopped watching a video halfway through or if you’ve unfollowed someone.

3. Ranking content: Finally, the Threads AI system serves you the content you see on your ‘For you’ feed based on what it’s been able to learn about you.

This is how things work from the perspective of a Threads user, not from a content creation perspective – but we can hazard a guess that the process is pretty similar on the other side.

For content creators and brands, once you hit ‘post’ on that funny meme or thought-provoking text post, your content will be classified by Threads’ AI algorithm and then served to your audience using the above steps.

Ranking factors used by Threads

Now that we’ve demystified the process of ranking content, here are exactly which factors are considered as part of step two, ‘analyzing ranking signals’:

How likely you are to like a post
How likely you are to click on a post
How likely you are to scroll past a post rather than engage with it
How likely you are to click on a post’s author’s profile
How likely you are to click on a post’s author’s profile and then click on another post
How likely you are to click on a post and then like it
How likely you are to click on a post’s author’s profile and then click on another post
How much time you spend viewing a post’s permalink page
How likely you are to click on a post and then click on another post
How much time you spend viewing a post
How likely you are to create a reply to a post

You can see more about each of these ranking factors over in Meta’s Transparency Centre if you want to dig into the technical specificities behind how the Threads algorithm works.

But, the TL;DR (‘too long, didn’t read’) is this – there are heaps of things that go into predicting what kinds of content a user will or won’t like. That’s why Meta platforms are known for their eerily accurate algorithms! As a brand owner or content creator, understanding the basic mechanics of the Threads algorithm should be enough to help you create better content and see an increase in success on social media.

Top tips for improving your ranking in the Threads algorithm

Want to give the Threads algorithm a reason to prioritize your content over your competitors’? Here are a handful of things to consider to improve your ranking in the Threads algorithm.

Prioritize engagement and adding value: Regardless of which platform you’re posting to, the number one rule is to focus on content that engages and provides value to your audience. There’s no point copying others or creating generic posts – think about the things that make your brand unique and translate them into your Threads content.

Tips for improving your ranking in the Threads algorithm

Post when your audience is likely to be online: Posting your Threads content when your audience is likely to be online is a great way to supplement your engagement, as you’re giving yourself the best shot at performing well from the get-go and proving to the algorithm that your content is valuable. Save our guide to the best time to post on Threads to make sure you nail it!
Use rich media: While Threads is based on text posts, adding rich media to your strategy can diversify your content and increase your shot at receiving more likes, comments, and follows. Consider adding a video or two into your weekly calendar, and including engaging images to accompany every second text-based post.
Weigh in on trending topics: Posting about trending topics in the digital zeitgeist can help you increase your chances of being seen. Use Threads’ Trending Now feature, launched in March 2024, to find topics of interest!

In early 2024, Threads announced a ‘Trending Now’ feature to help you find topics that will satisfy the Threads algorithm.

Follow best practice protocol: Adhering to best practice is critical to ensure your content performs well on Threads. Don’t skimp on things like alt text for images and hashtags to amplify your best chance at engagement on Threads.

Ready to supercharge your success on social media?

Go on, redeem your 7-day free trial of Plann Plus. If you don’t like it, keep using Plann for free!

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The post How the Threads Algorithm Works appeared first on Plann by Linktree.

5 Ideas For Your Business LinkedIn Carousel Posts (With Examples)

Lauren Melnick — Fri, 20 Dec 2024 11:42:27 +0000

Let’s talk LinkedIn.

And no, it’s not the buttoned-up, boring corner of the internet it used to be. Today, LinkedIn is the best social media platform for growing your brand, generating organic leads, and being seen as an industry thought leader.

In fact, LinkedIn is responsible for 80%of B2B leads generated through social media.

If you’ve been online, you’ve probably heard dozens of success stories about posting consistently on LinkedIn.

The content type taking center stage? Carousel posts. These swipeable, attention-grabbing posts are like mini-presentations for your audience and are engagement magnets.

Want to add it to your content marketing strategy? Let’s dive into why you should start using LinkedIn carousel posts and explore five ideas you can steal (erm, borrow) for your content calendar.

Create graphics, draft captions and auto-schedule to LinkedIn without leaving Plann!

What is a LinkedIn Carousel Post?

A LinkedIn carousel post is a swipeable series of slides you upload as a PDF to LinkedIn. Think of it as the love child of a PowerPoint presentation and an Instagram carousel. Only you have more room to get nerdy about your industry insights.

It’s one of the most popular content formats on LinkedIn because the carousels are:

Easy to digest
Visually engaging
Prioritized in the LinkedIn algorithm

Plus, a LinkedIn carousel is a viable alternative to video content and proves way less labour-intensive to create, too. Once you have a Canva template with your branding, all you need to do is change the text and imagery, and you’re good to go.

Why Should Businesses Use Carousel Posts on LinkedIn?

LinkedIn carousel posts get results. This interactive format grabs attention, encourages people to linger on your content (hello, dwell time!), and lets you break down complex ideas in a visual and digestible way.

Fun fact: According to LinkedIn, posts with visuals get significantly higher engagement than text-only posts, and our brains process images up to 60,000 times faster than text.

So, if you’ve been looking to boost visibility and start conversations, the carousel format is your golden ticket.

How Many Slides Are Recommended for LinkedIn Carousel Posts?

The sweet spot is 10–15 slides per carousel post.

Why? It’s long enough to add value but short enough to keep your audience swiping. Think “snackable insights,” not “Tolstoy novel.”

Make sure you use the following LinkedIn carousel specs: Your file should be sized either portrait (1080 x 1350px) or landscape (1280 x 720px), or even square (1080 x 1080px).

What Kind of Content Perform Best in LinkedIn Carousel Posts?

Educational content reigns supreme on LinkedIn. People are there to learn, grow, and network—so give your audience something valuable and worth their time. Topics that perform well as LinkedIn carousels include:

Industry trends
Actionable tips
Behind-the-scenes insights
Data-driven takeaways

5 Ideas for LinkedIn Carousel Posts

Ready to start creating LinkedIn carousels? Here are some of the best ideas for boosting engagement with LinkedIn carousel examples.

1. Teach Your Audience Something Valuable

Educational content thrives on LinkedIn because professionals are hungry for actionable insights to solve their problems or improve their skillset. Think about what your audience struggles within your niche, whether it’s time management, preparing for a job interview, or PR visibility, and craft a carousel post around the problem and your solution.

Start with an enticing hook: “Everyone on LinkedIn wants to fix their low engagement. So I made 30 templates you can use in seconds to fix it.”

Then, create a PDF with your digestible steps (or templates). Each slide should focus on one key point, using large fonts and visuals to drive the message home.

Don’t forget to end with a strong CTA, like: “If you’re interested in working with me, visit my profile to book an intro call.”

Create a LinkedIn carousel that teaches your target audience something new and valuable.

2. Share Your Industry Case Study and Unpack The Statistics

Create a valuable industry case study, share the results on LinkedIn and unpack what the results mean to your industry. You can turn this into multiple bite-sized posts, focusing on one takeaway at a time.

Case studies are powerful tools for building credibility and showcasing your expertise. A well-crafted carousel post can take your case study from a dry report to an engaging story. Start by sharing a brief overview of the problem you tackled—something relatable to your audience.

Next, present the data. Use clear, eye-catching charts, infographics, or bullet points to highlight the key statistics. Then, dedicate a slide or two to unpacking what these numbers mean for your audience. What’s the broader takeaway? How can others apply this insight in their work?

For example, if you increased lead generation by 30%, explain the tactics that drove this growth. Break down the process step by step and highlight the most impactful strategies. Conclude with a slide summarizing the key lessons and inviting your audience to ask questions or share their experiences.

Once you have created your post, you can turn it into a carousel ad to share your insights with a broader audience and give other KPIs like website visits.

3. Share Your Results and What Led to Your Success

Everybody loves a success story with actionable insights. If your business has hit a milestone, achieved a goal, or solved a challenging problem, turn it into one or a series of carousel posts.

After all, being able to reverse engineer someone else’s wins can help you identify knowledge gaps and avoid unnecessary mistakes.

Start with a bold claim to grab attention, such as “How We Grew Our Website Traffic from 0 to 30,000 Views in Just 3 Months.” Then, walk your audience through the journey. Dedicate each slide to a specific part of the process, from the initial challenge to the steps you took and the final results.

This format works particularly well if you include a mix of qualitative and quantitative insights. For example, you could pair specific strategies (like optimising blog headlines for SEO) with measurable results (like a 25% increase in click-through rates).

Share your success stories (and failures) with your target audience.

4. Create a Collaborative Piece of Content

Collaborating on a LinkedIn post is a fantastic way to create engaging content and tap into other like-minded audiences. For this post idea, you’ll want to reach out to a few industry peers or thought leaders with a question relevant to your audience.

For example, “What’s your #1 productivity hack?” or “What’s one trend in [your industry] that will shape 2025?”. Once you’ve collected their responses, turn them into a series of slides, giving credit to each contributor. Not only does this add depth to your post, but it also encourages contributors to share the post with their networks, boosting your reach.

You can even include a slide at the end inviting your audience to contribute their own insights in the comments and share the post on their LinkedIn feed. This creates a two-way conversation and positions your brand as a hub for thought leadership in your niche.

One of the best carousel examples for growing your reach is collaborating with other thought leaders in your space.

5. Share What Helps Your Business

Everyone loves a good recommendation. A LinkedIn carousel post is the perfect format to share your favorite tools, podcasts, books, or strategies that have made a difference in your business operations.

Structure your post by dedicating each slide to one resource or tool. For instance, you could highlight a project management app like Trello, explain how you use it to organise tasks and share the benefits you’ve seen (e.g., improved team communication).

End the carousel by asking your audience to share their favorite resources, turning your post into a conversation starter and a goldmine of recommendations.

Use your LinkedIn carousel to demystify what tools make a difference in your business.

Best Practices for Creating LinkedIn Carousel Posts

Here’s a carousel on LinkedIn from our company page that follows best practice guidelines.

Here are some tips to keep in mind when creating your carousel posts.

Keep Your LinkedIn Carousels Digestible: People scroll through their LinkedIn feeds quickly, so your carousel needs to be easy to digest. Use short sentences (in your caption and slides), limit each slide to one idea or point and use large fonts and visuals to grab and hold attention.
Tell a Compelling Story: Whether you’re sharing a case study, personal success, or industry trend, weave a narrative that keeps your audience hooked from the first slide to the last. For example, “What if I told you you’re losing 2 hours a day to unproductive meetings?” Then, guide your audience through a logical progression. Introduce the problem, explore the journey, and finish with a satisfying resolution.
Include a Strong Call-to-Action: The best LinkedIn carousels educate and inspire action. Whether you want your audience to follow your page, download a resource, or leave a comment, make your CTA crystal clear.
Create a Recognizable Visual Brand: Your LinkedIn carousel posts are a visual extension of your brand. Use your color palette, fonts and logo to build recognition and trust with your audience.
Use Canva: Canva has free templates for your LinkedIn posts, making it easy to maintain a cohesive look and feel. Export your design as a PDF file and upload it directly to LinkedIn to create your first carousel post.

Start Scheduling Your LinkedIn Carousel Posts with Plann

Got a few LinkedIn carousel examples in mind? Great!

The next step you have to master is consistency, and that’s where Plann enters the chat.

Sign up for your free trial of Plann today and start strategizing, designing, and scheduling your content from a single dashboard. With our Canva integration, you can access your LinkedIn template within our app and upload it directly to your content calendar in a few clicks.

That’s not all.

Have you got writer’s block? Our AI caption writer can help you create more enticing captions for your LinkedIn carousels. You can also schedule your posts to publish when LinkedIn users are online and ready to engage.

The post 5 Ideas For Your Business LinkedIn Carousel Posts (With Examples) appeared first on Plann by Linktree.

How to Conduct Competitor Research Like a Pro

Lauren Melnick — Thu, 19 Dec 2024 07:16:07 +0000

Imagine a successful sports team like the All Blacks doing ZERO competition analysis before playing a game against the Wallabies.

Instead of watching old game footage, analyzing their in-game strategies, and assessing each player’s strengths and weaknesses, the team decided to… wing it.

That’s a recipe for disaster, amirite?

Whether you want to succeed in business or sport, you need to understand your opponents and how to use their strengths and weaknesses to your advantage.

That’s exactly what competitor research helps you do. It gives you the data to map out your game plan and predictably score a try against your rivals again and again.

Not sure where to start? Let’s help you conduct competitor research like a pro and learn how to leverage these insights to supercharge your success on social media.

Advanced analytics help you identify what works, discard what doesn’t and build your brand without the guesswork.

What Is Competitor Analysis?

A competitor analysis involves snooping on your competitors to understand their strengths, weaknesses, products, and marketing strategies.

Usually, it involves a defined scope (such as reviewing your competitor’s website or social media channels). Plus, this analysis works best when you select a handful of direct competitors who operate in the same industry or niche as your brand.

Why Is a Competitor Analysis Important for Your Business?

When done correctly, a competitive analysis can give you data to back your business decisions and give your customers the best solution to the problem you solve.

By conducting a competitor analysis, you’ll be able to:

• Define or update your unique selling point (USP) and unique value proposition (UVP).

• Find gaps in the market landscape that you can tap into.

• Capitalize on your competitors’ weaknesses by improving your product or service.

• Identify success strategies and strengthen your marketing campaigns.

• Understand what is and what isn’t working in your industry.

How Often Should I Conduct a Competitor Analysis?

It depends on your industry. If you’re in a fast-paced vertical experiencing rapid change like tech or travel, conducting competitor analysis every quarter makes sense. If your business is in a more stable market, a biannual analysis will help you stay competitive and agile.

You should also conduct a competitive analysis during major business moments, such as launching a new product, entering a new market, or responding to industry developments. By monitoring pricing strategies, marketing campaigns, product innovations, and customer sentiment, you can create a business strategy based on data, not your gut.

How Does Competitor Analysis Help Improve My Social Media Strategy?

Competitor analysis helps improve your social media strategy by highlighting what is working and what isn’t within your niche. When you take a deep dive into your competitors’ social media content, you can identify trends, audience preferences, and successful tactics.

In short, it takes the “mystery” out of the equation and helps you hone your strategy faster.

That’s not all.

You might uncover unique gaps in the market to differentiate your brand. For example, if your competitors focus heavily on product promotions, you could stand out by sharing behind-the-scenes content.

Lastly, it gives you a benchmark. Observing key metrics like follower growth, engagement rates, or campaign success gives you realistic goals based on real data, not guesstimating.

How to Conduct a Competitor Analysis

Now, to the bit you’re most interested in: how do you conduct a competitive analysis? Here’s a step-by-step guide to everything you need to know!

Step 1: Identify Your Competitors

Grab your notebooks and pens, or open a new Google Sheets doc and brain-dump your competitors.

You’re looking for a mix of direct and indirect competitors who either offer the same solution, serve the same customer, or solve the same problem with a different product or service.

Start with the companies that immediately come to mind, and then turn to Google and social media to complete your list. If you already have an audience, ask your customers what other alternatives come up on their radar.

Here are some questions to help kick-start your competitor research:

• Who is targeting the same customers?

• Who are the leaders in your niche?

• Who is selling the same thing?

• Who is targeting the same keywords?

• Who is bidding on the same keywords?

Step 2: Take a Deep Dive into Their Business Model

Now that you have a list of companies to stalk, it’s time to whip out your darkest clothes and go full stealth mode.

During this stage, you want to learn as much about each competitor as possible.

You’ll start with a basic company overview. Visit the company’s website, LinkedIn, Crunchbase, or Glassdoor to learn about its history, founders, and employees.

Next, answer the following questions:

• Who is their target audience?

• What products or services do they sell?

• How is their product/services suite set up?

• How much market share do they control?

Step 3: Identify Your Competitor’s Strategies

Ready to get a deeper understanding of your competitor’s marketing strategies?

It’s time to break out the marketing mix, aka the 4 P’s: product, price, promotion, and place.

For the next part of your competitor research, answer the following questions for each company on your list.

Product

• What are they selling?

• What are the features and benefits of their product or service?

• What are the strengths? What are people raving about?

• What are the weak points? What are people complaining about?

Plann Tip: Use review sites and social media comment sections to help answer these questions.

Price

• What pricing model do they use? (Monthly subscription, annual plans, once-off purchase, etc.)

• What is the price for each product or service?

• What pricing strategies do they use? (Sales, discounts, buy-one-get-one-free, upselling, etc.)

• Do they use referral schemes, free trials, free shipping, or other perks?

Promotion

• What publications, podcasts, and other media outlets have mentioned your competitor?

• What is their content marketing strategy? Do they have a blog, YouTube channel, podcast, etc.?

• If yes, how well do their site and content organically rank in search?

• How do they promote their business? (Look for channels such as social media, email marketing, paid ads, print ads, influencer marketing, etc.)

• Does your competitor use a guest posting strategy? If yes, which websites have accepted their posts?

• What is their USP?

• What features and benefits do they emphasize?

Place

• Does your competitor sell online, in brick-and-mortar locations, or a mix of both?

• Do they sell directly or indirectly via partners or third-party marketplaces?

• How is the product or service delivered to the customer?

Step 4: Take Action

After your research, use Plann to take action on your new marketing strategy.

Congrats! You’ve made it through the most time-consuming part of competitor research.

Now, it’s time to turn your SWOT analysis observations into actionable insights for your business.

Here is the final set of questions to ask yourself as you analyze your data for each competitor:

• What are my competitor’s strengths?

• What are their weak spots? Where do I have the advantage?

• What are my weak spots? Where do they have the advantage?

• What opportunities in the market landscape have I discovered? What opportunities have they discovered?

• Which of my competitor’s strategies is working the best? Is it worth adopting those strategies?

• Which strategies are not working for them? Am I doing that?

• In what ways is this competitor a threat to my business?

Once you finish answering these questions, you’ll have a solid idea of each competitor’s strengths and weaknesses, revealing how you can improve your market share in the competitive landscape.

Tips for Tracking Competitors Regularly

Use your analysis to track your market position and improve your growth strategy.

Keeping tabs on your competition doesn’t have to feel overwhelming. With a smart system in place, like setting clear schedules, identifying key benchmarks, and using the right tools, you can easily stay in the loop and uncover opportunities to outshine your competitors.

Set a Review Schedule That Works for You

Tracking competitors doesn’t have to take up all your time. You just need a routine. Set up a quarterly schedule for fast-paced industries like technology, fashion, or travel to review their campaigns, content, and pricing strategies. For slower-moving markets, a biannual review should keep you up to date with your competitors.

Schedule reminders and store all your findings in a project management tool like Asana. Use the competitor research template to nip the initial setup in the bud.

Focus on the Right Metrics

You need to zero in on the metrics that matter most to get the most out of your tracking. Start with:

Social Media Metrics: Use tools like Plann to track your engagement rates, follower growth, and the type of posts that drive high interactions and compare your results with competitors.
Pricing and Offers: Visit competitors’ websites regularly to review their pricing structures, promotional offers, and bundles. Tools like Prisync can automate price tracking.
Content Strategy: Analyse blog posts, videos, and downloadable content using BuzzSumo to find their most shared pieces. For example, if a competitor’s guide to travel planning is trending, consider creating something even better.

Use Tools to Make It Easy

Here are some tools to help you streamline the process and give your brand a competitive advantage:

SEMrush or Ahrefs: Perfect for analyzing their keywords, backlinks, and organic traffic. For example, if a competitor ranks high for “luxury safaris in Kenya,” you can adjust your SEO strategy to target similar or complementary keywords.
Adbeat or SpyFu: These tools show competitor ad spend, campaign performance, and creatives, giving you insight into what’s driving their traffic.
Google Alerts: Set alerts for competitor brand names to get notified about news, blog posts, or press coverage.

Want a simple way to track everything? Google Sheets or Excel is your best friend. Create a dedicated competitor analysis sheet with columns for:

Social media growth (followers, engagement rates).
Top-performing content (blog posts, videos, guides).
New product launches or promotions.
Pricing strategy
Ad campaigns.

Keep it organized with colour-coded categories, and update it each time you analyze competitors.

Ready, Steady, Start Sleuthing!

Competitor research isn’t an easy or quick thing to do, but it plays a crucial part in your success. Without it, you might miss market trends and opportunities to one-up your rivals.

But remember, it’s not about copying and pasting what your competitor is doing. Your analysis is to help you understand your target audience, how you can better serve your customers, and find tactics to help your business stand out.

Once your market research is done, it’s time to show up consistently on social media. With Plann, your all-in-one social media suite, you can strategically plan, create, and schedule all of your social media content ahead of time.

Ready to blow your competitors out of the water? Sign up for a 7-day free trial of Plann Pro!

Learn how to manage multiple accounts without going crazy!

The post How to Conduct Competitor Research Like a Pro appeared first on Plann by Linktree.

10 Social Media Trends To Watch Out For in 2025

Lucinda Starr — Thu, 12 Dec 2024 11:27:34 +0000

The social media hamster wheel is ever-spinning with trends, whether they’re macro, micro, or so tiny and fleeting that you’ll miss ‘em if you blink.

While many social media trends are transient, some have longevity because they’re deeply driven by user behavior. These are the trends that have the power to shape our social media strategies and influence how we show up online for our brands and businesses.

With the new year right around the corner, we’re all anticipating one thing – which trends will define and dominate the social media landscape in 2025?

We’ve rounded up 10 social media marketing trends we suspect will alter the digital world as we know it in 2025 – keep reading to learn more about how you can use them to drive performance and see success for your brand.

Easily uncover the latest trends for Reels and TikTok videos so you can create your next viral video

1. Voice-optimized content will become the new SEO

Social media trends are driven by user behavior: and a common thread we’re seeing at the moment is how incredibly time-poor we all are. Perhaps that’s why voice-activated devices and prompts (think Google Smart Home speakers and ‘Hey Siri’) are on the rise.

While social media SEO was a big trend in 2024, in 2025, we’ll need to add another layer to this by ensuring all content is voice-optimized and voice-accessible. This means simplifying video captions, text on screen, and metadata to include casual phrasing that a consumer is likely to use verbally, and distilling this information down to its most potent form to guarantee your content appears in a voice search.

2. EGC will continue to dominate for brands

We’ve all seen EGC – employee-generated content – skyrocket in popularity throughout 2024.

From teenage frozen yoghurt shop workers whipping up their fave desserts to an entire marketing team chronicling the launch of a buzzy new skincare product, EGC has got us hooked. On the surface, it mightn’t seem like there’s much rhyme or reason to why these videos work, but that’s the charm of them: they’re genuine, relatable, and honestly, kinda random.

@jaggerandstoneDrop the deal by EOD or else ♬ original sound – jaggerandstone

In 2025, we’re predicting even more EGC, including its expansion to other networks like YouTube and Snapchat. Now’s also the perfect time for brands who have been a bit reluctant to spotlight their staff to jump on the bandwagon. We know viewers want authenticity – so dig deep, find your talent, and let them run wild!

3. Conversational AI will accelerate social media customer service

Gone are the days of responding to consumer queries personally – conversational AI has swooped right in, and it’s here to make managing your business comms 10 times easier. In 2025, we predict tons of brands will jump on the conversational AI bandwagon to free up time and energy to devote to other pursuits like content creation and strategy.

We predict conversational AI via apps like Intercom, pictured, will be one of 2025’s biggest social media trends.

If you’re not aware of conversational AI’s capabilities just yet, we’re talking about ultra-intelligent AI-powered chatbots that can be trained to handle basic to intermediate customer service requests. Companies like Intercom, Zendesk, and Cognigy are innovating in this space, even introducing AI voice bots that can have real-time conversations with customers to resolve issues.

4. Generative AI will grow video capabilities

Suggestions that generative AI will take over the social media sphere have been swirling for a while, but in 2025, it’s finally time to unlock its full potential.

Many social media platforms have already adopted their own built-in generative AI systems, including TikTok’s Symphony Creative Studio and Meta AI, available for Facebook and Instagram. AI is also a non-negotiable part of the content creation process for 54% of Aussie online creators, according to research conducted by Social Soup.

The rise of GenAI is one of the top social media trends of 2025

In 2025, generative AI will become an inherent part of most brands’ social media strategies. Until now, lots of businesses have been scared of getting caught using AI – but now, this practice is so normal that not utilizing AI is becoming taboo. From virtual influencers to AI-generated viral videos, there are lots of ways to integrate generative AI into your brand strategy.

5. Micro- and nano-influencers will have all the power

While large-scale influencers used to rule social media, our digital landscape has become so saturated that it’s now micro-influencers (10,000-100,000 followers) and nano-influencers (1,000-10,000 followers) who see the best cut-through and engagement online. Nano-influencers actually come out on top with an average engagement rate of 2.19%, according to Statista.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Naked Harvest Supplements (@nakedharvestsupplements)

One of the key reasons micro-influencers hold all the power from a social media marketing perspective is that their content is down-to-earth. We’re all cognizant of how polished social media has become, and now, the balance has tipped in the other direction. We’re sure this will become even more prevalent in 2025, and brands will capitalize on the micro-influencer trend accordingly.

6. Businesses will finally ‘break their brands’

Just a few short years ago, brands were all about ‘polish’ – and now, that couldn’t be further from the truth! Unfiltered content is trending on social media, and this style is no longer just for creators and personal brands.

We suspect 2025 will be the year that brands with strict brand guidelines and tentative social media presences give in a little and ‘break’ their brands in favor of creating real, engaging content.

We’ve already seen it in action from some of the world’s most famous brands. Penguin Books Australia’s engagement soared once they hired an in-house content creator to engage audiences with funny book memes and TikTok dances.

Netflix’s social media has always been tongue-in-cheek – proof they know what their most influential audience (millennials and Gen Z) is looking for. Follow in their footsteps by giving consumers what they want, even if that means pushing the boundaries of your brand guidelines.

7. Quality over quantity will prevail again

Over the last five or so years, social media has become all about how often you post, with influencers and coaches suggesting the only way to grow online is to upload multiple times per day. But, it’s also clear we’re becoming fatigued by the constant cycle of social media, and we’re more aware of the potentially damaging impacts of being chronically online.

@emmmck Posting 3 times a day is OUT and quality content is IN I’ve created the ultimate posting schedule that will help you increase growth and decrease burnout #contentcreatortips #contentcreator #becomeaninfluencer #socialmediatips #influencertips #greenscreen ♬ La vie en rose (Cover Edith Piaf) – 田东昱

In 2025, we predict a major swing in the other direction, where quality will once again trump quantity. That’s not to say social content production will slow down significantly for brands – but there will be more of a push for purposeful content pieces at a frequency of 4-5 times per week, rather than multiple posts per day with no real intentionality or objective.

8. Sub-communities will continue to shine

On social media, we’re spoilt for choice when it comes to connecting with niche communities: think features like Instagram’s broadcast channels and Close Friends, private stories on Snapchat, and LinkedIn Groups. All signs point to even more of these ‘private’ conversations occurring in 2025, as attitudes towards social media become less about over-consumption and more about finding kinship with others.

There are a few ways to capitalize on this for your brand, including working with smaller influencers to shout out your product or service in their private channels and starting up your own communities for dedicated consumers in your niche. Just remember, this kind of content is not about hard selling: the more genuine interaction you foster, the more effective you’ll be.

9. Statics will rise again

Social media marketing trends of the last few years suggest that statics are dead and gone, but we predict they’ll have a renaissance in 2025, all thanks to Gen Z. Yes, short-form video is still king – but that’s not to say statics can’t ascend the throne, too.

We’ve already seen TikTok Photo Mode posts grow in popularity over the last year, with the social media juggernaut suggesting that these posts get “2.9x more comments,” “1.9x more likes” and “2.6x more shares on average” than video posts. We’re certain that this behavior will extend to Instagram and other video-heavy social media platforms.

TikTok carousels (AKA Photo Mode) prove that statics still hold a lot of value in 2025.

Put simply, there’s power in developing a curated social media strategy that balances statics, carousels, and videos of various lengths to cater to everyone’s engagement preferences.

10. Subscription-based content will carve out its place

Most of us have seen subscription models crop up on social media, particularly Instagram, where creators are able to gate premium content via a regular fee for their most dedicated followers. As behavioral social media marketing trends develop, though, we predict that more users will finally buy into these models and dutifully pay for their favorite creators’ best content each month.

Less is becoming more on social media, and we’re collectively sick and tired of feeling inundated with content from hundreds of influencers at once. In 2025, creators and personal brands may see slower follower growth – but their ROI will certainly improve as consumers eagerly lap up everything they create to get their money’s worth.

For brands, this means considering paid subscription models (either your own or in partnership with an influencer) and brainstorming value-adds that balance out the additional cost of a subscription, such as early-access sales and exclusive discount codes.

Ready to supercharge your success on social media?

Go on, redeem your 7-day free trial of Plann Plus. If you don’t like it, keep using Plann for free!

Learn how to get more intentional with your posting and how to plan out themed and seasonal content

The post 10 Social Media Trends To Watch Out For in 2025 appeared first on Plann by Linktree.

The Best Instagram Automation Tools for 2025

Shannon Jade — Wed, 11 Dec 2024 12:26:58 +0000

Instagram automation is the key to staying on top of your social media strategy, even when business is booming!

By exploring automation options, you can take the stress out of social media management, saving time and giving your brand the best chance at success. Better yet, by automating to improve efficiency, you can strive toward greater engagement goals, harnessing the power of a social media community to make a real impact.

Wondering which Instagram automation software tools are right for your business? We’ve got you covered! Here’s everything you need to make a start today!

No more manual posting, guessing, or notifications! Schedule your Instagram Stories and publish them automatically with Plann.

What Are Instagram Automation Tools?

Automation tools are built to manage all the elements that go into crafting a successful Instagram presence. Different automation programs can respond to different tasks, from creating and sharing fresh content to engaging with users online.

Using automation, you can craft all kinds of materials, including Instagram posts, Instagram reels, and Instagram stories. You can write strong calls to action and impactful captions, or you can use an Instagram bot to stay up-to-date with comment responses, connecting with your target audience.

Some automation options even go a step further, running polls and interactive elements to drive audience engagement or helping to monitor performance analytics that support your account’s ongoing growth goals.

Key Features to Look for in Automation Tools

Wondering how to choose the right automation pathways for your Insta? There are a few key features you should look for.

First, aim to choose a software solution that offers a clear, user-friendly interface. As a busy business owner, you don’t want to waste time learning to navigate a complicated system. When you opt for simple, streamlined tools, you can make the most of all available features from the outset without the need for a steep learning curve.

Next, consider what your chosen software can offer. Different platforms thrive in different situations. An all-in-one solution is your best bet, but you might need to mix and match across a couple of tools. Ideally, look for solutions that go beyond drafting captions to schedule Instagram posts and report on analytics.

Critically, you need to ensure that the automation tools you use comply with Instagram’s terms of service. It’s no wonder many users are asking Google questions such as, “Is Instagram automation allowed?” or “Is Instagram automation illegal?”.

This is important, as failure to comply could result in your account being suspended or restricted. Read the T&Cs carefully, and be sure that you’re playing by the rules.

The Best Instagram Automation Tools for 2025

Kickstart your automated Instagram strategy with our top five software recommendations for 2025!

1. Plann

https://www.plannthat.com/_nuxt/videos/banner-new.e7357a3.mp4

Plann is your most comprehensive automation solution, supporting a wide range of Instagram tasks. The platform is designed to make social media management easy, at every stage in the process. You can access tools for AI caption generation, as well as done-for-your strategy and hashtag options.

Plus, with Plann’s new AI content ideas generator, you’ll never be scratching your head about what to post next.

Better yet, Plann allows you to easily schedule multiple posts, including Instagram images, reels, and stories, alongside content for other platforms. When your content goes live, you can keep a close eye on reach and engagement rates to track ongoing performance.

Best for: Users searching for an all-in-one user-friendly solution to streamline every aspect of social media marketing.

2. Hoppy Copy

Hoppy Copy’s generates captions for social media

Hoppy Copy is built for captions! This system provides easy ways to input relevant information and uses these insights to capture your brand voice in engaging social media captions and hashtags. The program even allows you to tweak and edit your results without leaving the AI interface.

Happy with the automated caption Hoppy Copy has produced? All you need to do is copy and paste the text directly into the Instagram app or into another automation tool, like Plann’s Instagram scheduler.

Best for: Business owners and marketers who need help coming up with social-specific caption ideas in line with a clear brand voice.

3. Nitreo

Nitreo focuses on automating Instagram tasks to help you grow

With Nitreo, you can easily automate the steps you need to build your following! This automation tool is made to drive engagement, follow users in your niche, and even automatically view stories on your behalf! The platform can help you navigate hashtags and connect with new users.

When you work with Nitreo, you can save time on finding accounts that care about the same things you do. The platform will strive to build these connections for you while you’re busy with other tasks. You can check in on growth outcomes to see the results Nitreo helps you achieve.

Best for: Busy brand owners who want to automate engagement and growth strategies so they can focus on creating engaging, personalized content.

4. Manychat

Manychat offers intuitive Instagram DM automation

Manychat is the best Instagram automation software for managing direct messages! This platform helps you generate leads, manage funnels, and answer FAQs. You can use the program to start DM conversations and provide customers with lead magnets and special offers.

Using Manychat, it’s easy to stay connected with your audience, even when you’re running low on time. You can use an AI assistant to craft chatbot conversations, and you can set up the system to manage Instagram comments or story interactions with automatic DM engagement. Easy!

Best for: Businesses keen to maximize leads and share real value with audiences in a streamlined and easy-to-manage way.

5. Swydo

Swydo automates Instagram performance reports

Swydo is a tailored performance reporting solution, ideal for keeping track of your Instagram marketing efforts. The system monitors post performance and metrics, from reach to engagement and more, producing insights to help you understand what works best for your brand.

By crafting handy data visualizations, Swydo can support effective strategy and communication pathways. You can use the platform’s automation tools to enhance your knowledge of social media performance and improve your posting tactics in the future.

Best for: Brands looking for more detailed analytics reports that automate Instagram metrics and data insights.

How to Choose the Right Automation Tool for Your Needs

When choosing an Instagram automation tool, it’s important to consider what you’re really looking for.

Think about your specific requirements. What does your Instagram account need in order to grow or achieve maximum conversions? You might be searching for easy ways to automate Instagram posts themselves, in which case a scheduler is the perfect choice. Alternatively, you might need options that manage comments, DMs, metrics, or something else.

Next, consider your team. If you’re a one-man show, Instagram automation can save valuable time that you can use to work on other business activities. If you work as part of a larger group, your automation needs may be different, or you might need more people to have access to automation tools.

It’s important to set clear budget expectations. A high-quality Instagram automation tool will require an investment. Consider what you can afford on an ongoing basis, and establish goals for the return you’d like to see based on the automation you apply.

Remember, it’s often possible to try before you buy! You can make the most of free trials, like the one offered by Plann, to ensure you’re selecting the right automation options before committing.

Best Practices for Using Instagram Automation Tools

When it comes to automation, keep the following best practices in mind.

Use the full suite of available automation features to get the most out of your system.
Balance automation with genuine engagement to maintain the human element of your brand.
Adapt your strategy over time based on changing audience interests and business needs.
Explore new automation options and social media management tools as they become available.

Frequently Asked Questions

Still got questions? We’ve got answers! Check them out below.

What are the benefits of using Instagram automation tools?

There are many benefits to using Instagram automations! When you automate Instagram posting, or any other stage of the content journey, you can save time and stress on production. This empowers you to get back to business on other important projects.

Are Instagram automation tools safe to use?

Most Instagram automation tools are safe to use, so long as they align with the app’s terms of service. Always read the fine print to ensure you’re working in line with the rules, and ask around if you’re unsure about a specific automation platform.

How do I know which tool is right for my business?

Your business is unique, and so are your automation needs. Think carefully about what you’re trying to achieve, and use this as the basis for your software selection. If needed, you can try a variety of automation tools, suitable for a range of tasks.

Can automation tools help grow my Instagram following?

Some automation platforms are built to help grow your Instagram following! From generating post ideas to scheduling posts, monitoring performance, and engaging with your audience, automation can handle it all. Over time, this can be the key to building a stronger online community.

How often should I schedule posts using automation tools?

Your Instagram schedule will vary depending on your brand. Some automation tools will provide you with insights that help you choose when and how often to post. You can also do your own research to find out what’s best for your audience.

Automate With Plann

Plann is proud to make managing social media easier than ever! Check out Plann’s AI caption and content generator and start scheduling Instagram posts at the click of a button. Our easy-to-navigate interface helps you take control of multiple social media platforms, all in one convenient location.

So what are you waiting for? Streamline your process. Sign up now for your FREE 7-day trial.

Ready to plan a week’s worth of posts in just 20 minutes?

The post The Best Instagram Automation Tools for 2025 appeared first on Plann by Linktree.

How to Create and Optimize Your Social Media Reports in 2025

Lucinda Starr — Fri, 06 Dec 2024 11:02:23 +0000

While social media reporting might take time and lots of brainpower, this practice is critical to refining your content strategy and communicating performance ebbs and flows with stakeholders.

If you’ve never created a social media report before, or simply want to give yours a refresh, we’ve rounded up a bunch of tips that’ll help you maximize your output.

Everything you’ll need to smash your social media reporting, including our top metrics for 2025 and a step-by-step guide to your best report yet, is just a scroll away.

Advanced analytics help you identify what works, discard what doesn’t and build your brand without the guesswork.

What is a social media report?

A social media analytics report is a comprehensive overview of your brand or business’s performance across its social media accounts for a specific time period – usually a month or a quarter. Social media marketers produce these reports to communicate the return on investment (ROI) of creating quality social media content to others within the business.

By creating regular reports and circulating them within your company, you can:

Pivot your social media strategy to lean into what works and ditch what doesn’t
Demystify the importance of a strong social media presence to non-social media natives
Communicate the need for additional resources or funding with cold, hard facts
Keep stakeholders across relevant marketing stats like share of voice, channel demographics, and competitor performance

What to include in your social media report

While there’s no set social media report template you have to use when reporting, it helps to define a structure. Consider including these sections in your next social media report to help showcase your brand’s performance online and express the ROI of your time, energy, and money.

Overview

All good reports start by setting the scene! The overview section provides readers with context on your brand’s social media objectives and goals.

Time period performance and KPIs

Assuming you send reports regularly, dedicated readers should have an idea of your social media performance to-date. So, the aim of each new report should be to offer a detailed update on performance for that specific time period as it correlates with your social media key performance indicators (KPIs) and the previous time period.

Consider including a broad snapshot of performance in your social media report to set the scene.

Channel performance breakdown

Once you’ve given readers a strong idea of whether you’re in the red or green overall, break things down by channel. Depending on the structure of your business, this might be by platform (Instagram, Facebook, etc.) or it may include performance across multiple social media accounts if you manage more than one per platform (e.g., a university may have its main Instagram account and an alumni account).

Content analysis

Now your readers know how you’re performing on each channel, you’ve got to tell them why! Holding up a magnifying glass here can help you identify trends and understand why content is or isn’t performing as expected.

Actions and next steps

Before you wrap up your social media analytics report, recap your brand’s performance and offer suggestions for the next steps to support your goals going forward. You might choose to do this by platform or account or offer cross-platform recommendations – this will depend on how much resourcing you allocate to social media.

What social media stats are important for a marketing report?

Every social media marketer knows there’s heaps of hype around the best metrics to track – but it truly comes down to what works best for your business! If your biggest aim is to broaden your audience, you might prioritize follows and impressions, whereas if you plan on driving sales, link clicks might be more appropriate.

Here are some of the most relevant social media stats to include in your marketing report in 2025.

Engagement rate

Engagement rate is a top-tier stat to track in 2025, as it goes beyond ‘vanity metrics’ (such as reach and impressions) and gets to the heart of your content performance. It tells you whether people enjoy and resonate with your content on a deeper level than just seeing it appear on their feeds.

There are two types of engagement rate: by following and by reach. The former can give you insight into how your content is resonating with your followers, whereas the latter provides a broader look at how engaging your content is overall, including to those outside of your audience.

Engagements (comments, likes, shares)

To accompany your engagement rate stats, you can also include the total number of engagements, either as a whole or by type (comments, likes, and shares). This is helpful if one of these metrics correlates with a broader goal – for example, comments could support your goal of building community, whereas a high share count may inform a goal of reaching new audiences.

Reach

While reach and impressions are often criticized for being ‘vanity metrics’, they’re still important to track, even if they don’t inform your decision-making as much as other, deeper analytics. Reach refers to the number of unique users who saw a piece of social media content you created. This can help you track the ‘virality’ of your content and identify inefficiencies or best practice violations stopping you from being seen.

Impressions

Impressions means the number of times a piece of content has been seen in total, including by users who have seen it more than once. It’s a particularly important metric to track for paid ad performance, as it can indicate the efficacy of your ad creative and copy and your targeting.

Followers and new followers

If your goal is to build your digital presence, you can’t escape tracking your overall followers and new followers gained in your social media reports. This can inform many broader conclusions about your brand, including how strong your content strategy is and the effectiveness of your branding.

Saves

The importance of tracking your saves has come to light in recent years, as it’s a strong marker of content relevance – saving often indicates a deeper resonance with a piece of content compared to the humble like. Adam Mosseri of Instagram has said that saves are one of the most important metrics on the platform, so take the big guy at his word, and add these into your next report!

Link clicks

Link clicks are a valuable metric for many businesses, as it indicates the traffic sent from social media to your website. Plus, once someone has landed on your site, you can then follow their journey and attribute conversions to social media – as long as you have tracking set up correctly!

Video views

Lastly, we know video is king in 2025, and its reign shows no signs of ending. By monitoring your video views, you can determine how engaging your content is to both followers and non-followers and make inferences based on additional information like total watch time and viewing peaks.

How to create a social media report: your step-by-step guide

Now that you’ve got all the info on the best social media report statistics in 2025, here’s how to implement them into a shiny (and informative!) report that’ll knock the socks off your colleagues.

1. Define your audience

Start by figuring out exactly who your report will be seen by – this will inform how detailed or top-line your output is. If you’re circulating it within an extremely digitally literate team, you may decide to go ham on the details, but if it’s being forwarded to higher-ups with limited time and knowledge, you could opt for something simple.

2. Select a reporting format

Depending on the social media reporting tools you have access to and your internal resourcing, there are a few ways you could present your report, such as a PDF, a PowerPoint, an interactive dashboard, or a simple email with stats broken down. Pick the one that’s the most sustainable for you to create regularly and will make the most sense to your readers.

3. Access your stats

To support quality reporting, we always suggest using a social media reporting tool to gather your analytics. These are often built into social media schedulers (like Plann!), but you can also subscribe to analytics-only platforms. If you don’t have the budget or know-how for a dedicated tool, it’s possible to use the native analytics within each of your social media platforms, however, their data access is usually on the limited side.

4. Start with an overview

Build your overview section by outlining your major social media goals and giving readers a lay of the land. This might be something you lift and shift from each report – no need to reinvent the wheel every month.

Here are two key components to include in the overview of your monthly social media report:

Channel overview: Which channels does your business have a presence on (Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, etc.)?
Channel purpose: Why do you have a presence on each channel, and what are your top-level, cross-platform goals?

And, if you’re stuck on your social media goals, here are a few to get you thinking:

Attract new audiences: Find and nurture people who fit your audience profile with the intent of eventually converting them into customers.
Drive traffic to your website: Encourage new and existing audiences to explore your products or services online and click ‘add to cart’.
Build a strong community: Establish your position in the market and grow audience trust by facilitating a community space.

5. Summarize KPI progress

In your next section, report on your overall KPI progress regarding cross-channel performance. These are the big, hefty metrics like overall following and total impressions and reach. This will give you a snapshot of whether your social media has performed well or poorly month-on-month.

6. Break it down by channel

Next, split out your performance by social media channel. You can do this by accessing your analytics data in your chosen social media reporting tool and filtering by platform.

From a formatting perspective, we recommend including each platform (Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, etc.) as its own major section within your report and then including the following recommendations as sub-sections.

7. Profile your audiences

Audience information is always helpful for marketers, so why not give your demographics some love in your next report? Here are some audience statistics to consider including:

Age range: Knowing how old your audience is on average can be super helpful, as it’ll offer you more insight into what content resonates with them and how they use social media.
Gender: Find out the gender balance of your audience so you can further tailor your content to their interests and behaviors.
Location: If you can pinpoint where your audience is located, you can deliver content that’s highly relevant to them, including event information and in-store updates.

8. Pull out key metrics

Within each of the sections dedicated to a different social media platform, report on your chosen top metrics, such as engagement rate, reach, saves, and link clicks. Always aim to relate your main metric back to those big qualitative goals we’ve established, as it will ensure your reporting is focused.

9. Measure month-on-month or year-on-year

To add value to your social media report, include month-on-month and year-on-year comparisons against your key metrics in the form of a percentage change. This will help you glean deeper insights – for example, if you notice that your engagement rates are up year-on-year but down month-on-month, you can determine why by digging into the content pieces published during those time periods.

10. Perform a content analysis

Now for the fun part! For each channel, step out your top and bottom performers with a short explanation of what you attribute their performance to. You can use both qualitative and quantitative analysis here to drive your point home.

11. Make actionable recommendations

Using the insights you’ve collected throughout the report, include recommendations by channel for how to support better performance during the next reporting period. This might look like new content pieces to create, campaigns to prioritize, or back-end fixes to make. If you want to double down, you could even assign specific KPIs to each of these actions.

12. Finish with a glossary

One of the indicators of a good social media report is that it can be picked up by anyone across your team and they can understand it without too much experience or context – and an easy way to do this is to include a glossary of key terms at the back of your report! Then, if anyone’s unsure about a certain metric or its relevance, they can simply flip to the final page and look it up.

Including definitions in your social media reports can help acclimatize new readers.

How to take action and implement your findings

Once you’ve created a killer social media report, what comes next? Having the data is one thing – you’ll see true success when you analyze your findings and implement them into your strategy.

Here are our top tips for getting the most out of the reporting process:

Track campaign performance over time: Consider including breakout sections in your report to round up performance by campaign. This is extremely helpful as it will feed into broader business efforts for that specific campaign, such as paid advertising, email communications, influencer marketing and more.
Continually amend your strategy: The whole point of reporting is to determine trends, spikes, and dips in content performance and use them to tailor your posts month to month. You should amend your social media strategy at least quarterly to reflect what you have learned from your social reports.
Take a holistic approach: Incorporating detail around broader marketing efforts that may influence social media performance, such as influencer work and paid ads, is always helpful in showing stakeholders the bigger picture. Consider adding a slide or section to explain the interplay between each area.

Ready to supercharge your success on social media?

Go on, redeem your 7-day free trial of Plann Plus. If you don’t like it, keep using Plann for free!

9 growth strategies to skyrocket your Instagram

The post How to Create and Optimize Your Social Media Reports in 2025 appeared first on Plann by Linktree.