Practical Pointers Blog

Social Media Audit Guide

February 1, 2023

Here at Impact, it’s audit season! We believe that the best way to move forward is to take a moment to look back, reflect and consider what is working versus what is not working. An easy way to begin revamping your brand is to quickly analyze your current stats. In terms of social media, this may include reviewing engagement, reach, content, consistency of posts and more.

For a simple guide on how to audit your brand’s social media accounts, continue reading below.

  1. Determine who your audience is.
    • What type of accounts follow you? Is it individuals? Other brands?
    • Are these the type of followers that you are hoping to target?

During this stage, it may be helpful to consider the audiences of various social media platforms. For your convenience, we have compiled some key demographics for the top social media sites.

  • Facebook
    • 6% — Ages 25-34
    • 53% — Female
    • 8% White, 19.8% Hispanic, 12.2% Black
  • Instagram
    • 2% — Ages 25-34
    • 54% — Female
    • 7% “Other” (not White, Hispanic, Black or Asian), 27.4% Hispanic, 14.4% Black
  • Twitter
    • 5% — Ages 25-34
    • 52% — Male
    • 9% White, 25.1% Hispanic, 16.9% Black
  • YouTube
    • 9% — Ages 25-34
    • 51% — Male
    • 9% White, 20.2% Hispanic, 13.2% Black
  • LinkedIn
    • 24% — Ages 25-34
    • 7% — Male
    • 3% White, 15.4% Black, 11.4% Hispanic
  • TikTok
    • 8% — Ages 25-34
    • 9% — Female
    • 53% White, 22% Hispanic, 15% Black
  • Snapchat
    • 3% — Ages 25-34
    • 5% — Female
    • 7% White, 23.4% Hispanic, 15.4% Black

 

Currently, 25-34-year-olds are the largest generational group within the U.S., which is why this age group is the top user across all social media platforms mentioned above. If you are looking to target a different age group, you should research the penetration rates of various social media platforms for your target audience. To find this data, visit eMarketer or Statista.

For additional ways to identify your audiences, check out this Hootsuite blog.

  1. Determine your followers’ level of engagement.
    • How many likes do your posts receive, on average?
    • How many comments, shares, saves, etc.?

If your followers aren’t engaged, consider introducing new content. Focus on the posts that have the highest levels of engagement— how could you recreate more of this type of content? Is there a common theme, such as posts that feature employees or ones with video?

  1. Examine the consistency of your posts.
    • How often do you post?
    • Do you always post the same type of content (i.e. static graphics) or do you switch things up?

If you are experiencing low engagement on your account(s), it could be due to the consistency of your posts and/or content. As a rule of thumb, you should post three to four times per week. If you have a lot of information to share and feel the need to post more than four times per week, avoid posting daily or multiple times per day. The last thing you want to do is overwhelm your followers! Similarly, you should examine the content that is shared. Do you only share traditional posts, or do you alternate between posts, stories, videos, etc.? Are there any themed posts that you regularly share? How could you improve these posts?

There are a ton of sites that provide content ideas. If you need help with your brainstorming, check out a few of our favorites:

Hootsuite

Sprout Social

Marketing Solved

  1. Review your branding.
    • If someone were to see one of your posts, would they know who you were?
    • Is your logo included in every post or another reminder of what you do or stand for?
    • Do you use brand colors?

Remember that your social media accounts are a way for consumers to learn about your brand, its purpose, its values, and more. The content that you share should convey the same messaging as your website and other written communications. By including your logo and/or brand colors in every post, you can ensure that your audience will know when a post is yours!

While introducing new content is almost always a great idea, we invite you to examine your brand’s standing so that you can enact meaningful, poignant changes to your social media practices. By taking a small step back, we bet you’ll take a much bigger step forward.

Last, but not least, when taking a hard look at what you’ve done and where you want to go next, be sure to get viewpoints outside of your own organization. Survey customers and friends, ask around or, if you’re seeking greater clarity, bring in professionals to share critical insights and an objective view you might not get otherwise.