When they’re facing a problem, customers don’t want to click through a series of irrelevant options or dig through a list of FAQs, only to find none of them address their personalized needs. Tools like chatbots and help centers are helpful for basic knowledge, tips and reminders, but we still need humans to escalate complex support or questions. Today’s consumers want access to a human as soon as possible—and they often go to social media customer service to achieve this.

In The Sprout Social Index™, we found over half (53%) of consumers say their social media usage has been higher over the last two years than the previous two years. Our data also found 76% of consumers notice and appreciate when businesses prioritize customer support.

So brands—now’s the time to build a social customer care strategy (if you don’t already have one). Not sure where to start?

In this piece, we’ll explore what customers are looking for from brands and share leading social media customer care statistics so teams can build stronger relationships in 2024 onward.

Explore other latest social media stats that reflect the changing consumer behavior on social networks.

• How do customers use social media for support?
• How do customer care professionals use social media for support?
• How quickly do brands need to reply to customer service messages on social?
• How important is social media customer service to consumers?
• Social media customer service statistics by network
• Improve customer experiences with social media customer service

How do customers use social media for support?

Brands have several options for delivering customer support, but social media is a crowd favorite. But how are customers using social channels to receive support from brands?

“About 70% of my customers reached out to me through social media channels, the other 30% by email,” said Zoila Streich, Co-Founder of Independent Fashion Bloggers and former fashion business owner. “Most questions are about product availability and payment methods, but a few are feedback about the products or the buying process.”

You’ll also find customers using social to report service outages:

Or to point out issues with shipments and deliveries:

It’s disheartening to get negative feedback, but being respectful and helpful to each customer’s request will help in the long run. Our Index data shows over half of consumers say the most memorable brands on social media respond to customers.

Combining a great product with quality service and excellent support sets you up for more positive remarks from customers. For example, a Telfar customer raved about the brand’s fast shipping.

Another customer thanked the brand for rectifying an issue through quality customer service:

How do customer care professionals use social media for support?

In our Q3 Pulse Survey, we surveyed 336 customer care professionals. Our data shows managing a high volume of requests is the top challenge for organizations, so scaling your social customer service strategy is a must.

While it’s great to have this two-way communication with customers, a customer service-filled feed can distract from other campaigns and promotions your brand is trying to highlight. This is why some brands have dedicated social media accounts solely for customer care.

“Businesses use social media for a variety of purposes, including marketing, engaging with customers, interacting with influencers and more,” said Keenan Beavis, founder of Longhouse Media. “That’s why having a distinct social media account dedicated to customer support inquiries is so important. You don’t want your advertising, likes and shares to bury client demands and questions.”

Make sure to prepare for the ebbs and flows of incoming customer support requests. New product launches or promotions lead to an influx of sales, which means more opportunities for inbound questions.

The volume of customers using our social media customer support fluctuates between 40% to 60%, depending on promotions,” said Yuvi Alpert, Founder, Creative Director and CEO of jewelry brand Noémie. “Because we drive people to our social media profiles through other channels, such as our newsletter, many of the questions we receive come through those platforms.”

Our data shows there are several strategies marketers plan to implement to scale social customer care. The top three include self-service tools/resources like chatbots and forums, social media management tools, and artificial intelligence (AI) and automation.

How quickly do brands need to reply to customer service messages on social?

Being present on social media is great. But having a fast response rate sets apart the “best in class” brands from the “I’m unfollowing you because your customer service is horrible” brands.

How fast is fast enough? In many cases, it depends on the industry and the situation.

For instance, Yuvi Alpert previously told us one day is fast enough during promotions. “It is critical that we answer those questions within 24 hours. We found that allowing more time to elapse lowers customer interest. By offering prompt responses, we see dramatic increases in sales of featured items.”

As customers continue to flock to social for their support needs, it takes more effort to maintain speedy response times.

But what is the response time sweet spot according to customers? Our Index data shows 76% of consumers value how quickly a brand can respond to their needs. Nearly 70% expect a response within 24 hours or less.

At one time, taking a day or more to respond to a customer was acceptable. But now most consumers demand instant access and gratification. That’s why leading brands in social media customer service, like MeUndies, set goals for faster response times. When the underwear brand set a goal of replying to all messages within a 60-minute window, they needed an alternative to responding natively through social platforms.

They turned to Sprout’s Smart Inbox to get an all-encompassing view of their Instagram direct messages, mentions and comments in one stream.

Now, be mindful that a fast response isn’t the primary goal—it’s to resolve customers’ issues. Unfortunately, some brands are quick to reply but slow to resolve. When that happens, unhappy customers will let you (and all their followers) know. Customers want more than timeliness when it comes to quality customer care–they want a solution.

How important is social media customer service to consumers?

Along with timely responses, our Index data reveals 70% of consumers expect a company to provide personalized responses to customer service needs. Our data also found 63% of consumers agree their loyalty to a brand is significantly influenced by the quality of customer service they provide on social media.

With social media customer service statistics like these, there’s only one thing to do: Improve your social media A-game, so you don’t fall into the trenches of negative reviews.

Being consistent with your customer support builds trust and loyalty. Catering to the personalization consumers want can also inspire them to go out of their way to show praises in public (hello, social proof).

For example, as a part of their Telfar Gifted promotion, Telfar shared with participants personalized AI-generated videos featuring designer Telfar Clemens and customers raved about it:

Social media has transformed the balance of power between brands and consumers. Only on social can people compare a brand’s support practices to its competitors in less than a few clicks. The public nature of social has influenced many brands to rethink customer care quality and the roster of standard support channels.

But manually responding to every message—especially when you have multiple social media accounts and thousands of customers—is not sustainable.

With a tool like Sprout Social, customer care teams can organize and filter incoming messages across platforms, triage responses to Cases and view critical customer information all in one place.

Start your free Sprout trial

Social media customer service statistics by network

Now that we’ve covered consumer behavior and their preferences, let’s cover some insightful social media customer service statistics by network.

Instagram customer service statistics

Instagram is one of the most popular social media channels for customer service. Our 2022 Sprout Social Index found that 35% of U.S. consumers use Instagram for customer service. This makes it the second most popular platform for customer service after Facebook. Instagram also has over one billion active users so it’s very likely your audience is on the platform, which means you’ll need to incorporate it into your social media customer care strategy.

Facebook customer service statistics

Around 74% of online adults say they feel more connected with a business when they can message the business directly on Messenger, Facebook’s direct messaging platform. Meta also found that another 66% of consumers agree that messaging is their preferred way of communicating to a business.

The takeaway? If your customers are on Facebook, then you should be too.

OLIPOP, a tonic brand, uses Facebook to offer direct customer support. “I’d estimate at least 50% of our customers will message us questions or comment directly on our posts across Facebook and Instagram,” Melanie Bedwell, eCommerce Manager for OLIPOP previously told us. “Ideally, we try to reply instantly, but if that’s not possible, then at least during the same day.”

Here are examples of their engagement with happy customers:

They also use opportunities to promote their in-store options (and their tool to locate one near you).

Threads customer service statistics

Time will reveal what customer care looks like on Threads as an emerging platform, but our Q4 2023 Pulse survey illustrates some interesting stats for brands to consider:

• 73% of consumers say they haven’t created a Threads account yet, compared to 27% of consumers who have created an account. Of the 27% of consumers who created a Threads account, roughly one-third use it weekly while another third use it daily.
• The majority (75%) of consumers said they plan to use Threads daily or weekly.
• While younger generations are more likely to have a Threads account than older generations, usage differs slightly for Millennials and Gen Z. Twice as many Millennials as Gen Z consumers say they use Threads daily. However, twice as many Gen Z consumers compared to Millennials say they have an account but don’t use it.

In other words, the platform is still growing, but this means there’s an opportunity to appeal to the customers who use Threads.

TikTok customer service statistics

Has TikTok ever made you buy something? Welcome to the club.

Our Q4 survey shows TikTok, Facebook and Instagram are the top three platforms consumers expect to use to contact brands during the holiday customer service season. The survey also shows that 56% of Gen Z and 42% of Millennials use newer platforms like TikTok to communicate with brands.

You can incorporate customer care on the platform in the TikTok comments section. Use video comments to respond to questions or implement an escalation protocol to address customer concerns on the platform.

X (formerly known as Twitter) customer service statistics

X is a popular channel people use to compliment or complain about a brand. Here’s a quick list of stats you should know:

• About 64% of X users even say they’d rather send a message to a dedicated support handle than call a business.
• Over half (53%) of users find it helpful to see how brands answer questions or solve issues publicly.
• The most popular reasons for seeking out customer service on this platform include product defectiveness (37%), order issues (29%) and bad in-person experiences (29%), according to our data report, How to Use Twitter to Take Better Care of Your Customers.

Improve customer experiences with social media customer service

Your business profiles on social channels aren’t just about promoting products and services—they’re an essential place where today’s consumers seek out and expect quality customer support.

Ready to build relationships with your customers? Check out our interactive customer service data story to get started.

The post Social media customer service statistics to know in 2024 appeared first on Sprout Social.

Here’s a comprehensive guide on what a target audience is, and how to find and reach yours through social media.

What is a target audience?

In simplest terms, a target audience is a group of people that’s most likely to be interested in your product or service. And members of this group usually share common traits. A brand can have several target audiences segmented based on shared characteristics.

Let’s look at a few target audience examples to better understand how it works.

Canva, the design tool, has an audience of designers and design enthusiasts, this audience can be further segmented by how they use the tool.

For example, one of Canva’s target audiences is teachers, who may use the tool to create worksheets, infographics or posters.

Another major target audience group for Canva is social media professionals. This group typically uses the tool to create captivating visuals for their brand’s social media and digital campaigns.

What types of target audiences are there?

There are several types of traits or characteristics that can tie a group of people together. These shared characteristics help you to segment your audience into highly relevant categories.

Demographics

You can group together your audience based on shared characteristics such as marital status and age. These demographic factors may influence people’s needs and pain points. For example, new parents may have different needs from child-free couples when buying or renting a new house.

Location

It’s also common to segment audiences based on where they’re located. This isn’t just limited to a country or a city but may include more specific location factors like neighborhoods and school zones.

Interest

You can segment your audience based on different interests, including activities and hobbies. This helps you deliver meaningful messages that your audience can relate to. For example, you may create separate messaging to resonate with a gamer audience and an audience that enjoys traveling as a hobby.

See how Coldwell Banker speaks to football fans in the following Instagram post. The real estate company makes a comparison between two cities with a caption that would resonate with people who follow football.

Image Source: Instagram

Purchase intent

An intention to buy a specific product is another common way to segment your target audience. Someone looking to buy a car may have different priorities than someone who’s shopping for a laptop. As such, you’ll want to tailor your messaging to better address each of their unique needs and priorities.

Subculture

A subculture is a group of people with a shared experience such as a genre of music or an entertainment fandom. Think Whovians or punk rock fans who may each have different motivations for relating to your brand.

Check out how Dick’s Sporting Goods expertly targets the Taylor Swift fandom in the Instagram post below. The comments section alone gives you an idea of how effective subculture-based targeting is.

Image Source: Instagram

Existing customers

You may even need to create targeted segments of existing customers. For example, you may have a group of inactive customers you want to reengage. At the same time, you may also have a group of long-term and high-paying customers you want to reward.

Why should you define your target audience?

Wondering why you should put so much effort into your target audience definition? Here are some ways you can benefit from marketing to a targeted audience:

• You can spend your advertising budget more effectively.
• You know which social media platforms to focus on.
• You can develop messaging that truly resonates with current and potential customers. This makes it easier to connect with them and earn their loyalty.

Now that you know why you should define your target audience, let’s find out who your target audience is.

Start by taking a closer look at your target audience

To understand your target audience, start by taking a closer look at who’s already following you or buying from you. This will help you identify patterns and trends to segment your existing audience into sub-groups.

Here are a few questions that’ll help you with this step:

1.     Who is your current audience?

Monitor who follows you on social media and interacts with your posts. Who likes, shares and comments on your content? Look for common characteristics such as age, location, language and interests.

Then you can use that demographic information to understand the people who make up your existing audience.

2.     What kind of information are they looking for and why?

Knowing the kind of information your followers look for and interact with will help you understand your audience. And you’ll identify their needs and how to approach them on social media.

People will have different reasons why they follow brands on social media. And you’ll have to adapt your social media content strategy accordingly.

According to the 2023 Sprout Social Index™, the top reasons consumers follow brands on social are:

• To stay informed about new products or services (68%)
• To have access to exclusive deals or promotions (46%)
• They find the brand’s content enjoyable and entertaining (45%)

3.     Where do they go for this information?

Which social media platforms does your target audience frequent the most? The answer to that question will help you know where to focus your marketing efforts.

For instance, launching an X (formally known as Twitter) campaign doesn’t make sense if your target demographic mostly uses Instagram. Understanding what your target audience wants and on which platform will define your content strategy.

4.     What are they talking about?

Make use of social listening to analyze social media conversations that your audience is participating in. This step will help you understand their biggest pain points and desires.

What are their likes and dislikes? What challenges do they have and what solutions are they looking for? What are they saying about your brand or products?

Sprout Social makes distilling online conversations easy with its social media listening tool. This tool tracks conversations around your brand and identifies trending topics. These insights then help you discover your target audience’s interests, preferences and pain points.

5.     Who do they trust?

Having a good idea of who your audience trusts can inform different aspects of your marketing strategy. For instance, knowing their favorite influencers will help you develop relevant influencer partnerships.

Look into your target demographic’s social habits: Which brands do they engage with? Are there any common influencers they seem to love? What is their go-to content source? Do they read online reviews or ask other consumers for opinions to make their purchase decisions?

These insights can inform how to strengthen your brand reputation and establish trust with them.

How to define a new target audience

When defining a target audience, you need to look into data from multiple sources. This includes buying trends, consumer engagements and social media behavior. Here are four main ways to define your new target audience.

Market research

Start by looking at your current market to identify any gaps that your product can fill. Are there any unmet needs experienced by consumers in the market? What unique value can you present to set yourself apart? This is an important step to identifying the types of people who will find value in your offering.

Industry trends

Similarly, the same market research can reveal trends shaping the industry. Look at changes in regulations and consumer behavior. Then try to analyze how these changes could lead to the rise of new trends influencing your target audience definition.

Social media data

Social media has a wealth of information on consumer behavior and preferences. Look into this data to understand what people are talking about and how they’re engaging with content.

Make use of Sprout’s analytics tools to centralize your social media data collection. This makes it easier to analyze how people are responding to your posts across multiple channels. That way, you can understand content preferences and define your target audience accordingly.

Analytics data

Your website analytics data can also provide you with valuable insights into your visitors. You can define a target audience based on where they’re coming from, which pages they visit and more.

Conduct social media competitor analysis

A social media competitive analysis is a vital step for defining your target audience. Take a closer look at your competitors’ social media strategy and ask the following questions:

• What types of people are your competitors targeting?
• How are they reaching out to their target audience?
• What are they doing right?
• What’s missing from their strategy?
• What key benefits are they emphasizing in their marketing?
• How often are they posting?
• Which content formats seem to work the best for them?
• What tone are they using?

Once you understand your competitors, you’ll be able to identify your key competitive advantages.

For example, Netflix’s original shows give the platform leverage over its competition. To make the most of this unique selling point, the company builds a loyal community around those shows. It targets different fandoms by starting conversations related to their favorite shows such as “The Crown.”

Image Source: X

Define the key benefits of your products or services

With a better understanding of your target audience, you can now explain how your products or services solve their problems. What value does your business offer? Think about how their pain points align with your key benefits. This will help you position your business in a way that resonates with your target audience.

Create content for your social media target audience

Once you have all this insight about your target audience, it’s time to start creating content that resonates with them.

Here are a few best practices to guide you:

• A/B test different content elements, formats and publishing times. Fine-tune your content strategy based on the types of posts your target audience tends to engage with. Monitor what kind of captions they like and which timing works best to engage them.
• Create content for different stages of the marketing funnel. Entertaining content may be great for capturing attention at the awareness stage, for example. But those at the consideration stage are likely to find more value in informative and instructional pieces.
• Be more direct with your audience research. Instead of relying on analytics data alone, get straight to the source and put those insights into context. Conduct polls and ask them questions so you can engage them better. And create customer personas to ensure your content is highly relevant for all members of your target audience.

Ready to connect with your target audience?

Now that you’re armed with the knowledge to identify and engage with your target audience, you can create a strategy to connect with them. To take it one step further, use our free worksheet on how to create authentic connections with your audience.

The post Social media target audience: How to find and engage yours appeared first on Sprout Social.

Staying relevant and capturing your audience’s attention is a constant challenge for marketers. And now that brands rely on video content more than ever, it’s critical to use the correct social media video specs and advertising video sizes.

To simplify marketers’ efforts, we created a complete guide of every single social media video spec and advertising video dimension.

Before we start, here are some additional resources that keep the information in one place:

• Easily reference our social media video specs in our always up-to-date Google Doc.
• Looking for image sizes? Check out our social media image sizes guide for help.
• Want to get better results with video? Download our social media video content workbook.

Social Media Video Specs & Ad Sizes By Network

We’ve gathered data on each social network’s specific video sizes and specs. Simply click the links below to jump to your desired network:

• Facebook
• Instagram
• TikTok
• Twitter
• YouTube
• LinkedIn
• Pinterest
• Snapchat

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Facebook Video Specs

Facebook video is consumed at higher rates each year, so it’s no wonder why so many marketers search for the correct Facebook video specs.

There are simply so many types of videos you can share on Facebook and the platform updates its design frequently. Each video format has different dimensions and specs, which can make it confusing to know whether or not you’re uploading the correct format for organic or paid posts. Follow the specs below to optimize your posts.

In-Feed Shared Post Video (Landscape & Portrait)

The most common type of video on Facebook comes from shared posts. This type of video lives in your Facebook Feed, and can be shared by brands or your friends. While it’s not as easy to get organic reach on Facebook, it’s still a viable way to share video.

You can choose between two video orientations: Landscape and Portrait. Here’s a look at the video specs for both.

Video Guidelines

• Resolution: 1280×720, 720×1280
• Minimum width: 1200 pixels
• Aspect ratio: 16:9, 9:16
• Max file size: 10GB (3GB max in Sprout)
• Recommended video formats: MP4, MOV
• Video length: 1 second to 240 minutes (45 minutes max, if uploading in Sprout)
• Bitrate: 256kbps
• Frame rate: 30fps

360 Video

Facebook’s 360 Video allows users to get a complete 360-degree view by scrolling with a cursor on the web, by touch or turning the device on mobile.

Video Guidelines

• Resolution depends on the type of content:
  • Monoscopic: 5120×2560 maximum
  • Stereoscopic: 5120×5120 maximum
• Aspect ratio depends on the type of content:
  • Monoscopic: 2:1
  • Stereoscopic: 1:1
• Max file size: 10GB
• Recommended video formats: MP4, MOV
• Video length: 1 second to 30 minutes
• Frame rate: 30fp

Facebook Reels

The convenience of cross-posting your Instagram Reels to Facebook expands the reach of your videos. This format appears organically in feeds but often gets priority on Facebook feeds.

Video Guidelines

• Resolution: 1080p
• Aspect ratio: 9:16
• Max file size: No file size limit
• Recommended video formats: MP4
• Video length: 3 seconds to 90 seconds
• Frame rate: 24fps – 60fps (30fp recommended in Sprout)

Facebook Stories

Similar to Instagram Stories, you can post Facebook Stories to extend the reach of your posts. Users who may not follow you on Instagram will be able to view and interact with your Stories.

Video Guidelines

• Resolution: 1080p
• Minimum width: 500 pixels
• Aspect ratio: 9:16 and 4:5 to 1.91:1
• Max file size: 4GB
• Recommended video formats: MP4 or MOV
• Video length: 1 second to 60 seconds

Facebook Video Ad Specs

There are more than 10 million advertisers now on Facebook and having the right specs for your ads can be tricky. Each type of Facebook video ad is different, so let’s break down the specs for each type of video you can produce.

In-Feed Video Ads

These Facebook video ads are the sponsored equivalent of in-feed posts, and they follow similar guidelines to in-feed video posts.

Video guidelines

• Resolution: 1080×1080 minimum
• Minimum width: 120 pixels
• Minimum height: 120 pixels
• Aspect ratio: 1:1 (for desktop or mobile) or 4:5 (for mobile only)
• Max file size: 4GB
• Recommended video formats: MP4, MOV or GIF
• Video length: 1 seconds to 240 minutes
• Frame rate: 30fps

Character limits

• Primary text: 125 characters
• Headline: 27 characters
• Description: 27 characters

Carousel Video Ads

Facebook Carousel Video ads allow brands to showcase multiple videos (or images) and a landing page link within a user’s Facebook feed. It has grown in popularity because its unique scrolling feature allows users to see more content before clicking. In fact, Digiday estimated Carousel Ads to be 10x more effective than standard social media ads.

Video Guidelines

• Resolution: 1080×1080 minimum
• Aspect ratio: 1:1
• Max file size: 4GB
• Recommended video formats: MP4, MOV or GIF
• Video length: 1 seconds to 240 minutes
• Frame rate: 30fps

Character limits

• Primary text: 125 characters
• Headline: 32 characters
• Description: 18 characters
• Landing Page URL: Required

Collection Video Ads (Mobile)

The Facebook Collection ads showcase multiple images and a main video above it. This is perfect for displaying multiple products (or various colors of a single product) plus a video. The ad type has been popular so far with retailers and clothing companies as an instant storefront or lookbook.

Video Guidelines

• Resolution: 1080×1080 minimum
• Aspect ratio: 1:1
• Max file size: 4GB
• Recommended video formats: MP4, MOV or GIF
• Video length: 1 seconds to 240 minutes
• Frame rate: 30fps

Character Limits

• Primary text: 125 characters
• Headline max: 40 characters
• Landing Page URL: Required

Instant Experience Video Ads

Facebook Instant Experience ads open up a full-screen experience after the first click, which can be further customized with a variety of interactive features. This can include multiple video experiences, including features to auto-play on loop.

Video Guidelines

• Minimum width: 720 pixels
• Max file size: 4GB
• Recommended video formats: MP4, MOV
• Video length: Up to 2 minutes
• Frame rate: 30fps

Slideshow Video Ad

Facebook’s Slideshow videos were built for advertisers wanting to reach audiences with slower internet connections. Instead of a regular video, slideshows are just that–a slideshow of images or video in an ad display.

Video Guidelines

• Resolution: 1080×1080
• Aspect ratio: 16:9 or 1:1
• Recommended video formats: MP4 or MPV
• Slideshow duration length: 15 seconds

Facebook Stories Ads

Facebook added the Stories feature – photo or short video posts that are only available for 24 hours. In addition to user-generated organic posts, Stories ads are available to run between sets of posted Stories. While most users will be sharing immediate and organic updates from their phone’s camera, the guidelines for this format are similar for both paid and organic ad posts.

Video Guidelines

• Resolution: 1080×1080
• Minimum width: 500 pixels
• Aspect ratio: 9:16
• Max file size: 4GB
• Recommended video formats: MP4, MPV and GIF
• Video length: 1 second to 2 minutes
• Frame rate: 30fps

Character Limits

• Primary text: 125 characters
• Headline: 40 characters

For more information on the video specs for Facebook, visit the Facebook Help Center.

Instagram Video Specs

Instagram launched video capabilities in 2013 and quickly saw enough success to start advertising on the platform in 2015. Since then, video only continues to grow as an engaging social format. Needless to say, Instagram videos are absolutely worth the investment.

Carousel Video (Landscape, Square & Vertical)

Since 2015, Instagram crafted its video formats to allow three different styles: landscape, square and vertical. However, like the app, Instagram and how video is presented has evolve. Gone are the days of IGTV and Instagram Video. Video can be natively included as a post or carousel post, or they can be uploaded as Reels, but more on Reels later.

Video Guidelines

• Resolution: 1080×1080, 1080×1350
• Aspect ratio: 9:16
• Max file size: 4GB
• Recommended video formats: MP4, MOV
• Video length: 3 seconds to 60 minutes
• Frame rate: 23-60 fps

Instagram Reels

Introduced in 2020, Instagram Reels are another option for your video strategy on Instagram. These short-form, easily digestible videos are becoming the preferred type of content in Instagram feeds.

Fortunately for social content creators looking to easily generate a lot of content for Instagram, most of the video specs for Instagram Reels are fairly similar to other formats on the platform.

As Instagram has started to add separate tabs for different content types, thumbnails will be cropped differently on each view. If the viewer is on the first tab that has all content types, the thumbnail will be cropped to the traditional square post size of 1:1–center your subjects and plan to avoid undesirable vertical cropping.

Video Guidelines:

• Resolution: 720p minimum
• Aspect ratio: 0.01:1 to 10:1; 9:16 recommended
• Max file size: 4GB max (1GB in Sprout)
• Recommended video formats: MP4 or MOV
• Video length: 3 seconds to 15 minutes
  • Recording in-app is limited to 90 seconds; users can upload videos up to 15 minutes
• Frame rate: 23-60 fps

Cover Photo Size:

• Size: 420p x 654p
• Aspect ratio: 1:1.55

Instagram Stories

Instagram Stories are short-form videos that display for 24-hours on your profile. Followers and users can access your Stories directly from your profile; followers have the luxury of accessing your Stories directly from their feed, where Stories for accounts they follow display directly at the top of their screen.

Video Guidelines

• Resolution: 1080×1080
• Minimum width: 500 pixels
• Aspect ratio: 9:16
• Max file size: 4GB
• Recommended video formats: MP4, MOV or GIF
• Video length: 1 second to 90 seconds
• Frame rate: 23-60 fps

Character Limits

• Primary text: 125 characters

Consider leaving roughly 250 pixels of the top of the video free from text to avoid covering them with the profile icon.

Instagram Video Ad Specs

Instagram’s advertising revenue has significantly increased over the last year. In fact, Instagram reportedly earned $43.2 billion in ad revenue in 2022. The push for Instagram advertising is real and marketers have to be ready to take advantage with engaging videos.

Carousel Video Ad

Much like Facebook’s Carousel Ads, Instagram offers a similar feature. Carousel ads allow users to see more of a product or feature than a single image or video. With Instagram, your carousel video ads can have 2-10 cards with a full-width call to action below the ad.

Video Guidelines

• Resolution: 1080×1080
• Aspect ratio: 1:1
• Max file size: 4GB (video) 30MB (image)
• Recommended video formats: MP4, MOV or GIF
• Video length: 1 second to 2 minutes
• Number of Carousel cards: 2 (minimum) to 10 (maximum)
• Frame rate: 23-60 fps

Instagram Stories Ads

It didn’t take long for Instagram Stories to feature ads within users’ story feeds. Brands can seamlessly integrate their video content between other Instagram users’ Stories.

Video Guidelines

• Resolution: 1080×1080
• Minimum width: 500 pixels
• Aspect ratio: 9:16
• Max file size: 4GB
• Recommended video formats: MP4, MOV or GIF
• Video length: 1 second to 60 minutes
• Frame rate: 23-60 fps

Character Limits

• Primary text: 125 characters

Consider leaving roughly 250 pixels of the top of the video free from text to avoid covering them with the profile icon

If you’re looking for further information including images, check out our complete guide to all the Instagram ad sizes.

For more information on the video specs for Instagram, visit the Facebook Help Center.

TikTok Video Specs

TikTok has quickly gained attention in the social space. Fortunately, TikTok’s focus on easy to create and share videos means it’s not hard to start producing video content for the platform, and there are plenty of trends to inspire TikTok content creation.

TikTok In-Feed Videos

TikTok videos are all about the ease of creation, editing and sharing, so it makes sense that specs are more or less oriented around typical mobile phone dimensions. One key trait to keep in mind if you’re trying to repurpose video content across platforms is that videos uploaded from another file source, rather than recorded on the app, can be longer than 60 seconds.

Video Guidelines

• Resolution: 1080×1920
• Aspect ratio: 9:16
• Max file size: 72MB (Android users) and 278.6MB (iOS users) (1GB maximum in Sprout)
• Recommended video formats: MP4 or MOV
• Video length: Up to 3 minutes recorded in-app or 10 minutes when uploaded from another source
• Frame rate: 23-60fps

TikTok Feed Ads

TikTok ads are a rapidly evolving opportunity for brands. The in-feed option for paid TikTok content is fairly similar to the formatting for existing organic content. To fine-tune paid content for the best performance, be sure to consult TikTok’s business center for the latest tips.

Video Guidelines

• Resolution: 540×960, 640×640 or 960×540
• Aspect ratio: 9:16, 1:1 or 16:9
• Max file size: Up to 500MB
• Recommended video formats: MP4, MOV, MPEG, 3PG or AVI
• Video length: 5 seconds to 60 seconds
• Bitrate: 516 kbps minimum
• Frame rate: 23-60fps

Character Limits

• Ad description: 1-100 Latin alphabet letters and 1-50 Asian characters

Twitter Video Specs

X (formerly Twitter) is a popular space to share and interact with different social media videos. For marketers, it’s all about keeping a user’s attention with enthralling and click-worthy video content. In the sports and entertainment industry, Twitter is often the go-to for sharing video content, so it’s critical to learn the correct Twitter video specs.

Twitter Landscape & Portrait Videos

Twitter provides two formats of in-feed video content to share with your followers: landscape and portrait. These specific formats are only available for uploading video directly to Twitter, rather than sharing YouTube or other links.

Video Guidelines

• Resolution: 1280×720 (landscape), 720×1280 (portrait), 720×720 (square)
• Aspect ratio: 16:9 (landscape or portrait), 1:1 (square)
• Max file size: 512MB*
• Video length: 0.5 seconds to 140 seconds*
• Frame rate: 30fps or 60fps

*Twitter Pro Media users can upload files up to 1GB and videos up to 10 minutes.

Character Limits

• Maximum count: 280 characters.

Twitter Videos Ad Specs

Looking to promote your video through paid ads on Twitter? Luckily, you can use the same exact formats from Twitter organic videos. Stick to the same specs for both organic and paid video to ensure maximum visibility.

Video Guidelines

• Resolution: 1280×720 (landscape), 720×1280 (portrait), 720×720 (square)
• Aspect ratio: 16:9 (landscape or portrait), 1:1 (square)
• Max file size: 512MB
• Video length: 0.5 seconds to 140 seconds
• Frame rate: 30fps or 60fps

Character Limits

• Maximum count: 280 characters.

For more information on the video specs for Twitter, visit the Twitter Help Center.

YouTube Video Specs

As the second-largest search engine behind Google, YouTube is an essential network for video content. For marketers, YouTube is a great space to promote, educate and share video content around your brand.

As YouTube continues to grow as a destination for video content, it hosts everything from short-form promotional videos to full-length movies and TV. This means users are streaming content on all sorts of devices, which could have different levels of zoom or overscan.

While there’s no hard and fast rules from the platform on how to approach the video editing concept of “title safe” areas where text like titles and subtitles aren’t cut off, you do want to avoid placing these types of visual elements right at the edges of your video area. Read on for more specifics on each format available on YouTube.

Video Player (Standard YouTube Video)

While YouTube allows users to upload various types of media formats and use plenty of different dimensions, organically, there’s truly only one format for the video player. Organic videos should all follow a 16:9 ratio, but can be uploaded 4:3. However, the smaller ratio will automatically pillarbox the sides to still make it fit in the player.

YouTube has seven recommended dimensions and ratios for standard YouTube videos:

Video Guidelines

• Resolution:
  • 4320p (8k): 7680×4320
  • 2160p (4K): 3840×2160
  • 1440p (2k): 2560×1440
  • 1080p (HD): 1920×1080
  • 720p (HD): 1280×720
  • 480p (SD): 854×480
  • 360p (SD): 640×360
  • 240p (SD): 426×240
• Aspect ratio: 16:9 default
• Max file size: 256GB or 12 hours, whichever is less
• Recommended video formats: MOV, MPEG-1, MPEG-2, MPEG4, MP4, MPG, AVI, WMV, MPEGPS, FLV, 3GPP, WebM, DNxHR, ProRes, CineForm, HEVC (h265)
• Video length: Up to 12 hours, dependent on file size
• Frame rate: 24, 25 or 30fps

YouTube Shorts

Introduced late 2020, YouTube Shorts have recently made its debut as another short-form video feature. These videos are a new way to watch, create and discover short-form content. Because people are watching more short-form videos globally, using Shorts is a new way to reach wider audiences to entertain or educate.

Video Guidelines

• Resolution:
  • 4320p (8k): 4320×7680
  • 2160p (4K): 2160×3840
  • 1440p (2k): 1440×2560
  • 1080p (HD): 1080×1920
  • 720p (HD): 720×1280
  • 480p (SD): 480×854
  • 360p (SD): 360×640
  • 240p (SD): 240×426
• Aspect ratio: 9:16 or 1:1
• Recommended video formats: MOV, MPEG-1, MPEG-2, MPEG4, MP4, MPG, AVI, WMV, MPEGPS, FLV, 3GPP, WebM, DNxHR, ProRes, CineForm, HEVC (h265)
• Video length: Up to 60 seconds

For more information on the video specs for YouTube, visit the Google Help Center.

YouTube Video Ad Specs

Standard YouTube videos are pretty straightforward, but there are a few video ad formats to learn if you want to advertise on the network. According to data from Google, brands advertising on YouTube with Discovery ads see incremental conversions.

Skippable, Non-Skippable, Mid-Roll, Bumper Video, In-Feed Display Ads

We’ve put these five YouTube video ads specs together because in the end, they all play through the standard YouTube video player. That means all of these ad types follow the same dimensions as the non-ad videos, but only differ in video length. Let’s look at each ad type:

• Skippable Video Ad: This YouTube ad type is played before, during or after the content and becomes skippable after 5 seconds. This ad format is the only one allowing advertisers to monetize views from any viewing device.
• Non-Skippable Video Ad: This YouTube ad type is played before the content and users must watch the full 15 seconds maximum ad (can also be added during or after video).
• Mid-roll Video Ad: This YouTube ad type is played mid-view (like TV commercials) and is only available for videos 8 minutes or longer. Ads are added either manually or automatically. Mid-rolls can be skippable, but users must watch 30 seconds or the entire ad (whichever is shorter).
• Bumper Video Ads: This YouTube ad type is played before the content. This short 6-second max video cannot be skipped and is usually optimized for mobile views.
• Display Ads: These ads are shown in users’ search queries and sometimes appear in the right video column when watching a video. These ads are static, which means they don’t automatically play. However, once the video is clicked, the type of content displayed can simply follow the standard video player guidelines.

Video Guidelines

• Resolution: 1920 x 1080 (horizontal), 1080 x 1920 (vertical), 1080 x 1080 (square)
• Aspect ratio: 16:9 (horizontal), 9:16 (vertical), 1:1 (square)
• Max file size: 256GB
• Recommended video formats: MPG
• Video length:
  • Skippable Video Ad: No maximum, but recommended 15 – 20 seconds for awareness, 2 – 3 minutes for consideration, and 15 – 20 seconds for action.
  • Non-Skippable Video Ad: 15 or 20 seconds, depending on marketing
  • Mid-roll Video Ad: 30 seconds minimum
  • Bumper Video Ad: 6 seconds maximum
  • In-Feed (Display) Video Ad: 15-20 seconds for awareness, 2-3 minutes for consideration

For more information on the video specs for YouTube, visit the Google Help Center.

LinkedIn Video Specs

With 66% of consumers finding short-form video the most engaging type of in-feed social content, LinkedIn adopted the use of video on the platform. If you’re looking to incorporate video into your LinkedIn marketing strategy, then it’s important to do it with the right specs. While some technical requirements may match other networks, there are some specs that are specific to LinkedIn.

LinkedIn In-Feed Video

While before the only video format you were able to upload was a shared video, LinkedIn has expanded its capabilities to upload your own videos into the platform.

Video Guidelines

• Resolution: 256×144 (min) and 4096×2304 (max)
• Aspect ratio: 1:2.4, 2.4:1
• Max file size: 5GB
• Recommended video formats: AAC, ASF, FLV, MP3, MP4, MPEG-1, MPEG-4, MKV, WebM, H264/AVC, Vorbis, VP8, VP9, WMV2, WMV3
• Video length: Up to 10 minutes
• Frame rate: 60fps
• Bitrate: Up to 30mbps

For more information on the video specs for LinkedIn, visit the LinkedIn Help Center.

LinkedIn Video Ads

As of 2018, LinkedIn now offers video ads. The requirements are a little bit different than in-feed video, so be sure to consider them when developing ads for your paid campaign.

Video Guidelines

• Recommended dimensions and resolutions:
  • Vertical (4:5): Min 360 x 450 pixels, Max 1536 x 1920 pixels
  • Vertical (9:16): Min 360 x 640 pixels, Max 1080 x 1920 pixels
  • Landscape (16:9): Min 640 x 360 pixels, Max 1920 x 1080 pixels
  • Square (1:1): Min 360 x 360 pixels, Max 1920 x 1920 pixels
• Aspect ratio:
  • Vertical: 4:5, 9:16
  • Landscape: 16:9
  • Square: 1:1
• Max file size: 200MB
• Recommended video formats: MP4
• Video length: 3 seconds to 30 minutes
• Frame rate: 30fps

Character Limits

• Ad name: 255 characters
• Headline: 70 characters recommended; 200 characters maximum
• Introductory text: 150 characters recommended; 600 characters maximum

For more information on the video specs for LinkedIn ads, visit LinkedIn Marketing Solutions Help.

Pinterest Promoted Video Specs

Pinterest allows video upload for business accounts only, so they have specs designed for brands to get the most out of the highly visual and inspirational lifestyle content frequently shared on the platform.

Shared Video Pins and Standard Width Video Ads

In addition to ads, Pinterest Business Accounts can upload organic video content. There are two formats: standard and max width video. Below are the dimensions for standard width video ads and standard Pins.

Video Guidelines

• Aspect ratio: 1:1, 2:3, 4:5, 9:16
• Max file size: 2GB
• Recommended video formats: MP4, MOV or M4V
• Video length: 4 seconds to 15 minutes

Character Limits

• Title: Up to 100 characters
• Description: Up to 500 characters

Max Width Video Ads

Pinterest allows you to publish standard width and maximum width video ads. Maximum width videos expand across mobile users’ entire screens. These specs apply only to maximum width video ads; standard video ad specs can be found above. Note that maximum width video ads are only paid ads.

Video Guidelines

• Aspect ratio: 1:1
• Max file size: 2GB
• Recommended video formats: MP4, MOV or M4V
• Video length: 4 seconds to 15 minutes

Character Limits

• Title: Up to 100 characters
• Description: Up to 500 characters

For more information on the video specs for Pinterest ads, visit Pinterest Business Help.

Snapchat Video Specs

Snapchat is still an active network for younger generations to share video content. Whether it’s through FOMO-inducing filters, Snapchat is a hotbed for video sharing.

Single Videos and Single Video Ad

This video format is the most common across the channel and is the main way users communicate back and forth through the app. However, your business can post videos to its story so others can see what your business is up to. Just follow these specs:

Video Guidelines

• Resolution: 1080×1920
• Aspect ratio: 9:16
• Max file size: 1GB
• Recommended video formats: MP4 or MOV
• Video length: 3 seconds to 180 seconds

Character Limits

• Brand: 25 characters
• Headline: 34 characters

Long-Form Story Video Ad

Snapchat currently offers one main video format for ads, which is known as the Story Ad. However, the Snapchat Story Video Ad is what users see in between viewing users’ Stories.

Video Guidelines

• Resolution: 1080×1920
• Aspect ratio: 9:16
• Max file size: 1GB
• Recommended video formats: MP4 or MOV
• Video length: 3 seconds to 180 seconds

Character Limits

• Brand: 25 characters
• Headline: 34 characters

For more information on the video specs for Snapchat, visit the Snapchat Ads Help Center.

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As algorithms continuously evolve and become more complex, social media marketers must embrace change, adapt swiftly and navigate these algorithmic shifts. The best strategy is to stay updated on trends and optimize your social strategy to maximize engagement.

This guide covers everything about social media algorithms, including important factors to watch out for and how to adapt your social media marketing strategies accordingly.

• What is a social media algorithm?
• Why are social media algorithms important?
• Understanding how social media algorithms work
• Social media algorithms by platform
• 10 Tips for staying ahead of the algorithm and optimizing your content
• AI’s role in social media algorithms
• Start mastering the algorithm
• Social Media Algorithm FAQs

What is a social media algorithm?

An algorithm is a series of instructions designed to solve specific problems, perform tasks or make decisions. In computer programming, algorithms direct the computer’s actions, such as sorting elements, locating data or identifying objects.

In social media, algorithms are rules, signals and data that govern the platform’s operation. These algorithms determine how content is filtered, ranked, selected and recommended to users. In some ways, algorithms influence our choices and what we see on social media.

Why are social media algorithms important?

Every social media platform comprises a mix of users with different preferences. Without a filtering system, users must navigate through a flood of posts, which can be overwhelming.

This is where algorithms come into play. Social media platforms employ sophisticated algorithms as intelligent guides, carefully sorting and matching content to audiences with similar preferences. Understanding the ins and outs of algorithms and why they are important is essential for any social media marketing strategy:

Filter out the content noise

When a new TikTok video or a Facebook post is published, it joins millions of other content pieces online. Algorithms function as librarians, sorting and connecting users with their preferences. This prevents overwhelming users with endless content and helps them find what they like faster. Algorithms enable users to uncover valuable posts, connect with like-minded individuals and explore their interests.

Show users more of what they’re interested in

Social media platforms use sophisticated algorithms to prolong user engagement. These algorithms control content visibility, sequence and recommendations based on user data like actions, behaviors and interests. For instance, if you interact with gadget-related posts, you’ll see more of such content. This personalization improves user engagement and in turn, creates a positive user experience.

Personalize user experience

Today, users have greater control over their content experience. Algorithms leverage data to personalize content recommendations. On platforms like Instagram, you can customize your feed by hiding posts, filtering comments, or selecting “Not interested” to curate your content.

Maximize organic reach

Understanding social media algorithms can boost your online social presence. As more users find your content, the algorithm becomes better at targeting users with similar interests. Creators and marketers can optimize their content for algorithms to leverage its distribution potential. When a post gains high engagement, the algorithm promotes it to a wider audience.

Understanding how social media algorithms work

Understanding how social media algorithms work is like unraveling the intricate threads that govern the digital tapestry of user experiences. These algorithms, like invisible guides, determine the content on our feeds. Let’s explore how social media algorithms function and how social teams can take advantage of it.

Algorithms search for relevant and valuable content

Algorithmic-driven content curation systems such as the Facebook News Feed and Instagram Feed monitor user behavior, interests and actions to recommend relevant content. For instance, if you engage with basketball content, you’ll likely see more of it.

These algorithms aim to refine content suggestions by adapting and learning from user interactions, ensuring content remains relevant.

Signals and important factors social algorithms consider

Algorithms collect user signals to match them with relevant content. Key signals include:

• User engagement: Likes, shares and comments indicate that users find the content interesting and relevant.
• Relevance: Keywords and hashtags give content context and improve its visibility.
• Timing and frequency: Posting consistently and at the right time when your audience is active can boost visibility.
• Recency: Newer posts are prioritized over older ones.
• User interactions: Accounts followed, interactions and click-through rates on links signals relevance and content quality.
• Profile authority: Follower count, consistency and engagement impact organic reach.
• Location: Algorithms take into account the location and demographics of users when curating content. Content may be promoted to users in similar locations.
• Content type: Different content types, like videos, images and text, are treated based on user interaction. Many platforms favor videos because they’re more engaging.
• Virality: Content gaining popularity and shares signals relevance to the algorithm.
• Watch time: This is the duration users spends watching videos (IG Reel, YouTube Shorts)

Social media algorithm example

If you use any social media platforms, there’s a huge chance that you’ve come in contact with the algorithm in play. Here are some examples you might have missed.

1. Twitter shows content based on the keywords users follow. For example, I follow the “SEO” keyword, and X (formerly known as Twitter) recommends posts with the keyword on my Explore page.
   
2. LinkedIn’s algorithm shows content that my 1st-degree connections are engaging with. In this post, for example, over 313 of my 1st-degree connections follow this account, so LinkedIn prioritizes the sponsored post on my Feed.
   
3. LinkedIn suggests content for users with similar keywords. I love reading about social media and content marketing on LinkedIn, so it’s no surprise they push this content type my way.
   
4. Twitter suggests accounts to follow based on the content they post and what you’ve liked.
   

Social media algorithms by platform

Every social media platform has its unique algorithm for content curation and display. These platforms look for specific ranking signals to discern user preferences. Let’s explore some social media platforms and their platform-specific rank signals to keep in mind.

Twitter algorithm

The Twitter algorithm is an AI-powered algorithm designed to curate content based on the user’s interests, preferences and past interactions rather than chronologically. According to Twitter, their algorithm looks through about 500 million daily Tweets to display only relevant ones on your timeline.

In 2023, the updated Twitter algorithm considers:

• Location and language: Twitter shows you content based on your location, especially in their “Trends for You” section.
• User interactions: Content is recommended based on your activity, including who you follow and interact with.
• Engagement level: Tweet popularity is determined by user engagement metrics such as likes, Retweets and replies.
• Relevancy: The relevance of a Tweet is based on the keywords used, the user’s interests and previous interactions.
• Recency: Recent Tweets hold importance, especially in the “Trending Topics” and “What’s Happening” sections.
• Profile Reputation Score: Active profiles engaging with others gain higher visibility; Twitter also uses TweetCred, a PageRank algorithm, to rate a profile’s credibility based on its followers, past activities, safety status and device usage.
• Similar accounts: Profiles are categorized based on the niche or topic discussed.

Facebook algorithm

With over 2 billion active users, Facebook is the largest social media platform yet. To moderate content on the platform, Facebook employs several algorithms to determine what content users will find interesting. The updated algorithm considers:

• Timing: Facebook’s algorithm prioritizes timing as a key signal for ranking content in user’s feeds.
• Demographics: The user’s location, language and gender can help predict their content preferences.
• Account credibility: The algorithm ranks accounts with credibility, a strong following, and engaging content.
• Content type: Facebook’s algorithm prioritizes the type of posts users engage with most. So, users who watch more videos will get more video content.
• Relevance: Posts with similar keywords or hashtags are recommended to users with shared interests.
• Engagement levels: High engagement, including comments, shares and likes, indicates quality content and since Facebook is all about creating meaningful posts, it ranks it higher.
• Facebook connections: Content from the accounts you follow is prioritized over those you don’t follow.

Facebook’s algorithm combines these signals to give the post a relevancy score, which predicts how likely a user is to interact with a post.

Instagram algorithm

Instagram’s algorithm is one of the most diverse social media platforms. According to Instagram CEO Adam Mosseri, Instagram is divided into 5 sections: Feed, Stories, Explore, Reels, Search. Each section uses algorithms, classifiers and processes to tailor content recommendations based on user behavior.

Instagram Feed

Your Instagram feed is a mix of content from accounts you follow, similar profiles you’re likely to enjoy and personalized ads. In the feed, posts are ranked based on several signals:

• Post recency: Recent posts from accounts take priority, appearing before older ones.
  
• People you follow: Posts from those you follow appear organically on your feed. For creators, this means having more followers increases your visibility.
• User activity: Posts you’ve liked, shared, saved or commented on convey your content preferences.
• Content type: Users who prefer photos will see more photos. The same goes for videos and carousels.
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• Post information: Posts with many likes, shares, comments and saves signal relevance to users with similar interests or locations.
• Interaction history: Your interactions with an account’s posts and frequency influence the appearance of their content in your feed.

Instagram Stories

Stories is an in-app feature that allows users to post photos or videos that disappear after 24 hours. Here’s what it looks like:

The ranking factors for stories are quite similar to those of the IG Feed. Stories use engagement signals such as:

• Viewing history: Frequently viewing an account’s stories would result in its prioritization.
• Engagement history: Liking or responding to stories is an engagement metric that impacts story rankings.
• Closeness: The algorithm considers your relationship with the story’s creator, including mutual follows, shared locations, and DM interactions.

Instagram Explore

Explore simplifies the discovery of new posts without needing active search. Here’s what it looks like on Instagram:

The grid comprises content recommendations from accounts you don’t follow but Instagram believes you might enjoy. Signals Instagram considers include:

• User’s past interaction: Content is ranked based on previous engagements with posts.
• Post popularity: The number of likes, comments, shares, and saves influences visibility.
• User’s explore activity: history of a user’s interaction on the Explore page, including liked posts and similar content.
• Account information: the frequency of interaction with the account in the past few weeks.

Instagram Reels

Reels are designed for users to explore new content from accounts they don’t follow, similar to Explore. Key signals for Reels content include:

• User’s activity: Recent interactions with Reels, such as likes, saves, shares, comments, and engagement.
• Interaction history: Your interaction history with accounts, even if you don’t follow them.
• Relevance: The content’s relevance is determined by popularity signals like likes, saves, and comments.
• Account information: An account’s popularity, including follower count and engagement level, informs content recommendation.

TikTok algorithm

TikTok’s algorithm is a recommendation system designed to curate the For You Feed for each user considering the following signals:

• User interactions: Your likes, views, shares, comments, searches, and interactions with accounts shape your feed.
  Accounts you follow or suggested for you
• Location: Recent and popular content in your region impacts your feed.
• Video details: TikTok uses video quality, captions, sounds or hashtags to recommend content.
• Device and account settings: This includes the language, device type and country.
• Watch time: The number of replays and completed videos influences your feed.

YouTube algorithm

YouTube’s algorithm considers many signals to rank videos on its homepage, including:

• Video performance: YouTube video performance is measured in terms of engagement metrics such as likes, shares and comments.
• Click-through rate: YouTube’s algorithm assesses the likelihood of user interaction with a video to recommend it to other users.
• Watch time and retention: Videos with longer watch time indicate quality content that retains viewer attention.
• Recency: Newer videos are promoted to subscribers who interact with the channel.
• User watch history and actions: Video watch time and post-interaction actions, like liking and commenting, signal relevance to the algorithm.
• Search history: What has the user searched for? Is it a recurring search?
• Demographics and location: Videos uploaded by creators in a particular location are pushed to local viewers before broader promotion.

LinkedIn algorithm

LinkedIn’s algorithm uses several ranking signals that contribute to the success of a post on the platform. Here are some to watch out for:

• Quality over quantity: LinkedIn’s algorithm filters posts into three categories: spam, low-quality and high-quality.
• Relevance: The algorithm assesses post relevance based on keywords, hashtags, and comments.
• Engagement probability: LinkedIn uses machine learning models to predict post engagement, especially within the first hour.
• Personal connections: LinkedIn’s algorithm prioritizes posts from your 1st-degree connections and those you engage with.
• Consistency: The algorithm rewards pages that post regularly with increased visibility.
• Credibility: Author expertise, insightful content and meaningful comments enhance post ranking.
• Recency: Recent posts hold significance for LinkedIn’s algorithm.
• Content type: The algorithm loves short-form videos and well-structured long-form content.

Pinterest algorithm

The Pinterest algorithm ranks content using key ranking signals such as:

• Topic relevance: Keywords, hashtags, and user interactions determine content relevance to users.
• Pin quality: Your pin’s level of engagement, such as likes, saves and comments defines pin quality.
• Domain quality: Website safety and visitor engagement impact Pinterest rankings. If visitors feel safe on your website, Pinterest ranks your content highly.
• Account quality: Pinterest assesses your account credibility and posting consistency as a ranking signal. If you’re considering Pinterest marketing, then ensure your account is on the good side.
• Recency: The algorithm considers how recently a pin was published and how recently it was updated.

Reddit algorithm

Reddit’s algorithm is designed to rank content based on what’s Hot and Best, guided by key signals like:

• The number of upvotes, downvotes and total votes it gets. Reddit uses votes as a signal to determine post relevance.
• Recent posts gain more traction and visibility. If you’re marketing on Reddit, ensure you consistently post valuable content.
• The types of comments it gets. For example, a comment with nine up-votes and two down-votes will rank higher than a comment with one-up votes and no-down votes.

Tumblr algorithm

If you use Tumblr for marketing, here are some signals to watch out for:

• User interaction: Tumblr considers likes, reblogs, comments and follows to expand content reach to a broader audience.
• Post content: The algorithm uses tags, text, images and multimedia to understand the post context and make recommendations.
• Post timing: Newer posts receive higher visibility and are prioritized over older ones.
• User preference: Past user interactions, content engagement and followed blogs influence content recommendations.

10 tips for staying ahead of the algorithm and optimizing your content

To stay ahead of the algorithm and leverage its potential for business growth, you must understand how it works and its governing rules. Through trial and error, we’ve learned several ever-green principles to help you stay ahead of the algorithm.

1. Ask questions and encourage comments from your audience

Social media algorithms favor highly engaging content with tons of comments, shares and likes. More engagement equals better chances of going viral. To encourage comments, ask questions that resonate with your audience. Ask their take on trending topics or go bold with thought-provoking inquiries to spark conversations.

While a question-based CTA is great for encouraging conversations, doing it right is what matters. Avoid controversial or offensive questions to foster positive discussion.

2. Tag other accounts in your posts

Tagging on social media involves mentioning someone by their username (or handle) in a post, comment or image, creating a clickable link to their profile. For example, a fashion curation account on Instagram may post several looks and tag the content creators or designers.

Tagging accounts in your posts boosts collaboration, brand exposure and visibility. On platforms like Instagram, tagging someone in a picture gets it featured in their “Photos of You” section, expanding your reach to their followers.

It’s good practice to reach out to accounts you tag and explain why before doing so. Ensure you have an established relationship with the account and, more importantly, that the post is relevant to the audience.

3. Tack on the right hashtags and keywords

Hashtags categorize posts and boost post discoverability to a wider audience.

Use hashtags strategically; don’t go overboard. Stick to 3-5 hashtags to avoid overwhelming your audience and hurting visibility. Also, skip overly saturated hashtags and opt for focused ones. For example, rather than using hashtags like #InteriorDesign with 175M posts on Instagram, substitute for a smaller hashtag like #InteriorDesignTrends with 484,000 posts.

To find hashtags, use the autocomplete function on the social media platform you’re posting on. A better way is to use a social media management tool like Sprout Social. With Sprout, you can use social listening to monitor trending hashtags and select the best ones for your brand based on performance, sentiment and demographics.

4. Optimize your post timing to encourage engagement

When you post matters as much as what you post. Timing is a key ranking signal for many algorithms to rank a post. This means that a high-quality post, created for a defined audience, can underperform if posted at the wrong time.

The best posting times vary based on your audience, industry and platform, but generally, aim to post when your audience is online for maximum visibility and interaction. In our research, we found that the best time to post on social media generally is between 9 a.m. to noon.

Using Sprout’s ViralPost® takes out the guesswork about the best time to post for your industry. ViralPost analyzes your individual audience data and suggests optimal timing for each social platform you use.

5. Figure out your publishing frequency

There’s no universal answer to how often you should post on social media. It depends on several factors, but one thing is certain: Growing on social media requires consistency. Instagram’s algorithm, for example, prioritizes the recency of a post as a key signal for ranking content.

A personal philosophy is to post only when the content is relevant to avoid overwhelming your followers. Use a social media calendar to plan your content and schedule your posts to stay organized. Sprout Social gives you the flexibility of planning and streamlining your workflow without much hassle.

6. Publish more video content across all networks

Video outperforms text-based content on social media platforms because it’s easier to understand, conveys messages quickly and adds a personal touch.

When creating a social media video marketing strategy, creativity is key. Share behind-the-footage of your product, create how-to videos or share an office tour with your audience—find your best mix of content. Make it exciting and engaging to watch, so your audience has a reason to stay.

Optimize schedule, and promote your video using a management tool like Sprout. For example, Sprout’s YouTube publishing options let you fine-tune categories, playlists, privacy settings and thumbnails. Manage and schedule your posts conveniently from your social media calendar for optimal timing.

7. Craft relevant and engaging captions

One principle that stands the test of algorithmic changes is creating content that’s highly relevant to your audience. Social media platforms prioritize engaging, high-quality content that elicits positive reactions.

Creating engaging captions depends on your audience and the platform, which guides posting times and content choices. For example, while long-form captions work for LinkedIn’s professional audience, shorter captions work best on Instagram. It’s best to test and learn.

Start your post with a strong hook. Aim to educate, entertain, promote or interact with your audience. Be concise, provide value and avoid unnecessary jargon. Conclude with a call-to-action (CTA) encouraging reader interaction.

Test multiple content types—videos, text or images—to determine what resonates with your audience and track the social metrics (think: impressions, clicks and views) to identify top-performing posts.

8. Experiment with different types of content (template)

If there’s one thing for certain, it’s that there is no absolute when it comes to what is successful on social media; it all depends on what works for your audience. Experiment with different types of content, like videos, photos or live streams, to see what resonates with your audience. In our recent Content Benchmark Report, we found that consumers found short-form videos the most engaging.

Run A/B tests on your content types at different times and track the analytics for engagement using Sprout analytic and reporting tools. Once you find the right combination, replicate its success. Stay creative and remain open to exploring other content types.

9. Measure performance

Don’t forget to monitor your content’s performance. Define clear goals and KPIs aligned with your business objectives. Ensure your goals are specific, measurable, achievable and relevant to your business’s objectives.

Track common metrics like reach, impressions, engagements, likes, shares and mentions. Use Sprout’s analytics feature to track metrics in real-time and generate reports.

10. Embrace new features

Embrace newly released features to showcase your creativity and adaptability. Platforms reward creators who experiment with their new features. They want more people to use these new features, so early adopters are often rewarded with higher visibility.

AI’s role in social media algorithms

The fact is, without AI, social media wouldn’t exist in the first place. AI has played a significant role in developing and curating algorithms to learn about users and make deliberate decisions based on the collected data.

Here are some ways AI plays a role in social media algorithms:

1. Flagging of misinformation and fake news

Social media platforms use AI to detect fake news and filter out offensive, harmful and disrespectful content. For instance, Twitter uses machine-learning models, AI-driven algorithms, user reporting and human moderation teams to identify and flag misinformation. The algorithm analyzes the tweet content and account history to fact-check the accuracy of the information shared.

2. Moderate content for user safety

It’s fair to say that social media can be unpleasant due to trolls who engage in offensive behavior, such as making hateful comments and, in worse situations, harassment.

To maintain quality discussions, platforms employ content moderation tools to identify suspicious posts and comments. For instance, Reddit uses machine learning models to spot suspicious comments, which are further reviewed by human moderators. Likewise, Facebook uses an AI tool to detect abuse and fraud in posts, images and videos, with human reviewers stepping in when needed.

3. Personalize content delivery

AI-driven algorithms segment users based on explicit (follows and likes) and implicit (video-watching time) details to personalize content recommendations. Users can select preferred keywords, follow hashtags or hide inappropriate words in their Feeds and DMs.

User data, including feedback, actions and behavior informs content recommendations and suggests related posts with similar keywords.

4. Provide real-time analytics

AI algorithms have the capacity to collect, process and analyze data as soon as it is generated. Platforms like Facebook, which records billions of daily users, use generative AI for rapid predictions, understanding user relationships and addressing security issues in real time.

When users log into Facebook, the AI algorithm immediately tracks their in-app behavior, including user engagement, content performance and trending topics, to offer personalized recommendations.

Start mastering the algorithms

The key to winning with algorithms is understanding how they work. Understand the best practices for satisfying the algorithm and you’ll be on your way to increasing your engagement and growing your audience base.

If you want to learn more about how businesses are harnessing social media for growth, read our report on The 2023 State of Social Media: AI & Data Take Center Stage.

The post Everything you need to know about social media algorithms appeared first on Sprout Social.

As social media teams across the world figure out strategies to not only incorporate Threads  but also excel at it, this webinar will examine what we’ve learnt so far and explore thoughts on what we think is in store. 

Hear insights from social media consultant and industry analyst, Matt Navarra, and Senior Social Media Manager from financial favourite and industry disrupter, Monzo.

You will learn:

• The current state of Threads and how early adopter brands leverage its capabilities
• How businesses can use Threads for community building, customer care and more
• Key distinctions and differentiations between Threads strategy vs. other social channels
• Predictions for 2024 and beyond

Your speakers:

The post The Rise and Fall Of New Platforms: What Threads Has Taught Us About Emerging Social Media appeared first on Sprout Social.

The launch of a new social network is typically met with equal doses of curiosity and concern. The response to Threads was different. Brands and the social media managers that run them took to the platform with enthusiasm. Sure, there was some stress—expressed mainly in the form of overworked social media manager memes—but most seemed excited about the novelty and potential of a new platform.

Threads has generated a lot of discussion since then. What role will it play in existing social media strategies? What do consumers think about it? Does it have staying power?

Our team has spent the last month discussing these questions while experimenting with our approach to Meta’s latest platform. Along the way, we’ve learned quite a bit and have some hot takes of our own on what’s coming next.

What is Meta’s Threads?

Threads is a text-based social network developed by Meta’s Instagram team. The platform received 100 million sign-ups less than a week after its launch on July 5, 2023, making it the most rapidly downloaded app ever.

Some of the network’s instant popularity can be attributed to an exceptionally simple signup process. Users are required to have an Instagram account to sign up, maintaining the same account name, username and password across both networks.

How to create a Threads profile

To create a Threads profile, install the Threads app from the App Store or Google Play Store.

If you already have the Instagram app downloaded, you can also search “Threads” and tap the ticket icon that appears in the search bar.

When you open the Threads app for the first time, you’ll be prompted to log in with Instagram. At this point, you can also decide whether you’d like to auto-follow the accounts you follow on Instagram, or if you’d like to start your following list from scratch.

Once you do that, you’re ready to start Threading.

What features does Threads offer?

Threads will feel familiar to fans of text-based social media platforms. However, there are still little differences that give the app its own unique user experience.

Key features as of August 2023 include:

• Quick follow, which allows users to follow accounts they see in their feed without navigating to their profile by simply tapping the plus icon in the corner of the other user’s profile picture.
• Reply controls allow users to tighten the reins on who can engage with a specific post. Users can choose between the following audiences: Anyone, Profiles you follow and Mentioned only.
• Users can mute profiles by tapping the three dot menu on a post from the Threads account they’d like to mute.
• Users can also hide words and phrases from appearing in their Threads feed by navigating to the Privacy menu and tapping Hidden words.
• Tapping the Share button allows users to share Threads to their Instagram Story or grid.
• Tapping the Threads logo at the top of the app allows users to choose between two feed options: the For you feed displays posts from followed accounts, as well as recommended profiles. The Following feed displays posts only from profiles you follow.

Meta’s future plans for Threads

Since its launch a month ago, Threads users have been dreaming up additional features for the app. Luckily, Meta’s been in the mood to grant wishes.

Adam Mosseri, Head of Instagram, has taken to using his own Threads account to confirm what’s in-development for the app. According to Mosseri, confirmed features include a desktop version, hashtags, expanded search functionality and direct messaging.

Aside from ongoing feature releases, Meta is also working to build Threads into the fediverse. The fediverse is a new type of decentralized social network infrastructure that will allow people to follow and interact with users on independent but interconnected platforms, like Mastodon for example.

Meta has yet to announce when the Threads API will be released. However, social media managers can rest assured that we’ve shared the demand we’re already seeing among our customers.

We’re working closely with the team at Meta to open the API up as soon as possible, so you can schedule your Threads alongside the rest of your social content in Sprout.

Testing Threads: What we’ve learned one month post-launch

We wouldn’t offer any advice we haven’t personally tried for ourselves. That’s why we spent the last month experimenting with Threads and exploring how it may impact the overall social media landscape.

Use these tips and takeaways to lay the foundation for your own Threads strategy.

Engagement is the big opportunity (at least for today)

Threads gained a record-breaking user base in just a few days. A near effortless sign up experience combined with Meta’s influence in the social media industry made creating a profile an easy choice for brands and individuals alike.

Right now, it’s a mobile-only app with a closed API. Posting still feels personal, and a little attention from a brand can go a long way. While we wait for a native analytics tool or API access—whichever comes first—we’re prioritizing quality of engagements over quantity. What we lack in concrete KPIs, we’re making up for in surprise and delight.

However, we understand that senior leadership may not be too keen on dedicating time to a network that lacks the reporting functionality needed to prove its value. If you still believe Threads is the right play for your brand, sell them on the opportunity for 1:1 connections with customers, influencers and fans.

Threads is its own thing

If you haven’t noticed yet, text-based social media is having a moment.

You can’t talk about Threads without talking about Twitter, BlueSky, Spill or any of the other emerging players in the social media landscape. Naturally, a lot of the conversation veers toward comparison. It seems there can only be one network to rule them all, and people want to know who it’s going to be.

The truth is, the social media landscape is fracturing. A few networks have turned into many, each with their own unique user base and engagement norms. It’s a new era of social media, all about authenticity and community—which will look different across platforms.

Although Threads has a similar user experience to Twitter and other text-based social media networks, it has a different vibe. On top of that, the Instagram team has plans to continuously release features that will differentiate Threads from other social media networks.

Brands that treat Threads like it’s just another Twitter account will eventually lose out on the network’s unique value.

Let consumers show you what they’re looking for

Every social media network has its original intended use, how people actually end up using it, and all the features built to connect the two.

This push and pull can be seen in many of your favorite social networks. For example, TikTok is most commonly known as a platform for short-form videos, but photo slideshows are gaining popularity on the platform and recently, the app launched text posts.

Threads may be synonymous with text right now, but that doesn’t mean people aren’t using it to share photos and videos. When it comes to developing your strategy, embrace variety. Share a consistent mix of content types—static images, text, video, etc.—to narrow in on what people are responding to.

Are you thread-y for a new social media network?

A month out from launch, Threads is still on the way to becoming itself. Right now, conversations on the network feel both organic and positive. There’s an intimacy that you can only find in an up-and-coming platform. Once Threads expands its daily active users and influence, the atmosphere will undoubtedly change.

If you have the resources needed to manage a Threads presence natively, it’s worth considering as a place to experiment with your brand personality. How can your business sound more authentic online? How can you make customer care interactions feel more real? These are the questions you can unravel on Threads today.

That said, running a new brand account is no small responsibility. If you’re still on the fence, try asking these five questions MIT’s Director of Social Media Strategy, Jenny Li Fowler, always asks before starting a new social media account.

The post Unraveling Meta Threads: What we learned from our first 30 days on the network appeared first on Sprout Social.

You’ve hit the jackpot.

The importance of a data-driven social strategy can’t be overstated — up-to-date demographics are crucial to marketers.

Because the social space is constantly evolving. With more networks available than ever before, you need to spend your time and budget wisely. Specifically, you should focus on where your customers are.

And while you may think you know which networks matter most to your target audience, 2023’s numbers might surprise you.

Social media demographics: the numbers you need to know

From choosing your priority platforms to conducting market research, demographic data is key to understanding which networks and campaigns deserve your attention.

Want to know which apps are up-and-coming? Curious about new opportunities to cross-post your content? Worried that a network might be “dying?”

We’ve got you covered.

Below is our list of must-know social media demographics for 2023 (and beyond). These numbers are based on the latest research and social media statistics available at the time of writing.

And as an added bonus, we’ve also highlighted strategic takeaways for each network to guide your social marketing strategy.

• Facebook demographics and usage
• Instagram demographics and usage
• TikTok demographics and usage
• Twitter demographics and usage
• LinkedIn demographics and usage
• Pinterest demographics and usage
• Snapchat demographics and usage
• YouTube demographics and usage

Facebook demographics and usage

• Number of monthly active users: 2.963 billion
• Largest age group: 25-34 (29.9%)
• Gender: 44% female, 56% male (no data on other genders)
• Time spent per day: 30 minutes

Takeaways from Facebook demographics for 2023

• Facebook still remains the largest social platform among consumers and marketers.
• Case in point: Facebook accounts for the bulk of Meta’s ad revenue versus Instagram (58% to 41.5% of $121.9 billion).
• Still, time spent on Facebook continues to fall as overall social media usage grows.
• Following 2022’s social media demographic data, younger users continue to flock to TikTok and Snapchat.

Instagram demographics and usage

• Number of monthly active users: 2 billion (self-reported), other reports cite 1.35 billion
• Largest age group: 18-24 (30.8%)
• Gender: 48.2% female, 51.8% male (no data on other genders)
• Time spent per day: 30.1 minutes

Takeaways from Instagram demographics for 2023

• The platform’s growth remains steady after experiencing a boom period in recent years.
• Instagram saw a small (but notable) flip in its age demographics. The platform boasts a slightly larger percentage of Gen Z users versus Millennials.
• As far as social media age demographics go, Instagram maintains a firm hold on both generations — these groups make up roughly two-thirds of their base.
• Losing its status as the “hip” social network to TikTok, the platform doubled down on Reels. Emphasis on short-form video seems to be paying off. In fact, Reels reportedly drive the most engagement on the platform.
• Recent Instagram stats signal the platform’s shift to becoming an ecommerce hub. However, the app is still figuring things out as it revamps its social shopping features.

TikTok demographic data and usage

• Number of monthly active users: 834.3 million, other reports cite 1+ billion
• Largest age group: 18-24 (21%)
• Gender: 54% female, 46% male (no data on other genders)
• Time spent per day: 45.8 minutes

Takeaways from TikTok demographics for 2023

• TikTok’s popularity and growth remain unprecedented. There are over 150 million active users on TikTok in the United States alone.
• Not only is TikTok’s user base booming but also its daily activity. TikTok boasts the highest average time spent per day of any network.
• The fact that the platform’s gender demographics are leveling out is also notable. Last year, the split was 61% female and 39% male.  This signals TikTok’s status as a staple social app among the population at large.
• As more and more brands get on board, we’re seeing influencers do the same.
• TikTok is ramping up and “maturing” to meet the needs of its business-minded users. New features include more advanced ads and CRM integrations.

Twitter demographics and usage

• Number of daily active users: 237.8 million
• Largest age group: 18-29 (42%)
• Gender: 34.1% female, 61.29% male (no data on other genders)
• Time spent per day: 34.8 minutes

Takeaways from Twitter demographics for 2023

• Twitter’s usage and growth have remained fairly consistent year-to-year.
• It remains to be seen how the recent shake-up in Twitter’s leadership will impact the app long-term. The same goes for features like Twitter Blue and the platform’s ads.
• Some reports note a spike in activity while others note a migration away from the app.
• One-third of Twitter users are college-educated and make more than $75K annually, highlighting the platform’s highly-educated and high-earning base.
• Twitter’s status as a place to discuss events and gather breaking news make it a prime place to share content and drive discussions.

LinkedIn demographics and usage

• Number of members: 930 million
• Largest age group: 30-39 (31%)
• Gender: 43% female, 57% male (no data on other genders)
• 63% of LinkedIn users access the network weekly, 22% daily (in 2020)

Takeaways from LinkedIn demographics for 2023

• Conventional wisdom might say that LinkedIn exclusively caters to an older audience. That said, Millennials dominate the platform.
• LinkedIn continues to net record revenue and user growth. This growth was driven initially by the pandemic and continued during the shifting job market.
• The platform’s demographic of high-earning B2B professionals makes LinkedIn a potential goldmine for ads.
• According to LinkedIn themselves, it’s the top-rated social network for lead generation. This makes LinkedIn a prime source for B2B marketers looking for motivated audiences and communities.
• Beyond the 200 million LinkedIn users in the US, the platform has a massive international reach.

Pinterest demographics and usage

• Number of monthly active users: 450 million
• Largest age group: 25-34 (28.5%)
• Gender: 76.2% female, 17% male, 6.6% unspecified
• Time spent per day: 14.2 minutes

Takeaways from Pinterest demographics for 2023

• The platform saw a surprising spike in male users during 2021 but Pinterest’s core demographic remains female.
• The platform’s dedicated base of 450+ million monthly active Pinners continues to grow. This number is up from 400 million in 2022.
• Pinterest is perhaps the most produced-focused of any social network, signaling big opportunities for ads (hint: 45% of Pinterest users have a household income of $100,000+).
• Shopping-centric organic content is fair game, too  — almost 70% of users say they trust Pinterest and it’s their favorite place to research products.
• Pinterest is unique when it comes to demographics on social media due to its 1) gender split and 2) wide age range of its users.

Snapchat demographic data and usage

• Number of monthly active users: 750 million
• Largest age group: 18-24 (34%)
• Gender: 51% female, 48% male (no data on other genders)
• Time spent per day: 30.4 minutes

Takeaways from Snapchat demographics for 2023

• Although Snapchat may not be the most talked-about or “trendy” network anecdotally, the platform saw growth in 2022.
• Snapchat is still huge with the younger crowd, although it recently lost its top spot as teenagers’ go-to network. The platform continuously emphasizes its popularity with Gen Z.
• Even if you aren’t active on Snapchat, it’s a prime place for trendspotting and learning what younger consumers want.
• With Snapchat’s steady growth in revenue, the platform isn’t going anywhere.

YouTube demographics and usage

• Number of monthly active users: 2.1 billion worldwide
• Largest age group: 15-35 (highest reach)
• Gender: 51.4% female, 48.6% male (no data on other genders)
• Time spent per day: 45.6 minutes

Takeaways from YouTube demographics for 2023

• YouTube’s popularity among younger users highlights the ongoing, long-term shift toward video content.
• The growth of YouTube Shorts is notable as the platform looks to tap into the power of short-form video.
• Marketers note that YouTube is still a sort of land of opportunity advertising-wise. The platform’s ad revenue held steady from where it was last year as it approaches $30 billion annually.
• This revenue growth signals not only the platform’s influence as a social network but also as a go-to streaming service.
• Still, the majority of users claim to use YouTube for entertainment rather than to find brands and products. Brands still have a lot of work to do on the platform, finding a balance between entertainment and advertising.

Are social media demographics part of your strategy?

Keep in mind that this data is generalized across billions of users and serves as a starting point for brands looking to prioritize their social platforms.

If you’re looking to expand your reach, we recommend looking into the demographic data from your own social presence to see how it compares to the averages above.

These social media platform demographics

Whether these numbers confirm what you already suspected or serve as eye-openers, make sure to bookmark them as you iron out your social strategy for 2023.

And speaking of which, make sure to check out our free social media templates to keep you organized every step of the way.

The post Social media demographics to inform your brand’s strategy in 2023 appeared first on Sprout Social.

You already know that the first step for creating sponsored posts is to know your audience. There’s no need to repeat it. It’s time to expand your knowledge into something more actionable.

In this comprehensive guide about sponsored posts, you’ll learn best practices, discover strategies, get resources and find inspiration for your social media campaigns.

What are sponsored posts?

A sponsored post is a type of social media content used as an advertisement in any of the major social media networks to increase your brand exposure by targeting a specific audience. Sponsored posts look like native content on the social network, blending with organic content in the user’s feed.

There are two different sponsored posts, which are:

• Promoted or boosted posts: Amplifies the reach of your content by paying the platform to “boost” the post’s visibility to a larger audience.
• Paid sponsorships or paid partnerships: Promotes your brand through a creator or influencer’s account on their social network(s). Their audience will see a post similar to organic content, except it will be tagged or indicate in the copy that it’s being sponsored by a brand.

With sponsored content, you can create a better experience for your audience by leveraging these less intrusive ads for your influencer and paid social strategies. Plus, sponsored posts expand your reach by tapping into new audiences.

Tips for creating effective sponsored posts

Whether you’re a small business trying to put your name out there or an established brand seeking to boost engagement, here are some tips to help you get on the right track.

Outline goals

This is one of the most difficult—but crucial—steps to get started with your sponsored content campaigns. That’s why you need a clear direction for what you want to achieve with your sponsored posts.

You can define specific campaign KPIs based on your target audience, past campaign performance and potential reach. To evaluate this potential reach, have in mind if you’ll be working with influencers or not.

Here are a couple of questions to help outline your goals:

• What are your business goals? Determine the overall business goals that you’re trying to achieve. If your leadership expects to generate leads or $$$ from social media marketing efforts, start breaking that down into smaller goals.
• What are your objectives? You know this one too well. Use the SMART goals framework to make sure your goals are attainable within a timeframe.

Set a budget

To figure out a budget for your sponsored posts, look at your social media marketing budget as a whole. Knowing how much you can spend helps you allocate your resources wisely. Download our custom budgeting spreadsheet to start outlining your expenses.

Remember, the money you spend on your social media strategy depends on the amount of sponsored content you want to incorporate. Or if you’re willing to work with influencers.

For sponsored content efforts, here’s what you need to consider:

• Define your strategy: Determine if you’re going to use sponsored posts for a single marketing channel or as a pillar of your social media strategy. Knowing this will allow you to determine the investment you need to make for sponsored content.
• Research the costs: The cost of sponsored posts is determined by your social media advertising strategy. These costs can involve creating new content, boosting existing content or hiring influencers. Have in mind that the cost of influencers varies, depending on their audience size (micro vs. celebrity), caliber of their influence, experience and more.
• Compare your budget with your expected ROI: Think of your budget as an investment. Naturally, your return on investment (ROI) should be suitable enough to justify the cost of your sponsored content.

Determine your ROI

The goals you outline can be translated into key metrics (think: reach, engagement and conversions) that calculate ROI.

In the case of sponsored posts, justifying your marketing budget based on likes and comments may seem like a difficult task. But ROI isn’t just measured by bottom-line profit.

You can measure ROI by money saved or used efficiently to expand reach, brand awareness or conversions (think: clicks to your website or sign-ups). However, through social shopping, you can impact the bottom line through direct sales or influencer endorsements (think: influencer discount codes).

Here’s our take on figuring out your ROI:

• Identify your metrics: Reach, engagement and conversion metrics are a good rule of thumb for your sponsored content.
• Track those metrics: Keep track of your sponsored post as soon as it is live. This will help you understand what content and which influencers are performing well.
• Communicate your key metrics to influencers: Make sure you tell influencers what metrics you want to track from the beginning so you can monitor performance and social media ROI efficiently.

Note: Focus on relevant metrics when measuring your sponsored post performance. Tracking too many metrics can distract you from your initial goals. More information isn’t the same as better information.

Create quality content

Sponsored posts can take on a variety of formats, such as videos, testimonials, infographics or static images. Regardless of the type, you can follow best practices to create effective posts.

The anatomy of high-performing sponsored content consists of:

1. Addressing your target audience: You don’t have to directly mention your audience, but a slight reference to them can help capture their interest.
2. Writing strong copy: Put yourself in your audience’s shoes by highlighting benefits or pain points they care about. What’s in it for your audience? Why should they be interested? The same applies to video scripts.
3. Balanced design, visuals and colors: Make sure your sponsored post catches your audience’s eye while being true to your brand and the creator’s identity.
4. A call-to-action: This is how you generate conversions. If you don’t tell your audience what action to take next, you’re losing opportunities.

Decide if you’re working with Influencers

Sponsored content doesn’t have to be paid partnerships. But influencers are a highly effective way to expand your reach and build trust. They’re experts in their niche with an engaged, loyal audience. So, if you partner with them to generate sponsored content, it’s likely some of that trust is going to rub off on you.

Here’s what you need to have in mind for your influencer marketing efforts:

• Find an influencer that belongs to the same niche you’re targeting. This ensures the influencer aligns with your target audience.
• Review your marketing budget to choose the right influencer for you. Influencer rates vary across platforms. But the more influence and followers they have, the more expensive their services will likely be.
• Make sure the influencer understands the message you want to transmit. You don’t want them to post something that doesn’t align with your brand values. Give clear directions but leave room for collaboration. Influencers are also content creators that want to stay true to their audience.

Use tools to look for influencers or do your own research on social media. They’ll usually have their contact info for paid collaborations on their profile.

Instagram sponsored posts

Sponsored posts on Instagram enable you to promote a post from your business profile or partner with an influencer for a paid sponsorship. Additionally, you can promote Instagram story ads.

Instagram sponsored posts have a “Sponsored” tag below your brand name and call-to-action buttons like “Shop now”, “Learn more” or “Sign up”.

This is what a promoted post on Instagram looks like:

For paid partnerships, sponsored posts on Instagram have a “Paid partnership” tag under the influencer’s name, and sometimes also lists your brand’s name.

This is what a paid partnership on Instagram looks like:

How to create a sponsored post on Instagram

To create a promoted post on Instagram, you’ll need to boost an existing post:

1. Go to your profile and select the post you want to promote.
2. Press the Boost post button.
3. Select your goal (whether that be more profile visits, website visits or messages).
4. Choose your target audience (it can be automatic or you can create your own).
5. Set your Budget and Duration.
6. Pay and you’re done.

To manage your Instagram advertising efforts and see how your sponsored post is performing, go to your profile, select your post and press on View insights or Ad insights. From there, you can view your engagement and goal metrics.

With paid partnerships, the influencer will create and post the content. It’s up to you to approve the influencer as a content creator associated with your brand. To achieve this, you:

1. Go to your Settings and press Business.
2. Select Branded content and then Approve content creators.
3. Enter the username of the influencer you’re working with.
4. Press the Approve button that’s next to their username.

With your approval, the influencer will be able to tag you as a business partner in their sponsored post. And you’ll be able to see the reach and engagement metrics from the influencer’s post.

Facebook promoted posts

Facebook only gives you the option to do promoted posts (no influencers here).

Facebook promoted posts have a “Sponsored” tag below the name of your brand and include a call-to-action button that can be “Shop now”, “Learn more” or “Sign up”.

This is what Facebook promoted posts look like:

How to create a promoted post on Facebook

These are the steps to create a promoted post on Facebook:

1. Go to your Facebook page.
2. Select the post that you want to promote and press Boost post.
3. Choose a campaign goal based on the stages of Awareness, Consideration or Conversions.
4. Select a recommended audience or create your own custom audience.
5. Enter your Budget and Duration of the campaign.
6. Pay and boost your post.

To view the results of your boosted post, you can go to your Facebook page, select Ad Center, choose your boosted post and press the View results option. The Ad Center lets you track all your paid posts, so you can see the performance of your entire Facebook advertising strategy.

TikTok sponsored posts

Sponsored TikTok posts have both promoted posts and paid partnerships as options for your TikTok ads.

Much like the others, a “Sponsored” tag appears below your brand’s name and the captions, along with a CTA button.

Here’s what promoted TikTok posts look like:

TikTok sponsored posts have a “Paid partnership” tag under the influencer’s username and captions.

Here’s what paid sponsorships on TikTok look like:

How to create a sponsored post on TikTok

Sponsored posts are just one of the many ways you can make money on TikTok. Since TikTok users are 1.4x more likely to research brands or products on the platform, these types of posts can be especially effective.

Here’s how you create promoted TikTok posts, assuming you already created the sponsored content and posted it on your account:

1. Go to your Profile and tap on the three-line menu.
2. Select Creator tools and then Promote.
3. Pick the TikTok video you want to promote.
4. Choose your goal: more video views, website visits, followers, messages or profile views.
5. Choose your audience (it can be a default or custom audience).
6. Set your Budget and Duration.
7. Pay and start your promotion.

To monitor your post’s performance, go to your Profile, tap on the three-line menu, select Creator tools and check your Analytics.

On the paid partnership side, you can contact a TikTok influencer to collaborate with you by following these steps:

1. Log into the TikTok Creator Marketplace.
2. Click on Explore and use the filter to find TikTok creators that you want to reach out to.
3. Select Create campaign and fill in your campaign details.
4. Click on Upload Message to initiate contact with your chosen TikTok creators or influencers.

Later on, when you reach an agreement with an influencer and the sponsored TikTok post is live, you can check how your post is doing. For this, log into your TikTok Creator Marketplace account and click on Reporting to see your Campaigns, Views and Engagement rate.

LinkedIn promoted posts

For LinkedIn promoted posts, the format remains similar, with a predominant “Promoted” tag along with a CTA.

How to create a promoted post on LinkedIn

These are the steps you need to follow to create a LinkedIn ad:

1. Sign in to the LinkedIn Campaign Manager.
2. Select an objective from Awareness, Consideration or Conversions.
3. Build your audience by selecting multiple attributes.
4. Choose an Ad format.
5. Set a Budget and a Schedule.

To manage the results of your sponsored content, go back to your LinkedIn Campaign Manager and click on the Performance Chart to see clicks, impressions, conversions, leads, the average cost per lead, etc. You can also click on Demographics and display information like job title, company, company size, location, country and more information about the people who have interacted with your ad.

Twitter promoted Tweets

Twitter promoted posts have a “Promoted” tag at the bottom left with a little arrow pointing upwards. Twitter doesn’t have defined CTA buttons, but once you press the ad, it redirects you to the associated landing page.

How to create promoted Tweets

This is how you create promoted Tweets for your Twitter advertising campaign:

1. Go to Twitter’s ad platform.
2. Input your Country/Region and Time zone.
3. Choose your objective: Reach, Engagement, Followers or Website traffic.
4. Write your ad text and add media.
5. Select the demographics of your audience.
6. Add targeting features like keywords your audience uses, followers of similar accounts and even their operating system.
7. Set a Budget and Schedule.
8. Add your payment method and launch your campaign.

To monitor the performance of your promoted Tweets, go to Twitter’s ad platform once again and click on Analytics. Then select Tweet activity to see the impressions, engagement, engagement rate, likes and other metrics for your Top and Promoted Tweets.

Boost your presence with sponsored content

Now that you leveled up your sponsored content knowledge, it’s time to explore how sponsored posts fit into your social media strategy.

As you test sponsored posts and learn what works best for you, also consider how they can be a part of your larger creator marketing strategy. Working with creators has become a must, so check out our article to learn how you should be integrating creators into your social strategy.

The post Sponsored posts: How to create effective sponsored content appeared first on Sprout Social.

Table of Contents

• What is an API?
• What are the different types of APIs?
• How do APIs & social media relate?
• Why are APIs important?
• How APIs add a layer of security
• 5 things you should know about APIs

What is an API?

API stands for application programming interface. It’s a software interface that enables two applications to communicate with each other. The API serves as an intermediary for different software applications to share data with one another.

How APIs work: A practical example

To use an analogy here, we’ll compare this to ordering a drink at a bar. When you step up to the bar, you get a menu with a list of drinks. To look at this like an API, there’s an existing convention you can follow (i.e., the bartender) to state your order and get a drink.

The menu, as you can see, is the interface. All the drinks on the menu are what the bartender has agreed to serve. When you ask for a certain drink on the menu, you receive it. But say you ask for something off the menu, such as a vodka martini instead of a gin martini. The bartender won’t be able to provide it because it’s not something they agreed to serve.

Let’s say you want that gin martini delivered to your home. You call a delivery service and you order a martini that appears on the menu. When you order it, someone will tell the bartender your order, the bartender will make the martini and then someone will deliver it to your home. This is an example of an additional service (delivery) built on an “API.”

To relate this back to software, an API can help one application retrieve specific types of data from another. If the API doesn’t support certain types of data, it won’t be able to facilitate the retrieval of that “off-menu” data.

How APIs have evolved

With APIs seeing more adoption, they’ve evolved to deliver more seamless integrations. Modern APIs follow standards that are developer friendly and easy to access. As a result of improved standardization, they support better security, governance, and documentation.

Additionally, they’re more productized. Many APIs today cater to specific audiences such as mobile developers and web developers. Now that we’re entering a cloud age, cloud computing has further helped to transform API development and deployment.

There are multiple types of APIs

Open APIs

These are APIs that companies make available to the public, such as the Google APIs and the WordPress API. Anyone can use them without submitting their app for approval.

Partner APIs

These types of APIs require specific rights or licenses and are only available to specific parties. The Airbnb API falls under this category.

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Internal APIs

These are private APIs that companies develop to use in their internal systems. They allow those different systems to work together to increase productivity.

Composite APIs

These are a combination of different API requests into a single API call. This helps to improve efficiency and save on data usage.

How do APIs relate to social media marketing?

All the major social media platforms have an API. You can use these APIs to build on them and improve the user experience. Additionally, many social media marketing and management platforms use these APIs to unify the experience. This means they can enable users to perform certain actions in one place.

Sprout Social, for instance, uses the API of leading social media networks to offer management capabilities. That way, you can use the platform to schedule and publish posts across all these social networks. You can even monitor and respond to your messages and comments all in one place. Having a single dashboard adds convenience and is one of the many ways APIs power social media marketing.

Twitter API

Twitter offers a number of API endpoints that allow you to complete certain tasks on the platform. For example, the Retweets API lets you Retweet posts from other users, while the Ads API lets you create ad campaigns. Although the API is free to use, you’ll need to sign up for paid versions for a higher level of access.

YouTube API

The YouTube API is free to use and allows you to add YouTube functionality to your website. This would enable users to play videos on your website or application. They can also complete other tasks such as searching for videos, uploading videos and subscribing to channels.

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Instagram API

There are several Instagram APIs that you can use for free to enhance your app capability. You can use APIs to let users manage their Instagram messages and posts from your app. The Instagram Graph API even lets users access valuable data from their Business and Creator accounts.

LinkedIn API

LinkedIn offers a number of APIs that you can currently access for free. These APIs allow you to enhance the sign-in and content-sharing experience. You can also find APIs to help with marketing, sales and recruitment.

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Facebook API

Facebook offers several APIs and SDKs that are free to use for developers. These APIs will allow users to conduct searches, create and publish posts, manage ads and complete plenty of other tasks.

TikTok API

TikTok gives you access to several toolkits that you can use to enhance the user experience. The Login Kit, for instance, lets you set up your app so that users can quickly and securely sign in using their TikTok credentials. You can also find API kits for sharing videos, embedding videos, adding green screens and displaying creators’ profiles.

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WhatsApp API

WhatsApp offers three different types of APIs for businesses. This includes cloud API, on-premises API and business management API. You can use these APIs to customize your business profile, send automated messages and respond to your customers. The WhatsApp API for businesses is available on a freemium basis, with fees charged on a per-conversation basis.

Salesforce API

The Salesforce data API comprises four different APIs–REST, SOAP, Bulk and Streaming. These allow you to make changes to your Salesforce data. You can use the API to customize page layouts or develop custom tools to enhance the user experience.

Why are APIs important for you?

It’s safe to say that your entire online experience runs on APIs. They help simplify tasks without the need to switch between multiple applications. This offers benefits not just for regular internet users but also for marketers and industry professionals. Let’s break down why APIs are so important for you.

APIs streamline your processes

APIs enable you to connect multiple applications and create a more streamlined process. Instead of switching between four different applications, you’ll be able to use one software to access all four.

As such, APIs are particularly useful for social media managers and marketing professionals. Many of the platforms they use integrate with one another, allowing them to complete countless tasks from a single dashboard.

The Sprout Social Smart Inbox is an excellent example of this. Before, you would log into Facebook and Twitter separately, check messages, run search terms and respond to tagged posts. Now, thanks to the networks’ APIs, you can see it all in one view, cutting out on extra time.

APIs improve connectivity and speed up everyday tasks

APIs allow different applications to communicate seamlessly. As a result, they create conveniences in our daily lives even without us realizing it.

It’s with the help of APIs that we can quickly check the weather on our phones and decide whether to bring an umbrella. We’ve also seen rapid growth in convenient mobile applications that make it easier to do things. This could be anything from ordering groceries online to tracking your budget.

Moreover, APIs have enabled the emergence of the Internet of Things (IoT). This has created better connectivity between the devices we use in our daily lives. For example, we’re now able to monitor our doorstep even from miles away or adjust the thermostat right from the couch.

Businesses expand with APIs

Offering an API can help you expand your business’ potential. There are only so many resources a business can offer. Having an API available, with developers who are eager to build on them, can expand their offerings to more people.

A good example is software like Mint, which can connect with multiple banks and compile it in one area. A bank’s core offering is storing your money and recording your credit card expenses. The bank allows Mint to connect to its API, so you can better manage your money and consequently, continue being a customer at the bank.

How APIs add a layer of security

APIs apply different security practices so applications can safely transfer information. This typically involves adding another layer of security between the sensitive data and the client.

With the help of APIs, you can ensure that the server never has full access to your device’s data. Instead, the different applications and devices will only share the necessary data.

Additionally, users also have control over the data they want to share. For example, you can choose to deny a request for a website to access your physical location via a location API.

5 things you should know about APIs

To recap, here are the five takeaways for APIs.

1. Developers work with APIs to create software and apps. It’s rare for you, the end user, to interact directly with an API.
2. APIs operate as a gate, allowing companies to share select information while keeping unwanted requests out.
3. APIs can make your life run a little smoother. When airlines share data about flights and prices, travel aggregating sites can compile them and help you compare.
4. Businesses run on APIs. Sprout Social is an example of software that depends on the APIs of social media networks.
5. If you’re using a third-party app to manage your social media, it might not be the app’s fault that a feature isn’t available. It’s more likely that the network doesn’t have it as part of its API.

For social media managers, APIs have made it all the easier to manage multiple social profiles using a single tool. Learn more about how to leverage them and optimize your social media management strategy.

The post What is an API & why does it matter for social media? appeared first on Sprout Social.