Mastering Social Media
“Strong fundamentals, practical techniques, and the trends shaping social media in 2025.”
This session equips marketers with a grounded understanding of how platforms work, what content performs best, and how to build, grow, and engage audiences. It combines theory, current data, and recommended low-cost tools
Why Fundamentals Still Matter in 2025
Algorithms and formats change, but principles of relevance, consistency, and value creation remain constant.
4.95 billion people use social media globally (DataReportal, Jan 2025).
Effective strategies balance creativity with evidence-based fundamentals.
The Role of Social Media in the Marketing Mix
Top of funnel: awareness and engagement
Mid funnel: education and trust-building
Bottom funnel: conversion and retention
Works best when integrated with CRM, content marketing, and paid channels.
Theory – Network Effects and Social Capital
Network Effects (Katz & Shapiro, 1985): Value increases as more users engage.
Social Capital Theory (Bourdieu, 1986): Brands build equity by investing in community relationships.
Implication: social strategies must focus on both reach and relationship quality.
Key Platforms and User Behaviour (2025)
TikTok – Entertainment and search; 1.7bn monthly active users (Insider Intelligence, 2025).
Instagram – Stories and Reels dominate; younger demos shifting to messaging.
LinkedIn – 1bn+ members, strong B2B focus on thought leadership (LinkedIn Press, Jan 2025).
YouTube – Still #2 search engine; Shorts compete with TikTok.
X (Twitter) – News, niche communities; declining ad trust.
Threads – Emerging as brand-safe text-first alternative.
Platform Trends in 2025
Rise of AI-driven discovery feeds (TikTok, Meta, YouTube).
Private and closed groups gaining importance (WhatsApp Channels, Discord).
Search behaviour shifting to social-first among Gen Z (Google/TechCrunch, 2024).
Short-form video remains the most effective content format.
Understanding Algorithms – How Platforms Rank Content
Engagement signals (likes, comments, saves, shares).
Watch time and completion rate for video.
Recency, relevance, and personalisation.
Paid signals increasingly integrated with organic reach.
(Source: Meta for Business 2024, TikTok Business Centre).
The Three Pillars of Social Content
Educational – solving customer problems
Entertaining – humour, storytelling, relatability
Empowering – inspiring or community-building content
Research: HubSpot’s State of Marketing 2024 shows mixed-content strategies drive the strongest engagement.
Format Matters – What Performs Best
Video: Short-form (TikTok, Reels, Shorts) is the highest growth category.
Carousel posts: Strong engagement on LinkedIn and Instagram.
User-generated content (UGC): 2.4x higher trust than branded content (Nielsen Global Trust in Advertising, 2023).
Interactive content: Polls, Q&As, quizzes increase engagement.
Dos and Don’ts of Social Media Marketing
Do:
Be consistent with voice and posting
Optimise for accessibility (captions, alt text)
Engage in two-way dialogue
Don’t:
Over-automate responses
Post without a clear objective
Ignore negative feedback
Building Audience Growth
Leverage platform-native features (Reels, Shorts, LinkedIn newsletters).
Collaborate with micro-influencers (under 50k followers often drive best engagement).
Use cross-promotion between platforms and owned channels (email, website).
Engagement – Beyond Vanity Metrics
Metrics to track: saves, shares, dwell time, sentiment analysis.
Qualitative engagement matters more than likes.
Use community management tools like Sprout Social or Agorapulse.
RACE Framework Applied to Social Media
Reach: grow followers, impressions
Act: drive engagement, clicks
Convert: lead generation, sales
Engage: advocacy, loyalty
Practical: Assign KPIs for each stage and align content accordingly.
PESO Model® for Integrated Social
Paid: ads and boosted content
Earned: influencer collaborations, PR
Shared: community and UGC
Owned: brand channels and assets
Balance all four for sustainable performance.
The PESO Model® was created by Gini Dietrich of Spin Sucks
Creation Tools
CapCut (video editing)
Canva Pro (graphics and templates)
Descript (video/audio editing with transcripts)
PhotoRoom (product images for social commerce).
Scheduling and Management Tools
Later – affordable visual planning for Instagram/TikTok.
Buffer – simple multi-platform scheduling.
Metricool – competitive benchmarking at low cost.
Listening and Analytics Tools
Brand24 – real-time monitoring of mentions.
Talkwalker Alerts – track brand or campaign impact.
Fathom Analytics Social – privacy-first reporting.
Case Study – Duolingo on TikTok
Embraced platform humour and trendjacking.
Mascot-led content built organic reach of millions.
Lesson: authenticity + entertainment drives exponential growth.
Case Study – LinkedIn Thought Leadership (Microsoft)
Senior leaders posting personal stories and professional insights.
Blends employer brand with corporate strategy.
Lesson: credibility and consistency matter more than virality.
Case Study – Small Business, Big Impact
A local coffee brand used Instagram Stories for customer polls and product testing.
Resulted in higher loyalty and product uptake with zero ad spend.
Lesson: engagement-led growth is possible on a low budget.
Key Metrics for 2025
Awareness: impressions, reach, follower growth.
Engagement: saves, shares, comments, watch time.
Conversion: leads, sign-ups, attributable sales.
Retention: repeat engagement, community growth, sentiment score.
Attribution and ROI
Multi-touch attribution models help identify social’s role in conversion.
Tools: HubSpot Attribution, Google Analytics 4, Funnel.io.
Combine quantitative and qualitative evidence for stakeholder buy-in.
Avoiding Pitfalls
Avoid misleading metrics or inflating numbers.
Ensure compliance with advertising standards (e.g., ASA guidelines in the UK).
Address inclusivity and accessibility across content.
Be transparent with AI-generated content (align with EU AI Act guidance).
Building a 90-Day Social Plan
Audit existing presence
Define 3–5 SMART objectives
Map content pillars
Select tools and workflows
Create metrics dashboard
Final Reflection
Social media success in 2025 depends on solid fundamentals plus responsible adoption of new trends. Marketers must combine creativity, data, and ethics to grow communities that trust and advocate for their brand.
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