You’ve put time into your YouTube content. You’ve edited it, uploaded it, maybe even added a polished thumbnail. And then… nothing. No views. No traction. Just silence.

That’s not a content problem — it’s a discovery problem.

If your videos aren’t being found, they won’t be watched. This is where YouTube keyword research earns its keep – not as an SEO box ticking exercise – but as a practical way to get more from every video you create.

Here’s how to find the keywords real people are actually searching for, so your content gets seen, not shelved.

Why YouTube keyword research is worth the effort

YouTube isn’t just a video platform – it’s the world’s second-largest search engine. Every day, millions of users type in specific questions, ideas, and needs. When your video matches those queries, you show up. It’s not about chasing trends – it’s about aligning with intent.

Keyword research helps you:

– Find the questions your audience is already asking.
– Create more relevant, high-performing content.
– Stop guessing what will work – and start knowing.

This isn’t a hack. It’s a smart way to make sure the right people find the right videos at the right time.

STEP 1: Use YouTube’s own search suggestions

Open YouTube and type in a term like “plant care,” “BMW i4,” or “email marketing strategy.” As you type, you’ll see auto-suggestions appear – these are based on actual search activity. This is YouTube gently whispering, “Here’s what people want.”

Examples:

– “plant care” → plant care tips for beginners.
– “BMW i4” → BMW i4 M50 review.
– “email marketing” → email marketing tutorial for beginners.

Pro tip: The higher up a suggestion is, the more likely it’s a common search. These are golden keywords for content planning.

STEP 2: Analyse what’s already working

Take a detour into competitor research. Look at:

– Video titles with high views.
– Keywords in descriptions.
– Themes in tags.
– Topics in popular thumbnails.

Use tools like VidIQ or TubeBuddy to surface what others are ranking for. This isn’t about copying – it’s about understanding what resonates with audiences (and the algorithm).

Think of it as learning the chords before writing your own hit song.

STEP 3: Use YouTube keyword tools to do the heavy lifting

If you want to skip the guesswork and go straight to the strategy, let the tools do their thing.

Here are three worth bookmarking:

– Keyword Tool Dominator – Pulls keyword ideas based on YouTube’s auto-suggest > keywordtooldominator.com
– Content Studio – Provides trending keyword data and helps with multi-platform content planning > contentstudio.io
– Copy.ai’s free YouTube keyword tool – Gives you quick, AI-powered ideas for keywords, titles, and even descriptions > copy.ai

Not magic wands, but close.

STEP 4: Use your keywords in the right places

Once you’ve got your shortlist, use your keywords intentionally – not like you’re stuffing a turkey.

Here’s where to place them:

– Video titles: Keep them natural. Front-load your main keyword.
– Descriptions: Repeat the keyword contextually in the first few lines.
– Tags: Use a mix of broad (e.g. “YouTube SEO”) and specific (e.g. “BMW i4 charging review”) terms.
– Captions: Upload transcripts with keyword-rich language — YouTube’s algorithm reads these.

Bonus tip: Add keyword phrasing to your thumbnail text too. While not a ranking factor, it helps with human clickability.

STEP 5: Review and regularly refine your YouTube keyword research

Set a calendar reminder every 4-6 weeks to check your YouTube Analytics:

– Which search terms are sending traffic?
– Which videos have the longest watch time?
– Are you ranking for the terms you intended to?

If not, tweak titles and descriptions based on what’s working. You can even test alternate thumbnails for the same keyword to see what drives higher click-through rates. This is a long game. But every small optimisation adds up.

What good looks like: A fully optimised YouTube video

Let’s put it all together with a real-world example. Say you’re reviewing the BMW iX1 electric SUV — here’s how you’d apply smart keyword research across your video setup.

Title
BMW iX1 Review 2025 – Real Range, Charging & Interior Tour → Keyword-led, value-packed, and naturally phrased. It places the primary keyword up front and tells the viewer exactly what to expect.

Description (as it would appear in your video)
Thinking of buying the BMW iX1 in 2025? In this video, we review the BMW iX1’s real-world range, charging performance, and interior features. Whether you’re considering an upgrade to electric or just want to know if the iX1 is worth it — this review covers everything you need to know.

We’ve broken it down into clear chapters to help viewers navigate quickly:

0:00 – Intro
0:45 – Exterior design
2:30 – Charging test and real-world range
5:20 – Interior walk-through
7:15 – Driving impressions
9:00 – Final verdict

Want more? Watch our follow-up comparison: BMW i4 vs iX1 — which should you choose? https://youtube.com/xyz123

Tags

bmw iX1, bmw iX1 review, bmw iX1 range, electric suv review, 2025 bmw iX1, bmw iX1 charging → Use a mix of broad and long-tail tags to give YouTube’s algorithm multiple contextual cues. Always stay relevant — no tag stuffing.

Thumbnail Alt Text
BMW iX1 parked roadside with charging cable, open door showing interior. → Adding accurate alt text improves accessibility and signals relevance to YouTube’s backend systems. It also ensures your content is usable for all audiences.

This setup helps your video rank better, appear in more relevant searches, and improve click-through and retention rates – all without trying to game the system. It’s clean, clear, and created with purpose.

Accessibility reminder

Keyword-rich content should also be inclusive. Always:

– Add clear alt text to thumbnails.
– Include captions for every video.
– Provide transcripts if possible.

YouTube rewards clarity. So does your audience.

Final thought…

Chasing views is fine. But what you really want is the right people watching your videos – the ones who care about what you’re offering and are likely to stick around. And that starts with showing up in search when they need you. Keyword research doesn’t just help you rank. It helps you stay relevant.

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To find out more about how Fetch Social Media can accelerate your brands growth, contact us today.

The post Getting found on YouTube: A smarter way to do keyword research appeared first on Fetch Social Media.

Being active on social media is no longer enough. Brands need a well-defined strategy that aligns with business goals, employs key tactics, and adapts to changing trends to achieve meaningful results.

In this post, we outline 12 essential steps to help you build a social media strategy that not only works for your brand but drives growth.

1. Define your goals

The first step to building a winning social media strategy is setting clear goals. These goals should align with your business objectives, and we recommend focusing on six core areas:

Awareness: Getting your brand in front of your target audience.

Traffic: Driving users to your website or landing pages.

Engagement: Fostering meaningful interactions with your followers.

Sentiment: Managing how your brand is perceived online.

Conversion: Turning followers into leads, customers, or subscribers.

Customer Experience: Creating loyal customers who advocate for your brand.

Developing SMART goals – Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Time-bound – are essential to keep your strategy focused. For example, “We will drive 5,000 unique visitors to our membership registration page on our website from social media by December 2024” is one example of a well-defined, measurable goal that you can build a tactical plan around.

2. Know your audience

Understanding your audience is critical to your social media success. Start by creating data-backed customer personas. These personas should reflect key demographic details, such as age, location, and interests, as well as psychographics like values and attitudes.

Rather than relying on assumptions, use data from surveys, social media analytics, and customer service interactions. This ensures that your content resonates with the right people, addressing their needs and desires. Fetch’s insights can help you dig deep into these audience behaviours, giving you the information you need to craft tailored content.

3. Study the competition

Competitor analysis is a crucial part of crafting your strategy. Analyse what your competitors are doing on social media, particularly what works well for them. Key questions to ask include:

– Which platforms are they most active on?
– What type of content gets the highest engagement?
– What tone do they use?

There are many competitor analysis tools available that enable you to study competitors in your industry with ease, helping you to benchmark against them and find opportunities to differentiate your brand.

4. Social media strategy – focus on the right channels

Not every platform will suit your brand’s goals or your audience’s preferences. After creating your customer personas and analysing your competition, identify which platforms are the most relevant for your strategy.

Whether it’s LinkedIn for professional connections or TikTok for younger audiences, focusing your efforts on the right channels allows you to engage with the people who matter most and will yield the best results for your audience and goals.

5. Create a content game plan

Content is the engine that drives social media. A successful strategy requires diverse content that aligns with your goals. At this stage, define content buckets – broad categories for the types of content you’ll post. These could include:

Educational content:
Tips and how-tos to inform your audience.

Engagement drivers:
Polls, questions, and challenges to boost interaction.

Promotional content:
Product launches, discounts, and offers.

Once you’ve identified your content buckets, use a content calendar to plan and schedule your posts. This ensures a consistent, organised approach, so you can avoid last-minute rushes and maintain a steady presence.

6. Create a paid advertising plan

In addition to organic growth, a paid advertising strategy is essential for reaching a wider audience and accelerating results. This involves careful budget allocation, defining your target audience, selecting the right ad formats, and choosing the platforms where ads will perform best. Having a robust paid strategy allows you to supplement your organic efforts and reach new potential customers efficiently.

7. Maintain a consistent brand voice

A consistent brand voice is key to building trust and familiarity. Whether your tone is professional, quirky, or bold, it should reflect your brand’s identity and remain consistent across all platforms. Think about your brand as a person – how would they sound?

Maintaining this voice across all your content creates a unified experience for your audience, helping your brand stand out and build deeper connections.

8. Social media strategy – leverage the right tools

Managing multiple social platforms can be overwhelming, but the right tools can make it far more manageable. Social media management tools help with everything from scheduling posts to monitoring engagement and tracking performance. These tools save time, improve efficiency, and give you the insights needed to fine-tune your strategy over time.

9. Budget

A solid social media strategy requires investment, so budgeting is crucial. Allocate funds for content creation, platform fees, influencer collaborations, and advertising spend. This ensures your team knows where resources are going and maximises the return on investment.

10. Set a timeline and milestones

Set a timeline that includes key activities, milestones, and deliverables. Breaking your strategy into phases allows you to monitor progress and ensure that each stage is executed on time. Establishing clear milestones also helps keep your team accountable and gives you points of reference to measure progress.

11. Define an execution plan

A well-defined execution plan ensures that your social media strategy gets implemented smoothly. This involves assigning roles and responsibilities to team members, setting up workflows, and detailing how each part of the strategy will be tactically executed. Clear planning leads to better coordination and more effective results.

12. Social media strategy – measure, refine and improve

Tracking the effectiveness of your strategy is crucial. Use Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) like engagement, reach, and conversion rates to measure success. Tools that provide detailed analytics will help you track performance over time and make data-driven decisions for continuous improvement. Regularly assessing these metrics ensures that your strategy stays aligned with your business goals and you fully understand your return on investment.

And finally..

Crafting an effective social media strategy involves setting clear goals, understanding your audience, analysing competitors, and refining your content and approach over time. At Fetch, we provide the tools and guidance to help you navigate each step of this journey, turning your social media efforts into real, measurable success.

Ready to elevate your social media game? Contact the team today and let’s get building a strategy that works for you.

The post 12 Steps to a better social media strategy appeared first on Fetch Social Media.

Struggling to keep up with the constant demand for fresh social media content? You’re not alone. But if you don’t do social media content repurposing, you’re likely working harder, not smarter, to achieve your social media goals.

Social media moves fast and creating original posts from scratch every time can feel overwhelming. But what if you could maximise the impact of your best content without constantly reinventing the wheel? That’s where content repurposing comes in. By strategically repurposing your social media content, you can extend its lifespan, reach new audiences, and reinforce key messages – without doubling your workload.

Let’s break down how it works and how you can leverage it for maximum impact.

What is social media content repurposing?

Repurposing social media content means taking an existing post and transforming it into a different format or adapting it for another platform. Unlike simply reposting the same thing, repurposing gives your content a fresh spin while keeping its core value intact. This strategy helps you work smarter, not harder, by making your best content work across multiple touchpoints.

For example:

A high-performing LinkedIn post can become a Twitter thread.
A customer testimonial from Facebook can be turned into a carousel post on Instagram.
A long-form video can be chopped into short clips for Reels or TikTok.

By repurposing content, you maximise your reach while ensuring your messaging stays consistent across platforms.

Why do social media content repurposing?

Here’s some of the key reasons why you should be doing content repurposing as part of your social media strategy:

Extend content lifespan: Social media posts often have short visibility windows. Repurposing helps keep your best content in circulation for longer.

Reach new audiences: Different platforms attract different demographics. What performs well on LinkedIn may not reach the same people as a TikTok video, so repurposing ensures broader exposure.

Boost engagement: Presenting the same core message in various formats increases the likelihood of engagement. 

Increase efficiency: Constantly creating new content is time-consuming. Repurposing saves time while maintaining content quality.

Reinforce key messages: Repetition is key to brand awareness. By repurposing, you can easily reinforce your messaging without constantly trying to create evergreen content.

5-Steps to effectively repurpose social media content

STEP 1 – Identify high-performing content

Start by looking at your analytics. Which posts received the most likes, shares, comments, or saves? These are strong candidates for repurposing since they’ve already proven engaging.
For example, if a post on X.com gets significant engagement, consider turning it into a more detailed LinkedIn post or article, or even a highly visual Instagram carousel.

STEP 2 – Adapt content to different platforms

Each social platform has its own format and audience preferences. When repurposing, tweak your content to match the platform’s style and user behaviour:

X.com to LinkedIn: Turn a thread posted on X.com into a longer LinkedIn post with more context.
Instagram to TikTok/Reels: Transform an Instagram post into a short-form video for TikTok or Reels.
YouTube to Instagram: Cut down long-form YouTube videos into bite-sized clips for Instagram Stories.
Blog Post to LinkedIn: Take key points from a blog post and repurpose them into an engaging LinkedIn carousel or short-form text post.

Step 3 – Transform content into multiple formats

One post can be repurposed into various formats to appeal to different types of audiences:

Text Posts → Turn into quotes, infographics, or tweets.
Videos → Break into clips for Instagram Reels, TikTok, and YouTube Shorts.
Long Articles → Convert into LinkedIn posts or Twitter threads.
User Testimonials → Reformat into visual graphics or short videos.

By switching up the format, you can ensure your message reaches different audience segments in a way that suits their content preferences – as well as being able to stretch-out the life span of single pieces of content. 

Step 4 – Refresh and update evergreen content

Some content never loses its relevance. If you have older social media posts that are still valuable, update them with fresh insights, new data, or trending hashtags. For instance, a well-performing LinkedIn post from last year can be reposted with a fresh take or updated statistics to make it timely.

Step 5 – Create a content repurposing workflow

To make repurposing seamless, establish a system:

1. Create with repurposing in mind – When crafting new content, consider how it can be adapted later.
2. Use templates – Have ready-made formats for quote graphics, tweet threads, and short video snippets.
3. Schedule strategically – Space out repurposed content so your audience isn’t overwhelmed by repetition.
4. Test and optimise – Monitor engagement and tweak your repurposing strategy accordingly.

Content repurposing: common mistakes to avoid

Below are three key mistakes to avoid when looking to undertake successful content repurposing:

1. Copy-pasting without adapting:
Different platforms require different tones and formats. Simply copying and pasting won’t be as effective.

2. Ignoring performance metrics:
Repurposing works best when based on data. Don’t assume all content is worth repurposing – check the analytics first.

3. Not optimising for platform-specific features:
Use platform-specific features like Instagram’s carousel posts, LinkedIn’s document posts, or X.com’ threads to make your repurposed content more engaging.

And finally…

Social media content repurposing isn’t about taking shortcuts – it’s about making the most of what you already have. By strategically adapting content for different platforms, you can increase reach, engagement, and brand consistency without doubling your workload.

The key is to be intentional. Identify what works, reshape it for different audiences, and let your content do the heavy lifting. Ready to get started? Dive into your analytics, pick your top-performing posts, and start repurposing today. Need a hand? Get in contact with us today.

The post The power of social media content repurposing appeared first on Fetch Social Media.

As many of us delve into the analysis of the past quarter’s social media performance, it’s crucial for marketing professionals to stay on top of growing social media trends. With 2024 now in full swing, adapting and innovating based on these trends is a great way to help you achieve your marketing objectives. So, with this in mind here’s a look at social media trends that we are seeing the rise of this year.

Trend #1: Authentic AI Integration

Artificial Intelligence has cemented its place as an indispensable tool in the marketer’s arsenal, but its power is fully harnessed only when paired with authenticity and a deep alignment with brand values.

Top tips:

Set Clear Guidelines: Establish explicit guidelines for your team to craft AI-driven content across various platforms, ensuring it aligns with your brand and maintains data accuracy. 

Have Human Oversight: Implement a mandatory human review process for AI-generated captions and images to preserve quality and uphold brand identity.

Enhance AI Skills: Invest in continuous AI training for your team to keep skills sharp and innovations flowing.

Customise AI Tools: Tailor AI solutions like ChatGPT to recognize and adapt to the specific nuances of your content needs, ensuring outputs meet your exacting standards.

Trend #2: Revolutionising Content with Creators

Authenticity in content has never been more prized, and engaging with micro-influencers and customers to generate content can forge genuine connections.

Social media trends – Top tips:

Identify Suitable Creators: Pinpoint micro-influencers and content creators who resonate with your brand ethos and can authentically connect with your target audience.

Utilise Social Listening: Employ social listening tools to find and collaborate with influencers or brand advocates who are already engaging with your brand or discussing relevant topics.

Diversify Collaboration: Work with creators not only for promotional content but also to highlight your brand’s expertise and engage with the audience in meaningful ways.

Forge Long-term Partnerships: Build enduring relationships with influencers who consistently embody your brand values and deliver great ROI.

Encourage User Contributions: Actively invite customers to share their personal experiences and insights, enhancing the richness and authenticity of your content.

Trend #3: The Rise of Short-Form Video Content

The popularity of platforms like TikTok and Instagram Reels underscores the dominance of short-form video in current content strategies.

Top tips:

Adopt AI Video Tools: Leverage AI-powered tools like InVideo, Synthesia, or Vidyo.ai to quickly transform scripts into informative explainer videos or to create engaging clips from longer content.

Stay Trend-Aware: Regularly explore and engage with the latest video trends by browsing through ‘For You,’ ‘Reels,’ and ‘Shorts’ feeds.

Experiment with Formats: Continuously innovate by testing new video formats, participating in challenges, and incorporating interactive elements.

Trend #4: Blending Learning with Entertainment

Combining educational content with entertainment can make learning appealing and memorable.

Social media trends – Top tips:

Use Trending Elements: Harness popular audios, memes, and challenges to present information in an engaging and enjoyable manner.

Incorporate Memes and Filters: Utilise memes for humor and relatability, and apply in-app filters and animations to add creativity to your educational content.

Collaborate for Creativity: Partner with influencers who can introduce their unique styles and storytelling into your educational material, making it more engaging.

Trend #5: Shifting Engagement to Direct Messages

As social feeds become more congested, shifting meaningful engagement to direct messages (DMs) can foster deeper connections.

Top tips:

Promote DM Interactions: Encourage your audience to engage with your brand through DMs for a more personalised interaction.

Equip Your Team with Relevant Tools: Ensure your team is equipped with robust social inbox tools to efficiently manage and respond to messages across platforms.

Leverage AI Chatbots: Integrate AI chatbots to provide prompt replies to common inquiries, enhancing response efficiency.

Measure DM Performance: Establish and monitor key performance indicators for DM engagement, such as response times and customer satisfaction, to gauge success and areas for improvement.

Trend #6: Emphasising Eco-Friendly Initiatives

Demonstrating a commitment to sustainability can resonate deeply with today’s eco-conscious consumers.

Social media trends – Top tips:

Understand Your Audience: Deeply grasp your target audience’s sustainability awareness and preferences.

Highlight Sustainability Efforts: Develop social media strategies that focus on showcasing your eco-friendly initiatives and products.

Share Authentic Stories: Tell genuine stories of your brand’s efforts towards sustainability and its impact, providing transparency and fostering trust.

Engage in Eco-Friendly Campaigns: Invite your audience to participate in sustainability-related challenges and discussions, promoting active engagement.

Trend #7: The Continued Importance of Text Content

Despite the rise of visual media, text-based content retains its significance, providing depth and fostering meaningful interactions.

Top tips:

Encourage Textual UGC: Motivate customers to share text-based content, such as reviews and stories, that provide deeper insights into their experiences with your brand.

Deepen Influencer Collaborations: Work with influencers to promote detailed, text-based content that showcases their and your expertise, fostering a richer engagement.

Trend #8: Advocating for Employee Engagement

Encouraging employees to act as brand ambassadors can amplify your brand’s authenticity and reach.

Social media trends – Top tips:

Identify and Train Brand Ambassadors: Select enthusiastic employees to become brand advocates and provide them with the necessary training and resources to effectively engage on social media.

Provide Shareable Content: Make it easy for employees to share branded content by supplying them with relevant articles, videos, and hashtags.

Recognise Contributions: Use incentives, shoutouts, or gamification to acknowledge and appreciate their efforts in promoting the brand.

Trend #9: Tailoring Branding Across Multiple Locations

For businesses operating in multiple locations, localising your social media strategy can enhance relevance and engagement.

Top tips:

Local Insights: Research and understand the unique characteristics and preferences of each location’s audience.

Create Targeted Content: Develop content that resonates with local events, culture, and trends.

Local Promotions: Implement location-specific promotions and community involvement initiatives to strengthen local identity.

Manage Social Media Efficiently: Use scheduling tools to ensure consistent posting across different branches under a unified strategy.

Trend #10: Increasing Influence of Decentralised Media

The rise of decentralised social media platforms offers new opportunities for user control and content monetisation.

Social media trends – Top tips:

Explore Decentralised Platforms: Create profiles and learn the functionalities of platforms like Minds to tap into their unique audiences.

Monitor Decentralised Trends: Keep an eye on developments in the decentralised media space, including growth trends, emerging platforms, and regulatory changes.

Educate Your Team: Inform your team about the advantages and challenges of decentralised media to prepare them for potential expansions into these new territories.

Trend #11: Expanding Horizons in Social Commerce

With social commerce becoming more integrated into platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook, there’s a huge potential for direct consumer engagement and sales.

Top tips:

Choose the Right Platforms: Determine which social media platforms align best with your brand and where your target audience is most active.

Create Engaging Shopping Experiences: Develop immersive shopping experiences using features like shoppable videos and live shopping events.

Work with Niche Influencers: Partner with influencers who can effectively promote your products within their communities.

Utilise Shoppable Ads: Start employing shoppable ads to enhance product visibility and drive conversions.

And finally…

Staying ahead in social media marketing demands a proactive approach and a willingness to test and adopt new trends in order to be able to refine your marketing efforts, better connect with your audience, and ultimately achieve your 2024 goals. Whether through leveraging advanced AI, engaging with influencers, or pioneering new platforms, the opportunities for enriching your brand’s social media presence and driving growth are extensive. 

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If you need help using social media to grow your brand and bottom-line, contact our experienced team today. 

The post Social media trends shaping 2024 appeared first on Fetch Social Media.

Over the course of this quarter our social media team will be taking a look at some of the very best ways to use Social Media Data (including ones that you might have overlooked), to power the growth and success of your brand. In the first post of the series we look at getting back to basics.

According to a recent survey*, 56% of marketers use social media data to understand their target audience, but additional uses dwindle from there. Only 23% of marketers use their social media data to measure ROI and only 16% use it for competitive insights.

Now more than ever before is the time to use your social media data to power growth. Lets get started with getting back to basics using our 6 step approach.

1. Conduct a social media data audit

Before you can truly understand your audience and the way they interact with your brand on social, you need to know yourself. A social media audit of your data is a great way to set a baseline for performance and strategic plans. Review your engagement and publishing metrics, audience demographics, referral traffic and more to assess growth, opportunities and what you can do to improve your social media presence.

2. Track data to understand your follower growth

Follower growth doesn’t automatically translate to business growth; however, it’s an important metric to track, especially when you consider that 89%* of consumers will buy from brands they follow on social.

Follower count can also contextualise your data. If you’re a small business, you may not have the same following as a household-name brand. But instead of comparing your brand to others, focus on your own social data. Hone in on the rate at which your following is changing, rather than the total number alone, and use data visualisation to identify major surges of interest that align with specific campaigns.

3. Dig into demographic social media data

Millennials, Gen Zers (and all the others) all have different interests, cultural references, needs, experiences with social media and more. The same is true for people from different locations and genders. Using a social media analytics tool like will provide you with reports to deep dive this information. Generating an audience demographics report will give you a full breakdown of your fans across each social platform. And armed with this type of data, you can better understand your audience, craft more effective messaging and improve your content strategy.

4. Evaluate where your audience is spending their time on social and why

Each social media platform has its own unique user experience, features, content and audiences. If you’re not leveraging data to learn which platform your audience is most engaged on, your strategy will be about as good as a chocolate teapot. Use analytics to identify which of those platforms your audience is most engaged on. Then, you can more accurately target and reach the people that matter the most.

5. Cater to your audience’s interests

Demographic and performance data across platforms will help you understand your audience, but to paint an even clearer picture of who they are, investigate their interests, needs and intent. Identify top-performing posts and take note of patterns that you can use to influence content creation. So, if for example, posts focused on product updates consistently get the most link clicks, or thought leadership content gets the most shares and expands your reach, you might consider how you can double-down your efforts in those areas.

6. Look beyond your owned social media data

Social media platforms have unparalleled access to audience insights. Fortunately for marketers, many of them are more than willing to share. X (formerly Twitter), Facebook, Instagram, Tik Tok and YouTube all have resources that are full of business insights and audience data that marketers in all industries can use in conjunction with their own data when developing and evaluating their social media strategies.

Don’t forget to look out for our next instalment of – Using Social Media data to power your brands growth. Get this and more delivered to your inbox by subscribing to our email newsletter (scroll down to sign up). In the meantime If you need help with your social media strategy or management, contact us today.

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*Sprout Social report 2023

The post Using social media data to power your brands growth appeared first on Fetch Social Media.

Social media platforms afford brands many opportunities to further their business goals, often with an emphasis on strengthening the consumer relationship; however, social media is also a great tool to easily monitor your competitors.

Getting the edge over your competitors on social media is super important if you want your business to succeed, but that’s easier said than done – just knowing who they are and what they sell isn’t enough to beat them. If you want to get out ahead and stay there, you need to undertake social media competitive analysis, regularly.

Competitor social media audits – 4 reasons why you should be conducting them regularly

But first. Before you dive into a competitor social media audit, there are a few things you need to do to prepare. First, identify your top competitors and take a look at how active they are on social media. The companies you consider to be your top competitors in the offline space may not be your main competition in the social media space. Knowing this now will save you from extra work later.

If all of your competitors are active on social media, you’re ready to start your audit. If you notice that a good number of your competitors aren’t active on social media, now is the time to identify additional companies to include in your audit. Again, you’ll want to ensure these additional competitors are active on social media before diving into your audit. There’s no right or wrong number for how many companies you should include in a competitive social media audit, but keep the amount manageable. We’ve gleaned a lot of insights from landscapes consisting of four or five competitors.

See how you measure up against your competitors

Social media platforms are a place to connect with your current and potential consumers and to exemplify your brand’s voice and thought leadership. It’s important to monitor how you’re doing compared to your competitors and what it means for your brand.

Using any number of subscription based tools available like Hootsuite or SproutSocial (for example), will help you quickly gather information so you can compare different metrics like followership, platform use, and post frequency among competitors, the overall competitive landscape average, and of course your results. Knowing how you stack up against your competitors can provide insights into how each brand is perceived and who has the highest reach and share of voice on social media.

Identify what content performs best in your competitive landscape

Another reason to conduct a competitive social media audit is to understand what content performs best in your competitive landscape. To be impactful, you need individuals to see and engage with your content. In a cyclical fashion, the more people who engage with your content increases the number of people who see it and so on. Facebook’s in-platform competitor analysis tool (for example) allows us to identify things like which platforms are used most, what hashtags garner the most participation, post types that are most engaging, if and how influencers are used, and any new formats or platform capabilities that competitors are using.

Understanding what performs the best will allow your team to make strategic recommendations on new ways to engage with your audiences, whether that’s through exploring the use of new platforms, tapping into new hashtags, investigating the use of an influencer, or testing different post types.

Competitor social media audits let you see how audiences engage with your competitors

Compelling content generates engagement, and from this, you can learn a lot about a group of people. A competitive landscape social media audit is beneficial in understanding how users engage with your brand. It’s likely your company’s target audience overlaps with your competitors’ audiences, so we encourage taking every opportunity to get to know and understand them better.

Through user engagements, you can learn how active or passive your audience is. If they’re commenting on content, you can learn what they’re thinking and feeling, what’s impacting their decision making, how brand loyal they are, and more. Tools like Brandwatch make it very easy to monitor conversations taking place on social media relating to a particular brand, product, or industry as a whole. Understanding exactly how your audience and your competitors’ audiences engage on social media can help you create better, more compelling content (both on and off social media) that resonates with users as they make their way through the decision-making process.

Understanding how your competitors engage with their audiences can help shed light on the expectations of your audience

The expectations for how brands communicate and engage with their followers on social media have changed drastically in recent years. Users expect quick responses, often in way less than an hour. Understanding how your competitors engage with their audiences can help shed light on the expectations of your audience because it’s likely if they aren’t happy, they’ll make it known.

When looking at how a competitor engages with their followers, note what kind of content they’re engaging with (positive, neutral, and/or negative), how they’re engaging (likes, comments, recommendations, or answers with external links), and who is responding (company, employee of company, or brand ambassador). Taking a look at how your competitors do it may give you an idea on how to further develop and improve your response plan (or demonstrate how you are currently leading the pack). It may also offer insight into how to or how not to respond. For example, if your competitors take days to reply to comments, you can work at increasing the efficiency in your response plan so you stand out as more responsive on social media.

And finally

It’s important to keep in mind your social media strategy plan and social media audit efforts are not a one-and-done task. Want to stand out in the social media space? Keep an eye on your competitors and plan on conducting in-depth audits at least twice a year (with an interim review every quarter). Of course, you may choose to conduct mini audits even more frequently depending on your industry, your competitive landscape and the social media channels.

As you build up your research, you’ll be able to compare how you’ve advanced compared to your competitors. These audits will help guide you strategically as you continue to look for ways to stand out in the social media space, especially as your competitors, the landscape, and the platforms evolve.

Need help? Contact our friendly team today.

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Land Rover Australia leaves other luxury car brands in the rear-view as it claims social media top spot.

But social media index findings show a mixed bag of approaches when it comes to building automotive brands on social media, and an underutilisation of platforms outside of Facebook, especially Instagram.

Advocate, a full-service Marketing Agency based in the City has released the findings of its inaugural Social Media Index (SMI) for the Luxury Car Market in Australia. The intent of the SMI is to build a reputation as a key quarterly tracker of the social media performance of nine luxury brands: Alfa Romeo, Audi, BMW, Jaguar, Land Rover, Lexus, Mercedes-Benz, Porsche, and Volvo. And across key social media platforms: Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn, and Twitter.

Over the January to March period (Q1), Advocate analysed more than 21 million automotive social media post engagements using technology and their own data specialists to develop a score-based ranking for each key social media platform, as well as an overall Q1 social media ranking.

‘Land Rover’s success in topping the rankings of our first SMI report for the luxury automotive sector is testament to their strong focus on putting out quality, relevant and frequent content on social media’. Comments Mark Milner, MD of Advocate.

Social Media Index Q1 – Overall Brand Ranking

1 Land Rover
2 Jaguar
3 BMW
4 Porsche
5 Mercedes Benz
6 Audi
7 Volvo
8 Lexus
9 Alfa

‘Land Rover displayed a good mix of local Australian content, supported by global content – not the other way round – an approach that we as an agency advocate as being critical in understanding, building, and creating long-term engaged audiences and ultimately first and repeat car purchases’, continues Milner.

The SMI report also uncovered some key areas that brands could improve on.

‘What we’ve seen from this Q1 Social Media Index report is that the luxury car brands are missing out on the power of Instagram.’ states Milner.

 

‘While Facebook recorded a total of 839,463 engagements across all brands in Q1 compared to Instagram’s total of 426,006, if you strip out the total number of engagements achieved by Porsche (665,459) due to the global nature of its Facebook page, Instagram (where all brands have Australian focussed accounts) then leads the way with a total of 426,006 vs. 174,004 post engagements, against a backdrop of 571 vs. 529 posts (respectively).’

 

‘Given the level of social media post engagements achieved on Instagram over Q1, all brands need to spend more time building their followers on this social media platform. As an example, Mercedes-Benz who top the Instagram page rankings has 137,000 followers, but 600,000 followers on Facebook. With higher engagement rates being achieved on Instagram, putting more effort into growing followers on this platform through quality, relevant and frequent content could reap massive rewards for brands.’

The rankings report also showed an inconsistent approach to LinkedIn and an almost complete abandonment of the use of Twitter.

‘Neglected social media accounts aren’t neutral. They can seriously erode consumer confidence in a business and the automotive sector is no exception. Social media helps to drive online findability and with the main platforms almost operating as their own search engines, ignoring any of them means a lost opportunity to be seen and engage with potential customers. And with 65% of new car buyers in Australia buying a brand different from their last vehicle*, there is a lot of business up for grabs.’ states Milner.

 

‘Even though Google and other search engines may not crawl the number of followers and other metrics on social media pages, you can rest assured that social media plays an ever-increasing role in helping brands get found. A healthy and robust social media presence helps create and build authority in a sector or niche. And from there, consistent interactions with social media pages and a brands website enforces that reputation, leading search engines like Google to rank websites higher in relevant search engine results.’

The SMI report also highlighted the need for luxury car brands to utilise the power of video more across all social media platforms.

‘Depending on the social media channel, between 74% and 96% of all content posted by the luxury car brands in Q1 was image based.’ Notes Milner.

 

‘With 70%* of Australian car buyers saying online videos convinced them to think positively about an automotive brand, and 65%* saying online videos introduced them to a new vehicle they had not considered before – the luxury car brands are missing out on the compelling power of video content in their social media strategy.’

Online videos have become a crucial resource at every step of the journey. More than half (58%)* of all car buyers watched online videos at some point during their research — including three out of four first-time buyers — and 75% said YouTube was their primary source.

‘It’s not just about social media channel selection though when it comes to video content, it’s also about frequency and relevancy of the content created. With all brands only posting a total of 111 times on YouTube in Q1, and with the overall amount of video content used, there is a lot of room for improvement.’ said Milner.

*Source: Think with Google Automotive Report 2019/20.

To view more of the findings from our Q1 Social Media Index report click here. Need help with your brands social media, find out how our services can grow your brand.

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In the second blog post of our series – the very best ways to use Social Media Data to power growth – we explore the importance of ‘testing the waters’ and ‘collecting data as you connect to users’ – two crucial aspects in shaping social media marketing strategy and planning – and one that is based on facts and outcomes rather than just ‘gut’ feeling!

To recap on blog one of this series visit: Using Social Media data to power your brands growth

Testing the waters and data collection >> 9 practical steps you can start using today.

Test the waters

1. Set or adjust your publishing cadence

Wondering whether increasing your social media publishing cadence will increase traffic? Or, do you want to scale back on publishing, but are worried you’ll lose momentum? Test it. Try a new cadence for a week and then compare your results against a control week or your average weekly benchmarks.

2. Show people what they want to see
Don’t work off a hunch or make assumptions about the kind of creative content your social media audience likes. Social testing gives marketers powerful insights to support creative decisions.

Identify the variables you want to test, like still images vs. video. Then, as you create your content calendar, tag your posts with those variables. Once your test has run its course, analyse your results based on the metrics that best align to your goals. Areas to assess here are metrics such as volume, impressions, engagements and link clicks.

3. Fine-tune your voice, tone and copy choices

Every brand has an established identity marked by its tone and voice. Social data and testing can help you further refine that voice for social. Make decisions about long captions vs. short, emojis vs. plain text, questions vs. statements, formal tone vs. casual and more based on your results.

4. Know when to pull back

Social testing can validate certain assumptions, but it can also show where you’re wasting time and resources. Video content, for instance, can be great but it also takes quite a bit of time and resources. So if you’re doing it, you want to make sure you’re doing it right. Data can clue you into whether it’s time to discontinue a strategy and explore new options.

According to a recent survey*, 56% of marketers use social media data to understand their target audience, but additional uses dwindle from there. Only 23% of marketers use their social media data to measure ROI and only 16% use it for competitive insights.

Collect data as you connect with consumers

5. Get answers to your most burning questions directly from your audience

If you’re struggling to understand your audience, create new content, evaluate customer experiences or gauge sentiment around your brand, ask your community questions. When we think data, we often think of numbers, but the qualitative data and direction you can get from your audience just by posing a question can be incredibly valuable. It also can bring your audience directly into decision making for your brand and build loyalty.

6. Poll your audience

Leverage social media polls, a feature that’s on most social platforms today. These are a simple way to secure audience data without doing a ton of work. Polls generate intrigue, engage your audience and show them that their opinions are important, all while providing quick-turn data for marketers.

7. Let your followers crown the winner of a contest
Create a fan-driven contest and use a combination of social polls, hashtags and mentions data to track results and crown a winner.

8. Give your audience a pop quiz
Want to see how familiar audiences are with your industry, products, services or brand? Try quizzing them. This may reveal education gaps that you can fill with your content.

9. See who’s checking-in
Location check-ins on platforms like Facebook are like a personal referral that can increase your brand awareness and reach. Encouraging your customers to check-in at your locations will give you demographic data that can help you select more accurate ad targeting options.

Don’t forget to look out for our next instalment of – Using Social Media data to power your brands growth. Get this and more delivered to your inbox by subscribing to our email newsletter (scroll down to sign up). In the meantime If you need help with your social media strategy or management, contact us today.

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