social media post assignment

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• Portfolio Tips

21 Social Media Portfolio Examples & The Guide to Build Yours

Photographers and designers have it easy when it comes to building their portfolios. But how do you showcase social media strategy, or complicated ad campaigns with dozens of different ad sets in a portfolio? It’s actually not as difficult as you might think.

As long as you have the right framework and an easy-to-use portfolio builder tool like Copyfolio , you can write powerful case studies and build a stunning social media portfolio effortlessly.

In this post, we’ll show you how to present your social media projects, how to navigate displaying jobs done under an NDA, and we’ll give you a step-by-step guide to create your portfolio website in just about 30 minutes.

This blog post covers a lot and because of that, it’s pretty long. If you’re only looking for tips in one specific area, check the table of contents and click to jump to the one you need.

Why do you need a social media portfolio?

The fact that there are more social media positions than ever doesn’t mean that it’s easy to snatch one. As the number of job postings grew, so did the competition. This means a curated personal feed won’t cut it anymore if you want to stand out in the crowd of applicants.

While your CV will give hiring managers a factual list of your previous jobs and accomplishments, your social media portfolio will show them your expertise and the results it brings. They’ll be able to see how you think, solve problems, and where your creative strengths lie.

How to create a social media portfolio?

Luckily, building a portfolio is easier than you might think. As long as you choose a good method and tool, you can create your social media portfolio in under an hour. We’ll walk you through the whole process: starting with the essentials to include, through choosing the right format, to the practical step-by-step guide for building.

What should you include in your social media portfolio?

Although your work samples are undoubtedly the most important, you need more than just that for your portfolio to be complete.

For a social media portfolio that gets you hired, make sure you include…

• Well-written, pristine copy. As a social media professional, you need to be able to captivate with the words you write: scripts, captions, and text on stories. But if the copy in your own portfolio is not outstanding, how will people believe that your social media content will be?
• Professional images. Following this line of thought, you’ll be expected to have aesthetic, high-quality images in your social media portfolio. Whether that’s the sample posts, photographs, or stats displayed, it should all look neat.
• An about page or section. Going deeper than the surface level, in the end, it’s not just your writing and visuals that companies want. But the actual person behind them. To show you’d be a great addition to their marketing team, write about yourself on a dedicated page or section.
• Your resume. Samples are great, but sometimes it’s nice to have a high-level overview of a potential new teammate’s career. Resumes are great for that, especially when they’re right there alongside the projects. Add them as part of a page or a downloadable PDF for easy access.
• The services you offer. It’s great to see what you’ve done but it’s even more important to know what you’re ready to do for potential clients. So if you’re a freelancer, even part-time, make sure you communicate two things clearly: whether you’re open for new projects, and what tasks you can be hired for.
• Your contact information. Because what’s the point of showcasing all that, if they can’t get in touch to hire you in the end? Whether it’s your email address, phone number, or contact form, make sure people can reach out to you easily.

How do you choose the right format for your portfolio?

Considering the nature of social media, paper-based printed portfolios are out of the question. But even within the realm of digital portfolios, there are many formats to choose from.

Create a PDF portfolio

One of the popular social media portfolio-building methods is showcasing projects in a PDF file.

You can customize it without limitations and make it match your personal brand completely. Just have it downloaded on your phone, and you’ll be able to send it over to anyone even on the go.

The downside is that once you send it, there’s no going back. The other person will have that file forever —so if you left a typo in or would need to update it, you’ll have to send another file.

Use a dedicated social media account

As someone who works in social media, hosting your portfolio on one of your favorite social media platforms is definitely an option. You’ll have to do it carefully though: just reposting a bunch of content you’ve done for others won’t cut it.

You should still have the case study-centered mindset, and use the platform to introduce the different projects that you did. You can do a carousel post or story highlight for each project —or come up with another creative and platform-specific way. Just make sure you keep your portfolio separate from your personal accounts.

And while it can be effective, it’s hard to get it just right. So choose this method only if you’re confident that you’re going to get it right.

Build a portfolio site

Your best bet is to create a portfolio website that introduces you and showcases your top projects at the same time.

Having a website will let you organize all of your content in an easy-to-digest way. You can create separate pages for your about me section, your contact information, and all your projects. This way you can still have all the information without overwhelming the viewer with a 50-page document or a never-ending page.

You can always update your site and it’ll be instantly visible to whoever’s looking at it. So what could be a more professional way to share your portfolio than sending a link to your own website?

A quick and easy way to build a portfolio website

The easiest way to build a portfolio website is with a tool like Copyfolio . You don’t need to know how to code, it’s fast and intuitive, and will help you put together a powerful social media case study.

Here’s how you can create your social media portfolio easily:

• Choose a portfolio template you like. On Copyfolio, you get 3 starter pages, which will be filled with sections and content based on your profession. All to make the building process even faster.
• Write a strong tagline and add a picture. Make sure everyone who arrives at your site knows who you are and what you do. Capture their attention, or they’ll click away in seconds. Then build rapport, so they keep reading.
• Display your projects: sample posts & case studies. Create case study pages to showcase stories, visuals, and performance numbers, or link to specific social media posts or pages to show your work in action. You can do it in a few clicks with a portfolio section on Copyfolio.
• Add your other pages. For a comprehensive portfolio, info about you and your services is almost just as important as the projects. Create dedicated sections or pages to display everything potential clients and employers might want to know.
• Include CTAs and highlight your contact information. Putting all the materials in front of people is often not enough. You need to consciously nudge and lead them throughout your portfolio with well-placed calls to action. And in the end, highlight your contact info for them, so they can easily get in touch, and hopefully hire you.
• Get your own domain and sort out your branding. To put the cherry on top in terms of looking professional, you need to get an easy-to-remember domain. Plus make sure your branding and online presence is consistent throughout all platforms: use similar colors, fonts, and visual elements in your portfolio as you do everywhere else.

And there you have it —a complete portfolio website, in 6 easy steps. Click here and give Copyfolio a try to build your own aesthetic social media portfolio quickly and easily.

How to present your projects in your social media portfolio?

Even if you know that creating a social media portfolio would be a huge advantage, actually making it is easier said than done. Especially when it comes to presenting your projects.

For photographers, designers, and even writers it’s more straightforward, but social media jobs cover a lot of different aspects. You might be working on strategy, writing ad copy, setting up the targeting for the ads, or even designing the visuals to go along with your posts.

But no matter the type of task a project focuses on, when it comes to presenting them in your social media portfolio, it’s best to do it in the form of case studies. To help you create social media case studies that get you hired, we’ll look at:

👉 What to include in a case study based on the type of social media project

👉 How to structure your social media case study

👉 Social media case study examples to give you some inspiration

What to include in a case study based on the type of social media project

The contents of your case study can vary a lot, depending on the specific task at hand. Let’s see what you can include and showcase for different types of projects, ranging from strategy to content creation.

Social media strategy

As your output might not include visuals or specific copy, writing about your thinking process and showing the results will be in focus here. Share some before and afters, both for how the account looked and performed and include a testimonial for each project. Bonus points if you can add some statistics showing the impact of your work.

Account management

As this job can include multiple different aspects, it’s important to write about what exactly you were doing and what aspects of the account management process you delegated. Did you manage the editorial calendar or did you also create the content yourself? Make that clear and write about the impact your time managing the account had on its performance.

Copywriting for social media

It’s the writing samples specifically that you want to showcase here —but they’ll need a visual presentation to make them interesting. We recommend taking screenshots of individual posts and adding them to mockups. Using either a smartphone or laptop frame will instantly give it a more polished and professional look.

Advertising campaigns on social media

Advertising campaigns also have many aspects. Write about which part you worked on: how it fits into the overall marketing strategy, setting up the actual ads, writing the ad copy, or making the creatives go with it. Also, include the measurements for each project —because what is an ad campaign without data anyway?

Social media content creation

Content creation is a highly sought-after skill and it’s all about the visuals. Show examples of images you designed and videos you created. It’s best to include both links to the published pieces, and screenshots in case they get deleted. Don’t forget to explain your method for creating content and include the tools you use.

How should you structure your social media case study?

Regardless of the type of project, there are certain elements that your social media case study should cover. Here’s how to structure it for the best results.

1. Start with the project’s background.

Before getting into any details, write about the brand the project or campaign was for. What industry are they in? What were the products or services you had to focus on? What was the previous social media presence like? Give some context, so your efforts make sense.

2. Write about the goals or KPIs.

It would be hard to evaluate work without knowing what it was set out to achieve. So answer these questions:

• What was the project set out to achieve?
• How did it tie into the overall marketing strategy?
• What were your specific KPIs? And how long did you have to achieve them?

Seeing the goals and objectives before anything else will set clear expectations for reviewing performance numbers at the end of the case study.

3. Explain your reasoning & creative process.

The finished piece is important, but how you get there is too, almost just as much. Giving insights into your creative process will show how it’d be working with you —even if the project is not a 100% match for what they have in mind. So go into detail about your creative process and why you did the work the way you did.

4. Show the results and measurements.

You can always say you’ve done something, but it’s best to prove it by showing the actual piece of work. If it’s a complex project, you can always write a few lines to explain what each part is and how they’re connected.

If you have access to analytics, show specific numbers on how your work performed. Some examples could include increases in:

• The number of followers
• Engagement on posts
• Reach and impressions
• Traffic to the brand’s website
• Sales from leads from social media
• Brand mentions on different platforms
• Usage of branded hashtags
• UGC created for the brand

5. Add screenshots of the finished/published work.

Even if it’s published online, it’s best practice to include screenshots of your work in your social media portfolio. You never know when a client or previous employer might decide to archive the posts or delete their social media profiles altogether.

Try adding social media screenshots to smartphone or laptop mockups, or adding design elements matching your brand to them look more professional and aesthetic.

Social media case study examples

These case studies were all made with Copyfolio 💛

Hannah Beck

Hannah’s case study is for a specialty cafe, where she was tasked with growing their social media following, increasing their website traffic, and driving customer engagement.

You can read through her process, check out samples of her content and then read about her results in the end. She managed to double their following and drive traffic to their website —although it would have been great to see numbers for that too.

Stephen Mistovich

This case study is about a tech startup called Fanbase, who are looking to revolutionize social media. Stephen’s goal was to drive app downloads and increase their user base amongst users ages 18-24.

He’s worked on this project for 18 months and during that time they managed to:

• Grow their Instagram following from 45k to 100k
• Increase their engagement rate from 0.7% to 3.5%
• Raise their Twitter brand mentions by 1,900%
• Increase the rate of users from the target age group amongst their followers from the previous 32% to 57%

…and more, which you can see in the case study itself. Pretty impressive, right?

Elizabeth Gross

It’s always exciting to see a case study for a brand we know —and that’s the same in the case of this one, for BuzzFeed.

Working as a social media strategist for BuzzFeed, Elizabeth strategized over 300+ posts, generating over 500,000 monthly clicks. If these numbers weren’t impressive enough, she adds that she contributed to $175,000 in monthly revenue.

If you’re interested in how she did it, you can read about her work in paid media, affiliate marketing, social media strategy, and TikTok.

Gabrielle Balsz

Gabrielle worked mainly on TikTok, where she wanted to grow her account’s following to drive traffic to her Spotify. To accomplish that, she created new trends matching her niche (music) and had great success.

By the end of the project, the TikTok account had over 100,000 followers and her music also had over 100,000 streams, with over 10,000 monthly listeners.

She linked the related Instagram and TikTok accounts at the end of the case study page. So you can check her posts to get a better idea of the concepts she used and the trends she created.

Adriely Costa

Adriely worked on the Instagram account and content of Nata Do Doce.

Using Instagram’s native tools like carousels, reels, polls, and question boxes, she aimed to raise engagement. At the same time she made sure to apply the company’s branding to every piece of content to create a community and a visually appealing aesthetic.

Within one month of work, she managed to increase story views by 150%, and raise engagement by over 300%. All of which she illustrated with before and after Instagram screenshots in the case study.

Shaylee Souza

Shaylee’s social media case study is all about the content she created for OrthoArizona.

Contrary to most of the other case studies, she opens with the performance data right away: she increased the overall follower count by 33% and raised the number of followers on Instagram specifically by 75%.

Underneath the stats, you can see post samples with professionally presented screenshots in smartphone mockups, titles, descriptions of her role, and buttons leading to the posts published online.

Novah Media

This social media management case study for a tech startup tells how they set out to increase brand awareness and engagement. They did that by creating new content for Instagram and building a community.

You can see examples on the second half of the page: both the visuals and the copywriting pieces. Looking for specific numbers? They also included their year-end report for Instagram. Click on it to view it in a larger size and zoom in for all the details.

Madi’s case study is for their “Finding Funding Campaign”, for which she detailed both the background of the campaign and their creative strategy for it.

She added examples of the posts they created, alongside screenshots of Instagram statistics. As you can see, she simply added cropped versions of the screenshots, which look less professional overall than the other examples we’ve seen above.

Shannon Hall

This case study is all about Shannon’s best social media posts. Here you’ll find posts for Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube.

For each post, she added a screenshot in a mockup, a title, and a description of how the post came to be and how it performed. We would have loved seeing these quantified achievements highlighted with bold text, so they’re even easier to find.

Underneath each description, you’ll find a link to the post, so you can check it live, with all the likes and comments it received.

Sarah Farnam

Sarah’s short but powerful social media case study shows the work she did for Mighty Quinn’s BBQ.

By introducing reels and graphics to their Instagram feed and creating engaging stories, she managed to grow their reach by 187% and their engagement by 272%.

We learned that she directed shoots to make their products look delicious and analyzed their insights to then implement a data-based strategy.

You can see the feed next to the explanation on the right, and we need to admit, it does look mouth-wateringly good.

What if you signed an NDA?

Having signed an NDA (or non-disclosure agreement) is what usually makes creating a social media portfolio so difficult. Because you might have done a lot of cool and professionally challenging projects —but what’s the point when you can’t disclose them?

Discuss portfolios before you sign the NDA

This tip won’t work for previous projects, but it’s something you should look out for with new assignments. If possible, bring up displaying the project in your portfolio before you sign the NDA. Often companies will let you write about the project with some special conditions like leaving out the company name or adding password protection to the case study.

Reach out to the company and ask for permission

Even if you already signed the NDA, you can always try to reach out to the company and ask for permission to use the project in your social media portfolio. If you have the time, you can create the case study in advance and send it over alongside your email.

Offering the above-mentioned adjustments (leaving out the name or adding a password) by yourself might also make it easier for them to say yes.

Use stock photos instead of real visuals

Normally you’d use images and the logo of the company to illustrate your social media case study. But even if they let you add the project to your portfolio, using these won’t be an option.

Presenting a case study without visuals would be dry and boring though, so you’ll need to find some kind of images to add to your page. Our recommendation is to find high-quality stock photos that relate to the industry of the client.

Even if they serve no purpose other than decoration, breaking up the text with these images will make the case study easier on the eyes. It’ll be more digestible in general, and hiring managers won’t get overwhelmed by a wall of text.

Focus on your creative process and thinking

Instead of getting lost in the client-specific details, focus on your creative process and how you overcame challenges. Even without names and details, reading how you manage and navigate typical social media scenarios will still give valuable insights into your expertise.

So in these not-so-public case studies, write more about how it came to be instead of what it actually was. For those parts you can always generalize: instead of naming the company, you can write something like “specialty coffee shop in Brisbane”, or “UK-based maternity clothing webshop”.

Overall, just make sure you communicate with the client, use password protection when you need to, and emphasize the generic aspects that show your skills. That way you’ll still be able to get valuable portfolio pieces from these kinds of projects.

A social media strategy case study in a portfolio, created with Copyfolio

How to build your social media portfolio without experience

Want to stand out amongst other candidates and freelancers but don’t have much experience to fill a social media portfolio? Don’t worry, we’ll show you how to get samples and write case studies quickly even then.

1. Figure out the types of social media projects you want to do

First things first, think about what exactly you’d like to do within the realm of social media. You can focus on many different things from strategy, through social media copywriting, to design and video editing.

Pick the one or two you like, where you think your skills could be utilized the most.

2. Ask around if anyone needs help with social media

One of the best ways to get real experience and pieces for your portfolio is by reaching out to your network and offering your services. At the very beginning of your career, you can do it for free or just a token amount.

To find opportunities like that, feel free to share it on your own social media accounts first, then expand to Facebook and LinkedIn groups if you don’t have enough candidates.

And if that still doesn’t work out, choose a brand and make up a brief yourself.

👉 If you choose social media strategy, you can outline what you’d change and improve to help your chosen brand reach more people, increase their engagement, or drive more leads.

👉 If you’re into content creation, choose a few different brands and create sample content for them, including both visuals and copywriting. That’ll showcase your design and video skills, as well as your ability to adapt to any sort of branding.

👉 If your focus is paid social media advertising, make up a campaign goal and explain how you’d set the placements, targeting, timing, and more. You can even include calculations on potential results using your own ad account.

3. Take it seriously and complete each project

When it’s not an actual paid job, it might be harder to focus and give it your all. But think about it this way: whether you get a real, paid social media job will depend on how well you complete this one.

So create each and every asset you would for a “normal” project, and do the rounds of revisions and checks you’d expect. Prepare everything as if you were to hand it over to a client —and with that, they’ll be ready to showcase as projects in your social media portfolio!

21 social media portfolio examples for inspiration

Social media strategist portfolio examples, 1. stephen mistovich - social media strategist.

Stephen created his portfolio using Copyfolio's Journal template

2. Leidy Valdez - Social Media Strategist

Leidy used Copyfolio's Premier template to make her social media portfolio

3. Fika Bahroeny - Social Media Strategist

Would you like to have a portfolio like Fika's? Create yours with Copyfolio quickly and easily!

4. Elizabeth Gross - Social Media Strategist

Elizabeth built her portfolio with Copyfolio's Typewriter template

5. Hannah Beck - Social Media Marketer

Hannah made her portfolio website using Copyfolio and its Premier template

6. Vikki Gois - Creative Director & Social Media Strategist

Vikki showcases her top campaigns on the top of her portfolio page

Copywriter, social media marketer & social media specialist portfolios

7. noel blanc - social media manager.

Noel created her portfolio with Copyfolio's Letterpress template

8. Adriely Costa - Social Media Manager & Strategist

Adriely made her social media portfolio website using Copyfolio's Billboard template

9. Carly Zumar - Copywriter & Social Media Specialist

Carly created her portfolio with Copyfolio's Letterpress template

10. Madi Fiely - Social Media Content Creator

Madi used Copyfolio's Journal template to create her content creator portfolio

11. Miranda Vasquez - Social Media Marketer

Miranda made her portfolio using Copyfolio's legacy Journal template

12. Alaina Thomas - Social Media Marketer

Similar to Miranda, Alaina made her portfolio using the previous version of Copyfolio's Journal template

13. Rebecca Georgia - Social Media Copywriter

Rebecca's portfolio was made with Copyfolio's Typewriter template

14. Emma Buckley - Social Media Copywriter

Emma's simple yet powerful portfolio was built with Copyfolio

15. Reagan LeRoy - Social media manager

Reagan used the Copyfolio's legacy Journal template and a fun pink color palette for her social media portfolio

16. Nisreen Galloway - Digital Content Manager & Social Media Specialist

Nisreen added her top social media case studies right to her portfolio page

17. Scarlett Mansfield - Freelance Writer & Marketer

Scarlett's convincing portfolio reads like a neatly written sales letter, while walking you through her projects

18. Kayla Machlica - Digital Marketing Creative

Kayla's social media portfolio, including links to and visuals of her work

Social media marketing agency portfolios

Are you interested in more kinds of marketing portfolios? Check out our marketing portfolio guide !

19. Homemade Social - Boutique Social Media Agency

Thumbnails on the portfolio page of Homemade Social, leading to their social media case studies

20. Yancey Red - Social Media Agency

Yancey Red harmonized their portfolio thumbnails to stay on brand, including red tones in each

21. Giraffe - Social Media Agency

Giraffe Social's portfolio page is very dynamic —check the link as the screenshot doesn't relay the full effect

Or are you ready to jump right in? Create your own social media portfolio quickly and easily with Copyfolio!

Dorka Kardos-Latif

Digital marketer & portfolio expert, the face behind all content on Copyfolio 👋

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• My Storyboards

Social Media Worksheet Templates

Customize social media worksheets.

If you're assigning this to your students, copy the worksheet to your account and save. When creating an assignment, just select it as a template!

What is Social Media?

Social media, simply put, is a means by which people interact with one another by creating, sharing, and exchanging information in online communities. Some of the most popular social networking sites include Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, LinkedIn, and YouTube. Social media can be used for fun and as a means to stay in touch with friends and family, and also for business purposes.

Companies that use social media platforms as a marketing strategy to promote their company to potential customers, have a social media manager who keeps track of the social media content calendar, key metrics and data, the publishing schedule that keeps track of when to schedule posts, and so much more. A social media campaign brings great success and benefits business performance, and our social media account template makes planning for these managers a breeze!

What is a Social Media Page Project?

A social media page project combines familiar social media layouts with history, literature, and mythology. This project gives students the ability to create fictitious social media pages for literary characters or historical figures using the blank social media profile template of their choice.

Why are Social Media Templates Important and How are They Best Used?

Students are on social media with increasing regularity and they are familiar with the profiles of different social media. Using this known medium, teachers can easily engage students with character analysis. Create the template you want students to use with customized text and print out blank copies of the social media template for students that best suits your needs.

Benefits of Social Media Templates for Students in the Classroom

Since students are increasingly exposed to and creating content on various platforms of social media, providing them with a chance to bring social media into the classroom will no doubt excite them and keep them engaged. Students can use their experience with social media goals, social media strategy, brand voice, and more to create the perfect social media page for a character in a story. Students are able to express themselves visually in a way that is usually reserved for outside of the classroom!

How to Make a Social Media Profile Template with Storyboard That

How to Make a Social Media Profile Worksheet

We have color and black and white templates. Take a look at our social media profile example for inspiration!

Click on "Copy Template"

Once you do this, you will be directed to the storyboard creator.

Give Your Worksheet a Name!

Be sure to call it something related to the topic so that you can easily find it in the future.

Edit Your Worksheet

This is where you will include directions, specific questions and images, and make any aesthetic changes that you would like. The options are endless!

Click "Save and Exit"

When you are finished with your social media profile worksheet, click this button in the lower right hand corner to exit your storyboard.

From here you can print, download as a PDF, attach it to an assignment and use it digitally, and more!

Other Premade Social Media Templates From Storyboard That

Did you know that Storyboard That has templates for all of your different social media profiles? We have a social media profile worksheet for multiple platforms, regardless of which social network you are a part of. We have Instagram stories templates and Instagram templates, and also templates for Twitter, Facebook, and Pinterest! Check out some of our other blank social media templates below:

• Instagram Post Templates
• Facebook Image Templates
• Pinterest Image Templates
• Twitter Graphics Templates

Do you want to learn more? Check out our Social Media Marketing Resources today!

Happy Creating!

Frequently Asked Questions about Social Media Profile Templates

What are social media posts.

A social media post is content that is shared on any type of social media such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram to name a few. Social media posts can be videos, blogs, pictures, and more.

What is a social media profile template for students?

A social media profile template, or a social media project template, is an engaging way for students to show that they understand a character in the story that they are reading. While creating a social media profile worksheet as the character, students must think like the character and choose the most important parts of their life and journey to share.

How do I create a social media profile for a character?

After reading a novel, a creative project could be to create a social media profile as the main character from the book using a character social media profile template. This is an excellent way for students to show that they understand characterization and character development. To do this, simply save one of our blank social media templates and let the fun begin!

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Social Media in Education: 13 Ideas for the Classroom

Since gaining widespread popularity in the early 2010s, social media has been a controversial topic when it comes to using it for education. However, many educators are now embracing social media as a teaching tool with a wide array of benefits for learning.

From parent-teacher communications to organizing group projects to developing digital literacy, social media has the potential to enhance the curriculum at any grade level — provided it is used responsibly. Here, we’ll explore eight platforms and five possible uses for social media in the classroom, plus some best practices for keeping it a safe and enjoyable experience for everyone.

How Social Media is Reshaping Education

Pros & cons of social media for students, 8 ways teachers can use social media in the classroom, 5 social media lesson ideas to try, faqs about social media in education.

As around 60% of the world’s population knows, social media can be an effective way to share news, find communities, build social networks and disseminate information instantly to a broad audience. According to Pew Research, 95% of American teens use at least one social media platform — so it makes sense that educators would seek to engage their students using technology they already interact with daily.

Teachers can use social media to organize group projects, communicate with students outside of class, share resources, and much more. Social media also has the potential to connect schools to the wider community for purposes including:

• Sharing school news
• Promoting school events
• Holding virtual town hall meetings
• Advertising fundraising initiatives
• Sending out emergency alerts

Since 90% of U.S. adults are also on social media (and many likely access it on their phones ), it is an incredibly useful medium for sending real-time communications to parents and guardians of school-aged children.

Of course, a tool as powerful as social media requires its users to exercise great responsibility to maintain a respectful, safe online environment. Teachers and students should be clear on both the benefits and risks before using these tools for educational purposes.

Benefits of social media in the classroom:

• Real-time communications can increase student engagement, collaboration, communication and overall participation.
• Many students may find it easier to participate in online discussions than in the classroom.
• Students can easily ask each other or their teacher questions about assignments outside of class.
• Students and teachers can quickly share helpful resources at any time.
• Teachers can easily share announcements with the entire class.
• Social media can provide a contingency plan for last-minute remote learning scenarios .
• Students can organize school events with each other or with the help of a teacher.
• Teachers can augment an online-only class by establishing a social media page or account strictly for building community.
• Students can practice using social platforms responsibly, including maintaining a respectful online discourse.
• Parents can stay informed of school news via a convenient, easily accessible platform.
• Teachers can communicate directly with parents as needed, especially if parents cannot attend an in-person meeting.
• Educators can build and enhance their own tech literacy skills to add to their portfolios.
• Most, if not all, social media platforms are free.

Downsides of using social media in the classroom:

• Social media can be a major distraction in class, especially if students are accessing their personal accounts independently. Private side conversations, off-topic activities and mindless scrolling can all happen when students are granted in-class internet access.
• If students primarily use social platforms to participate in class discussions, they can miss out on practicing face-to-face conversations and respectful in-person discourse.
• Some students may see social media assignments as an opportunity to cyberbully their classmates , so it’s critical that teachers set firm ground rules about responsible social media use.
• There is always a risk of a group member posting inappropriate content or language, since it is difficult to manage how students use social media platforms independently. Teachers must be responsible and attentive administrators to prevent and address inappropriate behavior.

While fewer school-aged young people are using Facebook today (about 32%, Pew finds), it can still be a useful tool for maintaining an online community, posting updates, sharing links and asking questions. Facebook can be used to organize specific projects, communicate with classes, form student clubs, plan events and more. The instant group chat function can facilitate real-time discussions, and Facebook Live enables teachers to lead virtual lessons, stream lectures and hold Q&A sessions. As administrators, teachers can set Facebook groups to private or invite-only to maintain a safe space for students.

Twitter can serve as more of a bite-sized message board where teachers can post short project updates, announcements, links to helpful resources or answer students’ questions. The platform can also serve as the basis for lessons in using concise language , since each post is limited to 280 characters — a valuable skill for both essay writing and future professional communications. Teachers can create dedicated handles or hashtags for each of their classes and invite both students and their guardians to follow along.

Blog posts provide another way for students to practice their essay writing, an increasingly important skill for higher grade levels. Instead of maintaining physical reading journals, students can submit weekly blog posts with their reflections and responses to assigned readings. Teachers can also use blogs to communicate project instructions during remote learning days or vacations and even write up a semester report for parents and guardians to review.

This is an excellent tool for sharing visual resources like infographics, artistic inspiration, tutorials or examples of finished projects. Many teachers use Pinterest to collect and organize their own lesson ideas, so creating a board (or several) where students can pin their own resources encourages collaboration and learning ownership. While students of all ages respond well to visuals, Pinterest may be particularly popular with younger students who are still practicing their reading skills.

Another great visual platform, Instagram can be useful for teachers to share updates, for administrators to post announcements and for students to post project results or follow accounts that are relevant to course content. Teachers can create class-specific accounts where they post assignments, instructions, resources, updates, and more.

This online community provides a space for anyone to unite around any interest imaginable — from fitness to classic film trivia to poetry. Reddit has a bit of an “anything goes” reputation for its lax posting guidelines, but moderators are typically on hand to mitigate any inappropriate or improper use of the platform. There’s a subreddit for every academic subject, so students can peruse threads for project research (while still verifying any information therein) and even post their own questions for the Reddit community to discuss.

Similar to Reddit, YouTube hosts video resources on any topic under the sun. Teachers can easily share educational videos, tutorials and any other type of video content. YouTube is also a great hosting platform for video projects, where students can upload finished videos for their teachers, classmates and guardians to watch on a private class channel.

This professional networking platform is mostly used by people in the post-school workforce, so high school students may not even be aware of it yet. However, whether they decide to attend college or not, learning how to market their skills and build a professional network can help students navigate the job market after graduation. LinkedIn is also a great place to find articles and other resources to help young professionals build their industry knowledge and skills.

The ideas in this section are merely suggestions for unique ways to use social media in the classroom — but the internet is your and your students’ playground! Use these ideas as jumping-off points for your own social media-based lessons.

• Use blogs to chart learning progress. Blogs can be useful tools for language learning, whether that’s practicing how to craft a five-paragraph essay or improving one’s French writing skills. But this long-form writing platform can also be used to track students’ progress in any subject. For example, have chemistry students write biweekly posts summarizing everything they’ve learned in class, and ask them to revisit and write about certain topics once a semester to practice knowledge retrieval. These posts can also serve as test prep and reminders of any concepts students may need to review.
• Use Instagram or TikTok for visual responses. Most social media platforms popular with young people are visual-based, meaning they rely on images and videos to convey information. Writing skills are essential for school, but sometimes it’s easier (and more fun) for students to engage with their learning using formats they’re more comfortable with. Instead of a written response to a textbook chapter, have students react using an appropriate TikTok trend. If students are required to show their work, ask them to create an Instagram carousel or Reel of their process and post it to a class-specific account.
• Use Twitter to illustrate the dangers of misinformation. Learning to find and cite accurate sources is a key skill for students, especially at higher grade levels. Unfortunately, misinformation is easy to encounter on social media, where anyone can make a claim or spread false information without providing a source. Show students an inaccurate tweet or other social post and ask them to verify or debunk its claims. Have them document their research process and cite the sources they used to fact-check the post.
• Use LinkedIn to help older students craft their resumes. Marketing themselves in a professional sense isn’t always a skill young people learn in school, but it’s a skill that proves useful for nearly every adult. Have students use LinkedIn to craft a professional objective, organize and explain their work and educational experiences, ask for recommendations and start making connections with potential mentors and employers.

Best Practices for Social Media in Education

For many young people, social media is a part of their (and their parents’) everyday lives. Chances are, if a teacher chooses to incorporate social media into a lesson, many students will already be familiar with the platform and how to use it. Since students may be accustomed to using social media outside of an educational context, it’s crucial that teachers set ground rules and expectations for the appropriate use of these tools.

The following are some best practices that will keep social media a safe and productive place for students and their teachers:

Set professional boundaries: Many teachers also likely have personal social media accounts, so when using these platforms for lessons, it’s best to create an entirely new account dedicated solely to academics. Keep accounts private and invitation-only so that no one besides students and their parents can access the content. No one, teachers included, should be posting anything about their personal lives or content that is unrelated to the course. Invite students to create new user accounts as well to avoid mixing their personal and academic business.

Prioritize increasing digital literacy: Generations of digital natives (including today’s school-aged children and many of their parents) have likely already been practicing online etiquette, but it never hurts to review both practical and appropriate ways to use social media. Remind students that anything they post online has the potential to exist forever, which becomes especially important as they begin to apply to colleges and search for jobs. Students should conduct themselves online just as they are expected to in school.

Promote student achievements: You and your students put in a lot of work during the school year — share your accomplishments with the community! If your school has a public social media account, provide the account manager with information about your class’s latest project or an upcoming showcase so members of the community can see what students have been up to. Not only does this give students an opportunity to show off their work, but it also serves as promotional information for anyone considering enrolling their own children in the school.

Manage multiple accounts from the same place: If you manage multiple accounts for one or more classes, use a tool like Hootsuite or Facebook Publishing (which integrates Facebook and Instagram) to draft and schedule posts for multiple platforms at once. This is especially helpful when students and parents need the same information, but each group predominantly uses a different platform.

Part of a teacher’s job is to never stop learning, whether it’s about the subject matter they teach, new educational tools or innovative ways to engage students. The University of San Diego offers multiple courses for educators in the Professional and Continuing Education program, including classes covering educational technology , digital literacy , equity in the classroom and more. USD also offers certificate programs that focus on specific aspects of education, so that teachers can build a suite of skills in areas like STEAM education or supporting English language learners .

For a full range of USD courses available through the PCE program, explore all course offerings here .

How can I ensure students’ safety on social media?

To protect students’ privacy, keep all class-related social media accounts private or invitation-only and encourage them to set their own accounts to private or create new class-specific profiles. Review proper online etiquette and behavior with students and establish firm consequences for cyberbullying. As a teacher, it’s critical to maintain professional boundaries online, so avoid discussing or posting anything personal on school social media accounts. You may even want to grant access to students’ parents so they can monitor how their children are using these spaces.

How can I use TikTok in my lessons?

According to Pew Research, 67% of U.S. teens use TikTok , with 16% on the app almost constantly. Since so many students already gather in this digital space, teachers can engage them by creatively incorporating it into lessons. Ask students to film reactions to course content using TikTok trends, conduct research via subject matter experts’ posts, or create response videos in place of traditional project reports.

Which social media platform is best for communicating with parents?

It depends on what kinds of content you want to share and which platforms parents and guardians are comfortable using. At the beginning of each school year, send out a survey asking parents to indicate their preferred social media platform, then use the top two results for parent-facing communications. With so many people on multiple social media platforms, it’s best not to limit school news to just one; fortunately, managing multiple accounts at once is simple with social media management tools like Hootsuite and Facebook Publishing.

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Fake Instagram Template with Google Slides (FREE)

January 30, 2020 by Kasey Bell

Engage your students with this awesome Fake Instagram Template in Google Slides from Carly Black.

I knew one of our Google-loving listeners would create one for Google Slides.

Carly Black to the rescue!! Carly not only created the template, but she has also implemented it in her classroom and shares her story in the guest post below.

Carly was also featured in an “On-Air” Coaching episode of the Shake Up Learning Show . It’s my favorite coaching episode!

Fake Instagram Template with Google Slides (FREE) by @TeachMomRepeat

Guest Post by Carly Black

Leveraging social media to teach students has been a huge win for me in the classroom. Several teachers recently reported overhearing my morning students sharing with afternoon students, “Mrs. Black let us use Snapchat today! Seriously! Our assignment was on Snapchat!” Of course, they are referring to the day I taught them how to create booksnaps . I’m forever grateful that Tara Martin taught us all how to annotate text through social media. 

Imagine your mini-lesson on text annotation: you share a slide presentation walking students through the steps and examples. There are a few handouts and some notes to take. Students watch you annotate over the document camera then try it on their own in a printed story with highlighters and some color pens.

Does this sound familiar? Sure it’s a visually appealing slide show, and maybe the passages are funny, but imagine telling the kids they need cell phones today. Then add they are going to use Snapchat. It brings a whole new dynamic! They sit up and listen. 

Finding ways to bring their world into the classroom for the sneaky purposes of learning will get you to that end goal every time. Of course, there was that one activity, a fake Facebook profile of a book character, that fell flat. Upon receiving the handout, a student quickly shared that they didn’t know what Facebook looked like because it was “for old people.” While I didn’t feel that old, I also realized that my lesson needed an upgrade. 

This experience also made me jump into more of what the “kids are doing these days.” I had been hesitant to join social media beyond Facebook at the time. But once I joined Twitter and Instagram, a world of collaboration with teachers around the world came into view. I had no idea teachers were sharing and collaborating over social media.

Lisa talked about a fake Instagram template she had created in Keynote but hadn’t figured out how to make it in Google Slides. The timing was perfect; I had been mulling over this exact idea for an upcoming class project that students could create in order to share their independent reading. After taking a look at Lisa’s example, it gave me the idea I needed to make it happen. 

Storytelling with Fake Instagram

Instagram is all about telling stories. I wanted to leverage this purpose and show students how they could share their independent reading through an Instagram account. Students start by choosing the protagonist or antagonist. Inventing a profile for this character requires thinking about what that character might have to say about themself. Finish it off with a convincing profile photo, write an on-brand tagline, add a few hashtags, and include the character’s name with a handle. 

When looking at an Instagram profile, there are story circles and then squares of images that represent a reverse-chronological timeline. The profile page is the first page of the fake Instagram slide deck. It includes biographical information and nine squares to represent nine of the most important events.

As guidelines for the nine images, I thought it would help students to think through the plotline. Include two from the exposition; this should show who the characters are and the setting of their story. The next four should include the inciting incident, which introduces the conflict and then three of the most important scenes from the rising action. Identify the climax and one event, each from falling action and the resolution. 

Once students have mapped out their stories based on these key points, they choose images to represent them. With the built-in Unsplash add-on, inserting photos is super easy. Students can also stage their own photos if they want a specific look. 

Images are only one part of this project. Students also need to write captions and relevant comments. They create handles for other characters and comment with the character’s voice demonstrating further analysis of the story. Don’t forget the hashtags! These are another thoughtful way to incorporate story elements.  

This project was a big hit! The kids enjoyed the social media aspect and being creative with the handles and hashtags. The laughter was at high volume the day we worked on these in class. Even though it was an independent project, many asked neighbors or shared their creative, funny comments. 

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Fake Instagram Activity in Other Subjects

This activity isn’t just for language arts.

I could see math teachers using this for specific concepts like order of operations. Each step could be represented by an image, and the caption with comments could address the math personified.

Science teachers could use a fake Instagram account to show the stages or steps in an experiment.

Both subjects, or any subject really, could ask students to research a famous person within their field. The fake Instagram account could share their accomplishments and contributions to the field of study. 

If this sounds like a project you’d like to try out in your classroom, make a copy of your own fake Instagram template  and give it a go. We would love to see what your students create or hear how the project worked for you. You can find me on Twitter and Instagram at TeachMomRepeat. 

About Carly Black

Website :  https://teachmomrepeat.com

Carly’s  class blog

Carly’s TPT Store

Location : Ashland, Ohio, USA

Title : ELA teacher

School District/Campus (or Employer) : Northwestern High School

Bio : Carly Black spends her days encouraging tenth-graders in Ashland, Ohio to believe reading and writing is totally cool. At night she chases toddlers with her teacher husband and in the morning repeats the process all over again. Find the lessons and ideas she uses to encourage her students and tame her toddlers on the blog www.TeachMomRepeat.com.

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Planning a Social Media Post

Attention! Check with your unit to ensure there are no local templates that should be used instead.

Use this template to prepare your social media post. The template components include the message, purpose, character/persona, tone, language and visual media criteria. Be clear on what each component should be to be to ensure quality content.

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How to use social media for classroom assignments

This two-step process will help your students learn to use social media for more than posting pics.

Social media is embedded in our culture. Online users regularly visit multiple sites each day to interact with their online community of family and friends, post and distribute content, and consume information. Social media sites are databases where our students go to communicate before and during class sessions. Since our students are using the platforms regularly, I wanted to find a way to integrate social media assignments and interactivity within my courses.

Even though students regularly use Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and other social media sites to review a funny meme, watch a new reality series, re-tweet the latest celebrity news, or post pictures, they may not want to connect with their instructor away from the classroom on a platform they use as their daily communication tool. According to a report published for Pew Internet Research , 4 percent of teenagers said that learning new information was a positive influence of using social media according. Communicating with family and friends, interactivity, expression, and entertainment were much more important to young adults when using social media. Therefore, it is imperative for faculty to look for ways to use social media in the classroom so that students learn to use the sites as a tool for learning, engagement, and discussion of course content. Here are some things that have worked for me.

1. Start slowly by building community. If you immediately add social media to your course, students may not feel comfortable connecting with you or they may not want to create an additional social media profile just for your course. First, build community with your program and content by introducing the idea of social media without requiring assignments or evaluation. Facebook lets you create Groups that provide an environment to discuss ideas and issues and share content. Create a Facebook Group and invite students to share articles, photos, opinions, and other forms of content relating to the discipline. A Facebook Group will help your students become comfortable interacting with you while learning new material that relates to the classroom discussion. Additionally, you can use the Group to show potential new students the type of issues and subjects your courses cover.

2. Survey your students. Once you have an online community centered on your program, I recommend doing a quick survey. (I use Google Forms or SurveyMonkey.) Ask students if they are interested in social media platforms being intertwined with their course, which sites they’d like to use, and what they want to learn when using a social media platform.

My students wanted assignments to focus on privacy and fake news. One assignment that I introduced into my Introduction to Social Media course is having students read the terms and conditions when signing up for a social media site. This helps them understand what they are signing up for as well as what a social media platform is allowed to take from you. My students were also interested in learning how social media can help them in their future careers and how to use social media for research.

In my Online Branding course, students learn to create a personal brand based on their interests or desired profession. One of my students hopes to write television scripts upon graduation. She decided to create an online brand using Instagram and Twitter and posted daily on both platforms. On Instagram, she posted images of scripts and short videos about coming up with concepts for characters and storylines; on Twitter, she had discussions with industry leaders in media organizations. Thus, both social media platforms coincided with her career and skills while being used as a communication and entertainment device. Furthermore, the social media sites created a community for her around skills and content that was taking place in the classroom.

I hope that these steps inspire you to try adding social media assignments and engagement tools to your courses. As the next generations of students are always connected to one another, it is an opportunity for them to never stop learning on the sites they use daily to complete tasks. Social media can become another learning management system for our students to take advantage of.

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Tom Kenny is a full-time instructor for the communications department at Molloy College in Rockville Centre, NY. He teaches courses focusing on media studies, film & television production, social media, and creating professional content for the Web. He is the co-author of the textbook Producing New and Digital Media: Your Guide to Savvy Use of the Web.

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Writing for Social Media: A Guide for Academics

Published: August 10, 2019

Making connections is a critical element of any academic career. Because colleagues may be across the world, social media can be a useful tool for starting and developing relationships with other scholars. A basic use of social media, is periodically updating a profile with information about conference presentations or recently published articles. These kinds of posts notify audiences about a scholar’s academic life and also may be of interest to friends and family.

More and more, however, academics are using social media not only to maintain connections, but to gain a following. They write posts that connect deeply, advocate for a cause, or inform their followers about a truly stimulating idea. Their social media presence contributes to their reputation, introduces their ideas to new audiences, and even can influence a conversation. For example, some history graduate students and faculty from a variety of universities around the country have begun participating in virtual movie screenings . During these screenings, they all watch the same Netflix film together and tweet their reactions. The doctoral candidate who is the architect behind these screenings said that they helped him stay “intellectually engaged with an academic community.” Social media may also help increase access for those in marginalized communities including scholars with disabilities, as Professor Jason S. Farr and Postdoctoral Fellow Travis Chi Wing Lau argue .

This isn’t to say, however, that there aren’t risks associated with social media use. Lecturer and Senior Fellow Gordon Fraser argues that Twitter’s abbreviated format and polarization can “reduce academics to mere peddlers of opinion.” Other scholars have been the targets of hate on social media. After Professor Albert Ponce gave a lecture in which he discussed white supremacy and racism in the United States, he received “attacks on Facebook and threatening voice messages and emails.” While anyone may attract the ire of partisans on social platforms, research shows that this harm is unevenly distributed across identity. A 2018 study from Amnesty International and Element AI , found that 7.1% of the messages sent to women were “problematic” or “abusive.” Women of color were 34% more likely than white women to receive these messages and black women, in particular, were 84% more likely than white women to receive these problematic or abusive messages. Ultimately, each scholar must determine how these risks compare to the potential rewards of using social media.

This page is intended to introduce academics at all levels to the way that social media can be used to build and sustain an intellectual network. Here, we group social media posts across Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram into three categories based on their purpose: to inform, to connect, or to advocate. While these categories are in no way inclusive of all social media posts written by academics, our informal study has shown that these kinds of posts are common among scholars. These categories are also not mutually exclusive. In actuality, authors often blend these categories together to write compelling posts. This page includes several thought-provoking examples of each post category from UW-Madison faculty and graduate students and provides commentary about each example. By discussing these examples, we hope that you will be able to learn more about how to effectively engage with your audience on your platform of choice. We also want to celebrate some of the powerful and impressive work that our colleagues are doing at the University of Wisconsin at Madison.

As you’ll see from the examples below, social media posts are rhetorically complex and may be interpreted in a variety of ways.  This interpretation is dependent on the reader’s relationship to the post, among other factors. The explication below suggests some of the many effects and goals of these posts.

While using social media to inform may seem straightforward, in actuality, it can be challenging to create a post that both informs and encourages others to engage with the content that you’re posting. Some exciting posts that we see in this category mix the factual with the personal—they tell audiences something more than can be read on Wikipedia, in a conference’s program guide, or publisher’s website. In the first example below, we see Professor Ainehi Edoro tell a story about her experience in Tübingen, Germany, via the Instagram account of Brittle Paper, an online project—founded and edited by Edoro—that exhibits African writing and literary culture.

The next example in this category is from Professor John Hawks, who has used Twitter to point out a factual inconsistency in a newspaper article. The article in question was later edited to note that one of the researchers for the study featured in the article had a possible conflict of interest.

Deplorable that the @washingtonpost is spreading the nonsense that "Horns are growing on young people's skulls". https://t.co/OUCeNVNZQ9 There is an interesting story here, and part of it is about journalists' gullibility and moral panics. pic.twitter.com/4Nc7Ow41BY — John Hawks (@johnhawks) June 20, 2019

Another key purpose of social media is to connect with followers. (Of course, we might say that every post’s goal is to connect with others, but some posts seem to foreground this purpose more than others.) Posts whose primary goal is to connect often ask questions, use humor, and exhibit genuine emotion in order to relate to their audiences. Below, graduate student Erica Kanesaka Kalnay comments on Easy brand slippers to explore her friends’ feelings of nostalgia on Facebook.

In this unconventional tweet about fruit snacks, Professor Karl Broman links to a page on his personal website that describes an informal research project that he completed with his children about the flavor distribution of their favorite brand of gummy candy.

Are fruit snacks clustered? The evidence is weak. http://t.co/bp5SbtqjMq pic.twitter.com/1hKNe3myA1 — Karl Broman (@kwbroman) February 14, 2015

Finally, graduate student Danielle Nelson shares a photo of her collections of Sylvia Plath books on Instagram and recalls warm memories of a conference she attended in Belfast.

  To Advocate  

Because of the public nature of social media and its accessibility to audiences beyond the academy, one of the most powerful uses of social media is to advocate for social change. We often see scholars draw on their research to influence public opinion. Below, in a viral tweet, Professor Sami Schalk responds to comments criticizing Serena Williams after her performance at the 2018 Tennis Open Final. Schalk cuts to the heart of the controversy and cogently responds to critics who disparaged Williams for her outbursts in reaction to what many perceived to be the match’s sexist and racist officiating.

Black women are allowed to have feelings in public. It doesn’t make us weak, immature, disgraceful, unstable or an embarrassment. If you’re embarrassed for a black woman expressing emotion in public, those are your feelings not hers. Black women are allowed to have feelings — Sami Schalk (@DrSamiSchalk) September 9, 2018

Below, Professor Kristen Slack breaks from the 280-character limit to advocate for funding programs designed to combat child maltreatment in a series of tweets. Here, Slack merges the genres of social media and academic prose by writing at length, citing her sources, and including statistics.

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How to Post Case Studies on Social Media

• June 1, 2021
• Using Case Studies

Once your Case Studies are finished, social media is the best place to share them. However, it’s not enough to simply post a link to your Case Study on LinkedIn and hope people will read it. Crafting a strong social media post that compels your audience to read your Case Study requires more strategy and finesse. 

This article serves as your ultimate guide to composing social media posts about your Case Studies that will grab your target audience’s attention. You’ll learn about what parts of the Case Study you should mention in your post and how to write about them in a way that gets people off social media and on your website—and, ideally, joining your client base.

Should You Post Your Case Studies on Social Media?

You know you want to post your Case Studies on social media—but should you? Run through this list of questions to find out:

• Do you have permission from your client to post it? If you don’t have your client’s approval to post the Case Study, don’t post it. Instead, consider reworking the Case Study so that the client is anonymous.
• Does your Case Study convey a compelling story? You’ll wind up with annoyed readers if your expertly crafted social media post lures them to your website but dead ends in boring content. Make sure your Case Study is interesting to read from start to finish.
• Does your Case Study promote what you want to promote? A Case Study is no good to you if it describes how you helped a client solve Issue X when you really want to be known for solving Issue Z. This may lead you to attract work that doesn’t align with your true passion. Hold off on posting and work on creating Case Studies that showcase the areas in which you really want to shine.

Bottom line: If you’ve got the client’s permission and a juicy story to tell that makes you and your client look good, it’s time to create that post.

Tips for Creating Posts About Your Case Studies on Social Media

Follow the format.

A successful social media post about your Case Studies should follow a specific formula—specifically, the same one your Case Studies do! Ensure that your post includes the following elements in this order:

• Headline. Use an intriguing opening sentence to make your post stand out and capture your audience’s attention right away.
• Situation or Problem. Introduce the company and the problem or situation it had.
• Solution and Results. Tease some of the company’s real, specific results that stemmed from the solution you provided.
• Conclusion/Call to Action. Conclude the post with a call to action, such as “Click the link to learn more.”

Keep It Short and Sweet

Be brief when writing a social media post about Case Studies. Most people have short attention spans and a vast sea of content awaiting them on social media. When scrolling through News Feed on Facebook, people typically spend 2.5 seconds with a piece of content if they’re on desktop and even less if they’re on mobile. Make those few seconds worthwhile for the user and offer them something compelling that will make them engage with your post. There are only four key elements to the formula, so your post should be no longer than four fascinating sentences.

Be a Little Mysterious

Share just enough of the Case Study story in your social media post to make someone want to click the link. Remember: The goal is to get people to read the Case Study on your website, and that won’t happen if you give away all the details upfront! Aim for intrigue. Be honest, but be mysterious about the solution and the results, and never give away the ending!

Stick to Company Brand Guidelines

Adhere to your company’s voice and branding when writing your social media post about your Case Study. This helps ensure a consistent client experience, which fosters loyalty and trust. If you don’t have a brand identity, start exploring how to create one.

Make It Personal

Social media is all about making connections, which is difficult to do if your post is too formal or standoffish. Even if your company culture or brand skews more serious, using we and us in your social media posts to refer to your company can help build that bridge between you and your existing and potential clients.

Speak to Your Target Audience

Tailor your social media post about your Case Study for the specific audience you want to reach. For example, if you have a B2B company, use professional terminology to emphasize your experience and understanding of your industry. If your audience comprises the general public, use less formal language and avoid terminology that requires background knowledge to understand.

Use Relevant Images

You have less than three seconds to capture your audience’s attention, so use that time wisely by including an image with your social media post. Images leave a stronger impression than words alone and can make a wordy post easier to digest. Use an image from your Case Study or a photo of your Case Study subject when posting on social media. Remember to choose images that, like your messaging, are on-brand.

Sample of a Case Study Social Media Post

The following is an example of a social media post about a Case Study that adheres to the aforementioned tips:

Posting your Case Studies on social media takes some strategy and skill. However, if you have a solid Case Study, approval from the client, and clear brand guidelines, you can create a post designed to get attention, clicks, and more business.

Need a Case Study to post on social media? Click here to find out how SuccessKit can help you reach that goal.

Stef Mates, SuccessKit's Creative Director, has been writing, designing, editing, and managing a variety of content types for several different industries for more than 15 years. She started at the company as a freelancer in November 2019 and became an official part of the team in June 2021.

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How to Write a Case Study

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What people are saying

Milo Sindell President, Skyline G

“If you’re looking for Case Studies, this is a really nice little organization to partner with. Our experience, frankly, has been excellent.”

Franklyn Peart Co-Founder, CentreStack

“We’re already recommending SuccessKit to our customers.”

John Morgan Director of Marketing, Elemental Machines

“The SuccessKit team has been great. We can tell them, ‘ABC Company had this problem,’ and they will document our solution.”

Don Mennig CEO, Evolve IP

“Julian and his team have done an excellent job for us. Definitely recommend working with them for Case Studies. ”

David Bohram Director of Marketing, Tax Guard

“I didn’t think it’d be successful to outsource Case Studies, but Julian and his team made it so easy.”

Erin Wathen Director of Branding and Events, Assure

“I really appreciate how SuccessKit takes the reins and produces such great results, allowing us to focus on what we need to do to grow the business.”

Damon Baker CEO, Lean Focus

“SuccessKit’s Case Studies give us a distinct advantage over our competition when prospects are comparing service providers.”

Chris Connor Sales Manager, SwervePay

“We’ve really appreciated the work that Julian and his team have done for us.  Very happy with the results.”

Shawn O’Daniels CEO, CSN

“SuccessKit figured out how to show the world what we do for our clients. I am blown away by the Case Study .”

James Dirksen CEO, DeepSurface Security

“This is just about the best Case Study I’ve ever seen.”

Christopher Levy CEO, BuyDRM

“The Case Study SuccessKit created for us was elite.”

Kendall Kunz CEO, Forms On Fire

“SuccessKit made it easy for clients to see what other clients see, and it’s led to more sales.”

Phil Curtolo Vice President of Sales, Software Consulting Services

“SuccessKit takes the pain and suffering out of creating quality Case Studies.”

Luke Anemone CEO, COMMANDO

“Working with SuccessKit has been pivotal in growing our client base and giving potential advertisers really good content about what we can do.”

Linze Kay Lucas Business Analyst and SEO Consultant, Stellium SEO

“I cannot speak highly enough about my experience working with SuccessKit. They were completely respectful of my client’s time and needs, as well as my own.”

Joanie Berkery Marketing Director, Adapex

“SuccessKit really helped us build the framework and presentation for our Case Study.”

Troy Stein VP, Customer Advocacy, TechSmith

“Quality results. Authentic storytelling and quotes. Easy to work with. I’m signing up for more.”

Julie Matheney Associate Director of Digital Marketing, Feathr

“I highly recommend the SuccessKit team to anyone who’s looking to produce Case Studies.”

Robin Smith Founder and President, ASK-CRM

“We are definitely recommending SuccessKit to the peers that we work with and our existing clients.”

Ace Rosenstein President, Bravo Business Media

“I recommend SuccessKit due to the efficiency and the extreme price to value.”

Ari Haas Founder, Dijy

“The SuccessKit team knows what they’re doing. It’s easy to work with them, the end result is a beautiful product, and all parties involved feel super comfortable.”

Sidney Rogers Marketing Manager, Groove Technology Solutions

“The SuccessKit team is very professional, and they ensure that they take care of everything in a timely manner.”

Ashlyn Burgett Director of Marketing, Dedicated IT

“The SuccessKit team makes the Case Study process painless, and they have the expertise to create high-quality content that is invaluable to sales and marketing teams.”

Carly Brightwell Head of Marketing, North Labs

“If you need Case Studies for your business, we highly recommend SuccessKit. We recieved exactly want we asked for!”

Luke Komiskey Founder and Managing Director, DataDrive

“I love working with the SuccessKit team because they make it really easy for me to focus on my business while they produce Case Studies that drive our brand forward.”

Have a question? Reach out to us directly.

Social Media Post and Reflection

Part 1: social media post.

After you have published your blog post , I want to you share it on at least two different social media platforms. Each social media platform has a different audience, so you will adjust your message depending on your target audience. How would you attract attention to the post? What image will you use? Will you add some fun emojis? What will your short description say? What headline will you use to attract attention?

For this assignment, you need to  screenshot or attach 2 social media posts on 2 different platfor ms (Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, Academia.edu, ResearchGate, etc) that link to your previous blog post . The URL to your specific blog post won’t be live by the time you submit this assignment so link to the course Blog page instead. Drafts are fine, so you do not need to publish these posts unless you absolutely want to. I’d hate to ruin anyone’s #brand.

Content, Organization, and Document Design Requirements

These posts can include any combination of texts, images, or video. So yes, you could do something for your Snap or Insta-stories. TikTok would be difficult since they don’t allow external links in their videos (to my knowledge). If you choose to do a video, you’ll need to record it via some screen-recording software and upload it as an .mp4 or .mov file.

Regardless of the platform you choose, the social media post must include:

• A caption or headline . This caption should grab the reader’s attention and provide a direct overview of what the blog is about. Don’t just say, “Posted a blog today. Check it out here!” Make sure that your reader knows what they will find on the other side of the link.
• Text and an image . While the videos are optional, each post should contain both an image and some accompanying text (aka caption).

Part 2: Reflection

Then, you will need to  write a short reflection (250-350 words) about each post.  Go back to some of Lakdawalla’s questions .

• Who was your audience?
• What story were you telling?
• How did the visuals amplify this story?
• Why did you make the decisions that did and how do you think they aided in reaching your target audience?

If you can, insert your screenshots into the Word Doc containing your reflection responses so that you only have to upload one file.

Writing for Social Media in 2024: Tips and Tools

Writing for social media takes talent, creativity, focus, and a deep understanding of your audience. Here are a few tips to help you get started.

Writing for social media: 7 tips for 2024

Writing for social media is not an easy job. 

You work with strict character limits and tight turnarounds. You speak the language of memes and microtrends that your boss and coworkers might not understand. You have to quickly — and wittily — react to trending topics. And, if you ever publish a post with a typo, people will notice and call you out. (Looking at you, Twitter meanies.)

But it’s also fun and rewarding. Great content can help you start inspiring conversations, build engaged communities, create buzz around your brand, and even directly influence sales.

Keep reading for expert tips and tools that will help you become a more confident and effective social media writer in no time .

OwlyWriter AI instantly generates captions and content ideas for every social media network. It’s seriously easy.

What is social media content writing?

Social media content writing is the process of writing content for social media audiences, usually across multiple major social media platforms . It can include writing short captions for TikTok or Instagram Reels, long-form LinkedIn articles, and everything in between. 

Writing for social media is different from writing for blogs and websites — it requires expert knowledge of social platforms and their audiences, trends, and inside jokes. 

Social media writing is a crucial element of any brand’s social presence. It can make or break a campaign or your entire social media marketing strategy. When done right, social writing directly influences engagement and conversions, and contributes to strategic business goals.

7 social media writing tips for 2024

The tips below will help you create content that will inspire your target audience to interact with you, take action, or simply spend a few seconds contemplating what they just read. 

Try some (or all) of these in your next 10 social media posts to build good habits and strengthen your writing muscle. You’ll be amazed at how clear you’ll write, and how you’ll zero in on your voice.

Bonus: Download The Wheel of Copy , a free visual guide to crafting persuasive headlines, emails, ads and calls to action . Save time and write copy that sells!

1. Just start writing (you’ll edit later)

Writer’s block is real, but there’s an easy way to blast past it: Just start writing without overthinking it. 

Start typing whatever comes to mind and forget about sentence structure, spelling, and punctuation (for a moment). Just keep your fingers moving and power through any blockages. Editing will come later. 

This is how John Swartzwelder, legendary Simpsons writer, wrote scripts for the show : 

“Since writing is very hard and rewriting is comparatively easy and rather fun, I always write my scripts all the way through as fast as I can, the first day, if possible, putting in crap jokes and pattern dialogue […]. Then the next day, when I get up, the script’s been written. It’s lousy, but it’s a script. The hard part is done. It’s like a crappy little elf has snuck into my office and badly done all my work for me, and then left with a tip of his crappy hat. All I have to do from that point on is fix it.”

2. Speak the language of social media

This, of course, means different things on different platforms.

Eileen Kwok, Social Marketing Coordinator at Hootsuite thinks it’s absolutely crucial to “have a good understanding of what language speaks to your target audience. Every channel serves a different purpose, so the copy needs to vary.”

Wondering what that looks like, exactly, on Hootsuite’s own social media channels? “LinkedIn, for example, is a space for working professionals, so we prioritize educational and thought leadership content on the platform. Our audience on TikTok is more casual, so we give them videos that speak to the fun and authentic side of our brand.”

But this advice goes beyond picking the right content categories and post types for each network. It really comes down to the language you use. 

Eileen says: “On most channels, you’ll want to spell-check everything and make sure you’re grammatically correct — but those rules don’t apply for TikTok. Having words in all caps for dramatic effect, using emojis instead of words, and even the misspelling of words all serves the playful nature of the app.”

You can go ahead and show this to your boss the next time they don’t want to approve a TikTok caption mentioning Dula Peep or using absolutely no punctuation.

3. Make your posts accessible 

As a social media writer, you should make sure that everyone in your audience can enjoy your posts.

Nick Martin, Social Listening and Engagement Strategist at Hootsuite told me: “When writing for social media, accessibility is something you should be keeping in mind. Some of your followers may use screen-readers, and a post that is full of emojis would be nearly unreadable for them.”

Unintelligible posts won’t help you reach your social media goals. In fact, they might turn people away from your brand altogether. 

“The same goes for when you share an image that has text on it,” Nick adds. “You’ll want to make sure you write alt-text for that image so all of your audience can enjoy it.” 

Here’s a great example of how you can have fun writing creative and entertaining alt-text for your social post’s accompanying images:

Self-care routines and bear encounters both start with setting boundaries pic.twitter.com/reul7uausI — Washington State Dept. of Natural Resources (@waDNR) September 20, 2022

4. Keep it simple

Imagine you’re writing to an 8th grader. Like, actually .

This is a simple but super effective exercise that will force you to write clearly and ditch any unnecessary jargon that would likely only confuse your readers.

“Drive innovation.”

“Become a disruptor.”

LinkedIn, in particular, is home to some of the most over-used, under-effective statements of all time. And sure, it’s a “businessy” social media channel. But business people are, well, people too. And people respond well to succinct, clear copy — not overused buzzwords with little to no real meaning behind them.

To connect with your audience, you have to speak a language they understand. Say something real. Use plain language and short sentences. Practice on your niece, mom, or friend, and see if they get your message.

5. Write to the reader

Your social media audience isn’t dying to find out what your company is up to or what’s important to you (unless it’s super relevant). They want to know what’s in it for them. That’s why you should always write from the readers’ perspective. Make them the hero.

So, instead of posting a boring list of features that have just been added to your product, tell your audience how their life will improve if they use it.

Sometimes, “standing out” is nothing more than writing from the reader’s point of view — because most of your competitors don’t.

6. Have a clear purpose

… and write that purpose down at the top of your draft to keep your mind on the target while you write.

What action do you want the reader to take? Do you want them to leave a comment or click through to your website? Whatever it is, make it clear in a CTA (call to action). 

Note that a CTA doesn’t have to be a button or any other super explicit, easily identifiable element within your post. It can be as simple as an engaging question within your caption, or a sentence telling your audience why they should click on the link in your bio. 

7. Use (the right) pictures to enhance your words

This one speaks for itself. (One image is worth a thousand words, anyone?)

We’ve already talked about the importance of adding alt-text to images for accessibility, but the images you pick are very important. 

Some networks rely on words more than they do on images and videos. But whenever possible (and relevant), you should try to include visuals in your posts — they’re much more effective at grabbing the attention of scrollers than words. And without that attention, your words won’t get a chance to shine. 

Everything you need to make engaging content. AI support for captions, an AI hashtag generator, and access to Canva in Hootsuite.

3 writing tools for social media

1. hootsuite’s owlywriter ai.

Good for: Generating social media posts and ideas, repurposing web content, and filling up your social media calendar faster.

Cost: Included in Hootsuite Pro plans and higher 

Did you know that Hootsuite comes with OwlyWriter AI, a built-in creative AI tool that saves social media pros hours of work?

You can use OwlyWriter to:

• Write a new social media caption in a specific tone, based on a prompt
• Write a post based on a link (e.g. a blog post or a product page)
• Generate post ideas based on a keyword or topic (and then write posts expanding on the idea you like best)
• Identify and repurpose your top-performing posts
• Create relevant captions for upcoming holidays

To get started with OwlyWriter, sign in to your Hootsuite account and head to the Inspiration section of the dashboard. Then, pick the type of AI magic you want to see in action.

For example, if you’re not sure what to post, click on Get inspired . Then, type in the general, high-level topic you want to address and click Get ideas .

Start your free 30-day trial

OwlyWriter will generate a list of post ideas related to the topic: 

Click on the one you like best to move to the next step — captions and hashtags.

Pick the caption you like and click Create post . The caption will open in Hootsuite Composer, where you can make edits, add media files and links, check the copy against your compliance guidelines — and schedule your post to go live later.

And that’s it! OwlyWriter never runs out of ideas, so you can repeat this process until your social media calendar is full — and sit back to watch your engagement grow.

2. Hemingway app

Good for: Writing anything succinctly and clearly.

Cost: Free in your browser, one-time $19.99 payment for the desktop app.

The Hemingway app will make you a better, more engaging writer. It flags over-complicated words and phrases, long sentences, unnecessary adverbs, passive voice, and so much more. It also gives you a readability score. 

Pro tip: On the Hootsuite editorial team, we always aim for grade 6 readability. Some topics are simply a bit complicated, so stay flexible and don’t beat yourself up if you’re not always able to reach this benchmark — but it’s a good score to shoot for.

Here’s how it works:

• Write your copy.
• Paste it into Hemingway’s online editor .
• Visually see what works and what doesn’t.
• Make your changes.
• Watch your score improve!

Good for: Distraction-free writing.

Cost: Free.

There’s plenty of clutter in life. ZenPen is one small corner of the distraction-free-universe to help you write without outside interference.

• Go to zenpen.io .
• Start writing posts for social.
• Enjoy the noise-free editor until you’re done.

Compose, schedule, and publish your expertly written posts to all the major social media channels from one dashboard using Hootsuite. Try it free today.

Get Started

Save time and grow faster with OwlyWriter AI, the tool that instantly generates social media captions and content ideas .

Become a better social marketer.

Get expert social media advice delivered straight to your inbox.

Karolina Mikolajczyk is a Senior Inbound Marketing Strategist and associate editor of the Hootsuite blog. After completing her Master’s degree in English, Karolina launched her marketing career in 2014. Before joining Hootsuite in 2021, she worked with digital marketing agencies, SaaS startups, and international corporations, helping businesses and social media content creators grow their online presence and improve conversions through SEO and content marketing strategies.

Nick has over ten years of social media marketing experience, working with brands large and small alike. If you've had a conversation with Hootsuite on social media over the past six years, there's a good chance you've been talking to Nick. His social listening and data analysis projects have been used in major publications such as Forbes, Adweek, the Washington Post, and the New York Times. His work even accurately predicted the outcome of the 2020 US presidential election. When Nick isn't engaging online on behalf of the brand or running his social listening projects, he helps coach teams across the organization in the art of social selling and personal branding. Follow Nick on Twitter at @AtNickMartin.

Eileen is a skilled social media strategist and multi-faceted content creator, with over 4+ years of experience in the marketing space. She helps brands find their unique voice online and turn their stories into powerful content.

She currently works as a social marketer at Hootsuite where she builds social media campaign strategies, does influencer outreach, identifies upcoming trends, and creates viral-worthy content.

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13 Tips for Writing Engaging Social Media Posts

It won’t be wrong to say today’s era is known as the social media era. it is not just a tool to connect with people with the same interest but has grown into one of the best marketing platforms for your business. it is very important to have a social media presence with fresh & engaging content. many times you make content & post it on social media, but you are not getting the expected response. this article is the ultimate guide to solving the mysteries of writing engaging social media posts. from social media-specific guidelines to everything you need to create successful content, all is here. below mentioned are the 13 tips for writing engaging social media posts. but before that, let’s understand various social media platforms that we can use..

Social Media Types & Some Tips for Writing Engaging Social Media Posts on Various Mediums.

There are different posting techniques depending on what goals you’re aiming for and what you hope to achieve.

1. Facebook

To be successful on Facebook, you need to find the room of interest and respond to your audience. The below tips will help you to do just that:

• Video is the top-performing content on Facebook.
• Your Facebook campaigns are most effective when you vary your post types. Always use a combination of photos, infographics, text, gifs, memes, blog posts, announcements press, links, etc.
• Short social media posts perform better than long ones.
• End with a question. People are more likely to engage when you reach out to them for their opinion or feedback.
• Post interesting content, even if it’s not directly related to your brand. Facebook’s audience is limited to self-promotion, which means that if you want to engage your followers, you shouldn’t be posting about anything more than just your business. However, make sure to keep topics relevant to your niche.
• Make it intuitive. The text is easy to scroll, but the graphics give people pause when browsing their News Feed. Even if you post an article entirely in text, Facebook makes it easy to turn it into a visual.

Twitter usually is used to bring your message inside a constrained space. These guidelines will help you with these.

• Keep it simple & on-point – It should be easy to understand & on-point. Put the maximum essential facts at the start of your tweet to capture their attention.
• The perfect count for a tweet is 240+ characters. If you want greater than 280 characters, create a thread or upload a hyperlink to a weblog post.
• Don’t go overboard with hashtags. Limit yourself to 1 to 3 hashtags. If you are tweeting about an ongoing scenario, make use of trending hashtags about the scenario. Don’t go overboard with hashtags as it may leave less space for your real message.
• Tweet shareable content- Tweet about trending topics. Always try to retweet jokes, gifs, quotes, gifs & relevant news. Timing is essential on Twitter.

Instagram is well known for its visual content, but writing good captions can make your post engaging. If you want your audience to engage with your content, your words matter.

• Start with a hit. Instagram allows up to 2,200 characters. However, it’s important to note that no more than 125 characters show up under your photo. If you want your audience to read your entire article, you need to get them to click more. You need to write your captions perfectly that attract your audience.
• Using emoticons- Using Instagram emojis has proven to be extremely effective on Instagram.
• Use relevant hashtags- You’re allowed to use up to 30 hashtags, but don’t just choose the ones that are trending (especially if they’re not relevant to your medium). Try changing your hashtag usage instead. Pick a few broad and popular hashtags, but also incorporate some niche-specific hashtags, plus a branded tag or two.
• Break long text into paragraphs. Instagram is still a little rough on this one. If you want paragraphs with spaces between them, you must press Enter and then add a space to the blank line before pressing Enter again. But the extra step is worth it because large blocks of text are difficult to read.

LinkedIn is different from Facebook & Instagram, you cannot treat it as a Facebook clone. While the two have some similarities, even the blue logo, the content type is very different. LinkedIn is primarily a networking platform where professionals and brands share industry information, news, and updates. The latest epic failure video that has gone viral on Facebook won’t be what LinkedIn audiences expect.

When posting on LinkedIn, remember: 

• Long-form content works well. Share articles and blog posts  on LinkedIn. This audience is more likely to take their time and read what you have to say, so you can also type in longer-than-usual posts on other platforms that are meant to be skimmed. Just make sure to stay organized and professional.
• Add hashtags- While hashtags dominate Instagram and Twitter, they’re falling flat when it comes to Facebook. LinkedIn is somewhere in between. You should include relevant hashtags at the bottom of your post.
• Mark up your content and graphics. Experts can share research, research, infographics, statistics, and industry updates. If you post content, make sure it’s branded so you get credit when it’s shared.

5. Pinterest

Pinterest’s focus is on images rather than text. Try the below tips to make your content engaging on Pinterest.

• The ideal length for a post is around 150300 characters. You are allowed up to 500 characters, but try not to go too far. You should be detailed and use relevant keywords in the description.
• Have a professional tone. Slang and acronyms don’t make a good impression on Pinterest. Pay attention to your grammar and punctuation. Try to keep it informal but professional.
• Hashtags are optional (but useful). Pinterest is still primarily driven by keywords, not hashtags, which means the feed will show results containing keywords even without hashtags.

1. Research

The very important 1st tip for writing engaging social media posts is research. Always research your customers, your competitors & yourself. It will give you a clear idea about your target audience, their requirements, their expectations, and things that are already available in the market.

Below we have explained the points in detail.  If you wish your audience to interact together with your social posts, you would like to create pots that are extremely relevant to your target group. The more relevant your posts are, the more success you may have.

Research about your customers –  Who are your customers? Knowing their values, interests & concerns is important. Connecting with your audience is very important for being successful on an online platform. Find out for whom you are writing on social media. To do this, vote, create a persona, or listen to what they say on social media.

Research about your competitors – Understand what your competitors are offering their customers. What kind of content they are posting?  What kind of content is accepted by the audience? It will help you understand how you can make better offers & engaging posts for your customers.

Know Yourself – Understand your goals & what you want to convey to your customers and how you want to convey it. You can convey it using an informative tone or professional tone, which is on point & easy to understand. You can also make it fun to attract your customers. The tone also depends upon the services provided by the company. Sometimes you can merge informative & fun tones to make it more creative for your audience.

Also Read: Best Practices for Social Media Writing

2. Keep it Simple & Easy

Keeping your content simple & easy to read is one of the best ways to engage your customers. Make content and posts easier to read by writing at the 8th-grade reading level, whenever possible, use headlines, bullets, and lists to make it easier to scan your content and posts. Limit paragraphs to two or three sentences, when writing about your topic, keep it as concise as possible.

Intriguing short sentences are much more likely to win your likes, shares, and clicks. Avoid complicated words and use short sentences. If possible, try to limit it to one or two sentences. This isn’t a difficult rule, but it can be a useful guideline. It is one of the simple tips for writing engaging social media posts.

3. Work on your Voice

When we talk about writing voice , it is not just about active and passive voice, but also about the tone in which you want to connect with your customers. The general message has to be written in your voice but you should also understand the language of your target. Your posts should reflect the emotion of your company.

This voice is by and stimulated with the aid of using your or your company’s persona – your ‘why’ tale and the language utilized by your best customers. This consistency will assist your target market to hook up with you emotionally, in addition, to constructing trust, and pick out your social media posts as yours. Working on your voice is one of the required tips for writing engaging social media posts.

4. Explain the Benefits

This may seem easy, but here are the rules that B2B marketers can follow when creating social posts. Show what is included in the viewer’s interest instead of writing a social post about how great your content is, for example, this is a great article, read it now. What viewers learn from the article and how it challenges them is very important. You can emphasize what is useful for them. Explaining benefits is considered one of the tips for writing engaging social media posts.

5. Add a CTA

Adding CTA i.e. Call to Action is very important. It is one of the very important and needed tips for writing engaging social media posts. CTO is a powerful persuasive tool that can be easily integrated into social posts to drive desired actions. Promoting time-sensitive giveaways or asking the audience to reserve a seat before the tickets run out are all typical examples of emergency messages.

But they don’t have to be as such. Creating a sense of urgency also means showing your influence and turning obstacles into opportunities, as long as you keep the momentum high. Start or end your post with a clear action phrase. You can ask for retweets on Twitter. Include at least one link to your site, article, or another site.

Read about the top-notch Online Content Writing Courses to sharpen your writing ability

6. Negative or Positive Posts

You need your target market to be excited and energized when using your posts and that doesn’t consistently suggest satisfied posts. In some of your posts, you can choose to share your opinion or stance on something important to you and your brand. But there is a distinction between taking a stance and attacking or criticizing others.

Criticizing others isn’t always effective, it’s also dangerous; it can attract inferior people to your site and damage any relationships or reputations you’ve built with your followers. But inspiring posts are also necessary to inspire your customers and cheer them. The type of posts should be kept in mind while writing engaging social media posts.

7. Interact with the Audience

Interacting with your Audience will make your customers realize that they are important, and their suggestions and ideas are given value. You cannot always talk about yourself. Social media is not a place to brag all day about your product or service; rather it`s a place in which you need to have interaction with your customers & bring new ideas to market.

Writing social posts which might be looking for people’s answers, opinions, and remarks can feature a super verbal exchange starter. You must put up a Twitter poll or perhaps link to a Google Survey. Interacting with the audience is also one of the tips for writing engaging social media posts.

8. Creativity

Being creative in your social media will infuse playfulness & personality in your posts. It is also considered one of the most important tips for writing engaging social media posts. Using emojis is one of the easiest ways to be creative. Use images and pics in your posts.

Visual content material is engaging & faster to convey your message. Videos, in particular, can permit you to connect to your target market on a deeper stage. People reply properly to video, as it may humanize you and permit them to get to recognize you greater intimately.

Most structures have to stay video features, which could significantly advantage you. For high-quality results, optimize every piece of visible content material for the platform you’re posting it directly to make certain your message is being shared, and that your appearance is professional.

Here is an ultimate guide to Social Media Campaign

9. Inspiration

Integrating inspirational terms into your social posts will produce greater motivation in your target market and compel them to take action. Make it relatable to your customers. The inspirational posts should inspire them in life and day-to-day life. One of the simplest examples of it is #mondaymotivation. Some use it sarcastically, some use it to inspire their customers on Monday & create enthusiasm. Inspiring posts are a great way of writing engaging social media posts.

10. Understand the Niche & Industry

Making a strong case often involves using trusted names in the industry. These can be individuals or companies that are considered thought leaders on a particular topic and already have a strong social following. That way, you can demonstrate that your opinion is supported and even implemented by market leaders, which helps validate your social media posts in the eyes of the public.

11. Hashtag

A hashtag is a clickable keyword or topic, such as #contentmarketing,#blogtips, or #Chi Chicago. They can increase the visibility of your social media posts, especially hashtags for hot topics. When someone clicks a hashtag in any post, they will see all the posts with that hashtag. Use them if you think your content is more clickable than other content in that hashtag. Instagram posts don’t include links, so hashtags won’t compete with content links. A hashtag is important for writing engaging social media posts.

12. Mentions

Mentioning other companies, organizations, contributors, and influential people in social media posts is the basis of social networking. Promote or appreciate your brand’s partners and supporters to raise mutual awareness and encourage others to re-share your posts and interact with your posts.

Interactions with these posts (likes, comments, shares) can even increase engagement quickly and influence algorithms that help your content reach the top of your feed. Mentioning others in your posts is an interesting way to engage the audience.

Also, Check out the in-demand Content Writing Courses in India

13. Consistency 

Being consistent is key to success. Keep posting engaging content on regular basis. Being consistent helps in a strong customer base and can help you gain more followers. In social media marketing , consistency is crucial. From the tone of voice used in messages to the aesthetics of your profiles, you must be recognizable to gain traction with your target audience.

1. Is it important to ask questions on social media?

Yes. It will ensure more comments on posts & help in more reach. You are constantly connected with your customers. Asking questions will help in market research and the likes & dislikes of your customers.

2. Why is social media important?

Social media allows you to reach and engage with your target audience regardless of their location. A company can interact with its audience through social media; it helps in increasing brand exposure and lead generation.  Social media is a very important marketing tool.

3. What are the benefits of social media?

Social media helps in building a relationship with customers, and clients. Professionally you can grow your network online by connecting with colleagues, role models, and other professionals. Social media helps you in sharing your experiences with your clients & customers. It will attract like-minded people. Sharing good content on social media will increase your visibility. You should also engage in other people’s content to build a relationship. Social media can be used as a medium to educate you. If you focus on the content created by a similar industry you can learn new things & get new ideas.

4. What is social media marketing?

Social media marketing is virtual marketing in which companies use social platforms to market their products & services. There are free & paid tools to market the products to the appropriate individuals at the right time.

These are some of the important tips for Social Media Posts. It will help in developing your business or your profile on social media. It is not just about growing business, but social media helps you stay connected to current events. So keep posting and venture into the world of social media.

i want to learn about who writes all that like messages like” write your messages.” .

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Social Media Reporting

Master the art of social media reporting (downloadable template)

Reading time  10 minutes

Published on  March 23, 2023

Table of Contents

If you’re responsible for your brand’s social presence, you’ve likely felt the pressure before.

Managing social media is complex. Perhaps your boss wants to know that your efforts are paying off. Or other teams want to make sure you’re on the same page.

Like an artist perfecting a particular technique, social media reporting is an essential skill for marketers. You have to pay attention to the right details to convey a meaningful story so your audience can understand and have actionable next steps for your business. It requires the right balance of analytics and creativity to paint the entire picture and get your point across.

The largest challenge? Presenting your social data in a way that actually makes sense to your colleagues. As businesses invest more in social media, they want to make sure they’re receiving a positive return on investment (ROI). Reporting can help illustrate your social activities to your team and justify your strategy.

Throughout this post, we’ll cover reporting essentials and examples so you can explain and bring context to the bigger picture. Sprout’s suite of social media reporting tools include reporting by network, cross-channel reports and more. You can even build custom reports to ensure all your needs are met. You can access all of your social media analytics in one place with Sprout, making it even easier to present information.

To get started, watch the video below to hear our five tips for leveling up your social media reporting. We cover how to prove your ROI, visualization, reporting tools, audience analysis and data storytelling. We also walk through templates featured in our reporting toolkit.

Getting started with social media reporting

Let’s cover a few concrete steps to creating social media reports so you can get started ASAP:

Step 1: Consider your company’s social media goals

What are your social media goals ?

Create a vision for what you want to achieve. You can think big, but keep your goals simple at first. Your goals should indicate you’re working toward something, whether you want to increase your followers, engagement or conversions.

Also stick to the principle of setting SMART goals:

• Specific.  Say which specific strategies you’re going to employ ( user-generated campaigns , influencer marketing, Facebook ads and so on).
• Measurable. Track any social goal with numbers.
• Achievable . You need to make sure you have the resources (creatives, budget) to achieve your goals.
• Realistic . Don’t promise results that you can’t produce (think: doubling your follower count in a week).
• Time sensitive . Your goals need an endpoint. Give yourself a quarterly or annual timeframe to accomplish your goals.

Framing your data this way helps you understand whether you’re reaching your goals and clues you in on opportunities to pivot if you’re not.

Step 2: Choose your reporting frequency

First things first: You need to determine the time frame for your reports. All social networks allow you to pull data from their native analytics based on specific date ranges.

Brands typically produce social reports daily, weekly, monthly and/or quarterly. Each reporting cadence provides different value. Here’s a quick overview of the benefits of the different timeframes:

• Daily. You can monitor brand mentions and timely conversations that require immediate attention.
• Weekly. These reports are great for spotting new and trending topics, along with timely optimizations.
• Monthly. Monthly reports can help your team gain a better understanding of metrics, especially pertaining to your marketing campaigns and content strategy. This cadence is great to present to managers since they track progress towards goals like account growth and conversions.
• Quarterly. You can assess overall social performance to help inform your strategy. Quarterly reports allow you to collect a larger sample size of data.
• Annual. This is great for reviewing year-over-year comparisons and informing your overall marketing strategy.

Note that although short-term reports are helpful, they are skewed by anomalies (think: random high and low-engagement days). Quarterly and annual reports convey long-term trends. These reports also give you more time to prepare and dig deeper into your data. This informs your strategy more than surface-level data.

Social media is ever-changing, so it’s important to use data throughout the year to give various snapshots of your performance.

Step 3: Assess your reporting audience

Before putting together the report itself, think about who will look at the report. Who are you trying to show the bigger picture to?

Perhaps the marketing team wants a simple breakdown free of industry jargon, or a manager who isn’t social savvy. Or maybe your entire organization wants to know what you’re doing.

Based on your audience, you can better determine the level of detail and what points to highlight.

For example, marketing teams are interested in campaign-specific performance data. Meanwhile, leadership might be laser-focused on conversions and financial figures.

No matter who’s going to see your report, they’re going to want to see hard numbers related to your efforts. Pull the data that’s most important to the stakeholders and use those metrics to guide the context in your report.

Step 4: Make your social media reporting visual

Regardless of your audience, include visuals when reporting with stakeholders. Although reporting is analytical, remember it’s an art form too. Use data visualization to help curate your masterpiece and make your reports engaging.

A visual representation of your data and talking points is a good start. This makes your social media reporting even easier to digest at a glance.

Visual reporting is also great for highlighting events such as engagement spikes or shout-outs from influencers and other milestones your reporting audience is most interested in.

With Sprout, you can customize your reports beyond the data you get from native analytics . These presentation-ready reports range from platform-specific metrics to your entire social presence.

Social media reporting is more than a numbers game. Providing real-world data examples from your brand’s social media can open the eyes of your stakeholders. Use visuals to guide your audience to that light bulb moment to understand the impact.

Step 5: Provide competitive reports for more context

Pay attention to your competitor’s social performance as well. Studying their social presence can help inform your campaigns, inspire content and ensure you’re staying on top of industry trends.

Seek out competitors that have a similar social presence to your brand. For example, if you’re a local coffee shop, you wouldn’t compare your company to Starbucks. Other small and mid-sized coffee shops are closer competitors. However, Starbucks could help inspire content as a leader in the industry.

Once you have a good idea of your industry peers, use competitive benchmarks to report on the following:

• Audience growth. Are you and your competitors growing at the same rate? If someone’s outpacing you, it might be worthwhile to do a deep dive on their content strategy.
• Share of voice. Which brands are getting their content shared the most? Which social accounts are getting lots of love via hashtags ? Maybe it’s time for you to get a bit louder, so to speak.
• Content performance. Which brands are dominating key social terms in your industry? How often do these top performers post? Consider the type of content that is doing well too—do they use stories or short-form videos?

Third-party competitive analysis tools can help you answer some of these questions. Sprout has a number of tools that do some of the legwork for you such as the Instagram Competitors Report and our Facebook Competitors Report .

Step 6: Summarize your key learnings and next steps

Reporting is ultimately a review exercise to reflect and take action. Think of reporting as the muse or inspiration that drives the finer details of your overall strategy.

To round out your report, you need to let your audience know what you’re going to do next based on what you’ve learned (think: SMART goals). This could include running more ads or publishing more user-generated content—the choices are endless and your data can inform where to go.

As a final tip, remember to aim for conciseness when sharing information. Bullet points are more than enough: if someone needs further elaboration, they can ask.

Your social media reporting template

If you’re ready to level up your reporting, we have a downloadable template for you. This social media analytics template is a great starting point if you’re totally new to social media reporting. It features an editable spreadsheet so you can adapt to the needs of your brand and your preferred platforms. Simply click the button below to download the template and make a copy to get started.

Download Here

Track paid and organic performance for all your platforms. Plus, analyze data to paint the entire picture. There are a variety of social media analytics tools you can use to guide your reporting. Gather the data and complete the template to get started.

Social media reporting metrics to consider

The most important aspect of assessing social media ROI is conveying your KPIs.

The social media metrics you track should align with your goals, so select the KPIs that allow you to match up with your brand’s vision. Depending on who you’re creating the report for, you might include different KPIs.

Here are data points that should be front and center in your social media reporting:

• New followers. Your follower count isn’t the be-all, end-all of your social presence, but it is a number you should strive to tick upward. You can drill these down from network to network or look at them across all accounts. Of course, this is great for social teams, but it could also be helpful to public relations teams as well as those who are focused on brand awareness.
• Reach. Note the difference between reach and impressions . Reach refers to the potential unique viewers a post could have while impressions are how many times a post shows up in someone’s timeline. Expanding your reach should translate into expanding your audience. This is another great metric to show to public relations or corporate communications teams.
• Engagement. Shares, comments and likes are valuable currencies for social marketers. Increasing engagement proves that you’re posting content that people want to see and interact with. Engagement is an important metric for content and social media teams who want to know what resonates with audiences the most.
• Posts. How much content is your business pushing out? What kind of content posts perform the best? If you see a correlation between more posts and higher engagement, you’re more inclined to ramp up production. This metric is great for social teams since it can highlight trends among your audience.
• Traffic. The more traffic to your site via social, the better. You can measure this easily in Google Analytics . Show these metrics to your web team or the wider marketing org.
• Conversions. This is the most pressing metric for those interested in assessing your financial ROI. You can either set conversion goals in Google Analytics or look at the performance of your social ads to figure this out.
• Clicks. Like engagement, click-throughs highlight compelling content. These can be divided into link clicks, promotion-specific clicks, and more. For example, click-through-rate is used for your ads and posts, which could be important to your marketing team.

Tracking multiple KPIs allows you to look at your social presence in a more holistic way versus harping on a single metric. You can find this data through native analytics or via Sprout’s reporting tools .

Social media reporting examples to follow

Now that you know the steps and have an idea of which KPIs are important, let’s review a few examples of great social media reporting to emulate. From small business to enterprise reporting , these examples should help inspire you.

One of our steps included using visuals to complement your report. Although you should definitely include charts and graphs, you can also grab screenshots of social posts that knocked it out of the park. Shout-outs, accolades and mentions from fellow industry players are also fair game.

For example, Adweek published a list of rising brand stars within Chicago and highlighted a Sprout employee on Twitter . If your stakeholders are interested in brand awareness, reach or thought leadership, this Tweet could illustrate how social is amplifying those goals.

You can also showcase when a customer applauds your product on social, like in the Tweet below :

If your stakeholders want to know if customers like a new feature or update, including visual praises like the one above are a great way to drive that point home.

Competitor Reports

Remember to pay attention to your competitor's data as well to benchmark your social media performance. The below Sprout report is a great visual example since it shows several relevant KPIs at the top, along with a graph illustrating audience growth.

Network Report

Sometimes your stakeholders might want to focus on one network. The example below shows views, engagements, and other metrics for YouTube videos. Along with showing metrics, the thumbnails help illustrate the specific video listed in the report. This could help someone visualize why one video outperformed another.

Custom Reports

Build completely customizable reports in Sprout with My Reports. My Reports lets you add multiple charts, tables and visualizations–like bar and line charts–to a single report, so you can compare performance across a number of networks and deep dive on the metrics that matter to you most. 

With the My Reports customization, you can filter individual charts by a variety of different metrics, tags and content types. You can get granular with filters in one chart and look at high level performance data in another chart within the same report. This chart-level filtering lets you slice and dice your data to view different subsets of social data all at once.

You can customize reports to specific business units and roles, with the option to create views for key stakeholders from marketing leaders to customer care managers. Plus, My Reports has annotations that make it easy to build executive summaries and rename different components of your report. This lets you change the story you tell with your data to fit different audiences–like your C-suite. It helps them understand social’s impact at a glance, in a format that resonates.

Learn about Sprout's Premium Analytics

Campaign reporting

Social media campaign management is challenging, but you can use reporting to guide your team. Reporting can help you determine success points, gather insightful data for future campaigns and highlight which metrics to hone in on the most. In the screenshot below, the reporter created a Tag Report to help track a campaign.

Activate your social media reporting strategy

From improving your social ROI to justifying your campaigns, social media reporting is a must for modern brands. Creating a comprehensive social report is much less daunting when you know what to focus on.

Here are a few key takeaways to keep in mind:

• Consider the goals of your company and show how the data ties back to those goals
• Focus on KPIs that fit the interests of your stakeholders
• Select the appropriate timeframe for your report
• Use visuals including graphs, charts, and social media posts
• Provide a competitive lens by presenting your peer’s data
• Summarize your key insights and offer next steps

With the help of Sprout’s reporting tools, you can craft reports that mold the entire picture like the social media artist you are. Try your hand at Sprout’s social media reporting tools by signing up for a free one-month trial.

Additional resources for Social Media Reporting

• Social Media Analytics
• Sprout in Action

3 ways to get more from your data with Sprout custom reporting

• Competitive Strategies

7 enterprise reporting tips for social media marketers

• Social Media Engagement

Social Media KPIs to leverage business growth

• Social Media Strategy

5 must-have social media dashboard templates for brands

• Leveling Up

A Field Guide to Proving the Impact of Different Social Media Campaigns

• Branding & Creative
• Marketing Disciplines

Data visualization: What it is and how it adds value to marketing

• Community Management

How Rover uses Sprout Social to measure and optimize performance on a global scale

Agency Partner Success Story: Chatterkick

• Customer Care

How Leading Record Company Big Machine Label Group Cuts Through the Noise on Social Media Using Sprout Social

Key performance indicator (KPI)

Seneca College Uses Sprout to Support Students During Tumultuous Time

How to build the perfect Instagram dashboard

How Sprout Social Helps Media Cause Deliver Value to Clients

Build and grow stronger relationships on social

Sprout Social helps you understand and reach your audience, engage your community and measure performance with the only all-in-one social media management platform built for connection.

Social Media Syllabus

Teaching students to analyze social data with microsoft social engagement: social media analytics assignment (post 3 of 4).

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure for details.

• For CLIENT’S NAME what is the total number of a) shares, b) replies, and c) posts on Twitter during TIME PERIOD?
• (repeat this for however many keywords you have – up to 3)
• In what STATE/COUNTRY were the top posts posted that mention CLIENT?
• Note: if we only have data from Twitter, then just use Twitter.
• What is the sentiment percentages (positive, negative, neutral) for CLIENT?
• Who are the top fans and critics for CLIENT on each platform?

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I Have My Students Create “Fakebook” Profiles for Historical Figures

And it’s one of my favorite projects that we do all year.

I love to engage my middle school students by incorporating one of their favorite things: social media. And one of their all-time favorites is the Fakebook project.

Here’s how it works:

Students use their notes to create a Facebook-style social media profile for a historical figure. What I love most about this assignment is that it allows students to express their humor and creativity. Since nearly every chapter contains numerous notable figures, this project is versatile and can be used for virtually any chapter or subject area.

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A Fakebook lesson plan, step by step

The directions, rubric, and examples here accompany my sixth grade world history unit on ancient Egypt. While I expect their information to be relevant and accurate, I give them some creative license by allowing them to use modern phrases and hashtags.

Here’s a list of what I ask my students to include in their Fakebook profiles:

• A profile picture
• Five Facebook-style statuses. For  example: Hatshepsut is on her way to Punt for a trade expedition!
• Three interests or likes.  For example: Senusret likes mines filled with gold and amethyst
• Three comments from fictitious people ruled by that pharaoh. For  example: Tut commented to Ramses II: Thanks for keeping us safe from enemies! You are a great military leader!

I encourage my students to create their Fakebook page using a small piece of poster board, construction paper, Google Docs (format: two columns), or Google Drawings to keep it simple.

My more tech-savvy kids sometimes use other programs, if they are familiar with them. I am aware that there are a few templates available for online Fakebook pages. However, in the past my students have had trouble with the save feature, losing all of their hard work before it was handed in or complete. The templates I’ve seen also have tons of ads and do not look aesthetically pleasing. I’ve also experimented with paper templates, but they can be quite restrictive as they have limited space. They are great to use as a guideline, but I personally only use them as a reference for the set up of a Facebook profile for students who aren’t familiar with the platform.

I include Student goes above and beyond by including additional information under the requirements section of the rubric because this assignment leaves a lot of room for creativity. My goal is for students to put their own unique spin on the project, therefore I like to make the rubric flexible.

This project has always been a huge hit in my classroom. The students entertain themselves and one another endlessly with their ideas and get a real kick out of modernizing different historical figures. I find it works especially well with the Founding Fathers of the United States and various world leaders. The best thing about this assignment is that it’s FUN! The students enjoy themselves while creating high-quality work by applying the knowledge that they have of the class material. It’s a great form of assessment for teachers and an engaging, creative activity for our kids.

We’d love to hear—how do you incorporate social media into your lessons?   Come and share in our  WeAreTeachers HELPLINE group  on Facebook.

Plus, How to Use Social Media as a Teacher .

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