# Social Media Playbook

Based on research from [Sprout Social](https://sproutsocial.com/), [Hootsuite](https://www.hootsuite.com/), [Later](https://later.com/).

---

## Platform Comparison

### Audience Demographics
| Platform | Primary Age | Best For |
|----------|-------------|----------|
| LinkedIn | 25-54 | B2B, professional |
| Twitter/X | 25-49 | Tech, news, thought leadership |
| Instagram | 18-34 | B2C, visual, lifestyle |
| TikTok | 16-34 | Gen Z, entertainment |
| Facebook | 35-65+ | Broad B2C, local |
| YouTube | 18-49 | Tutorials, long-form |
| Pinterest | 25-44 (70% F) | E-commerce, DIY |

### Platform Content Types
| Platform | Best Content |
|----------|--------------|
| LinkedIn | Thought leadership, career, B2B |
| Twitter/X | News, threads, engagement |
| Instagram | Lifestyle, behind-scenes, reels |
| TikTok | Entertainment, trends, raw |
| Facebook | Community, video, local |
| YouTube | Educational, entertainment |
| Pinterest | Inspiration, how-to, product |

---

## Content Strategy

### Content Pillars (Example)
| Pillar | % of Content | Purpose |
|--------|--------------|---------|
| Educational | 40% | Value, expertise |
| Promotional | 20% | Drive business |
| Engagement | 25% | Build community |
| Behind-scenes | 15% | Humanize brand |

### Content Mix Framework
```
70% Value content (educational, helpful)
20% Shared content (curated, UGC)
10% Promotional content (sales, offers)
```

### Content Formats by Platform
| Platform | Top Formats |
|----------|-------------|
| LinkedIn | Text posts, carousels, video |
| Twitter/X | Threads, images, polls |
| Instagram | Reels, carousels, stories |
| TikTok | Short video, duets, trends |
| Facebook | Video, groups, events |
| YouTube | Long-form, shorts |

---

## Posting Best Practices

### Optimal Posting Times
| Platform | Best Days | Best Times |
|----------|-----------|------------|
| LinkedIn | Tue-Thu | 7-8am, 12pm, 5-6pm |
| Twitter/X | Tue-Thu | 9am, 12pm, 3pm |
| Instagram | Mon, Wed, Fri | 11am-1pm, 7-9pm |
| TikTok | Tue-Thu | 7-9pm |
| Facebook | Tue-Thu | 9am, 1-3pm |
| YouTube | Thu-Sat | 12-3pm, 7-9pm |

### Posting Frequency
| Platform | Minimum | Optimal | Maximum |
|----------|---------|---------|---------|
| LinkedIn | 3x/week | 1x/day | 2x/day |
| Twitter/X | 1x/day | 3-5x/day | 10x/day |
| Instagram (Feed) | 3x/week | 1x/day | 2x/day |
| Instagram (Stories) | Daily | 3-5x/day | 10x/day |
| Instagram (Reels) | 3x/week | 1x/day | 2x/day |
| TikTok | 3x/week | 1-3x/day | 5x/day |
| Facebook | 3x/week | 1x/day | 2x/day |

### Character Limits & Specs
| Platform | Text Limit | Image Size |
|----------|------------|------------|
| LinkedIn | 3,000 | 1200x627 |
| Twitter/X | 280 (free) / 25K (Premium) | 1600x900 |
| Instagram | 2,200 | 1080x1080, 1080x1350 |
| TikTok | 2,200 | 1080x1920 |
| Facebook | 63,206 | 1200x630 |

---

## Platform-Specific Strategies

### LinkedIn
| Tactic | Description |
|--------|-------------|
| Personal brand | Founder/team content |
| Native video | In-feed, no links |
| Document posts | Carousel-style PDFs |
| Thought leadership | Industry insights |
| Employee advocacy | Team amplification |
| Polls | Engagement boost |
| Commenting | 2x daily minimum |

### Twitter/X
| Tactic | Description |
|--------|-------------|
| Threads | Long-form, deep dives |
| Reply strategy | Engage with leaders |
| Quote tweets | Add commentary |
| Lists | Monitor influencers |
| Spaces | Live audio |
| Build in public | Transparency |
| Hot takes | Stand out |

### Instagram
| Tactic | Description |
|--------|-------------|
| Reels first | Algorithm priority |
| Carousels | High save rate |
| Stories | Daily engagement |
| Collab posts | Cross-audience |
| UGC | Authenticity |
| Hashtag strategy | 3-5 relevant |
| DM engagement | Build relationships |

### TikTok
| Tactic | Description |
|--------|-------------|
| Trends | Participate quickly |
| Duets/Stitches | Piggyback reach |
| Hooks | First 3 seconds |
| Native feel | Not polished |
| Sounds | Trending audio |
| Hashtag challenges | Virality |
| Education | How-to content |

---

## Engagement Strategy

### Engagement Actions
| Action | Frequency | Purpose |
|--------|-----------|---------|
| Reply to comments | Within 1 hour | Build community |
| Comment on others | 10-20/day | Visibility |
| Share UGC | Weekly | Social proof |
| Respond to DMs | Same day | Relationships |
| Like comments | Always | Acknowledgment |

### Community Building
| Tactic | Platform |
|--------|----------|
| Create group | Facebook, LinkedIn |
| Host Spaces | Twitter/X |
| Go Live | Instagram, TikTok |
| Run challenges | TikTok, Instagram |
| Feature followers | All platforms |
| Ask questions | All platforms |

### Handling Negative Comments
| Type | Response |
|------|----------|
| Constructive | Thank, address publicly |
| Confused | Clarify, provide info |
| Trolling | Ignore or hide |
| Legitimate complaint | Move to DM |
| Spam | Delete, block |

---

## Social Media Metrics

### Key Metrics
| Metric | Formula | Target |
|--------|---------|--------|
| Engagement rate | (Likes+Comments+Shares) / Followers × 100 | 3-6% |
| Reach | Unique accounts | Growing |
| Impressions | Total views | Growing |
| Click-through rate | Clicks / Impressions | >1% |
| Follower growth | Net new / Total | >2%/month |
| Share of voice | Your mentions / Industry mentions | Track |

### Benchmarks by Platform
| Platform | Good Engagement Rate |
|----------|---------------------|
| LinkedIn | 2-4% |
| Twitter/X | 0.5-1% |
| Instagram | 3-6% |
| TikTok | 4-8% |
| Facebook | 0.5-1% |

### Vanity vs Actionable Metrics
| Vanity | Actionable |
|--------|------------|
| Followers | Engagement rate |
| Impressions | Click-through rate |
| Likes | Comments, saves |
| Reach | Conversion from social |

---

## Content Calendar

### Calendar Template
| Column | Description |
|--------|-------------|
| Date | Publish date |
| Platform | Which channel |
| Content type | Post, story, reel |
| Pillar | Content category |
| Copy | Actual text |
| Visual | Image/video link |
| Hashtags | Relevant tags |
| Link | If applicable |
| Status | Draft, scheduled, published |

### Planning Workflow
```
Weekly:
1. Review previous week performance
2. Identify top performers to repeat
3. Plan 7-day content calendar
4. Create/source visual assets
5. Write copy and schedule
6. Prepare engagement time blocks
```

### Batch Content Creation
| Day | Activity |
|-----|----------|
| Monday | Planning, ideation |
| Tuesday | Writing, copywriting |
| Wednesday | Visual creation |
| Thursday | Scheduling |
| Friday | Engagement, community |

---

## Social Media Tools

### Management Platforms
| Tool | Best For |
|------|----------|
| Sprout Social | Enterprise, analytics |
| Hootsuite | Multi-platform, teams |
| Buffer | Simple scheduling |
| Later | Instagram-focused |
| Metricool | Analytics, TikTok |

### Creation Tools
| Tool | Purpose |
|------|---------|
| Canva | Graphics, templates |
| CapCut | Video editing |
| Descript | Video/audio editing |
| Figma | Design |
| Premiere Rush | Mobile video |

### Analytics Tools
| Tool | Purpose |
|------|---------|
| Native analytics | Platform insights |
| Sprout/Hootsuite | Cross-platform |
| Brandwatch | Social listening |
| SparkToro | Audience research |

---

## Influencer Marketing

### Influencer Tiers
| Tier | Followers | Engagement | Cost |
|------|-----------|------------|------|
| Nano | 1K-10K | 5-10% | $50-200 |
| Micro | 10K-100K | 3-5% | $200-1K |
| Macro | 100K-1M | 2-3% | $1K-10K |
| Mega | 1M+ | 1-2% | $10K+ |

### Vetting Checklist
- [ ] Engagement rate realistic
- [ ] Comments are genuine
- [ ] Audience demographics match
- [ ] Content quality consistent
- [ ] Brand alignment
- [ ] No controversial history
- [ ] Previous brand work quality

### Campaign Types
| Type | Best For |
|------|----------|
| Sponsored post | Awareness |
| Affiliate | Performance |
| Ambassador | Long-term |
| Takeover | Engagement |
| Co-creation | Content |
| Reviews | Trust |

---

## Crisis Management

### Response Levels
| Level | Situation | Response |
|-------|-----------|----------|
| Low | Minor complaint | Standard response |
| Medium | Multiple complaints | Escalate internally |
| High | Viral negative | Executive response |
| Crisis | Major incident | War room, PR |

### Crisis Response Steps
1. Pause scheduled content
2. Assess situation severity
3. Gather facts internally
4. Draft response (legal review if needed)
5. Respond publicly
6. Monitor and engage
7. Post-mortem and process update
