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When Should Your Business Post On Social Media In 2026?

Posted on 22nd January 2026
 
When it comes to social media marketing, knowing how much to post and when to post is essential to ensuring your marketing is reaching the maximum amount of your audience on the right platforms and at the right time. It also helps you in the algorithm – by posting the optimal number of times at the right moment, platforms will begin to prioritise your content. 
 
Here’s how often and when you should be posting on each platform in 2026. 

Facebook 

Facebook is one of the most popular social media platforms in the world, and for marketers it’s often a key platform when it comes to advertising and building an audience. With Facebook, Hubspot research has found that over the last year, Monday & Friday seem to be the most popular with marketers as the ‘best’ days to post, with 1-2 posts a day being the right amount to help drive more engagement and interaction with your posts. 9am-12pm appears to be the ideal time to post, but this all depends on your audience’s activity – if they’re more active after this time, don’t be afraid to post later in the day. 

Instagram 

When it comes to Instagram, 3-5 posts a week can be beneficial for your business, with the hours between 12pm and 3pm on Wednesday and Friday proving the best, as per Hubspot. Instagram Boss Adam Mosseri said in 2024 that frequent posts can help with reach – but don’t burn out. Consistency is key, but if you feel you need a break or have less to post then you can drop the number of posts down if needed. 
 
Buffer’s research found that businesses who post 3-5 times a week have a 12% higher reach than those who post 1-2 times, and 10+ posts bring in a 24% higher reach. If you’ve got enough quality content to be posting over 10 times a week then go for it – but aiming for 3 posts a week to begin with can help to satisfy both quality and quantity for your audience. 

LinkedIn 

LinkedIn, unsurprisingly, is a platform much better suited to having posts done across the week – with anywhere between 1-5 posts being enough for engagement. If you’ve ever been on LinkedIn, you’ll often see posts from days or weeks ago appearing on your feed alongside fresh content – meaning bombarding the platform with posts isn’t always the best idea. Anytime between 9am to early afternoon is the best time to post, as this is when users seem to be the most active – with Monday proving to be the most popular day. 

X (Twitter) 

X has become less of a priority for marketers and the general public alike since it was taken over a few years ago, but it’s still a highly popular platform – and for those who are still using it, here’s what you need to know. The best time to post on X is between 3-6pm, though 12-3pm and 6pm-9pm also delivered similar results. Hubspot found that Friday is by far the best day to post on X, and with the algorithm favouring newer posts, having multiple pieces of content go out will help you appear on the timelines of your audience more frequently without you getting lost amongst other pieces of fresh content. 

TikTok 

If you’re continuing to build your TikTok presence in 2026, or you’re looking to add it to your marketing plans for the year, then there’s no better time to get things set up. Hupspot found TikTok also leaned more towards late afternoon / evening – with 3-pm proving the best time to post, although there wasn’t much difference between posting earlier or later. Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday also were the best days to post, with Buffer suggesting 2-5 times if you want to bring in the best engagement. TikTok is dependent on your audience – even if you post one video a week, all it takes is for a video to start gaining traction for an audience to form and all of your other content to start seeing an uptake in views and engagement. 
Having a good idea of when to post and the volume of posts you’re putting out can help you to form consistent schedules, plan your content and ensure you’re getting the maximum reach and engagement possible. When you’ve figured out the best time, you’ll be able to design a marketing plan that puts you on a path to success. 
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Top Social Media Trends To Watch In 2026

Posted on 11th December 2025
 
2026 is fast approaching, and that means it’s time to look at some of the top marketing ideas, trends and predictions for the upcoming year! 
 
Getting ahead with your strategy will help you feel prepared for when these trends may begin to kick in – giving you a head start over competitors when adapting your strategy. 
 
Here’s all you need to know… 

What Did We See In 2025? 

First of all, let’s take a quick look back over 2025. We can’t talk about it without acknowledging the biggest trend this year – AI. Whilst it’s slowly been creeping into the mainstream the last few years, AI has taken over this year – both positively and negatively. Whilst many find sites like ChatGPT to be useful tools, ethical and environmental concerns have also come with the incredibly fast paced evolution of it – especially when it comes to creating  
 
lifelike images and scenes. McDonalds Netherlands have seen the negative reaction to AI – their Christmas Ad, made using generative AI, was released on December 6th 2025 and pulled merely a week later due to online criticism – the company telling the BBC that they’d use it as ‘important learning’ whilst they assess using AI effectively. They’re not the only company to face this kind of criticism over the festive period – Coca-Cola have been accused of using AI in their Christmas ad campaigns these last two years, and despite pushback from the company themselves clarifying their ads still have human input, media reports and public response are pretty telling of where things stand with using, or even being assumed to be using AI for these purposes at this moment in time. It doesn’t seem like something that will be stopped, but it’s also not something the public are on board with just yet. It also poses the questions – where does this leave the human element of content and ad creation, and what’s in store for the future of advertising? 
 
Aside from AI, social commerce and niche influencer marketing has really come into its own – and it’s only getting bigger, especially where TikTok is concerned. Take a few minutes to scroll through your FYP – I’ve certainly noticed more ads popping up alongside my usual content, and sometimes it’s not even directly obvious on first watch – given away only by a ‘commission paid’ symbol, other times ads have been disguised like images you can swipe across, often taking you to a link when you try to engage with the content. Clever, but also bringing in a lot of revenue. TikTok Shop, according to Sprout Social is now the UK’s fastest-growing online marketplace, accounting for £42.39 million in sales worth (2.14% of all sales globally) and with 200,000 active sellers. 

Looking Ahead To 2026 

Now we’ve touched on 2025, lets look ahead to the new year and what we can expect to see on the rise…. 
 
Nostalgia Marketing – Nostalgia has been turned from a feeling that we get from time to time to a real desire – especially for Gen Z – and marketers have started to use it to their advantage, likely continuing to do so into 2026. Younger people seem to be looking back at a time they deem to have been simpler – right now that being the 90s and 00s, with the early 2010s also starting to creep in for some. Brands have capitalised on this recently by using stars who defined those eras in their adverts, making references to popular films or TV Shows and even creating products that mirror popular products from these eras – or the brands themselves bring these products back entirely. Nostalgia will always exist, but it commercialisation is only getting started and will be something to keep an eye on in 2026. 
 
AI – Like 2025, AI will continue to be a big hitter in 2026 – with GEO (Generative Engine Optimisation) helping AI powered algorithms when search queries are submitted. Think about when you use a search engine – its often the AI summary that’s shown first ahead of links to other sites. There’s also the ability for specific industries to introduce AI to their own sites too – Ikea’s Kreativ feature allows customers to build their own rooms, use their starter room or scan their own space to test out furniture that’s true to scale, giving customers confidence that not only what they buy looks good, but that it’ll fit too. 
 
Involve Your Audience – You’ve probably been creating brand stories with your marketing, but it seems like customers don’t just want to hear those stories in 2026 – they want to be part of them. Making things interactive and bringing your audience in will help not to get them involved , but show others you want to provide them the best customer experience whilst using others just like them in your advertising or community building. Something that has swept TikTok this last month is the idea of being in ‘Group 7’ – a set of videos by musician Sophia James who made multiple TikTok's with the premise being ‘ if you see this, you’re in group [number]”, both promoting her music and testing the TikTok algorithm – leading to a feeling of exclusivity over certain groups (in this case, 7 being the most popular). It’s a classic reliance on FOMO, but also letting your audience become involved in something they feel is for ‘them’ no matter the concept. 
 
2026 is nearly upon us so there’s no better time to be reviewing your marketing strategy than right now so you’re ready for when January comes around. Hopefully this will all be helpful for shaping your campaigns next year. 
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Reels, Shorts Or TikTok: Which Short-Form Video Platform Is Best?

Posted on 4th December 2025
 
In the last few years, short-form video content has come to the forefront of social media marketing – TikTok’s astronomical rise over the pandemic period saw YouTube and Instagram rush to keep up with the changing online landscape – pushing both Reels and Shorts to be valid competitors against TikTok’s juggernaut success. 
 
But with all 3 platforms now competing for the crown of ‘best’ social media platform for short form video content, we’re taking a dive into the world of Reels, Shorts and TikTok’s to find out which one is leading the charge, and how they can all intertwine across your social media strategy. 

Reels 

Reels are Instagram’s short-form video platform, and they’ve become Meta’s main focus over the last year or two. A growing element of the platform, Instagram’s algorithm favours Reels over general posts – making them key for your business when you’re looking to reach your target audience. Here are some useful stats from Demand Sage when it comes to your Reels: 
 
• Over 2 billion users interact with Reels monthly. 
• Reels are reshared 4.5 billion times each day. 
• Reels receive 22% more engagement than standard posts. 
• 200 billion reels are played across Facebook and Instagram each day. 
• 91% of Instagram users watch video content on Instagram each week. 
 
For businesses – whether you’re looking to create ads or just post onto the platform – Reels should be a key part of your strategy if Instagram is the platform your audience frequent most, and is the one your business has set out to build on. 
 
Reels, whilst often spoken about in the same vein as Instagram, are also popular over on Facebook too – with both being Meta platforms, cross-promoting your Reels on both platforms can be highly beneficial to your marketing output. 

Shorts 

YouTube is the leading platform for long-form video content – and back when sites like Vine were hugely popular, compilations of these short-form platforms were being turned into longer content and posted to YouTube. Now the tables have turned – and YouTube have decided to catch up with short-form content with YouTube Shorts – and here are some stats you need to know: 
 
• Shorts receive over 200 billion daily views. 
• Gen Z & Millennials are the biggest users of Shorts (21.5% of 25-34 year olds) 
 
YouTube Shorts only came into focus in 2020/2021, but YouTube have been working hard to improve the platform to make things more streamlined for users. They’re also great for repurposing parts of long-form video content – helping to advertise your content, and give your audience a short overview of a piece of one of your videos that you can link directly to. 

TikTok 

The main power of short-form content, TikTok, despite it’s recent issues in the USA, remains as the platform to beat. Making waves during the pandemic, TikTok has since accumulated over 1.59 billion monthly active users, with users spending around 53.8 minutes a day on the platform – a long retention, and one you must be able to stand out amongst if your business is advertising or posting content on the platform. 1 in 4 TikTok users are under 25 – and TikTok is on par with Instagram as one of the biggest social platforms for Gen Z users.  
 
TikTok could be classed as a contributor to shortening attention spans – so making sure your content is what really hits the mark for your target audience and stops them in their tracks from endless scrolling could make all the difference for your business’ TikTok marketing efforts. 

How To Intertwine Your Content 

Whilst you may not use all platforms, those businesses that do may find their content can be repurposed across platforms – making things easier for different audiences. If you know your audience is a fan of short form content, but one section is more reliant on TikTok and another on Reels or Shorts, using the same or similar videos can be helpful for attracting a larger audience than if you were to solely focus on one place. As mentioned, Reels can work on Facebook too – helping with covering more than one platform at a time. 
 
Short-Form Video content is a key part of social media in the 2020s and isn’t going anywhere anytime soon – so, making it a key part of your marketing should be something you begin to consider moving forwards. Whether its TikTok, Reels or Shorts, take a look into which platform is best for your business and create content that resonates with your audience. 
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Social Media & Digital Marketing October 2025 Roundup

Posted on 30th October 2025
 
Happy Halloween! 🎃 As we’ve reached the end of October, that means it’s time for another monthly roundup of all the social media news that has been the topic of conversation in the digital marketing world over the last few weeks. 
 
Here’s all you need to know: 

New Edits Updates 

Instagram are really pushing forward with edits – this month adding 250 new sound effects to the app for creators, a heap of new fonts to pick from and the ability to save your own hex colours – which will be great for brands using the app to design their own short videos without having to constantly input their brand colours. Even more helpful for brand owners Is the new media kit, which lets users share their Reels metrics and account in a well-designed PDF report that gives an overview of your insights including views, reach, likes, comments and shares amongst others. 

Shorts Updates 

More of a fan of YouTube Shorts? Well, they’re enhancing their editing feature to be more similar to CapCut and Edits – separating the video and audio for easier edits to be made. As per YouTube: “Now, everything is visible in one place, including all of your video clips, overlays, and audio. You can trim and reorder the clips via simple drag and drop, while you can also zoom in to make precise edits.” 

US TikTok Deal 

Great news for those who target an American audience via TikTok – a deal for TikTok to come under US ownership is set to be finalised in the next few days. Whilst we don’t know as of yet who the investors are exactly, reports suggest that US and international investors will own around 65% of the company, with ByteDance and Chinese investors owning less than 20%. 

TikTok Search Becoming A Major Channel For Discovery 

A WARC study of over 1,000 US consumers has shown that TikTok search has become a major channel for discovery – with searches increasing by 40% year on year – especially when it comes to finding new products, and trends in beauty, lifestyle, fashion, recipes and entertainment. 
 
Censuswide’s UK study discovered that 40% of British consumers discover new brands mainly through social platforms – a clear sign that social media marketing and SEO is crucial to building your brand and reaching your target audience. 

LinkedIn partners with Capcut 

Want to create video content for LinkedIn? The platform has now partnered with Capcut – letting you easily edit and export your content directly to the platform. 
 
LinkedIn are also adding saves and shares to their metrics data, adding an extra layer of understanding to your insights for your B2B marketing efforts. 
That’s all for October! Have a great November, and we’ll be back next month all of the social media news coming in the next 4 weeks. 
 
Finally, your social media tip is: When I talk to business owners about their Facebook ads, one of the first questions I ask is, “Are you using your email list?” And honestly, I’m surprised how many people say no. 
 
Your email list is full of warm customers—people who already know your business and are more likely to buy. Yet so many businesses focus on cold audiences and ignore the huge opportunity sitting right in front of them. 
 
Using your email list for ads lets you: 
 
✅️ Re-engage customers who haven’t purchased in a while. 
✅️ Cross-sell or upsell to people who already trust you. 
✅️ Turn warm leads into paying customers with the right message. 
 
I’ve seen it happen time and time again. Clients who thought they’d “maxed out” their sales started targeting their email list, and the results were incredible. Warm customers are the ones who convert the quickest—and often at the lowest cost. 
 
If you’re running ads without leveraging your email list, you’re leaving money on the table. It’s that simple.  
 
So, what’s stopping you? Let’s start using what you’ve already built to drive more sales 
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Social Media & Digital Marketing September 2025 Roundup

Posted on 25th September 2025
 
And just like that, we’ve reached the end of September – and as we get set to enter the period of colder weather, darker nights and festivities we still have some social media news from the last month to look back on. 
 
Here’s everything that’s been announced this month! 

TikTok Saved In The US? 

You may have been following the news regarding TikTok’s “will-it or won’t-it be banned” situation in the USA, and now it seems to all be over as American investors have been found to purchase the app. President Trump is expected to sign the deal at some point in the next few days, meaning TikTok, for now, is safe to continue operating in the USA – great news for businesses who are targeting a US based audience with their TikTok Marketing. In Europe, the app has reached a milestone user base of 200 million, up from 175 million in 2024 – making it nearly one third of the population in the UK & EEA using the platform. France, Italy and Germany have some of the highest active user  
 
figures between 23-25 million, but the UK surpasses them – with 30 million reported back in June. 

Instagram Hashtags – Are They Effective? 

Noticed a drop in reach over on Instagram? CEO Adam Mosseri confirmed that hashtags are now actually serving more as a categorisation feature rather than one that drives reach. Whilst they’re still helpful to have on your posts, the algorithm has moved towards priority for keywords, alt text, locations, tags and engagement from users. You might have to switch your strategy a little, if you’ve been relying on hashtags to bring you the biggest audience. 

TikTok Hashtag Limit 

Sticking with the theme of our first two topics, if you’re frequently using TikTok you may have come across their recent feature which stops you adding more than 5 hashtags into a post. This is more than just a recommendation by the app – it literally will not allow you to add more than 5, pushing users to be more relevant with the ones they choose instead – helping you get a better reach. It’s being tested, so you may not have the feature just yet – but keep an eye out for it when it’s fully rolled out. 

LinkedIn Post Analytics Update 

LinkedIn have made a small update to their analytics, which could be helpful for those who use it as their primary posting platform. The new post-performance feature will update at 3 and 7 days after a post has been published – focusing on impressions, profile visits and new followers gained. 

Instagram Reels Updates Metrics 

Creators of Instagram Reels will now find two new metrics when checking their Reels performance – and they’re important ones. First of all, there’s now the ‘skip rate’ showing where viewers skip within the first 3 seconds, and the also retention charts showing where viewers drop off. Both are great to utilise, as they can help to identify issues and make your reels much more engaging from start to end by changing certain elements that keep the audience hooked in. 

Threads User Base Update 

New algorithm changes have firmly positioned threads as the leading alternative to X – and now they’ve hit 400 million active monthly users – a boost of 50 million in just 5 months. The changes to the algorithm have boosted time spent on the app to 35%, and whilst behind X is ahead by 200 million, its’s rapid growth rate is definitely something to watch out for – it may become a key platform for your marketing sooner than you think. 
That’s all for September! Have a great October and we’ll be back to update you with next month’s updates soon. 
 
Finally, your social media tip is: Analyse your Post Performance 
 
Seeing which posts get the most reactions and reach is key to growing your visibility. 
 
Simply head to your Facebook business page (on desktop), click insights and then click 'Posts' in the left column. Scroll down and you will see all your posts with their reach (how many devices it appeared on), reactions (likes, comments and shares etc). 
 
From there, you can monitor what works and what doesn't. 
 
Simply do more of what works and less of what doesn't. 
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Social Media & Digital Marketing August 2025

Posted on 28th August 2025
 
We’ve come to the end of August, and as the Autumn approaches we’re going to be taking a look back at all the social media news and updates that have been announced this month! 
 
Here’s everything you need to know… 

Edits Updates 

If you’ve been using Edits, then there are some handy updates to the app that you should be aware of. 
 
Firstly, the UI has been updated – making it easier for you to switch between your creations and performance overview. You can find out which videos are performing best under certain categories such as most views or most likes depending on what metrics you’re aiming to track. 
Safe Zone mapping allows you to see where Facebook and Instagram’s interfaces will appear when your video is viewed on each platform – helping you to correctly place your text or other features so they’re not cut off or covered up. 
 
Finally, if you want more control of your animations, you now have the option of Keyframe curves. 

Instagram Adds New Repost Feature 

If you’ve used Instagram over August, then you’ve probably noticed that on posts and reels there’s now an option to repost content. These reposts will show up on your friends and followers’ feeds, whilst also getting their own tab on your profile. 
 
Whilst reposts are great for the general Instagram user, they’re great for businesses too. Not only can members of your audience repost your content, but you can also repost theirs – adding a small, extra detail to your marketing when it comes to user-generated content.  

Will TikTok Be Banned In The US? 

At the start of 2025, TikTok was under threat of a ban by the US. It’s operations in the country were allowed to continue after President Trump signed multiple executive orders throughout the year as a buyer for the platform was sought. However, the most recent order – a 90-day extension for the platform to find said buyer – expires on September 17th 2025, and despite interest from multiple American investors we haven’t yet heard whether the platform is to be purchased in the US, whether another order will be signed if one isn’t found or if the app will cease US operations on it’s deadline date. It’s definitely something to keep an eye on – TikTok isn’t facing a similar threat in the UK, so for businesses here it remains an excellent platform to build visibility, connect with audiences, and drive growth, and a ban could make way for UK businesses and creators to find new opportunities via TikTok. However, it’s also a reminder that businesses shouldn’t rely too heavily on one platform, just in case similar issues arise on any platform over in the UK and Europe in the near future. 

TikTok Allows In-App Scheduling 

Speaking of TikTok, they’ve now rolled out the ability to schedule posts in-app. Before, you’d either have to create your post and put it out there and then, or leave it as a draft and post at the exact time you’d planned. You could’ve used the TikTok Studio app which did allow scheduling of posts, but now you don’t have to worry about switching between apps or making posts that sit waiting in your drafts until you need them posted – you can prepare and schedule content for specific dates and times inside of the TikTok app itself, making your content planning and management much more convenient. 

Snapchat Outperforming Rivals With E-Commerce 

If you’ve used social media for e-commerce, you may be surprised to hear that Snapchat is pulling ahead in performance with e-commerce compared to other platforms. A study commissioned by the platform along with Triple Whale found that, even though Snapchat is a smaller platform when it comes spend share, they received a 7.5% higher return on ad spend compared to other platforms. The Snapchat Generation report, which focuses on its main user base of Gen Z and Millennials discovered that 92% of daily users include their friends in their shopping journey, and more than half send messages/pictures via Snapchat when shopping. So, if your target audience is here but you haven’t thought about using Snapchat in your advertising, now may be a great time to start. 
That’s all for August – have a great September, and remember to keep an eye out for any new features in the digital marketing world over the next month. 
 
Finally, here’s your social media tip: Paid ads aren’t just for big businesses with massive budgets. They’re for anyone serious about getting in front of the right people and seeing real results 
 
If you’re a small business, you might think paid ads aren’t for you—but the truth is, they’re one of the most powerful tools you can use to grow. A well-targeted campaign puts your business in front of people who might never have found you otherwise. 
 
Paid ads are about smart spending, not big spending. They’re about reaching the right audience and driving real growth.  
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5 Things To Include In Your TikTok Marketing Strategy

Posted on 19th June 2025
 
 
TikTok is one of the biggest social media platforms as of 2025 – its where trends begin, influencers build their platforms and where businesses are going to sell and advertise their products. 
 
With 1.5 billion users worldwide, TikTok can be a great place for your business to grow, find your audience and sell your products – but you must have the right strategy if you want to do so successfully. 
 
Here are 5 things to include when creating your TikTok Marketing strategy. 

Optimise Your Profile 

One of the most important things you need to do is ensure you’re optimising your profile – this helps you to establish your brand and your presence on the platform. You need: 
• A profile photo – this should be your businesses logo, or, if you don’t have one, a professional image or video that represents your business perfectly. 
 
• Your business name and username (make sure this is the same, or similar if your business name has already been used by someone else as a username) 
 
• Let people know more about your business and what you do in your bio 
 
• Add in your contact information and connect your Instagram and/or YouTube accounts 
 
• Select the category that best represents your business and your industry (you may have already done this when setting up a business profile) 

Know Your Target Audience 

You need to know who you’re targeting with your content – reach and engagement is great, but you must ensure that this is converting into sales. TikTok’s audience falls on the younger side, and is mostly popular with Gen Z and Millennials. Research by TikTok has found that in the UK, 53% of Millennial and 62% of Gen Z internet users prefer researching products on video and social platforms, so if your target audience do too then this is the place to be to market your business. 
 
In order to find your target audience, not just on TikTok but across social media, you need to think of their key demographics such as age, gender, and location, and consider their interests, income, job type and what platforms they’re likely to be drawn to. On TikTok, when you’ve posted content, you can start to see insights on content that your audience has been engaging with and searching for – helping you to tailor your content to the topics your target market is currently enjoying. 

Be Involved With Trends 

Trends move fast on social media, but getting in at the right time could boost your marketing efforts. Sometimes trending content may not align with your business plans or style, but when it does, it gives you an outlet to be creative, reach more people and shows that you understand your audience’s interests and wants. If you frequently use TikTok, then you’ll also see businesses both small and large commenting on popular videos and trending content – so don’t be shy to do the same, as this can help to expose your business to a large number of people within your target audience who could then become interested in you. You can also respond to other users - 64% of Millennials have said they felt more connected to a brand when they responded to a comment that they have posted. 

Influencer Marketing 

Influencer marketing has become a key part of social media marketing for brands, and TikTok’s statistics show exactly why you should begin considering it. Influencers within your niche and with similar audiences can help to push your products – their followers will already trust them and their opinions, so even if they’re unfamiliar with your brand, hearing someone who they do know of talk positively about your products can help to boost sales and build trust in your business. 43% of Gen Z TikTok users in the UK said they'd go online to view the product/brand that a Creator shared, with 50% saying they’d buy the product and 62% of Millennial users saying that they’re more likely to trust a brand after learning about them from a TikTok Creator. With the introduction of TikTok Shop, getting your business set up to sell through this platform keeps users who have seen your products within TikTok – meaning they don’t have to leave the app and go elsewhere to find and purchase your products. 

Combine Short Form Content With Live Content 

TikTok allows both photo and video content, and is known to be a fast-paced platform – meaning you must capture the attention of your audience quickly. 69% of Millennial users and 74% of Gen Z users prefer short-form content and TikTok suggests anywhere between 21-34 seconds is the optimal length for a video, so ensure that when you start creating your videos you keep this in mind. However, this isn’t to say avoid longer content at all costs – TikTok live is also a useful tool if you want to sell products to your audience, allowing you to engage with people in real time, giving them more information about how your products can help them. Combining this longer style of content with the shorter content on your feed can help you to keep a consistent schedule, build your following and attract loyal followers and customers. 
TikTok may still seem relatively new alongside its competitors, but it’s become a staple for social media users – and could for you when it comes to your social media marketing too. Having these 5 things in your strategy can help to set you up for success on the platform – helping to establish yourself as an industry leader on TikTok. 
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Social Media Marketing: Top Tips For Small Businesses

Posted on 1st May 2025
 
There are many ways to grow your small business, but one of the best ways to do so in 2025 is through social media marketing. Choosing to go down this avenue can help drive engagement, boost sales and make you a competitive force in your industry, but you first have to work out how to make social media work the best for your business. 
 
Here are some top tips you can use to get your small business started with your social media marketing. 

Understanding Your Audience 

The key to your digital marketing is knowing exactly who your audience is. If you don’t know who your ideal customer is, then you won’t be able to target your content accordingly – potentially attracting the wrong audience to your social media pages.  
You should have an idea of the type of person you want to purchase your products, and you need to really focus in on their characteristics and traits – especially if you’re planning on running ads. Things to think about the gender of your audience, their age, income, location and their hobbies and interests. When you have all of this information, you should be able to build up a picture of your audience, which will then help you to create your content according to their wants and needs. You can pair your information on your audience with your branding, ensuring you have a cohesive style across your platforms which also attracts the specific audience that you are marketing to. 

Choosing The Correct Platforms 

It’s imperative that you select the right platforms to market your business on. There’s a plethora of choice out there, but platforms hold audiences that may better or worse for your business to post on, and you shouldn’t have to spend time on the ones that are less likely to perform and fail to hit your goals. Focus your attention and content onto the platforms where your audience is already spending the most time: 
 
If you’re all about visual branding, then Instagram is the perfect place for your posts – allowing you to create a feed that looks professional and inviting to new followers. 
If you’re more about engaging with your community, promoting to your local area and establishing yourself before running ads then Facebook is your go to – and it’s the most popular choice worldwide for businesses, with 86% using the site for marketing (Statista). 
LinkedIn is great place to go if you’re less about B2C marketing and all about B2B marketing. This is where you’re likely to find likeminded business owners who are interested in what you have to offer them, and is the best place to advertise any of your professional services. 
YouTube & TikTok are ideal if you’re creating video content. Whilst you can post longer videos on TikTok, it’s best to have these on YouTube – whereas TikTok is a much quicker paced app that requires you to instantly capture your audience’s attention. 
 
One thing to consider is the age group of your target audience, as this can help point you towards the right platform for your business. If your audience are Gen Z then TikTok, Reels or Instagram generally are the best to leverage. Millennials are also on TikTok, but they also form the most popular audience on a number of different platforms such as Facebook, YouTube, LinkedIn and X. Gen X and Boomers are most likely to be found on Facebook, but also do crossover with YouTube. If you’re selling, then Sprout Social found Facebook, TikTok and Instagram to be the top 3 platforms for making direct purchases. 

Consistency 

Success isn’t something that’ll come instantly, and requires you to show up regularly. Content calendars and scheduling tools can help for peace of mind and ease if you aren’t able to take time out of your day to post on your account. Posting consistently allows your audience to begin to become familiar with your business and your content, keeping you at the forefront of their minds and feeds when they open up their social media. If you haven’t been posting already, then you may have to test different strategies with your consistency including frequency of posts and timing of posts until you find the one that brings you the most audience engagement. 

Quality Over Quantity 

That being said, you should prioritise quality over quantity. Having a lot of posts may sound like a good idea, but they also must provide value to your audience. If you’re aimlessly posting lots of content with no clear direction or strategy, you may have populated your pages with little engagement to show for it. Instead, focus on creating high-quality graphics, copy and videos that allow you to really show your how your business is an answer to a problem that your audience is having, give them more information about what your products or services do, and make them want to find out more. Your posts should be branded, and working alongside the goals and campaigns you mapped out before you started your social media marketing. 

Don’t Just Sell – Engage 

Social media is exactly what it says – social. It’s not a place for you to sell, sell, sell – even if that is the end goal to your campaigns and posts. When advertising products, you’re not just telling people to buy something, but you need to show or explain to them why they should be investing in your product/service. You need to build rapport with your audience, show them that you can be a trusted brand that delivers on your promises and that you’re happy to answer any questions in a prompt and professional manner. You have to warm up cold audiences, and by interacting with them, building a relationship and providing excellent customer service you can help to guide them in direction of a purchase after your post has already sparked interest. 
Social media may seem like a big task when you first start out, but hopefully these tips will help you to create a winning strategy that allows you to establish your business as a new force within your industry that knows exactly how to use digital marketing to its advantage. 
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Social Media & Digital Marketing March 2025 Roundup

Posted on 27th March 2025
 
 
We’ve come to the end of the first quarter of 2025, and as we head into Spring, we’ll be taking a look back at the social media and digital marketing news from March 2025! 
 
Here’s all you need to know from the last month… 

YouTube Changing How Shorts Views Are Measured 

Ever posted a YouTube Short and been confused about its engagement? Well, YouTube are now fixing things to make it a little clearer. Shorts views will now include when your Short begins to play or replay – instead of doing it based off of intent. It won’t impact monetisation or a creator’s position in the YouTube Partner Program. 

TikTok Updates On Desktop 

TikTok has primarily been used as a mobile app – meaning, that whilst they did have a desktop site, it wasn’t necessarily user-friendly. Now, that's changed - with TikTok updating and improving their desktop version in an effort to continue competing with YouTube. New features, as confirmed by TikTok, include : “a new modular layout, refreshed For You feed, a new Explore tab, immersive full-screen LIVEs, and a web-exclusive Floating Player. These updates bring popular in-app functionalities to the TikTok web app, creating a seamless, unified viewing experience that mirrors the features people love in the mobile experience.” 

AI Chatbots Launched In The EU By Meta 

Over the coming weeks, Meta’s AI Chatbot will be rolled out across Europe after delays due to EU regulations and privacy concerns. Whilst their Ai systems, which have rapidly been forming a key part of Facebook, Instagram and Whatsapp’s newest features, will be a lesser-version of what other countries already are using, it is a huge step for Meta to have another one of their AI features rolled out and ready to use in Europe. 

LinkedIn Updates Campaign Manager 

LinkedIn have updated their campaign manager, adding in new features to improve the system and help marketers. Firstly, their new ‘media planner’ forecasts results before campaigns are launched using their AI-predictive formulas. They’re also introducing a ‘duplicate’ option, which now allows you to easily duplicate your ads across campaigns and accounts. 
 
Your dashboard should also now have more insights to show an account-wide campaign performance review and tips. They say this is to help marketers with their LinkedIn approach “by providing a detailed view of campaign performance across campaigns, ads, audiences, and the entire customer journey, beyond just the marketing funnel.” 
That’s all from March! Enjoy April and remember to keep an eye out for any updates over the coming month. 
 
Finally, your social media tip is: AI is creeping into every part of marketing, and social media advertising is no exception. The question isn’t whether businesses should use it, it’s how to use it properly. 
 
AI driven ads can analyse behaviour, optimise targeting, and even generate content in seconds. That means faster ad creation, more precise targeting, and better performance without endless testing. 
 
But, AI isn’t a magic fix... 
 
If you rely on it to do all the work, you’ll end up with generic, soulless ads that blend into the noise. The real power is combining AI with human strategy. 
 
Organic content creates trust. AI driven ads amplify what’s working. Together, they build a system that brings in customers faster and more effectively. 
 
The businesses using AI to enhance their marketing, not replace it, are the ones seeing real results. If you’re not looking into it yet, now’s the time. 
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Social Media & Digital Marketing February 2025 Roundup

Posted on 27th February 2025
 
2025 is well underway, and now we’ve reached the end of February - which means it’s time for another social media and digital marketing roundup! 
 
Here are all the stories from this month! 

Meta Updates Advantage+ Ads 

Meta have revealed new features and updates to their Advantage+ Ad campaigns, continuing to grow their focus on AI tools and solutions. They’re currently testing a streamlined Advantage+ campaign setup to help shopping and app campaigns benefit from AI optimisation. They’re also introducing an Advantage+ leads campaign, which now lets advertisers find the highest-quality leads using AI. Opportunity score will be expanding to more advertisers, letting users improve their campaign performance using recommendations from Facebook, including AI optimisations. 

Threads Performance 

Threads has reached 320 million monthly users, and with ads being slowly tested and rolled out on the platform the site’s growing audience is certainly something to keep an eye on. A survey by Sprout Social discovered that 53% of marketers are using Threads, with 23% looking to add it to their upcoming strategies. In Buffer’s analysis of 10 million posts on both platforms, Threads actually drove more engagement than X – with a 6.25% engagement rate compared to 3.6% on X. 

Text-To-Speech Introduced on Shorts 

Don’t want to do your own voiceovers? YouTube have rolled out text-to-speech on IOS for Shorts, currently allowing 4 different voice options for users. The feature has been popular on TikTok for some time, with YouTube quickly optimising their Shorts feature to continue to challenge the popularity of the platform – especially during a turbulent few months for TikTok, especially over in the USA. 

TikTok Marketing Calendar 

TikTok have released their 2025 marketing calendar, allowing users to see key dates, events and trends that are currently ongoing so they can leverage engagement and take advantage of the current landscape of the platform. TikTok provides quarterly overviews, but you can print out an overview of the whole year with important dates highlighted. 

Instagram Adds New Metrics 

Instagram has added new metrics to their system. Called Views Over Time and View Rate, Instagram now lets you see how many views your content is getting compared to your average viewership, if your views are coming from followers or non-followers and what percentage of people continue watching after the first 3 seconds. They are also providing tips to users, letting them know about their reels performance and if it’s resonating with viewers – helping to shape your marketing plans for Instagram going forwards. 

Introducing Edits 

Edits, a new app by Instagram, was introduced last month – and now we have more information on what you can actually do using the app. Designed essentially to be a CapCut competitor, Edits works in a very similar way – allowing users to streamline the process, turn static images into videos using AI, add captions and have enhanced video quality. They’re also teasing a future feature, allowing collaborators to leave comments in real time to help improve videos before they're posted. 
That’s all for February! Have a great March and remember to keep an eye out for any updates over the next month…. 
 
Finally, your social media tip is: One of the biggest misconceptions I hear is that Facebook ads should start delivering instant results the moment they go live. It’s like expecting to plant a seed and have a tree grow overnight—it doesn’t work that way. 
 
Here’s the truth: ads need testing and optimisation to perform. When I run campaigns, the first thing I focus on isn’t instant sales—it’s gathering data. 
 
➡️ Is the targeting right? 
➡️ Are people engaging with the ad creative? 
➡️ Is the message connecting with the audience? 
 
This testing phase is where the magic happens. It’s where you figure out what works and, more importantly, what doesn’t. Then you tweak, adjust, and refine. 
I’ve seen campaigns that started slow but, after a few tweaks, turned into major wins. The key is patience and a willingness to dig into the numbers. Ads are a process, not a quick fix. 
 
So, if your first ad doesn’t deliver instant results, don’t panic. It’s not about the quick win—it’s about building a campaign that delivers sustainable, consistent results over time. 
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Social Media & Digital Marketing January 2025 Roundup

Posted on 29th January 2025
 
Happy New Year! We’re at the end of the first month of 2025, and there have been quite a few updates over the last couple of weeks that would be worth noting if you’re using digital marketing for your business. 
 
Here’s all the news for this month! 

Reels Time Limit Expanded 

Instagram Reels have been extended to a 3-minute time limit – so if you want to make longer content to post on your Instagram, you’re no longer restricted to getting everything into a 90 second clip. This move, despite Instagram initially saying keeping Reels under 90 seconds is ideal, allows them to be much more competitive with TikTok – who has been allowing longer videos for quite some time now, and YouTube Shorts, who updated their time limit to 3 minutes earlier this month. 

Google Introduces AI Agents For Retailers 

AI remains a big topic in the digital marketing space for 2025 – with Google now offering retailers the chance to use an AI Agent that helps shoppers find exactly what they’re looking for. With AI now giving shoppers access to answers in seconds, Google expects this to be the way forward for future consumers. Here’s what they had to say: “Retailers can now use AI agents to personalize the customer experience by offering tailored product recommendations, answering questions in real-time and guiding shoppers through the buying process. AI agents can also streamline operations by automating tasks like inventory management, customer service and even loss prevention, allowing employees to focus on higher-value work.” 

The TikTok Ban 

Recently, TikTok was banned in the USA…then unbanned less than 24 hours later. President Trump gave the app a 75-day extension – with suggestions it could be purchased by Elon Musk or Microsoft, allowing it to stay operational within the United States. Whilst it doesn’t directly impact the European market, if TikTok is to get permanently banned in US, it could possibly open up a world of opportunity for businesses in the UK to capitalise on a market that has been freed up by the exit of American companies. We’ll have to wait and see what happens, but it’s certainly something that will remain a big topic in the news until the app does – or doesn’t – leave pp stores in the USA. 

Instagram Updates 

Instagram has started off the new year updating user profiles – saying goodbye to the square format on grids, and introducing a rectangular one instead. If you need to change your graphics, the new ratio is now 4:5. Boss Adam Mosseri said that the change reflects how people now use Instagram the most, but reassured those with carefully curated grids that they will be able to make changes to re-align their images: “We started with the tall grid because most photos and videos that are uploaded to Instagram at this point are vertical and rectangles do a better job showing off those photos and videos. That said, I know some of you spend a lot of time tweaking your grids and this blew all of that up, so we’re going to improve the ability to customize those thumbnails to make it easier to get back to a place you’re happy with.” 

Threads Makes Long-Awaited Updates 

Threads have made some big updates this month – which may make the platform much more attractive to marketers who’ve either been using the app or thinking of adding it to their social media marketing plans. Firstly, users can now schedule their posts within the app – giving people the choice whether to do it natively, or by using a third-party tool. Secondly analytics have been rolled out for everyone – a great sign for those using the app for marketing purposes, as now you can check how well your content is performing – whether that’s overall or based on specific posts. Finally, Meta have announced that Ads will be coming to the platform – with tests being carried out in the US and Japan before being rolled out globally. 
That’s all for January! Keep an eye out over the next month for more updates, and have a great February! 
 
Finally, your social media tip of the month is: Are You Leaving Money on the Table by Ignoring Your Email List? 
 
When I talk to business owners about their Facebook ads, one of the first questions I ask is, “Are you using your email list?” And honestly, I’m surprised how many people say no. 
 
Your email list is full of warm customers—people who already know your business and are more likely to buy. Yet so many businesses focus on cold audiences and ignore the huge opportunity sitting right in front of them. 
 
Using your email list for ads lets you: 
 
✅️ Re-engage customers who haven’t purchased in a while. 
✅️ Cross-sell or upsell to people who already trust you. 
✅️ Turn warm leads into paying customers with the right message. 
 
I’ve seen it happen time and time again. Clients who thought they’d “maxed out” their sales started targeting their email list, and the results were incredible. Warm customers are the ones who convert the quickest—and often at the lowest cost. 
 
If you’re running ads without leveraging your email list, you’re leaving money on the table. It’s that simple. 
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Is TikTok Still a Good Platform for Businesses Amid Ban Concerns?

Posted on 17th January 2025
 
 
 
I’ve been watching the conversations around TikTok potentially being banned in the US with interest. It’s a hot topic, but the bigger question for me is: what does this mean for businesses? 
 
TikTok has been a game-changer for so many brands, offering an incredible platform to reach audiences in creative, authentic ways. But with the looming threat of a ban, businesses are left wondering whether they should still invest time and effort into the platform. 
 
Here’s my take: 
 
For UK businesses, TikTok remains an excellent platform to build visibility, connect with audiences, and drive growth. A potential US ban might even create more opportunities for UK-based creators and brands to stand out. 
 
However, it’s also a reminder that businesses shouldn’t rely too heavily on one platform. Diversifying your social media strategy is key to ensuring long-term success, no matter what happens. 
 
 
So, is TikTok still worth it? Absolutely—for now. But as with any platform, adaptability is everything. 
 
What are your thoughts? Could a TikTok ban open doors for UK businesses, or would it signal a shift in social media priorities altogether? 
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