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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 April 2025 Roundup

Posted on 24th April 2025
 
 
As we approach the end of April, we’re taking a look back at all of the updates and news from the world of social media from the past month! 
 
Here’s what’s been announced this April. 

Threads Expands Profile Topics 

Threads are encouraging users to add topics to their profiles, making it easier for users to find accounts that align with their same interests. Added last month, they’re now expanding the system by introducing customised feeds for the topics – hoping that the use of these ‘topics’ will help to push growth for creators who are seeing their following plateau as social media begins to rely less on profiles and more on algorithms, 

Bluesky Adds Verification 

Users of Bluesky can now be approved for verification – but instead of relying on the team at Bluesky to ensure verification is rolled out correctly, they’re also putting it in the hands of organisations too: “We’re also enabling trusted verifiers: organizations that can directly issue blue checks. For example, the New York Times can now issue blue checks to its journalists directly in the app. Bluesky’s moderation team reviews each verification to ensure authenticity.” 

YouTube Adding New Features To Their Inspirations Tab 

If you’re a creator on YouTube, you’ll soon find 3 new options in the Inspirations tab to further help you gather ideas for videos. First up is ‘Brainstorm Video Ideas’ – using your past videos and comments to suggest new video concepts - “Creators often find inspiration for their next video while reviewing performance data or audience comments in YouTube Studio, so we’re integrating comments and data from past videos to create a more fluid and intuitive process.” 
 
Then we have ‘Hooks’ – this is where creators input their ideas and YouTube comes up with engaging ways to approach the idea within videos. Theres also ‘Quick Saves’ – letting you save ideas quickly from YouTube’s Idea list. These features are currently being tested and rolled out. 

Threads Growing In Popularity 

Whilst Bluesky and X are seeing a slower uptake in new users, Threads is building more momentum – adding 200 million new users in the last year, whereas X has only added 50 million. Whilst there’s still a long way to go for Threads to match up with X overall, Bluesky isn’t showing much competition despite its huge 30 million increase of users in the last year. Threads are also ramping up their new features and updates, and with X’s current reputation it seems that Threads has become the place to be for users looking for an alternative platform. 
That’s everything for April! 
 
Have a wonderful May, and keep an eye out for more updates over the coming month. 
 
Finally, your social media tip is: I’ve had loads of business owners say to me, “Facebook Ads just don’t work for us.” 
 
But most of the time, it’s not the ads. It’s what you’re asking the ads to do. 
 
Here’s where I see it going wrong: 
 
➡️ The offer doesn’t land. If it doesn’t feel valuable or urgent, people won’t act. 
➡️ The copy’s too vague. If you’re not clear about who it’s for or what problem it solves, it gets ignored. 
➡️ The strategy’s off. The tech is easy to blame, but nine times out of ten, it’s the message that’s broken. 
 
If you’re spending money and not seeing a return, it’s time to look at the basics. 
 
Strong offer. Clear message. Right audience. That’s the stuff that makes ads work. 
 
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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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TikTok vs YouTube: Which Is Better For Your Business?

Posted on 9th January 2025
 
Video Marketing can form an important part of your businesses digital marketing strategy, but with both YouTube and TikTok offering different benefits for marketers it can be difficult to find which platform is the right fit for your business. 
 
In this blog, we’ll look at what TikTok and YouTube have to offer, helping you make an informed decision as to which site will work the best for your marketing efforts. 

YouTube 

YouTube sits just behind Facebook as the 2nd biggest social media platform, with 2.5 billion active users each month. Known for it’s long-form content, YouTube is popular across all generations, allowing creators to easily find their target audience when their content is optimised correctly. YouTube allows for long and short form content, and with the introduction of Shorts, the platform truly gives you the opportunity to find the right strategy for your video marketing plans. 
Whether you want to create a podcast to go alongside your business, you want to upload quick product clips and promotions or you plan to educate your audience in your videos, YouTube allows you to find your niche. You can also share your videos across platforms, by clipping bits out to post on places like Facebook or TikTok whilst linking interested, already existing audiences to your channel and to your full video. 
 
YouTube is owned by Google, who will show videos in search results if they're optimised well. In your channel and video description, use relevant keywords as this will help YouTube with promoting and suggesting your channel to the correct audiences. Make sure these keywords are also included in your video title, which should be eye catching and not too long. Add tags to your video to boost visibility. When it comes to the video itself, pick a thumbnail that grabs the audience’s attention, relates to your content and stands out amongst your competition. You should make sure your content is clear, concise and is edited well, has moments that keep the audience hooked in and displays your industry knowledge perfectly. 

TikTok 

Created in 2017, TikTok has become a huge part of the current make up of social media – it’s popularity boomed during the pandemic, and has become a hub for younger audiences. With nearly 31 million daily users, the average user will open the app up to 20 times a day - giving you ample opportunity to be seen by your audience. 61% of users have discovered a new brand through TikTok, with 92% taking some kind of action after seeing content on the platform (such as likes, comments and shares). 
 
On TikTok, viewers are expecting short form content – and this means you have a limited time to get to the point of your video before people scroll past. If you’re advertising, then TikTok found that ads with an emotional message perform the best, with 63% of ads that convey their message right away being successful. 
 
You also don’t need to worry about the production being high quality – you can easily make a TikTok using your phone, their editing tools or a site like CapCut. This low-cost expense shouldn’t eat too much into your allocated budget, and gives you room to make tweaks and edits for free or for a small cost. 

Which Is Best For Your Business? 

You should choose YouTube if you have a broader target audience in age range, want to create in-depth content, have the equipment or budget available for high—quality and professional content creation and you plan to build long-term visibility using search. 
 
You should choose TikTok if you have a younger target audience, have plans to create short, snappy content that is posted more frequently, have an interest in creating and leveraging viral content and trends and if you have limited resources for video marketing.  
 
Alternatively, you can use both if you feel it’s necessary taking advantage of each platforms strengths to create a winning video marketing strategy. 
Picking a platform for your business takes time and careful planning, but when you have an idea on the best fit for your business start drafting up your video ideas and create content that brings your business success. 
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Top Social Media Trends To Watch In 2025

Posted on 5th December 2024
 
Social Media Marketing is constantly evolving, and with the end of 2024 fast approaching we can now predict some of the trends that we may be seeing in the next year. Staying ahead of the curve, keeping updated and implementing these strategies and tips into your 2025 plan can boost your marketing performance. 
 
Here’s a look at the trends to watch in 2025. 

Short Form Content 

Short Form Content, thanks to TikTok, Reels and YouTube Shorts, has been on the rise in the last couple of years, and now is the content being pushed more and more across social media. Attention Spans have been decreasing, and with the fast-pace style of social media nowadays if you’re not hooking people in straight away, they’ll just move on to the next thing – which is why you need to ensure your short form content impresses in just a few seconds.  
There are no signs that audiences are shifting away from short form content, so having it as part of your marketing strategy in 2025 can boost your performance and unlock new avenues and new platforms your business may not have considered before. 

AI-Powered Content 

AI has slowly been on the rise the last few years, but saw it’s first big boom in 2024 after social sites, scheduling tools, and search platforms integrated it into their models. Whilst there are ethical concerns around using AI, and many complaining that it removes the personalised feel that users on social media are craving in recent years, it hasn’t stopped the big social platforms from pushing its usage more and more. ChatGPT was the first real significant sign of change after it’s release in 2022, and things have only sped up since. McKinsey research suggests Generative AI usage has increased by 32% in 2024, and whilst you don’t have to use it many marketers are now looking at how they can use AI features to boost their content output, design and ideas. 
 
Don’t just use AI because you can though – really get to grips with what the platforms you are on are offering, learn how to use them best for your business and then discuss with your team before implementing it as part of your business model. As we’ll see later, consumers are actually leaning towards more ethical marketing practices – which could make using AI tricky, especially with concerns about the environmental impact of using sites such as ChatGPT – but it doesn’t seem like there will be an uprising against it any time soon, so if you feel like it’s right for your business, use it responsibly. You could always keep going with the plan you have now to – if AI isn’t something that will enhance your marketing that’s currently performing well for you, don’t just bring it in because everyone else is. It could just become your niche to be the business that doesn’t rely on artificial intelligence! 

Social Commerce 

More and more people are using social media for finding products and services than they are with search – and with Gen Z now becoming the star generation for targeted marketing, social media is the way to go for advertising. Gen Z have now reached a point where they’ll be earning their own money, and as the first generation to grow up with the social media we know today at their fingertips, they are far savvier with what they’ll purchase, and what marketing speaks to them. If they’re your target audience, think about the types of content that is popular with this generation – short form video content, general video marketing and influencer marketing – and what platforms they’re most likely to frequent – TikTok, YouTube, Snapchat and Instagram. TikTok, Facebook and Instagram all allow you to have your own in-platform digital stores, which will help you sell and advertise products without having to take your audience off these social platforms. Utilising paid advertising is also a great way to sell through social media – though this may lead people off the platform, it will help you to connect with your audience and boost conversions. 

Ethical Marketing 

Ethical Marketing is a technique based on your company’s values and principles, focusing on honesty, transparency, user privacy, responsibility, and sustainability. Now more than ever, audiences are conscious about data protection and the impacts company’s and products are having on the earth, and will often look for businesses that meet their own values, and those who are completely transparent about their products and services. Being honest about your practices, how you’re working to become a more sustainable business and how data is used will all help to build trust whilst also making your commitment to being a more ethically and environmentally conscious clear. 

Niche Influencer Marketing 

Big Influencers are no longer the go-to for audiences, as niche influencers are on the rise. Whilst they may cultivate a smaller audience pool, they allow you to connect with influencers who’s content revolves around the same audience you are looking to reach out to. It’s a highly targeted form of advertising through using influencers to promote your products, which unlike using big names who have potentially irrelevant audiences to your business in their followers, the niche influencers will be talking to people who need a product just like yours. It’s a great way to boost sales, and with many audiences gravitating to these smaller, authentic influencers finding ones that align with your business can be great to use in your strategy for 2025. 
Social Media Marketing is always changing and evolving, and keeping up can be difficult when you’re also trying to run your business. Using these trends, you can prepare in advance and enter 2025 with the experience and knowledge in these growing, popular digital marketing efforts. 
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How To Do Video Marketing Right

Posted on 14th November 2024
 
Video Marketing has been booming for the last decade thanks to YouTube, TikTok and Reels – 91% of businesses use video as part of their strategy, with 88% seeing it as an important part of their strategy overall. 
 
There are things you need to keep in mind when using video marketing – from your budget to your audience, crafting the perfect plan for your videos will help to set you up for success. Here are all the things you need to consider in order to do video marketing right. 

What Do Your Audience Want? 

Statistics show that videos that are educational and instructional videos are what engages audiences, along with testimonials. This doesn’t mean you have to stick rigidly to this style – your audience is unique, and you may find a different video style matches what they’re looking for more so than something that educates them, so when you first start test our a few different ones – testimonial, behind scenes, teasers, demonstrations etc. – and go for the one that brings in the best engagement from your audience. 

Balance Your Budget 

Investing tonnes of money into your video marketing may seem like the way to go, but it doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll get results. Having a high production may look good, it may look professional, but that doesn’t mean the viewers will watch. Funnelling money into video marketing that doesn’t work leaves less resources for the areas of your marketing that does work. You can build your budget over time, but when you start out you may not have the most-fancy equipment, confidence or style you’ll eventually acquire – and that’s not a problem. The better you get, the better your videos get, and you may even find your viewers engage more with lower produced videos than they do the ones made with more budget, allowing you to find your niche. 

Have A Goal 

What do you want your videos to achieve? If you have an idea of what you want to create, the next thing you need to think of is the goal of creating them. Providing value to the audience is a must, but what steps do you want your audience to take? 90% of marketers have said videos have increased brand awareness so this could always one of the things you aim for, alternatively you could want videos to instead push your audience to purchase a product, you may want to generate leads, you could increase your web traffic, or you could get more engagement on your social media pages. Whatever it is, make sure this goal is clear and defined – follow the SMART model and make sure your team are all on the same page. SMART stands for: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-Bound. 

Use Live 

Your videos don’t all have to be pre-recorded! Mix things up by going live and speak directly to active audience members. You can get them involved beforehand by asking them what they want to see and answer any questions they have instantly by engaging with the live chat. Most platforms offer a live feature – whether that’s video or audio – and are great ways to put a face or voice to the name and display your expertise and knowledge beyond text-based posts or pre-recorded content. 

Creation Of Videos 

Make sure your videos are clear, concise and edited before going out on your chosen platform. If desired, create an eye-catching thumbnail that draws in your viewers. Answer any pain-points your audience have and show them how your business is the solution – display what your products can do, using slick transitions and text on screen to add extra details where needed. Creating a map of how you want your videos to look before you start creating them will give you an idea on the direction to take. 

Use The Right Format 

The right format is key to ensuring your videos are displayed properly. Most platforms now support both vertical and landscape videos, but working out which format you’re more likely to go for will be great when setting up your content. If you’re thinking of vertical videos, then TikTok, Reels and YouTube Shorts are great options. If you’re business leans more towards landscape, then YouTube, Facebook, and X are the right ways to go, and Instagram potentially too. 
Videos are a powerful marketing source, and one that requires time & attention from you an your team to perfect. By following these tips, you’ll be well on your way to creating fantastic videos that play a key role in your marketing. 
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Social Media & Digital Marketing July 2024 Roundup

Posted on 25th July 2024
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
We’re reaching the end of another month, and during July we’ve seen a couple of updates to the Social Media & Digital Marketing world that are worth being aware of. 
 
Here is everything you need to know…. 

New Creative Options Added To Shorts 

With Shorts becoming one of the most popular ‘new’ features on YouTube in the last year, the platform has been working hard to ensure that it remains to be used and becomes even more of a rival to TikTok. This month they’ve rolled out some new features, including auto-layout for Android users, a text—to-speech option (much like TikTok), auto-captions that can be customised, the ability remix already remixed videos and, in a move like the sticker template on Instagram, the ability to use the new ‘Add Yours’ sticker and join in with other users based on the sticker prompts. 

YouTube Spaces 

In another move by YouTube, they’re also adding community spaces. Channel membership has been a thing for a while, allowing loyal viewers to get different perks should they sign up – this was then followed by the Community tab where creators could make posts either for all viewers or just members. 
 
Now, Spaces will allow not just the creator but also viewers to make their own posts and interact with one another within the channels Community Space, opening the platform up to becoming a more social and collaborative media platform. It’s currently being rolled out on selected channels, with hopes, if it’s successful, it will be rolled out across the platform soon. 

Overlay Ads On Reels 

Reels, like Shorts, seem to be Meta’s focus right now – with over 200 billion daily views - and they’ve been making changes over the last year to keep up with rivals and keep users on Facebook on Instagram instead of switching to TikTok or Shorts.  
 
Now, Meta is making it easier for advertisers to get engagement with their ads via reels, allowing an overlay option for ads either between clips or for ads to expand on the second playthrough of the reel. 

Small Update For TikTok Users 

TikTok will now allow users to add their own thumbnails to videos, which may help with grabbing user’s attention, creating cohesive profile feeds and luring users to click on videos on your profile. We’ve seen a the power thumbnails have had on YouTube, with different trends popping up over the years which, when used correctly, have maximised video views. Whilst TikTok in itself works different to YouTube in terms of it’s display, the new option to add a custom thumbnail could still have a big impact. 
That’s all for July! Have a wonderful August and remember keep an eye out for any more digital marketing or social media updates. 
 
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 driving school's Meta Business Suite and click insights in the left column. You will see an overview of all your content with their reach (how many devices it appeared on) and 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 May 2024 Roundup

Posted on 30th May 2024
 
 
 
 
 
 
We’ve come to the end of May, meaning it’s time for this months Social Media Roundup! 
 
There has been a couple of new things that may be handy for you to make note of in the digital marketing world this month. Here’s everything you need to know… 

New Ad Tools On TikTok 

The TikTok World Event 2024 took place this month, and there were some new things announced regarding the TikTok Ads system. 
 
First of all, they’re continuing to utilising AI to help creators with their advertising. This new suite is called ‘Symphony’, and is made for ad partners who will receive AI assistance with things such as writing scripts, producing videos, creating ideas, and more. TikTok began introducing all these features separately last year, but will be collecting them all into one place to make it easier for ad partners to access and use to their full potential. 
 
They’re also bringing in a platform for marketing named TikTok One, which will act as a replacement for the current Creative Centre. TikTok One will make it easier to access TikTok’s built in marketing tools and new creation elements. As explained by TikTok: “Brands will be able to tap into this one-stop-shop to access TikTok creators, production partners, and insights, including TikTok Creator Marketplace and TikTok Creative Challenge. With TikTok One, advertisers will be able to access nearly 2 million creators, discover top agency partners and leverage our creative tools to implement and scale successful TikTok campaigns, all with a single log-in.” It will launch later in 2024. 
 
They’re also improving AI and machine learning for Ad Targeting, and improving optimisation tools for those selling on TikTok Shop. 
 
They’re also launching something called ‘Unified Lift’, putting all existing campaign measurement options into a single performance measurement – with TikTok saying “[Unified Lift will] empower advertisers to confidently maximize the results of their investments on TikTok. Unified Lift combines the power of Brand Lift Studies and Conversion Lift Studies to give businesses a comprehensive view of their total TikTok campaigns’ impact.” 
 
Also announced were ad functions ‘Interactive Add-Ons for TopView’ and ‘Duet with Branded Mission’, both to help boost ad engagement and performance. 

Chat Option To Close On Google Business Profiles 

Google will shut down the chat and call history features on Google Business Profiles in July. 
 
The tools were underutilised, but allowed users on Google Search, Maps and Shopping to get in touch with your business directly from listings by starting a chat from the display. The closure of this feature is being done as Google streamlines its business tools. Chat will be disabled in mid-July, with the feature shut down entirely at the end of July. 

YouTube Rolls Out New Video Function 

For those who use YouTube often, the platform will now be able to identify specific sections of videos where demonetisation or restrictions have been triggered so you can remove content that flags up on the system. They’ll also let you know if the problem lies with your thumbnail or title, as per YouTube “The way this will work is that when a creator uploads a video using our Self-Certification process on web uploads, and that video receives a yellow icon, they’ll have the option to appeal, and have one of our experts review the video. When that review is complete, the issues our expert found that led to a yellow icon (for either Limited or No Ads) will appear for the creator in Studio, alongside timestamps of where in the video they appeared.” 

TikTok Management System Launched 

Finally, we end this month on another TikTok update – they’ve launched a Management dashboard for Creators to use for analysis. It includes all of their analytics in one place, and is called TikTok Studio – another section that has been taken from the original Creative Centre. They said of the launch: “Whether you’re a seasoned creator, a newbie debuting your first video, or a small business balancing content creation while managing a business, TikTok Studio provides free, easy-to-use creation tools and centralized operational capabilities designed to efficiently streamline content workflow. Using their TikTok account to log in or sign up, creators can upload, film, edit, and post to TikTok directly from TikTok Studio and use tools like auto caption, photo editor, and autocut to polish their content with professional finesse.” 
That’ all for May! Have a wonderful June and keep an eye out for more news in the digital marketing world next month. 
 
Your social media tip for this month is: "I dont get many likes" 😢 
 
"No one engages with my content"  
 
All excuses people use to not post on social. 
 
But you see likes, comments and shares can be vanity metrics. 
 
Yes the more engagement you get the more reach you get, but there is also "lurkers". People who watch your content, value your content and consume it but they never engage. 
 
To you it seems that no one is watching... but they are. 
 
So, stop getting caught in the trap of craving social media engagement and instead concentrate on offering value, showing your expertise and knowledge and showcasing your ability as the best in your industry. 
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Social Media & Digital Marketing January 2024 Roundup

Posted on 25th January 2024
 
 
Happy 2024! As we enter the New Year, we can expect lots of updates coming to social media as 2024 progresses, and have started to see updates being rolled out this January. 
 
Here’s all the social media news this January. 
 
Detailed Targeting Options To Be Removed For Facebook Ads 
 
Meta have announced certain targeting options are to be removed from Facebook Ads due to low usage, being too specific and causing issues due to sensitive topics such as race, ethnicity and health. 
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Social Media & Digital Marketing November 2023 Roundup

Posted on 23rd November 2023
 
As we head towards the end of 2023, there’s been some updates to social media platforms over November that could be helpful to make note of, especially as you approach reviewing or creating your digital marketing strategy for 2024. 
 
Here’s all the updates from November! 
 
Link Previews Returning To X 
 
It was just last month that Elon Musk decided to remove link previews from articles when posted to X, meaning the article image was the only thing displayed to users, meaning they’d have to click the image to find the article, and marketers would have to try and cram enough information into their copy in order to let their audiences know what they were sharing. Now, Musk is said to have done a U-Turn, with the article titles returning to the display of links when they’re posted on X. 
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Social Media & Digital Marketing October 2023 Roundup

Posted on 26th October 2023
 
This October, there’s been a few changes to social media platforms that could be helpful for you to know so you can adapt and create your own business’ social strategies accordingly. 
 
Here’s all the news from October… 
 
YouTube Updates Partner Programme & YouTube Shorts 
 
YouTube has expanded its partner programme to include users in another 23 countries to have access to monetisation options should they have 500 or more subscribers. This was previously only rolled out to select regions. 
 
For Youtube Shorts, AI features are being rolled out to enhance videos and add filters to creator’s videos (much like TikTok). This is still in early development, although looks to be another way that YouTube plans to continue promoting the Shorts feature, making it a worthy competitor to both Reels and TikTok. 
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