25 Things to Know About Social Media Marketing: The Ultimate List for Modern Marketers

Social media marketing is always changing, but there are some basics that never go out of style. Whether you’re new to the game or brushing up your strategy, these 25 things to know about social media marketing will sharpen your efforts and improve your results. This list covers everything from setting goals, targeting the right crowd, content planning, to legal details and maximizing your brand’s presence. If you’re running ads, creating videos or focusing on community, you’ll find tips that save time, boost engagement, and help you grow.

Photo by Eva Bronzini

1. Social Media Marketing Basics

Social media marketing means using platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, Pinterest, and TikTok to promote your brand or product. The main idea is to connect with your audience, grow brand awareness, and drive sales. Platforms differ in style and audience, so understanding each one is important.

2. Why Social Media Marketing Matters

Social media marketing puts your brand in front of billions of users. It offers a chance to reach targeted customers at a low cost, build relationships, and get instant feedback. Brands use social media for almost every business goal, from sales to customer support.

3. Organic vs. Paid Social Media

Organic marketing is about free posts, engagement, and building a following without spending money on ads. Paid social refers to sponsored posts and ads. Both are important, but organic builds trust, while paid helps you reach more people or target specific groups.

4. Setting Goals that Matter

Define clear goals such as raising brand awareness, getting leads, driving traffic, or increasing sales. Without goals, you can’t measure progress. Use the SMART framework: specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound objectives.

5. Aligning Social Goals with Business Goals

Social media can’t exist in a vacuum. For real growth, your online goals should support your main business targets. This means connecting your social activity to outcomes like leads, sales, or customer satisfaction.

6. Knowing Your Audience

Success on social media starts with knowing who you’re talking to. Audience research uses tools like in-app analytics, surveys, and third-party data. Knowing your audience’s age, interests, habits, and pain points makes your content more appealing and relevant.

7. Building Audience Personas

Personas help you visualize your ideal customer. These include basic info like age, job, and interests, as well as social habits. Personas guide your content decisions and ad targeting, making your efforts more effective.

8. The Power of Competitor Analysis

Look at what your competitors do well (and not so well). Analyze their content, posting schedule, tone, and engagement. Use this info to spot opportunities and avoid mistakes, refining your own approach.

9. Crafting a Social Media Strategy

A strategy covers your content plan, posting frequency, engagement tactics, and goals. It’s more than just posting at random. Review analytics and feedback to keep improving your strategy as your audience grows.

10. Creating Amazing Content

Content is everything. Mix up images, videos, reels, stories, infographics, and live streams. Creative, visually consistent content helps your posts stand out in crowded feeds. Use tools like Canva for graphics or video editors to produce eye-catching visuals.

11. The Role of Storytelling

Storytelling builds a human connection. Use stories to showcase behind-the-scenes moments, highlight customer experiences, or share brand milestones. Audiences connect more with stories than with sales pitches.

12. Planning with a Content Calendar

A calendar keeps you organized and prevents last-minute scrambles. Plan posts in advance, align content with key dates, and keep a regular posting rhythm. Tools like Hootsuite and Buffer let you schedule posts for efficiency.

13. Perfect Timing

Best times to post depend on your platform and audience. For many, weekday mornings or lunchtime work well, but check your analytics to see when your audience is online. Adjust your schedule to match their habits.

14. Using Hashtags Wisely

Hashtags help your posts get discovered by new audiences. Research popular and niche hashtags, mix them up, and use local tags if you’re targeting a specific area. Don’t overdo it—too many hashtags can look spammy, and using banned or irrelevant ones can limit your reach.

15. Building an Engaged Community

Social media isn’t just about broadcasting. Reply to comments and messages, ask questions, run polls, and make your followers feel heard. User-generated content, like reviews or photos, brings authenticity and boosts engagement.

16. Handling Criticism and Negative Comments

Every brand gets criticism. Reply calmly and quickly to negative feedback, and never get personal. A professional, honest response can often turn a complaint into a positive for your reputation.

17. Paid Social: Getting More Reach

Paid ads let you target users by demographics, location, interests, and more. Platforms like Facebook Ads and Instagram Ads offer many formats, from stories to carousel posts. Set a realistic budget and watch performance metrics to refine your campaigns.

You can learn more details about effective paid and organic strategies in the Forbes Social Media Marketing Guide.

18. Tracking What Matters

Track metrics like engagement rate, reach, impressions, click-through rate, and conversions. Each platform offers analytics tools to help. Numbers show what’s working and what needs to change, helping you fine-tune your social strategy.

19. Influencer Marketing Power

Work with influencers who match your brand values. Micro-influencers often give higher engagement in niche markets. Partnering with the right people builds trust and extends your reach. Look at how well influencer posts drive your actual goals, not just likes.

20. Optimizing for Mobile

Most users browse social media on their phones. Make sure images, videos, and links look good on small screens. Readable text, quick load times, and eye-catching visuals help keep people watching and clicking.

21. Video Rules Social

Video is engaging and gets shared more than other types of content. Use tutorials, behind-the-scenes clips, or short-form videos like Reels and TikToks. Production doesn’t have to be expensive—focus on good lighting, clear audio, and authentic moments.

22. Social Listening

Listen to what people say about your brand, your competitors, and your industry. Social listening tools track mentions and trends. Use these insights to improve products, fix issues fast, and spot new content ideas.

For more practical tactics, check out Social Media Best Practices.

23. Staying Ahead of Trends and Algorithms

Algorithms change often, impacting how many people see your posts. Stay up to date on platform news to adjust your content plans. Trends like short-form video and interactive content are shaping the way brands connect with audiences.

24. Crossing Platforms (and Avoiding Clones)

Share your best content across different platforms, but change the format or message a bit to fit each one. For example, a detailed LinkedIn article can be turned into a quick Instagram post. This avoids content fatigue and keeps things fresh.

25. Legal and Ethical Basics

Follow platform guidelines and marketing laws. Always disclose sponsored content and respect copyright rules. Be clear about data collection and respect user privacy to keep your brand’s reputation strong.

These 25 things to know about social media marketing will help you build a stronger brand and a more loyal community. Even small shifts—like better timing, smarter hashtags, or stronger visuals—can create big results. If you’re interested in more actionable tips, here’s a list of Online Home Business Marketing Tips that can improve your overall online presence.

If you’re looking for more tools to speed up your workflow, check out the Top Blogging Tools for Beginners 2024.

For an in-depth guide to building an effective plan, HubSpot’s Social Media Marketing: The Ultimate Guide covers many current best practices.

Social media marketing keeps changing, but these foundations give you everything you need to compete and win—no matter your business size or goal. Ready to take your next step? Start with one or two items from this list and grow from there.