Social media marketing feels overwhelming. Here are straightforward answers to the 15 most common questions.
1. Which Social Media Platform Is Best for My Business?
Depends on your audience.
- LinkedIn: B2B, professional services, SaaS
- Instagram: E-commerce, lifestyle brands, visual products
- Facebook: Local businesses, older demographics (35+)
- TikTok: Gen Z, entertainment, viral content
- Twitter/X: News, tech, thought leadership
Rule: Go where your customers are, not where YOU like to hang out.
2. How Often Should I Post?
Platform-specific recommendations:
- LinkedIn: 3-5x/week
- Instagram: 3-7x/week (feed) + daily Stories
- Facebook: 3-5x/week
- TikTok: 1-3x/day
- Twitter: 5-10x/day
Reality check: Consistency beats frequency. Better to post 3x/week reliably than daily for 2 weeks, then disappear.
3. Do I Need to Be on Every Platform?
No. Focus on 1-2 platforms you can do well.
Being mediocre on 5 platforms is worse than being excellent on 1.
4. What Type of Content Converts Best?
Top-performing content types:
- Educational: How-tos, tips, tutorials
- Behind-the-scenes: Show your process, team, culture
- User-generated content: Customer photos/testimonials
- Video: Short-form (Reels, TikToks) outperforms static posts
- Stories/polls: High engagement, low commitment
Pro tip: 80% value, 20% promotion. Don't just sell.
5. How Do I Measure Social Media ROI?
Track these metrics:
- Traffic: How many clicks to your website?
- Leads: Email sign-ups, form fills from social
- Conversions: Direct sales attributed to social
- Cost per lead: Ad spend � leads generated
Vanity metrics to ignore: Likes, followers (unless they convert).
6. Should I Use Paid Ads or Organic?
Both.
Organic: Builds community, costs time
Paid: Scales fast, costs money
Strategy: Start organic to test messaging. Once you know what works, amplify with ads.
7. How Do I Grow My Following?
- Post consistently: See question #2
- Engage authentically: Comment on others' posts in your niche
- Use hashtags strategically: 5-10 relevant ones, not trending junk
- Collaborate: Partner with complementary brands
- Run contests/giveaways: "Tag a friend" campaigns work
8. What's the Best Time to Post?
General guidelines:
- LinkedIn: Tuesday-Thursday, 7-9 AM
- Instagram: Wednesday-Friday, 11 AM-2 PM
- Facebook: Wednesday-Friday, 1-3 PM
But: Check YOUR analytics. Your audience might be different.
9. How Do I Build a Community?
- Respond to every comment: Engagement breeds engagement
- Ask questions: Get people talking
- Create a Facebook/LinkedIn Group: Owned community space
- Feature customers: Share their wins, tag them
10. Should I Outsource Social Media Management?
Depends on stage:
- Early-stage (0-10 employees): Handle it yourself or hire a part-time contractor
- Growth stage (10-50 employees): Hire a dedicated social media manager
- Mature (50+ employees): Build an in-house team or agency partnership
11. How Do I Deal with Negative Comments?
- Respond quickly: Within 24 hours
- Stay professional: Never argue publicly
- Take it offline: "DM us to resolve this"
- Delete only spam/hate speech: Legitimate criticism deserves a response
12. What Tools Should I Use?
Essential tools:
- Scheduling: Buffer, Hootsuite, Later
- Design: Canva (free)
- Analytics: Platform native analytics + Google Analytics
- Listening: Mention, Brand24 (track brand mentions)
13. How Long Until I See Results?
Realistic timeline:
- Month 1-3: Building, testing, low engagement
- Month 4-6: Momentum builds, follower growth accelerates
- Month 6+: Consistent leads/sales from social
Don't quit at month 2. Social media is a long game.
14. Should I Use Influencers?
Micro-influencers (10K-100K followers) are best ROI.
- Higher engagement rates than mega-influencers
- More affordable
- Niche audiences that trust them
Vet them: Check engagement rate, audience quality (no bots).
15. What's the Biggest Social Media Mistake?
Posting without a strategy.
Random posts = random results. Define:
- Audience: Who are you talking to?
- Goal: Traffic? Leads? Brand awareness?
- Content pillars: 3-5 repeating themes
- Posting schedule: Consistency matters
Conclusion
Social media isn't rocket science�it's consistency + value + engagement. Pick your platforms wisely, post consistently, track what matters, and don't chase vanity metrics.
Ready to create a social media plan? Read How to Create a Social Media Plan.