Social Media Marketing
Social Media Marketing tests channel selection, audience and platform fit, organic and paid execution, community management, and measurement. Expect questions on native formats, engagement math, influencer disclosure, and how to turn social activity into business outcomes.
Core rules and concepts
- Choose platforms by audience behavior and job-to-be-done, not by trend. A B2B SaaS audience may justify LinkedIn; a visual consumer brand may prioritize Instagram or TikTok.
- Match creative to placement: vertical short video, carousels, polls, and live formats perform differently; recycle the idea, not the exact asset.
- Separate organic reach from paid impressions. Paid social buys reach and frequency; organic builds community and credibility.
- Define engagement consistently. Engagement rate by reach = engagements/reach; by impressions = engagements/impressions; by followers is weaker because followers may not see the post.
- Disclose paid influencer relationships clearly and follow platform branded-content tools.
Worked example
A post earns 20,000 impressions, reaches 16,000 unique accounts, gets 640 engagements, and produces 320 link clicks. Engagement rate by reach is 640/16,000 = 4.0%. Click-through rate by impressions is 320/20,000 = 1.6%. If 8% of clicks become leads, the post yields 320 × 0.08 = 25.6 leads. The reasoning: use reach for engagement quality, impressions for delivery, and a downstream conversion rate for business value.
Traps that cost marks
Using follower count as the denominator across platforms; calling impressions reach; counting a like as a lead; ignoring paid amplification; and launching a platform because competitors are there without a content or measurement plan.