28 Social Media Best Practices To Follow in 2025

Social media has become essential for businesses looking to connect with their audience, build brand awareness, and drive attention. You must follow social media best practices that maximize reach and foster authentic interactions to stand out. From choosing the right platforms to creating compelling content, the right approach can elevate your brand and turn casual followers into loyal customers.

Maximizing social engagement goes beyond posting regularly — it’s about crafting a strategic social media marketing (SMM) plan that combines content, customer service, and analytics. Whether focused on social media management or improving customer interactions, these best practices will help you maximize your social presence. 

Social Media Best Practices To Enhance Customer Experiences

Social media is more than just a marketing tool — it’s a vital channel for enhancing customer experiences. By implementing effective practices, businesses can foster meaningful relationships with their audience, ensuring that each interaction is positive and impactful. Here are some best practices to help you elevate your social media customer service.

1. Use social media as a customer service channel

Social media users often engage with brands online for support. Tracking customer inquiries and concerns in real time allows brands to respond quickly, helping to create a positive experience and improve customer satisfaction. This approach showcases your commitment to excellent service and encourages other customers to reach out with their questions or concerns, knowing they will be heard.

2. Respond promptly to direct messages and comments

Customers expect quick replies, and by engaging with them swiftly, you demonstrate that their feedback is valued. When possible, aim for a response time of under an hour This can significantly enhance customer loyalty and increase positive sentiment toward your brand. Remember, every interaction is an opportunity to showcase your brand’s personality and commitment to service.

3. Leverage AI and automation to improve response times

AI and automation tools can streamline your customer service, handling routine tasks efficiently. Here are some ways to leverage them effectively:

• Use chatbots to handle common inquiries and FAQs for faster response times.
• Automate messaging to keep communication flowing smoothly.
• Free up your team to focus on complex customer issues.
• Implement social media customer service software for real-time support.

You can also use social media customer service software — just make sure to balance automation with human touch, as personal interactions still play a crucial role in building relationships.

4. Gather customer feedback and feature their experiences

Actively solicit input through polls, surveys, and open-ended questions, and make it easy for customers to share their experiences. Featuring customer stories and testimonials on your platforms validates their opinions and builds trust with potential customers. By showcasing real experiences, you create a sense of community and demonstrate that you value your customers’ voices.

Best Practices for Social Media Tools

The right tools can greatly improve your social media strategy while simplifying your management tasks. Utilizing advanced technologies and effective systems saves time and improves engagement and customer satisfaction. Here are some best practices for using social media tools effectively.

5. Schedule content in advance but consider the benefits of posting manually

Scheduling content in advance is a great way to maintain consistency and ensure timely messaging. Scheduled posts allow you to provide your target audience with consistent content that maintains engagement. Be sure to create a content calendar to keep track of scheduled posts coming down the pipeline so you don’t duplicate social media posts.

However, don’t overlook the value of manual posting. Spontaneous, real-time posts can capture current trends, provide relevant content, and foster a sense of authenticity that scheduled social posts sometimes lack.

6. Invest in a social CRM

Investing in a social CRM can boost your customer relationships by integrating social media data with customer interactions. This enables businesses to track conversations, analyze metrics, and manage leads across all social platforms. Social CRM tools also allow you to manage online reviews and social media content engagement to better understand customer sentiment. By consolidating information, you can create personalized experiences that align with social media customer service best practices.

When choosing a social CRM, ensure it:

• Seamlessly connects with your existing tools and platforms
• Has an intuitive design that makes it easy for your team to navigate and use
• Provides robust social media analytics to track customer interactions and sentiment
• Can grow with your business as your customer base expands

7. Analyze your social media performance regularly

Regularly analyzing your social media performance is crucial for understanding the effectiveness of your best social media strategies. Use analytics tools to measure engagement, reach, and conversion rates, refining your approach based on data-driven insights. Continuous evaluation helps you adapt to changing trends and audience preferences, ensuring sustained growth.

Best Practices for Social Media Strategy

Creating a solid social media plan is essential for maximizing your online presence and achieving your business objectives. By implementing social media marketing best practices, you can ensure your efforts are targeted and effective. Here are some key social media best practices to guide your social media strategy.

8. Define social media goals and align them with business objectives

Defining clear social media goals is crucial to creating a successful strategy. These goals should align with your overall business objectives, whether that’s increasing brand awareness, generating leads, or improving customer involvement. Establishing measurable outcomes allows you to evaluate your progress and adjust your tactics as needed to ensure your content strategy remains effective.

9. Learn about social media algorithm optimization

Understanding social media algorithms is vital for optimizing your content for maximum visibility. Social media search engine optimization (SEO) techniques, such as using relevant keywords and hashtags, can increase your chances of reaching a broader audience. Here’s what else you should focus on:

• Using high-quality visuals and compelling storytelling to capture attention
• Adding descriptive text to images for better indexing and accessibility
• Sharing short videos or live streams, as they tend to receive higher participation rates
• Maintaining a regular posting schedule to keep your audience engaged and informed

10. Learn from competitor strategies

Studying competitor strategies offers useful insights into effective approaches and potential pitfalls within your industry — what works and what doesn’t. Look at their content types, level of audience participation, and posting frequencies to identify best practices and gaps in your own strategy. By learning from their successes and mistakes, you can refine your approach and differentiate your brand in the marketplace.

11. Audit your current social media and assess performance

Regular audits of your social media presence can help you identify your strengths and pinpoint areas for improvement. You should:

• Analyze likes, shares, comments, and overall interaction rates.
• Check how many people your posts are reaching across different platforms.
• Assess how many social media interactions lead to desired actions (e.g., purchases, sign-ups).
• Determine which posts resonate most with your audience.

This evaluation will help you identify areas for improvement and inform your future social media strategy.

12. Test and refine your social media approach

Testing different types of content, posting times, and attention-grabbing tactics can provide valuable insights into your audience’s preferences. By experimenting with various approaches and analyzing the results, you can refine your strategy to better meet the needs of your followers. You need a continuous improvement cycle for staying relevant and engaging.

13. Research your audience and create buyer personas

Conduct thorough research to gather data on demographics, interests, and behaviors, and use this information to create detailed buyer personas. These personas will guide your content creation and ensure your messaging resonates with your target audience.

14. Build a strong online presence on the right social networks

Not all social networks are created equal — focus your efforts on the platforms where your audience is most active. Establishing a strong online presence on the right networks can help you better engage with your target audience and amplify your brand’s visibility. Customize your content to match the specific features and audience of each platform to achieve the greatest impact.

15. Use social listening for proactive engagement

Social listening helps you track social media channels for mentions of your brand, competitors, and relevant industry trends. You can build stronger relationships and foster brand loyalty by actively engaging with your audience and addressing their concerns. You can use social media monitoring tools to gather customer insights, which can help respond to customer needs better.

16. Develop clear brand messaging and guidelines

You need consistent brand messaging to build trust and get recognition on social media. Develop clear messaging guidelines that define your brand voice, tone, and key value propositions. This consistency helps ensure that all content aligns with your brand identity and resonates with your audience, reinforcing your overall social media strategy.

Social Media Best Practices for Creating Content

A strong social media strategy hinges on producing content that captivates your audience. By following effective social media posting best practices, brands can engage their audience, promote their products, and enhance customer relationships. 

17. Highlight your products and competitive advantages

Showcasing your products and competitive advantages is essential for driving conversions. Use social media to highlight key features, benefits, and unique selling points. When your audience understands what sets your brand apart, they’re more likely to engage and purchase.

18. Stay on top of social media trends and create related content

Creating content that aligns with current events or popular topics can quickly capture your audience’s attention. Staying informed lets you tap into viral moments and connect with your audience in real time. You can also use social listening software to find out what people think of your brand and create content accordingly.

19. Prioritize brand authenticity

Authenticity is key to earning your audience’s trust. Share real stories, experiences, and values that genuinely connect with your followers. When your content reflects your true brand identity, it fosters a stronger emotional connection and encourages loyalty among customers.

20. Utilize and feature user-generated content (UGC)

User-generated content is a great way to involve your audience and create a sense of belonging. By featuring content created by your customers, you showcase their experiences and provide social proof. It encourages more customers to share their stories, amplifying your brand’s reach. Examples of UGC include:

• Customer reviews and testimonials
• Photos and short-form videos
• Social media posts
• Contests and challenges
• Hashtag campaigns
• Surveys and polls

If a customer creates a positive video about your product or service, don’t be afraid to leverage them as an influencer. Connect with them to see if they can share content in the future for other products of yours that they might enjoy.

21. Tailor content to each social media platform’s specs and requirements

Repurposing content on social channels may help you get your message out faster, but every social media platform has its own set of specifications and audience preferences. Tailoring your content to fit these requirements, such as image sizes, video lengths, and tone, ensures that your messaging resonates with users. Doing this allows your brand to shine on each platform. 

Here are a few examples of different social media platforms and tips to adapt your content:

• TikTok: Create vertical, short-form videos incorporating popular sounds, hashtags, and trends like challenges and duets to boost engagement.
• Facebook: Use different content formats with engaging captions on your Facebook page, tailored to your audience’s interests, and Facebook Groups to increase community engagement.
• Instagram: For Instagram Reels, focus on short, trendy videos with music, effects, and relevant hashtags to capture attention and increase visibility. For Instagram Stories, share time-sensitive or exclusive content with interactive features, saving key stories in Highlights for lasting impact.

22. Establish a clear content approval process

A well-defined content approval process ensures all posts align with your brand messaging and standards. By outlining the steps for reviewing and approving content, you can maintain consistency and quality across all social media channels. This structure minimizes errors and streamlines content creation.

Often when a post garners unwelcome feedback, I like to examine the situation objectively in these parts:

• Process failure — Did the team understand and follow the process? If so, the breakdown is in the process itself.
• Execution failure — Did the team follow the process, but the human aspect was error-prone and did not adequately prevent the issue.
• Post-publishing regrets — Was the critical feedback simply buyer’s remorse? If so, there might not be much to prevent it other than sharing real-world content previews with key business stakeholders.

23. Humanize content to make it relatable

Humanizing your content can strengthen your connection with your audience. You can share behind-the-scenes glimpses, employee stories, and customer testimonials to make your brand more relatable. Here are some other ways: 

• Interactive content: Use polls or Q&A sessions to encourage audience participation and feedback.
• Personal anecdotes: Incorporate relatable stories or experiences from your brand’s journey.
• Major milestones: Share your brand’s achievements or anniversaries to invite your audience to celebrate with you.

This fosters authenticity and invites followers to engage on a personal level.

24. Use video content effectively

Video content is increasingly popular on social media and can significantly accelerate the popularity of your content. Use short, informative, or entertaining videos to capture attention and quickly convey your message. Video formats, such as live streams or tutorials, can improve interaction and provide value to your audience.

Best Practices for Social Media Marketing

Effective social media marketing drives brand awareness, which can eventually lead to more conversions. By implementing the best social media marketing strategies, businesses can maximize their online impact and build meaningful connections with their audience. Here are some key social media best practices to elevate your SMM efforts.

Optimize your marketing strategy for social commerce

Social commerce is rapidly growing, and optimizing your marketing strategy to take advantage of this trend is crucial. Integrate shoppable posts and seamless checkout experiences directly within your social media platforms to drive sales. You can convert followers into customers more effectively by simplifying the purchasing process.

26. Leverage your employees as brand advocates

Employees can act as influential advocates for your brand on social media. For instance, you can motivate employees to share company news, blog posts, and events on their personal social media profiles. Here’s how you can encourage your employees to do this:

• Feature them in your marketing materials to showcase their contributions and personal experiences.
• Offer rewards or recognition for employees who actively promote the brand and engage with followers.
• Create an ambassador program for them where selected employees promote your brand and engage with the community.

This authentic promotion can amplify your brand’s credibility and expand your reach, as people tend to trust individual recommendations over brands.

27. Prioritize LinkedIn for B2B

For B2B companies, LinkedIn is a crucial platform for connecting with decision-makers and industry professionals. Optimize your presence on LinkedIn by sharing valuable content, engaging in industry discussions, and networking with peers. A strong LinkedIn strategy can position your brand as a thought leader and generate valuable business leads.

28. Develop business-friendly content resources

Creating business-friendly content resources can position your brand as a valuable partner in your industry. Develop guides, whitepapers, and case studies that address common pain points for your target audience. Providing useful resources strengthens your brand’s authority and gets you the attention of professionals seeking real solutions.

Enhance Your Social Media Operation with Nextiva

Incorporating these social media best practices into your marketing strategy can help you boost engagement and drive customer satisfaction.

As you implement these strategies, consider how our social media management platform can support your efforts. With powerful tools designed to streamline your social media customer service, monitor brand sentiment, and analyze performance, you can create a seamless experience for your audience.