Social Media Guide:
Tips, Tricks + Tools
Hi there!
Social media is an essential tool for building brand awareness, engaging with your audience, and driving business growth.
To make managing your social presence easier, we’ve compiled this guide filled with handy tips, recommended tools, and best practices. Use it as a reference whenever you need a refresh on strategies, specs, or engagement techniques.
Essential Tools + Resources
Canva (Pro/Plus)
Graphic design for posts, stories, and reels
ChatGPT
ChatGPT is a powerful tool that can help you brainstorm engaging captions and content ideas tailored to your brand. Here’s how to make the most of it:
Generating Captions: Ask ChatGPT for different styles, such as “Write a fun, engaging Instagram caption for [topic]” or “Give me a caption idea for a product launch.”
Adapting Tone & Style: Modify the AI-generated text to fit your brand’s voice - whether it’s professional, playful, or casual (don’t forget to ask for Australian spelling!)
Content Ideas & Prompts: Use ChatGPT to come up with post ideas by asking, “What are some trending topics in [industry]?” or “Give me five Instagram post ideas for my business.”
Hashtag Suggestions: Ask ChatGPT for relevant hashtag ideas based on your niche to optimise reach and engagement.
Meta Business Suite
Manage Facebook & Instagram in one place.
Schedule posts, stories, and ads in advance.
Use insights and analytics to determine the best times to post.
Automate responses and engagement to maintain consistency.
Copyright Free Imagery
Using high-quality stock images can elevate your social media presence, ensuring your content looks polished and professional. Platforms like Unsplash, Pexels, and Freepik offer a vast collection of royalty-free images to match your brand’s aesthetic. When selecting stock photos, aim for authentic, high-resolution visuals that complement your message.
Platform Guidelines + Specs
Post Size: 1080x1350px (portrait)
Stories: 1080x1920px
Reels: 1080x1920px
Faceboook
Post Size: 1200x630px
Stories: 1080x1920px
Cover Photo: 820x312px (desktop), 640x360px (mobile)
Profile Image: 400x400px
Cover Image: 1584x396px
Post Images: 1200x627px
Videos: Minimum 256x144px, Maximum 4096x2304px
Carousel Posts: Recommended 1080x1080px for best engagement
Content Creation
Designing Content
Static Posts
Canva training videos
Reels
Short, engaging, and valuable content performs best.
Use trending music, captions, and transitions.
Use stock video when needed to enhance storytelling.
Instagram Stories
Use interactive features like stickers, polls, Q&A, and countdowns.
Include a call-to-action (CTA) (e.g., “Swipe Up,” “DM us for more info”).
Share others' stories and repost relevant content to increase engagement.
Share your important posts to your story
Writing Captions
SEO in Captions
Include relevant keywords to help your content appear in search results.
Keep the first two lines engaging to capture attention.
Hashtag Strategy
Use 3-5 strong, specific hashtags to improve reach.
Rotate hashtags to expand your reach.
Use tools like Canva’s Hashtag Generator or ChatGPT
Content Planning + Scheduling
Content Calendar & Layout
Plan posts at least 2 weeks ahead.
Maintain a mix of promotional, educational, and engagement-driven content.
Use tools like Meta Business Suite or Later for scheduling.
Best Posting Times
Instagram + Facebook: 7–9 AM, 11 AM–1 PM, 6–9 PM > People are on their phones before work, lunch break and after work.
LinkedIn: 7–9 AM, 12 PM, 5–6 PM > Weekdays perform best
Scheduling Your Posts
Meta Business Suite – Manage Facebook & Instagram in one place.
Schedule posts, stories, and ads in advance.
Automate responses and engagement to maintain consistency. This can be setup in the Meta Business Suite, instructions here.
Navigating Instagram Analytics
Reach & Impressions: How many people see your content.
Engagement Rate: Likes, comments, shares, and saves.
Follower Growth: Monitor trends and optimize content accordingly.
Good luck!
If you have any questions or need further guidance, feel free to reach out!
cathy@thestudiocreative.com.au
tayla@thestudiocreative.com.au