How do you conduct a social media audit for your clients?

Start by establishing the scope of the audit to include all social media platforms where the client is active. This will involve gathering data on existing accounts, including those possibly forgotten or less frequently used. Identify the key metrics that align with the client's business objectives, such as engagement rate, follower growth, and conversion rates.

Based on my experience, to conduct a social media audit for your clients, follow these steps: 1. Define Your Audit Scope: Start by clarifying what you aim to achieve. Determine the main questions you want to answer, the metrics you need to measure, and the time frames and benchmarks for comparison. Tailor your audit to focus on aspects like brand awareness, audience engagement, content quality, customer service, lead generation, or competitive analysis, based on your client's goals and needs.

A well-defined scope allows you to focus on what matters for your client's success in social media, making it a valuable investment. SO, tailor it to their specific needs to ensure efficiency and effectiveness, providing insights for improving their SM strategy. When defining your audit scope, start by identifying your client's top priorities. Consider answering: - What is your client's main objective on SM? - What are they aiming to improve/achieve (brand awareness, engagement, leads, another goal)? - Which KPIs will you use to measure progress (followers, engagement, CTR, conversion, etc.)? - What's the time frame for evaluation (weekly, monthly, annually)? - What's the benchmark for comparison?

I first want to know what they are wanting to accomplish from social media. I would include a competitor analysis to show what their competitors are doing and how they are performing. Include a customer analysis, so create an ideal client for the company and figure out what the customer likes and what social media channels they would be on If they already have social media take a look on how their posts have performed in the past, what is the reach, and engagement of the posts. How many followers do they have? Create a content calendar that shows the client what you are wanting to post and when you want to post it. After you start then create a monthly social media report that shows how much they have grown on social media.

It's not just about counting accounts, it’s about understanding their purpose. An unmanaged account can harm more than help. Dive into each account’s role in the client’s strategy. My experience says, often, less is more. Consolidate or shut down irrelevant accounts. Every social media account should also have a clear role and measurable objectives.

Create a detailed inventory of all social media accounts associated with the client's brand, including both official and unofficial (e.g., fan-run) accounts. This step involves documenting account URLs, follower counts, engagement rates, and the frequency of posts.

Don’t just gather data, interpret it. The real gold is in understanding the 'why' behind the numbers. Use tools, but don't rely solely on them. Get direct feedback. Surveys, polls, or direct messages can provide insights that analytics tools miss. And remember, context is king. Compare your performance against industry benchmarks, not just past data.

Analyze audience behaviors, including comments, shares, and likes to understand what content resonates most. Employ sentiment analysis tools to gauge audience perception and response to different content types. Examine how effectively the client interacts with their audience, noting any gaps in responses or engagement opportunities.

Be brutally honest here. If something’s not working, acknowledge it. This isn’t about pleasing your client with good news, it’s about guiding them to better performance. Use data to back your claims. Use a balanced approach. Highlight what’s working well alongside areas for improvement.

Building on the performance assessment, we'll pinpoint the areas where your social media strategy excels and where it may need refinement. Are there particular types of content that resonate more with your audience? Are there platforms where you could enhance your presence?

Empezar con una auditoría de redes sociales es esencial para determinar oportunidades y amenazas. Lo primero es identificar qué redes y hábitos de consumo tiene mi audiencia, ya que esto proporciona información valiosa para identificar hacia dónde dirijo mis esfuerzos. Posteriormente, la auditoría revela el rendimiento actual, permitiendo evaluar la efectividad de las estrategias implementadas hasta el momento y así identificar oportunidades de mejora. Por otra parte, es muy importante analizar la competencia en las redes sociales, ya que revela las fortalezas y debilidades relativas, identificando posibles amenazas y áreas donde destacarnos. De esta manera, logramos desarrollar estrategias de redes sociales efectivas y competitivas.

Opportunities and threats are two sides of the same coin. A threat in the market can become an opportunity if approached correctly. Think outside the box. Recommendations should be practical. Don't suggest overhauling their entire strategy if small tweaks can make a big difference. Focus on actionable steps.

Producing reports can be very time and resource-consuming. Thankfully, there are excellent tools to help you extract reports quickly and easily. We've been using Zoho, and it's been a time-saver. But it's fair to say that no tool can provide that personal, human touch to enhance your strategy and insights, and that's often why the client sought you ;)

The final step involves compiling all the insights and recommendations into a comprehensive report. This report will serve as a roadmap for optimizing your social media presence, highlighting actionable steps to enhance performance and achieve your business objectives.

Never underestimate the power of storytelling. Use real-world examples to illustrate your points. If you improved another client’s engagement by 50% through a specific strategy, mention it. Stories stick better than statistics. Also, stay updated on social media trends. What works today might not tomorrow. Keep learning, keep adapting.

Don’t underestimate the impact of a regular social media audit. Every 4-6 months, I recommend taking a step back and taking a comprehensive look at your performance. Each post creates valuable data that helps you understand what resonates with your audience and what doesn’t. By evaluating this regularly, you’ll maximize the ROI of your social media efforts. An audit isn’t just about identifying weak spots; it’s a chance to double down on what works. This strategic pause helps you pivot as necessary and ensures your content continues to evolve in line with audience preferences and platform changes.