10 Key Areas to Focus on for Effective Social Media Optimisation

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• 13 Mar 2025

In today's growing digital age of 5.24 billion active social media users maintaining an effective presence on social media is no longer an option for any brand or business. In this competitive environment, they must build their image to engage their audiences and drive conversions. To do that, having a social media optimisation plan is a must. Social media efforts can be pointless without optimisation, wasting resources and missing opportunities.

Social Media Optimisation (SMO) is about enhancing engagement, followed by strategy, boosting the brand's visibility, and using algorithm-friendly practices to maximise awareness and impact. Every element of SMO is essential in building a strong social media presence.

So, what can brands do to take full advantage of social media? In this blog, you will read through ten key areas that will result in effective Social Media Optimisation.

What is Social Media Optimisation (SMO)?

Social Media Optimisation (SMO) is how a business or organisation enhances its presence and awareness on social media platforms to achieve its marketing goals. It includes polishing the content, using strategic keywords, garnering audience interaction, and analysing the results to improve their performance.

Unlike Social Media Marketing (SMM), which emphasises paid promotions on social media, SMO is primarily organic and depends on content quality, audience engagement, and best practices for particular platforms. However, most successful SMOs combine organic and paid efforts to achieve maximum results.

Social media has benefited 90% of marketers in increasing the exposure of their brand and services. But how can businesses optimise their presence for such benefits?

10 Important Areas to Focus on for Effective Social Media Optimisation

1. Profile Optimisation

Your social media profile doubles as your digital storefront. Here are some key elements of profile optimisation:

• Profile & Cover Images: Use high-quality, brand-consistent images.
• Bio & Description: Clearly state your value proposition, and include relevant keywords.
• Link Optimisation: Use tools like Linktree or your website landing page to direct traffic.
• SEO Integration: Optimise usernames, display names, and descriptions with searchable keywords.

Companies with fully optimised profiles experience about 30% more engagement than those with incomplete profiles.




2. Content Strategy & Consistency

Good content is one of the main aspects of an effective social media optimisation strategy. To keep audience returning for more, brands must post regularly with engaging, relevant, and top-quality content that draws in consumers. It should include:

• A Mixture of Content Types: Educational, entertaining, promotional, and interactive.
• Content Calendar: Plan ahead to maintain regular posting schedules.
• Storytelling: People connect with stories, not just ads. Showcase behind-the-scenes moments, user-generated content (UGC), and brand journeys.
• Reposting & Repurposing: Maximise content longevity by adapting one piece of content for multiple platforms.



3. Hashtag & Keyword Optimisation

Applying effective hashtags and keywords increases discoverability of your content on social media. Consider using:

• Branded hashtags (e.g., #JustDoIt for Nike).
• Trending & campaign-specific hashtags for promotion.
• Industry-related keywords in captions and alt text for search.
• Localised hashtags to appeal to a specific audience.



4. Engagement & Community Building

High-engagement brands develop loyal audiences and enhance algorithmic ranking. Best practices include:

• Responding to comments and DMs within 24 hours.
• Engaging with fans' content by liking, sharing, and responding.
• Running live Q&As, AMAs (Ask Me Anything), and polls.
• Spurring user-generated content (UGC) by showcasing customers in posts.

Fact: 71% of customers with a positive social media experience with a brand will recommend it to others.




5. Platform-Specific Optimisation

Every social platform has its unique algorithms and content inclinations. Optimise your strategy to:

• Instagram & TikTok: Leverage short-form videos, popular sounds, and interactive Stories.
• LinkedIn: Share thought leadership pieces, professional tips, and industry news.
• X (Twitter): Share short, engaging, and timely content.
• Facebook: Focus on community-building via Groups and engaging posts.



6. Visual & Video Optimisation

To increase their engagement rate, 91% of companies utilise video marketing compared to static posts. You can start focusing more on video posts and improve their visuals by:

• Utilising high-quality images and videos consistent with brand visual identity.
• Including subtitles and captions for accessibility.
• Optimising video descriptions with keywords.



7. Posting Frequency & Timing

Data-driven posting schedules have a huge influence on engagement. It is best recommended that you study your audience activity and post when users are most active. You can also use platforms like Sprout Social or Buffer to scan your audience's peak usage.




8. Social Commerce & CTA Optimisation

In 2021, social commerce reached $492 billion worldwide, but now it is expected to grow even further. This year, social commerce might triple the revenue and reach a whopping $1.2 trillion! And hence, optimising your storefronts is absolutely essential.

So, ensure:

• Shoppable posts are enabled on Instagram and Facebook.
• Clean call-to-actions (CTAs) like "Shop Now" and "Learn More."
• Mobile-optimised landing pages for smooth conversions.



9. Paid & Organic Strategy Balance

Though organic reach is excellent for credibility, paid promotions magnify the effects. What you can do is, balance your strategy by:

• Retargeting engaged users with paid advertising.
• Increasing high-performing organic posts.
• Conducting A/B testing on ad creatives to improve performance.



10. Performance Tracking & Iteration

Improvement should be continuous, and that is the key. And, when you keep progressing, it is also essential to track your performance through:

• Engagement rate, reach, and conversions.
• Google Analytics & UTM tracking.
• A/B testing for headlines, CTAs, and formats.

Conclusion

Your takeaway is that social media optimisation is a continuous process that requires brands to remain agile and adaptive. By focusing on these 10 key areas, businesses can maximise their online presence, build strong relationships, and drive sustainable growth.

As algorithms update and user behavior shifts, keeping your social media optimisation strategy up-to-date keeps your brand front and center, making it relevant, and interesting. Optimise now, and soar to social media success!