Read our most up-to-date post for September 2022.

Every month, we’re sharing bite-size summaries of the latest social media news, key trends and practical tips we’ve come across. These are based both on our own experience working with our clients, and from what we’ve been reading around the web.

See if you can apply these September tips to increase your reach, engagement and follower growth. Just be sure to always test before changing your social media strategy entirely, as not every approach works for every type of account or brand.

Want even more social media news and best practices? Check out our December 2021, November 2021, and other monthly roundups.

1. Social media trends: Stay up to date with the latest platform updates

• Instagram is replacing swipe-up links with link stickers in Stories from August 30.
• LinkedIn is removing its Stories functionality by the end of September. They will instead focus on a “reimagined video experience”.
• Facebook Messenger adds 10 new features including polls, new ways to share contacts, and “word effects” where your chosen words trigger a cascade of emojis.
• Facebook is rolling out Reels creation and sharing within Facebook itself to users in selected countries.
• Twitter now allows you to share the same Tweet in up to 20 separate DM conversations, and more DM improvements:

2. Twitter ads tips: Use multiple ad formats, and keep videos short with clear branding

Twitter recently released an updated version of its agency playbook. The playbook provides marketers with insights on how to create effective Twitter ad campaigns. Here were just some of their recommended best practices:

• Use multiple ad formats in each campaign. Using 3 or more ad formats increases campaign awareness by 20% and purchase intent by 7%, compared to using only 1 ad format.
• Keep video ads under 15 seconds and design for sound off. Use movement or talent in the first few seconds to attract attention. And include captions or another sound-off strategy. This can help increase emotional engagement by 33%.
• Keep your branding on-screen, or at least for the first 3 seconds of your video ad. Video ads with clear logo placement drive 36% higher brand recall.
• Avoid making changes in the first 5 days. Allow the system to efficiently calibrate your ads (aka “Learning Period”).

3. Social media tip: Come up with content ideas quickly

Stuck on what content to post on social media? Here are some ways to come up with ideas fast in the short and long term:

1. Define your social media goals and strategy. This will help guide your post ideas by giving you a focus.
2. Be inspired by top-performing content. Search for popular hashtags, be inspired by your competitors’ top posts, and monitor online conversations for trending topics.
3. Repurpose your existing content. For example, turn a webinar into a series of short videos, repurpose a blog post into a carousel, or re-share popular content as a “throwback” post.
4. Create a content series. Such as a weekly tip or monthly interviews.
5. Keep a content calendar. Add any relevant social media holidays, company milestones, marketing campaign dates, and other timely events around which to create content.
6. Block time to brainstorm and plan in advance. Batch working in this way can help save time in the long run.

Get more ideas on how to create social media content faster.

4. Instagram tip: Use keywords in key places to rank higher in search

Instagram is breaking down how its search works. They revealed that the text users enter into the app’s search bar is by far the most important signal used to rank results. They therefore recommend the following best practices for showing up in search results:

1. Optimize your handle and profile name. Include the name by which your fans know you best. But also words that relate to the content of your posts or describe what your account is about.
2. Use keywords in your bio. Include who you are and what your profile is about.
3. Add your location in your bio, if your account is location-specific.
4. Include keywords in your captions. Put relevant keywords and hashtags in your captions — and not in the comments — for your posts to show up in search results.

5. Social media tip: Create noise around your new kits and uniforms

Got some new sports kits, employee uniforms or apparel merchandise? Turn it into a social media event and make your audience feel part of the process!

BRR Digital share their best practices. These are based on new sports kits reveals, but applicable to most new clothing deliveries:

• The catwalk: Put on the outfits and create videos with cool movements, transitions and effects. Google “clothes transitions tutorial” for ideas and how-tos.
• The unboxing: Record yourself opening the box to reveal the new kits. This could even be done live — just be sure to prep the room and remove any sensitive information from the box first.
• The ranking: Describe your favorite items and get your followers to rank them.

6. TikTok tips: Act like a user and think TikTok first

What’s key to an effective marketing strategy on TikTok? Social Media Today put the question to Becca Sawyer, TikTok’s Global Head of Small Business Solutions.

These were her 4 main recommendations for brands and organizations:

1. Engage like a user: Join conversations and build a community.
2. Think TikTok first: This helps your creativity scale with the dynamic nature of the platform.
3. Build a narrative: Don’t just join a conversation, but start a new one.
4. Create with intent: “Don’t Make Ads. Make TikToks” goes the Tiktok motto. “TikTok is the place where authenticity and realness is not only accepted; it’s celebrated.”

7. Snapchat trends: Discover what your audience is into with new insights

Snapchat is giving us access to the topics and keywords most used by their users through their newly-launched Snapchat Trends. Dive into the data and review the example Snaps to discover what your audience cares about, and inspire your marketing strategies — both inside and outside the platform.

Here are some ideas on how to use Snapchat Trends:

1. Product market research. For example, the data shows an increase in conversations around summer flavors such as watermelon, strawberry and rhubarb.
2. Creative messaging and copywriting inspiration based on language trends. For example, “third-wheeling” is an increasingly popular term.
3. Competitive research and brand health monitoring. Analyze multiple products in one query to see how your brand compares to the competition.

Check out the top Snapchat trends for the past week.

Get more social media best practices from our experts

• Read our top social media tips and trends for August and July 2021.
• Get tips on how to create social media content faster.
• Discover why SEPHORA uses Content Stadium to keep its social media branding consistent across 16 countries.

Plus, follow us on LinkedIn to get our monthly social media best practices straight to your feed!