4 parts, about 20 minutes. Your work saves itself in this browser. See the guide again
A social media manager decides what to publish, in which format and when, replies to the community and looks at the numbers to understand what works. What counts isn't how many people follow you, but how many really interact with what you publish.
Each format has a job. The Reel (short video) shows an action and also reaches people who don't follow you. The carousel (several images to swipe) suits lists and explanations to save. Stories last 24 hours and are for quick things and getting people to take part with polls and questions.
For exampleA teapot shop makes a Reel showing how to clean cast iron, a carousel "3 teapots for 3 types of tea" and a Story with the poll "Cast iron or glass?".
It measures how much people interact. You add up the interactions (likes, comments, saves) and divide by followers, then multiply by 100. Saves count a lot: they mean "I need this, I'll look at it again".
For example3,000 followers; a post gets 90 likes, 15 comments and 15 saves = 120 interactions. 120 ÷ 3,000 = 0.04, i.e. 4%.
The first line is the hook: it must spark curiosity, because the rest is hidden. Then useful information and an invitation to do something (call to action), like saving or commenting. A few relevant hashtags work better than thirty generic ones.
For example"Is your cast iron teapot rusting? Here's how to avoid it. Save the post for next time. #teapot #tea"
Replying to comments is part of the job. For food in Europe you can't promise unauthorised health effects, not even in a comment. When faced with health questions you reply kindly and suggest a doctor.
For exampleTo "Does this herbal tea get rid of headaches?" you reply talking about the taste and suggesting asking a doctor, not with a yes.
For each idea ask yourself: is there an action to show in motion (Reel)? Is it a list or an explanation to save (carousel)? Is it something quick or a question to the audience (Stories)?
For example"Setting up the new shop window" is a quick behind the scenes: Stories. "The 4 water temperatures for tea" is a list to save: carousel.
For each idea choose the most suitable format.
Why it matters. Each format has a purpose: Reels get the profile discovered by new people, carousels get saved, Stories get the community that already follows you talking.
First add up the post's interactions (likes + comments + saves), then divide by followers and multiply by 100. To compare two posts always use the same calculation.
For exampleA post with 60 likes, 10 comments and 10 saves on 2,000 followers: 80 interactions, 80 ÷ 2,000 = 4%.
Calculate post A's engagement rate using the data on the card.
Why it matters. Engagement rate lets you compare different posts. Saves are valuable: they say a piece of content is useful.
Check four things: does the first line spark curiosity? Is there a useful tip? Is there a call to action? Are there health claims or random hashtags? Discard captions that look like a product listing or a list of hashtags.
For example"New post #tea #love #instagood #photo" says nothing; "Do you know why green tea turns bitter? We'll explain in 3 photos" sparks curiosity.
Which caption do you use for the Reel "How to make matcha in 30 seconds"?
Why it matters. A good caption hooks, gives value and asks for an action. Health claims rules for food apply on social media too (Regulation EC 1924/2006).
There can be more than one right answer. Think about what's honest and respectful: replying kindly is always better than ignoring or deleting; on health you promise nothing and refer people to a doctor.
For exampleTo "Does rooibos help you sleep better?": "It has a sweet taste and no caffeine, which is why many people drink it in the evening. For questions about sleep it's best to ask your doctor."
A user asks: "Is it true that matcha makes you lose weight?". Choose all the right things to do.
Why it matters. Managing the community means answering awkward questions too, without promising what can't be promised.
Sara has written to you: A week of matcha posts. You'll solve it in 4 parts, in about 20 minutes.
Here you'll find the request and a card with the numbers. Use them to answer: that's where the right answers are.
The parts one below the other. You don't need to write anything: choose in the tables, among the proposals and in the menus. Watch out for traps!
Checks turn green when something is right, and I tell you what to fix. Each hint you open costs 5 points.
Your work stays saved in this browser. At the end click Submit and compare to see your points and the solution.