SOCIAL BEST PRACTICES
Learn how to take advantage of today’s social platforms and stand out from the competition in your field.
STN DIGITAL
✦
SOCIAL BEST PRACTICES
✦
STN DIGITAL ✦ SOCIAL BEST PRACTICES ✦
WE ARE THE EXPERTS
Looking back at 2024, we’ve seen the landscape change and evolve quickly - and we know you don’t want to be the last one to jump on board! So, we’ve filled this guide with our top recommendations for social in 2025. STN is trusted by some of the largest brands in the world on all things social media. So, let’s dive in!
40m
TOTAL ENGAGEMENTS
5m
NEW FOLLOWERS
30K
SOCIAL POSTS PUBLISHED
2B
TOTAL IMPRESSIONS
Here's the story
Here's the story
In 2024, social media took center stage, captivating almost half the global population. Authentic connections stole the spotlight, reshaping the commerce landscape. Marketers anticipated a shift toward direct purchasing from beloved brands on familiar platforms. Meanwhile, algorithms, driven by data and AI, honed in on precise targeting.
Fast forward to 2025, where adaptability is the key to navigating the ever-evolving social platforms. Our expertly curated collection of insights will guide you through the tried and true basics of each platform, as well as the innovative new tactics that are driving success in 2025.
let's dive in
let's dive in
69%
of all adults in the US use Facebook
258m
of users like seeing polls and quizzes from businesses on Instagram
Since most Facebook users will likely view your content on mobile devices, create content that takes up the most vertical space in the feed
Max length for Reels: 90 seconds. Reels have the highest average engagement rate on Facebook in 2023 (0.22%)
The highest traffic days/times to Facebook are Wednesdays and Thursdays, around the middle of the day
WHAT OUR EXPERTS ARE SAYING:
“Connect With Your Audience: Putting emotion at the forefront of your content on Facebook will drive more immediate engagement results as you take a quality-over-quantity approach. Incorporate UGC, feel-good video and social storytelling as content pillars to build a loyal audience…
Lean Into Instagram Cross-Promotion: If a social team is short on resources, utilize the cross-posting tools provided by Meta to ensure that content is still hitting the Facebook feeds and posts are consistent.”
– Taylor B.
“Include a CTA or question in the copy for Facebook.”
– Jahanvi S.
“Encourage action. Utilize engagement prompts and CTAs to get people talking. Facebook really is about fostering a community for fans of brands.”
– Sam S.
The Top 4 content categories watched by YouTube users are Comedy, Music, Entertainment / Pop Culture, HowTo
94+m
of consumers who stream services to their TVs, watch YouTube
7in10
people default to horizontal viewing when watching videos online
YouTube reaches more young adults than all the TV networks combined. Video ads get 3X the eyes of regular TV ads
Longer videos significantly outperformed shorter videos. On average, the length of a first-page YouTube video is about 15 minutes long (Source)
67%
of Gen Zers say they like when their favorite creators create content in multiple formats
WHAT OUR EXPERTS ARE SAYING:
“SEO is crucial. Include keywords in both the title and description (with MUCH more information in the description).”
– Trevor L.
“Thumbnails are massively important, maybe even more than the video itself. A bold and engaging thumbnail with text will draw in viewers, as they see and read the thumbnail before the title.”
– Clay B.
57%
of adults in the US ages 25-29 use Instagram
75%
of adults in the US ages 18 - 24 use Instagram
Best length (for Reels): 16 seconds
50%
of users use the Explore page every month
60%
of Instagram users discovered a new product on Instagram
57%
of users like seeing polls and quizzes from businesses on Instagram
70%
more engagement for posts with location
WHAT OUR EXPERTS ARE SAYING:
“Prioritize engagement prompts that encourage direct messaging within the app.”
– Brad F.
“Reels! Reels! Reels! You may think TikTok is the place to be for brands, but Reels on Instagram are actually driving more views than their counterparts on TikTok. Embrace long form videos on Reels, testing clips between 30-90 seconds or longer to get the most views possible!”
– Zach G.
“Text heavy graphics tend to underperform.”
- Jason S.
95.6m
users in the United States
Total average time spent on X is 34 minutes and 48 seconds
58%
of users are under 35 years old
For the brands in the Media industry, the best time to post on X is 6:00 PM ET
48%
of the platform’s users use X for news and entertainment purposes
2to1
split of males to females
150+m
users in the United States *
11.6b
in ad revenue in 2022
23.9%
TikTok’s monthly active users in the U.S. are 18-24
25.2%
of TikTok’s monthly active users in the U.S. are 25-34
49.2%
of TikTok users worldwide are women**
50.8%
are men**
*Last updated Feb. 2023 **Last updated Oct. 2023
WHAT OUR EXPERTS ARE SAYING:
“Do not have a graphic introducing a video, have it jump right into the action. The first three seconds are the most important. Focus on watch time and completion rate for Tiktok, spend less time worrying about engagements.”
- Jason S.
“Push more less "produced" content. TikTok audiences often gravitate to content that feels more organic, such as face-forward, un-polished content or content built in the app itself.”
– Hugh T.
This channel is excellent for reaching decision-makers in organizations. Source
199m
users in the United States*
150m
newsletter subscriptions in Q1 2023
Posting content weekly on a LinkedIn Page results in 5.6x more followers and a 7x faster-growing following compared to the Pages that post once per month
60%
of users are Millennials
20.4%
of users are Gen Z
Long-form content of 1900-2000 words gets more views, likes, and comments. The posts with 5, 7, and 9 headings noticed 50%, 33%, and 47% more views than those without headings
WHAT OUR EXPERTS ARE SAYING:
“People love good stories. It doesn’t matter if you’re sharing a personal anecdote, company content, or your own expertise — give it a story.”
– Mau U.
enjoying the content?
Subscribe to the STN Social Report to get a monthly newsletter expertly curated by our team of social strategists. You'll get all the latest trends, updates, and best-in-class content straight to your inbox each month.