Behind the Scenes of a Killer Social Media Audit

Most businesses are flying blind on social media—posting without knowing what’s actually working, measuring success by vanity metrics, and hoping for the best. But hope is not a strategy. In this episode, I break down the Social Media Audit Playbook, the exact process I use to help businesses uncover hidden growth opportunities, pinpoint what’s killing engagement, and create a roadmap for measurable results.   If you’re putting in the work but not seeing real traction, this episode is for you. Plus, I’m sharing my favorite tools to make auditing easier so you can stop wasting time and start optimizing like a pro.   Key Strategies Discussed   1. Profile Branding: Your First Impression Matters • Is your profile picture clear, on-brand, and instantly recognizable? • Does your bio communicate exactly what you do and who you help? • Are you using a smart linking tool to maximize clicks and conversions?   🔍 If someone lands on your page and doesn’t immediately “get” what you do, it’s time for a refresh.   2. Content Deep Dive: Quality Over Quantity • Are you balancing value-driven content (education, storytelling, entertainment) with promotional posts? • Does your feed look cohesive, or is it a random mix of Canva templates? • Are your captions starting real conversations, or are you just talking at your audience?   🔥 Quick test: Scroll through your last 10 posts. If most comments are just emojis or generic “Nice post!” replies, your content isn’t sparking engagement.   3. Engagement & Community: The Secret to Growth • Are you actually responding to comments and DMs in a timely manner? • Do you engage first, or are you waiting for people to come to you? • Are you using interactive tools like polls, Q&As, and conversation starters?   🚀 Pro Tip: Spending just 15-20 minutes per day engaging with your audience can drastically boost your visibility and build real relationships.   Actionable Steps for Your Social Media Audit   ✅ Step 1: Optimize Your Profile & Bio • Make sure your bio is clear and action-oriented. • Use a profile picture that instantly represents your brand. • Check your links—are they driving real action?   ✅ Step 2: Audit Your Content Strategy • Track what’s performing well and double down on it. • If your posts feel random, tighten up your visual branding. • Make sure every caption invites engagement, not just passive scrolling.   ✅ Step 3: Increase Your Engagement Efforts • Spend 15-30 minutes daily engaging with your audience before posting. • Leave thoughtful, valuable comments on niche-relevant posts. • Use hashtags and location tags strategically to find new audiences.   Tools to Make Social Media Auditing Easier   If manually reviewing every detail of your social accounts sounds overwhelming, here are some tools to help streamline the process:   💡 AgoraPulse – Powerful but pricey. Best for in-depth reporting. 💡 Vista Social – My go-to for tracking performance and scheduling. 💡 Metricool – A great all-in-one analytics and management tool.   Real Results from a Proper Audit   One business owner who optimized their strategy saw:   ✅ 40% higher engagement rates ✅ 1,200+ new organic followers in 4 weeks ✅ More comments, DMs, and meaningful interactions than ever before   👉 If you’ve been throwing content at the wall and hoping it sticks, this strategy will change everything.   Connect With Me   📌 Instagram: @wheeler_marketing_agency 📌 Website: wheeler.marketing   💬 Ready to get serious about your social media strategy? DM me or

Episode Transcript

(00:05):
welcome to the social media reality check
the show that cuts through the noise
and brings you real
actionable social media strategies that really work
I'm your host Danielle Wheeler
and with over 15 years of experience
managing social media for business
I'm here to share what's actually moving the needle
no fluff no outdated tactics
practical strategies you can implement today

(00:26):
welcome back
today we're diving into something that every business
creator and marketer should be doing
but most aren't
we're talking about social media audits
and before you roll your eyes and tune out and think
uh another checklist
hold up
this isn't some generic Google search result
okay I'm
walking you through the exact process

(00:48):
I use with my clients to
uncover hidden growth opportunities
pinpoint what's killing engagement
and create a roadmap for actual measurable results
so if you've ever felt like you're putting in the work
but not seeing the results
this episode is for you
plus I'll also be sharing some of my favorite tools

(01:08):
to make auditing way easier
so you don't have to do all the heavy lifting yourself
and yes I will link them in the show notes
so you don't have to go hunting for them
let's get into it why does a social media audit matter
here's the reality most businesses are flying blind
they're posting but they don't know what's working
they're relying on gut feelings instead of actual data

(01:32):
they're measuring success by follower count
instead of engagement reach and conversions
and here's a wild stat for you
70% of businesses
don't regularly review their social media performance
that means
most brands are just throwing content at the wall
and hoping that something sticks
but guess what hope is not a strategy
a proper social media audit

(01:54):
is like a health checkup for your account
because it helps you double down on what's working
cut the dead weight of what's not working
and uncover those opportunities
that can actually move the needle
so let's break it down
here's how I audit a social media account step by step
step 1 profile branding
are you instantly recognizable

(02:15):
first let's start with your profile setup
because if it isn't optimized
nothing else matters
so your profile picture
is it clear on brand and instantly recognizable
your bio does it clearly
communicate what you do and who you help
if it takes more than 2 seconds to understand
it's too big
your LinkedIn bio
are you using a smart linking tool

(02:38):
like a custom landing page
or a stand store
to drive multiple actions from a single click
if any of that you sugarhead know or I don't know
it's time to go back and look at your profile
if your bio says marketing expert or fitness coach
that's not enough
it needs to be more specific and action oriented
like

(02:58):
helping small businesses
double their reach on Instagram
DM me
grow to learn how your branding and messaging should
be consistent across all platforms
whether it's Instagram LinkedIn
or TikTok if someone finds you on one platform
they should instantly recognize you on another
alright step two
content deep dive
let's talk about your content strategy

(03:20):
here's what I look for
content mix are you balancing value driven content
educational storytelling
entertainment with promotional content
if 80% of your posts are hard sells
your audience is probably tuning you out
I also look at visual consistency
do your graphics

(03:40):
videos and branding feel polished and cohesive
or does your feed look like a random
collection of Canva templates
now this doesn't mean everything has to be perfect
but it has to feel cohesive
then I look at captions and calls to actions
are you actually starting conversations
or are you talking to your audience

(04:01):
here's a quick test scroll through your last
you know 10 posts
how many actually have thoughtful comments
and not just emojis or a nice post
or this helped
if the answer is not many
it's time to level up your engagement strategy
which leads me to step 3 on this audit
engagement and community

(04:21):
here's the truth
you can have the best content in the world
but if you're not actively engaging
you won't grow at least you won't grow fast
here's what I analyze No. 1
I check out the response rate
are you actually replying to comments and DMS
brands with fast response times
see upwards of 40% or higher engagement rates

(04:42):
then I look at proactive engagement
are you liking commenting and engaging first
or are you just waiting for people to come to you
and then I look at the community building
are you creating opportunities for conversations
like using polls Q and as and interactive posts
if you also shook your head no or eh to any of those
here's a quick fix

(05:02):
just spend 15 to 20 minutes per day
engaging with your audience
this will boost visibility
and help build real relationships
and please
I hope you're not doing it
it's 2025 but if you are please
please please
stop leaving generic three fire emojis as a comment
instead
ask thoughtful questions

(05:23):
and actually contribute to the conversation
I know that was a lot and
manually reviewing every detail
of your social media accounts
is time consuming
so
here are some tools that I recommend to help
speed up the process and make auditing way easier
yes I use tools as well as manually auditing

(05:44):
but if if you're a tool person
here are three powerful tools
that will help you streamline this whole process
track performance
and make data driven decisions without the guesswork
tool No. 1
I have a love hate relationship with this tool
it is very expensive in my opinion
but it does have some of the best reporting
that I've ever seen and that is Agora Pulse tool No. 2

(06:06):
my go to I use it for our social accounts
um is Vista Social
and then
the third tool to check and try out is metricool
all three of these tools have a free
as well as paid plans
so highly recommend you take the time
check them out
see which one works best for you
I again
have linked all three of these tools in the show note

(06:27):
so you can check them out
and see which one fits your needs best
and to close out today No. 1
pick one step from this audit and take action today
if you need help
send me a DM
I like this stuff I live for it
it'll absolutely make my day if you send me a DM
asking questions about how to audit
and thanks again for tuning in today

(06:49):
I'll catch you guys next time
on the social media reality check
remember social media doesn't have to be complicated
it just has to be real until next time
this is Danielle Wheeler
reminding you to keep it authentic
keep it strategic
and always get your social media reality check