Social Media Operations
Complete operational workflow for managing social media accounts from setup to daily engagement and performance tracking.
When to Use
- •Setting up new social media accounts
- •Creating content calendars and posting schedules
- •Managing daily community engagement
- •Responding to comments and DMs systematically
- •Tracking performance metrics weekly
- •Recovering from shadowbans
- •Managing negative comments or crisis situations
Core Principles
CONSISTENCY > PERFECTION ├── Daily engagement beats sporadic perfection ├── Community-first approach (give before asking) ├── Data-driven decisions on what to post └── Engagement creates reach (algorithm reward)
Workflow
Step 1: New Account Setup & Warming
New Account Warming Protocol (7-Day Process):
Days 1-2: Passive Warming
GOALS: Act like a real user, not a brand ├── Complete profile 100% (bio, photo, links, highlights) ├── Follow 20-30 relevant accounts in your niche ├── Like and save content (30 min/day, genuine interaction) ├── Watch content fully (don't skip) └── NO posting yet (resist the urge) WHY: Platforms detect bot-like behavior. New accounts that immediately post get flagged.
Days 3-5: Light Engagement
ACTIVITY: ├── Comment on 10-15 posts (thoughtful, not spam or generic) ├── Reply to comments in your niche ├── Share 1-2 stories (not main feed posts) ├── Continue liking/following (20-30/day) └── Still no main feed posts COMMENT QUALITY: ✅ "This angle on [topic] is brilliant. Have you tried [related idea]?" ❌ "Great post!" "Nice!" "🔥🔥🔥"
Days 6-7: First Posts
LAUNCH: ├── Post first piece of content ├── Immediately engage for 30 min after posting ├── Continue community engagement └── Monitor for shadowban signs (sudden zero reach) POST STRATEGY: - Start with evergreen content (not time-sensitive) - Use 2-3 hashtags max (not 30) - Don't include links in first 3-5 posts
Profile Optimization Checklist:
## Profile Audit: @[handle] ### Bio - [ ] Clear value proposition (what you help with) - [ ] Target audience mentioned - [ ] Hook or personality - [ ] Link (Linktree or direct) - [ ] Keywords for search Example: "Helping [target audience] [achieve result] | [Proof point] | [CTA]" ### Visual - [ ] Profile photo (face for personal, logo for brand) - [ ] Consistent across platforms - [ ] High quality (no pixelation) - [ ] Highlight covers branded (Instagram) ### Content Strategy - [ ] First 9 posts planned (Instagram grid aesthetic) - [ ] Content pillars defined (3-5 themes) - [ ] Posting frequency decided ### Highlights/Pinned (Instagram/Twitter) - [ ] About/Intro - [ ] Best performing content - [ ] Social proof (testimonials, press) - [ ] How to work with you / Get started
Step 2: Content Calendar Management
Weekly Calendar Template:
## Content Calendar: Week of [Date] ### Overview - Posts planned: [X] - Themes this week: [e.g., Educational week, Product launch] - Campaign: [If running a promotion] ### Schedule | Day | Time | Platform | Type | Caption | Media | Status | |-----|------|----------|------|---------|-------|--------| | Mon | 9am | IG | Reel | [Link] | [File]| Draft | | Mon | 12pm | TT | Video| [Link] | [File]| Ready | | Tue | 9am | LI | Text | [Link] | [File]| Sched | | Wed | 7pm | IG | Carousel | [Link] | [File] | Draft | | ... | | | | | | | ### Content Bank (Evergreen - Ready to Post) 1. [Topic] - Reel - [File location] 2. [Topic] - Static - [File location] 3. [Topic] - Carousel - [File location] ### Needs Creation This Week 1. [Topic idea] 2. [Trending sound to use] 3. [FAQ to answer]
Posting Cadence by Platform:
TikTok:
IDEAL: 1-3x per day MINIMUM: 1x per day (during growth phase) BEST TIMES: Test for your audience, common peaks: ├── 7-9am (morning scroll) ├── 12-2pm (lunch break) └── 7-9pm (evening wind-down) STRATEGY: - Batch create content (film 5-7 videos in one session) - Post at consistent times (algorithm learns) - Mix trending + evergreen
Instagram:
REELS: 1x per day (priority format) STORIES: 3-5x per day (keep top of mind) FEED POSTS: 3-5x per week (carousel or single image) BEST TIMES: 6-9am, 12-2pm, 7-9pm STRATEGY: - Reels for reach - Stories for community - Feed for authority/aesthetic
LinkedIn:
POSTS: 3-5x per week BEST TIMES: Tue-Thu, 8-10am (B2B hours) STRATEGY: - Longer-form thought leadership - Industry insights - Personal stories with lessons - Engage in comments (visibility boost)
Twitter/X:
TWEETS: 3-5x per day THREADS: 1-2x per week ENGAGEMENT: Throughout day (real-time platform) STRATEGY: - Quick takes, hot opinions - Reply to trending topics in your niche - Quote tweet with your perspective
Step 3: Daily Engagement Operations
Daily Engagement Routine (60 min/day):
Pre-Post (15 min before you publish)
## Pre-Post Warm-Up - [ ] Engage on 10 posts in your niche - [ ] Reply to 5 comments on others' content (thoughtful, not generic) - [ ] Check DMs, respond to priority messages - [ ] Check for trending topics/sounds to use WHY: Algorithm rewards active community members. Engage before asking for engagement.
Post-Publish (30 min after you post)
## Post-Publish Engagement Blitz
- [ ] Reply to ALL comments within first hour (critical for reach)
- [ ] Like every comment
- [ ] Ask follow-up questions in replies (boosts engagement)
- [ ] Share to your story with CTA ("See my latest post")
- [ ] DM to 5-10 close followers ("Just posted, would love your thoughts")
WHY: First hour engagement signals to algorithm that content is valuable. More initial engagement = more reach.
Community Building (15 min, any time)
## Daily Community Time - [ ] Engage with collaborators/peers (support their content) - [ ] Join relevant conversations (reply to tweets, comment on posts) - [ ] Support community members (celebrate their wins) - [ ] Find 3-5 new accounts to follow in your niche WHY: Give value before extracting value. Community-first approach builds goodwill and visibility.
Step 4: Comment & DM Management
Comment Mining for Content Ideas:
## Comment Insights: Week of [Date] ### Questions Asked | Question | Frequency | Content Idea | |----------|-----------|--------------| | "How do I start?" | 5 | Beginner's guide video | | "What tools?" | 3 | Tool stack post | ### Objections/Concerns | Objection | Frequency | How to Address | |-----------|-----------|----------------| | "Too expensive" | 4 | Value justification post | | "Doesn't work for [case]" | 2 | Address edge cases | ### Praise/Wins | Feedback | Use For | |----------|---------| | "This changed my life" | Testimonial, social proof | | "Best explanation I've seen" | Re-share as proof | ### Content Ideas from Comments 1. [Question that came up 3+ times] 2. [Objection to address] 3. [Positive outcome to celebrate]
DM Triage System:
## DM Priority Levels
### Priority 1: Respond within 1 hour
- Purchase intent ("How do I buy?")
- Partnership inquiry (brands, collabs)
- Influencer with large following
- Press/media requests
### Priority 2: Respond same day
- Product/service questions
- Feedback (positive or negative)
- Collaboration requests from smaller accounts
- Customer support issues
### Priority 3: Respond within 24-48 hours
- General questions
- Content suggestions
- Casual conversation
- Networking messages
### Templates
**FAQ Response:**
"Hey [name]! Great question. [Answer]. [Link to detailed resource]. Let me know if you need anything else!"
**Collab Interest:**
"Thanks for reaching out! I'd love to explore this. Can you share more about [specific detail]? My rates/process: [link]"
**Purchase Question:**
"Excited you're interested! Here's the link: [URL]. If you have questions, I'm here to help. [Optional: discount code for DM followers]"
Step 5: Performance Tracking
Weekly Metrics Dashboard:
## Weekly Report: [Date Range] ### Reach & Impressions | Platform | Impressions | Reach | vs Last Week | |----------|-------------|-------|--------------| | TikTok | 50K | 35K | +15% | | Instagram | 20K | 12K | -5% | | LinkedIn | 8K | 6K | +20% | ### Engagement | Platform | Likes | Comments | Shares | Saves | ER% | |----------|-------|----------|--------|-------|-----| | TikTok | 2K | 150 | 80 | 300 | 5.2% | | Instagram | 800 | 50 | 20 | 120 | 4.9% | ### Growth | Platform | Start | End | Net | Growth % | |----------|-------|-----|-----|----------| | TikTok | 10K | 10.5K | +500 | +5% | | Instagram | 5K | 5.2K | +200 | +4% | ### Top Performing Content 1. [Reel title] - 100K views - Why: Trending sound + relatable hook 2. [Carousel] - 5K likes - Why: Educational, saved for later 3. [Video] - 50K views - Why: Addressed common question ### Underperformers 1. [Post] - 500 views - What to learn: Hook too generic, didn't stop scroll ### Conversions - Link clicks: 150 - Profile visits: 800 - DMs received: 25 - Leads/signups: 8 ### Insights & Actions Next Week - What's working: Educational content outperforms entertainment - What's not: Static posts getting low reach - Test next week: More carousel posts, trending sounds on Reels
Content Performance Analysis:
## Content Audit: [Month] ### By Format | Format | Avg Views | Avg Engagement | Best Day/Time | |--------|-----------|----------------|---------------| | Reels | 15K | 5.5% | Mon 9am | | Carousels | 3K | 6.2% | Wed 12pm | | Static | 1.5K | 3.1% | Any | **Decision**: Scale Reels (reach), use Carousels for depth, reduce Static ### By Topic | Topic | Performance | Action | |-------|-------------|--------| | How-to guides | Above avg | Scale up | | Behind-the-scenes | Average | Optimize | | Product features | Below avg | Drop or pivot | ### By Hook Type | Hook Style | CTR/Engagement | Notes | |------------|----------------|-------| | Question | High | "Did you know...?" works | | Statement | Medium | Needs to be controversial | | Action | High | "Stop doing X" performs |
Step 6: Crisis Management
Negative Comment Protocol:
ASSESS THE COMMENT: ├── Valid complaint → Respond empathetically, take offline ├── Misunderstanding → Clarify politely, public resolution ├── Troll/Bad faith → Hide or delete, don't engage └── Offensive/Hate speech → Delete and block RESPONSE TEMPLATE: "Thanks for the feedback, [name]. I hear you on [their concern]. [Brief explanation or acknowledgment]. Happy to discuss further in DMs—shoot me a message?" WHAT NOT TO DO: ❌ Delete valid criticism (looks defensive) ❌ Argue publicly (feeds trolls, looks unprofessional) ❌ Ignore (looks like you don't care) ❌ Get emotional (always respond professionally)
Shadowban Recovery:
## Shadowban Checklist ### Signs of Shadowban - [ ] Sudden 50%+ drop in reach - [ ] Content not showing in hashtags - [ ] Explore/FYP appearances stopped - [ ] Only followers see content ### Recovery Steps 1. **Stop posting** for 24-48 hours (let account cool down) 2. **Remove flagged content** (check for violations) 3. **Check hashtags** (remove any banned hashtags) 4. **Go back to warming behavior** (engage, don't post) 5. **Post safe, high-quality content** (no links, no controversial) 6. **Report to platform** if it persists (Instagram: Settings > Help) ### Prevention - Don't use banned hashtags (check shadowban testers) - Don't overuse same hashtags repeatedly - Don't post too frequently (max 1-2x/hour) - Don't buy followers/engagement - Don't violate community guidelines
Common Mistakes
| Don't | Do |
|---|---|
| Post and ghost | Engage for 30 min after every post |
| Use all 30 hashtags | Use 3-5 highly relevant hashtags |
| Only promote your stuff | 80% value, 20% promotion |
| Ignore comments | Reply to every comment in first hour |
| Post inconsistently | Set a schedule and stick to it |
| Copy competitors exactly | Put your unique spin on formats |
| Focus only on follower count | Track engagement rate and conversions |
| Respond to trolls | Hide/delete, don't feed them |
Tools & Resources
Scheduling:
- •Later (Instagram, TikTok, Pinterest)
- •Buffer (Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook)
- •Meta Business Suite (Instagram + Facebook)
- •Hootsuite (Multi-platform)
Analytics:
- •Native platform analytics (best source)
- •Social Blade (growth tracking)
- •Not Just Analytics (TikTok insights)
Content Planning:
- •Notion or Airtable (content calendar)
- •Canva (graphics and templates)
- •CapCut (video editing)
Related Skills
- •
/ugc-content-creator- Creating the content to post - •
/copywriter- Writing captions and hooks - •
/performance-marketing- Turning organic content into ads
Last Updated: 2026-01-22