Determine your most popular content

[shaownhasan]

Looking at your social analytics is the first step to running any successful paid advertisement. Variables such as imagery, calls-to-action and copy all deserve your attention when it comes time to whip up a paid post. Metrics such as clicks and followers earned are good starting points for spotting top content.

If you’re using Sprout, turn to the Post Performance Report to analyze your published content across all social networks, including Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Pinterest and TikTok.

A screenshot of Sprout's Post Performance Report, ig data showcasing the top three cross-network social media posts from a fake coffee brand called Sprout Coffee.
Remember that not all promotional posts should be paid
Your social data can help you identify which posts have the potential to work as an ad, but only some high-performing posts call for paid ad spend.

Look for content that aligns with your marketing and business KPIs to determine which posts are worth throwing some extra dollars behind. For example, if a high-priority goal for your team is to drum up registrations for an upcoming event, it makes sense to promote a big agenda announcement or a last call for tickets.

On the other hand, if your goal is to raise brand awareness or promote a new product, rely on your organic social media toolkit.

For some inspiration, check out the example from Auntie Anne’s Twitter profile. Combining the power of the cover photo and pinned tweet creates an eye-catching promo for a new menu item.