Social Media Audit

Analyze the official (corporate) social media presences of two competing companies you select (e.g. Coke and Pepsi) and compare and contrast the strengths and weaknesses of each. To get started analyze at least four social media platforms for each company and form an assessment of which business you think is more effective strategically (encourage trial, increase desire, facilitate purchase, brand awareness, customer loyalty).

For example:

• Facebook (Coke vs. Pepsi)
• Twitter (Coke vs. Pepsi)
• Instagram (Coke vs. Pepsi)
• YouTube (Coke vs. Pepsi)

You will craft a detailed and polished report that demonstrates your ability to understand a business’ use of social media for the following purposes:

1. Raise awareness
2. Influence desire
3. Encourage trial
4. Facilitate purchase
5. Create loyalty

In an 8 page (double-spaced) report that incorporates charts, graphs, and screen shots do the following:

• Executive Summary
  o Begin your report with an executive summary. Describe what you did as well as what you learned about each company’s use of social media based upon your analysis. In other words, summarize your analysis and findings. You'll have to write the executive summary last since it is based upon your findings.
  o For each company you select, make at least one detailed recommendation on how they can be more effective in social media. Focus on one of the following for each company: encourage trial, increase desire, facilitate purchase, brand awareness, customer loyalty
• Use of Each Social Media Platform
  o Compare and contrast the two companies' social media use on the social media platforms you are analyzing.
  o HINTS:
   How are both companies leveraging each social media platform you are analyzing for best effect/impression?
   In terms of their reach (e.g. Facebook fans, Twitter followers, etc.) is their reach good or bad compared to each other? Keep in mind that followers are not a proxy measure of social media marketing strength (this is important to remember for the next section of the paper).
   What content is performing the best and why?
   What content is performing poorly and why?
   How many comments and likes do posts receive on average? Is this better or worse compared to each other?
   Provide examples (screen shots) of individual posts that are most effective.
   Do they engage with their followers?
   Does the company say the same uninspired things repeatedly across the social media platforms it employs or are they adapting to the unique voice of each platform/medium?
   Are they using the social media platforms for customer service, branding, eCommerce, a combination of two, or all three?
• Overall Summary of Social Media Use
  o What social media strategic objectives is Coke trying to achieve? Pepsi? Review the analysis you did in the prior section of the paper to discern strategic purpose. Are they effectively social in ways that encourage trial, facilitate purchase, raise brand awareness, influence desire, or deepen customer loyalty?
  o Between the two companies, who’s social currency seems higher based on your analysis? In essence, which company is more effective at being a social brand?

Sample Solution