Module 21

Brand and social presence

9 lessons, 30 stepsOne instruction at a time, each with the result to expect. Tick steps as you go; Helix remembers.

Outcome: your Instagram, TikTok and Facebook profiles look like a brand people can trust, match what your ads promise, and turn curious ad viewers into followers, subscribers and buyers. You have a posting schedule you can keep and a simple way to reach more people for free.

Related: Module 4 Brand, content and community, Module 19 Creators, UGC and video ads, Module 11 List and audience growth, SOP 16 Customer research and reviews

In plain words

Stage: Attract (get seen by people who want what you sell). Every lesson below is tagged with its stage; see Attract, Convert, Grow.

What it is: How to make your social profiles look trustworthy and match your ads.

Why it matters: People check your profile before they buy. A good one turns ad viewers into followers and buyers.

Do this:

  1. Make your bio say who you help and link to your best page.
  2. Pin 3 posts: your best product, real reviews and your story.
  3. Post on a schedule you can keep.

Words to know:

  • Organic: Unpaid: posts, search results and word of mouth that you do not pay to show.
  • UGC: Photos and videos made by real customers or creators instead of the brand.

All words are explained in the glossary.

Lesson 21.1: Why your profile is part of every adAttract

Why this matters

Many people who see an ad do not click it; they tap your name to check you out first. If they find three old posts, no reviews and a broken link, they leave. A strong profile makes every ad dollar work harder, for free.

0 of 3 steps done

Step 1 of 3

Open your Instagram, TikTok and Facebook profiles on your phone as a stranger would (logged out or in a private window).

Expected result

You see each profile the way an ad viewer does.

Lesson 21.2: Profile checklist (Instagram, TikTok, Facebook)Attract

Why this matters

A profile is a mini landing page. Fourteen checks on each platform make sure it builds trust and matches what your ads promise.

0 of 3 steps done

Step 1 of 3

Go through every row of the checklist in the table below on Instagram.

Expected result

Each Instagram item is ticked or fixed.

Good to know

Item What good looks like
Handle and name The same handle on every platform. The name field includes a word people search ("Linen clothing for hot summers"), not just the brand.
Profile photo Your logo or brand mark, readable at a tiny size, the same on every platform.
Bio, line 1 What you sell and who it is for.
Bio, line 2 Your proof or what makes you different (rating, number of customers, where it is made, guarantee).
Bio, line 3 A reason to tap now (new release, free shipping amount, gift guide).
Link Goes to a fast mobile page with 3 to 5 clear options: best sellers, new arrivals, offer sign-up, reviews. Add UTM tags so you can track visits.
Category and contact A business account with a category, email and shop buttons turned on.
Shop Product catalog connected so you can tag products in posts (where available).
Highlights (Instagram) 4 to 7 saved story groups with simple matching covers: Reviews, Best sellers, How to use, Shipping and returns, Behind the scenes, Press, FAQ.
Pinned posts 3 pinned: your best-performing product video, your strongest proof (reviews or a customer story), and your brand story or current offer.
Recent posts Something posted in the last 7 days. No gaps of months.
Comments Replied to within a day. Answer questions publicly so others see the answer.
Facebook page Same bio and link, a current cover image, reviews managed, and the page connected to your ad account.
TikTok Bio link turned on (not every account can yet), playlists for series, pinned videos.

Lesson 21.3: What to post: content pillars for socialAttract

Why this matters

Content pillars are the topics you always post about. Four pillars cover social, and a rough mix stops your feed from feeling like one long ad. They build on Lesson 4.4.

0 of 3 steps done

Step 1 of 3

Set your four pillars: proof (reviews, customer photos, press, numbers), education (how to use and choose, myths, care), story (founder, behind the scenes, values) and product and offer (launches, restocks, bundles, sales).

Expected result

You have four named pillars.

Lesson 21.4: Posting cadence you can keepAttract

Why this matters

Cadence means how often you post. Being consistent beats posting a lot, and batching makes it easy to keep up for 12 weeks.

0 of 3 steps done

Step 1 of 3

Pick the cadence in the table below that matches your stage.

Expected result

You have a weekly posting target per platform.

Good to know

Stage Instagram TikTok Facebook Stories
Just starting 3 posts a week 3 to 5 a week Share your Instagram posts Most days
Growing 4 to 5 a week (mostly Reels) 1 a day 3 a week Every day
Established Every day 1 to 3 a day Every day Every day, plus a broadcast channel

Lesson 21.5: Growing organic reachAttract

Why this matters

Organic reach means people who see your posts without you paying. Seven tactics grow it, from trial reels to replying fast.

0 of 5 steps done

Step 1 of 5

Use trial reels or test posts to show a reel to non-followers first, check after 24 hours and share winners with everyone.

Expected result

You test hooks without cluttering your feed.

Lesson 21.6: Social proof and reviews on socialConvert

Why this matters

Social proof on social media turns curious visitors into buyers. Reviews, customer posts and kind replies to complaints all count.

0 of 3 steps done

Step 1 of 3

Turn your best reviews into an Instagram highlight, a carousel and a video where you read them out.

Expected result

Reviews are visible on your profile.

Lesson 21.7: Community, not just audienceAttract

Why this matters

People buy from brands they feel part of. Five habits turn followers into a community.

0 of 4 steps done

Step 1 of 4

Run a poll letting customers help decide something (a colour, name or flavour).

Expected result

Customers have a say in a decision.

Lesson 21.8: Social shopsAttract

Why this matters

Instagram, Facebook and TikTok shops let people buy without leaving the app. A few checks before you switch one on prevent bad scores and lost orders. See also Lessons 12.6 and 12.10.

0 of 3 steps done

Step 1 of 3

Connect a clean catalog with one price per product and correct stock levels.

Expected result

The shop catalog matches your store.

Lesson 21.9: The social presence audit (what Helix checks)Attract

Why this matters

Helix checks your social profiles in its regular audit, using public information plus account insights once you connect. Knowing the checks lets you fix things before the audit flags them.

0 of 3 steps done

Step 1 of 3

Read the checks in the table below.

Expected result

You know what Helix looks at.

Good to know

Check Helix flags it when
Bio says what you sell No product or category word in the name or bio
Link works on mobile The link is missing, broken or slow, or goes to a general home page with no UTM tags
Recent activity No post in the last 14 days
How often you post Fewer than 2 posts a week over the last 4 weeks
Highlights Fewer than 3, or no reviews or shipping highlight
Pinned posts None pinned, or pinned posts older than 6 months
Social proof No review or customer content in the last 10 posts
Matches your ads Products or offers in your live ads are not visible on the profile
Comment care Questions left unanswered for more than 48 hours
Same name everywhere Different handles or names across platforms
Shop Catalog connected but no products tagged in posts, or the shop rating is dropping

Self-check

  1. What three jobs does a profile do?
  2. What should your three pinned posts be?
  3. Why say your keywords out loud in videos?
  4. Your ad promotes a bundle that is nowhere on your profile. Why does it matter?
Answers
  1. Prove you are real, show what you sell, give the next step.
  2. Your best-performing product video, your strongest proof, and your brand story or current offer.
  3. Platforms read speech, captions and on-screen text for social search and recommendations.
  4. Many people check your profile before buying. A mismatch lowers trust and sales.

Words to know in this module

UGC
Photos and videos made by real customers or creators instead of the brand.
Organic
Unpaid: posts, search results and word of mouth that you do not pay to show.
Landing page
The page someone lands on after clicking an ad.
UTM
Tags added to the end of a link so your analytics can tell which ad or email a visitor came from.
Partnership ad
An ad that runs from a creator's own account, so people see their name instead of yours.
Session
One visit to your store. One person can make several visits.
Flow
An email or text series that sends by itself when something happens, like a new sign-up.
Bundle
Two or more products sold together, often with a small saving.
All words to know