Improving social media engagement by making informed revisions to the strategy.
Using social media multi-variant testing to develop a solid social media strategy.
Maple is a leading designer, manufacturer and installer of solar shading, weather protection and screening for building exteriors and interiors. Since 1983, they’ve been combining innovation, technical excellence and exceptional customer service to deliver projects that save energy, create visual impact and make buildings more comfortable for their occupants.
Objective
We wanted to establish the optimum length for posts on Maple’s social media accounts to maximise user engagement.
What we did
We created posts for Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter about both company news and Maple services with a CTA directing users back to the Maple website. Posts were grouped by character count from 100-200 to 400-500 for all platforms (Twitter posts were capped at 280 characters). We published 1 post per platform per week over a month and analysed the results to provide initial recommendations for social media post length. Over the next month we tested our recommendations to confirm our initial results and did additional testing around unclear results from the original test.
Results
We established a set of guidelines around post length and content focus to maximise engagement with the Maple audience. Increased engagement rate by 2% in 2nd month from initial recommendations.
We commissioned Logic Digital to design, implement and improve our online presence and lead generation through SEO, PPC and remarketing. We are now starting to see tangible benefits and results from the digital tactics deployed by the team who have remained supportive and focused throughout.
DAVID CARROLL
Head of Sales & Marketing, Maple Sunscreening Ltd
Multi-variant testing FAQs
What is multi-variant testing in social media, and how is it different from A/B testing?
Multi-variant testing involves testing several elements of a social media post at once (such as post length, tone of voice, call-to-action (CTA), hashtags, or image style) to find the most effective combination for engagement.
Unlike A/B testing, which only tests one change at a time (e.g. two versions of the same post with different headlines), multi-variant testing provides a broader understanding of how different components interact.
This method allows marketers to identify not just what works, but why it works, and how multiple small factors combine to influence performance. This is a crucial approach for platforms where every second of attention counts.
How do I know which social media metrics matter for engagement?
There are lots of vanity metrics (like follower count) that don’t tell you much about real performance. What matters most for engagement are:
– Click-through rate (CTR): how many people clicked your link
– Engagement rate: total interactions (likes, comments, shares) divided by reach or impressions
– Comments and shares: they show active interest, not passive scrolling
– Dwell time: how long users spend engaging with linked content
These metrics reflect how well your content is capturing attention and prompting action. Tracking them consistently is key to understanding what’s actually driving results.
Is post length really that important on social media?
Yes, but the ideal length varies by platform and audience. For example:
– On LinkedIn, longer posts with insights or storytelling often perform better.
– On Twitter/X, brevity is baked into the platform (and capped at 280 characters).
– On Instagram or Facebook, shorter captions may boost readability, but longer ones can add emotional depth or context.
Can small businesses benefit from this kind of testing, or is it only for large brands?
Small businesses may not have massive ad budgets, but they do have one big advantage: agility. With a few well-planned tests, even on just one platform, small teams can quickly gather insights and improve results without wasting time or money.
You don’t need to test 20 variations at once. Even something as simple as testing a short vs. long version of a weekly post can reveal what your audience prefers. Over time, these small tests add up to a stronger, smarter strategy.
How long should I run a social media test before making changes to my strategy?
Timing matters in testing, so one-off posts won’t give you reliable results – you need to allow for patterns to emerge over time. Ideally, run your test for at least 2-4 weeks, depending on how often you post and how much engagement you get.
Short tests may be skewed by external factors like time of day, news cycles, or platform algorithm shifts. For Maple, the test ran over two consecutive months to validate initial results and uncover deeper insights. This kind of phased approach ensures your changes are based on consistent user behaviour, not just one lucky post.
If you want meaningful insights, give your tests enough time to breathe. Then adapt with confidence.
