As June rolls in, it's more than just the halfway mark of the year it’s audit season for social media. For content creators, marketers, and brands alike, mid-year audits are crucial to staying on track, optimizing strategy, and setting yourself up for a strong finish to 2025. Whether you're on Instagram, TikTok, or YouTube, here's what you need to take note of.

Why Mid-Year Audits Matter

A social media audit isn’t just about numbers—it’s about understanding performance, identifying gaps, and adapting to algorithm changes. By mid-year, platforms often roll out updates or tweak their algorithms (some obvious, some not), so auditing now allows you to pivot before it’s too late.

Instagram: Focus on Engagement, Saves, and Shares

In 2025, Instagram is rewarding quantity over the past 6 months 

• Engagement Rate: Are your likes, comments, and shares increasing or declining? Compare the past 6 months to the same period last year.

• Saves & Shares: These are the most valuable metrics in Instagram’s current algorithm. Look at which posts were most saved or shared and analyze why.

• Content Mix: Are you using all formats—Reels, Carousels, Lives, and Stories? Reels remain the highest reach driver, but carousels still perform well for educational or inspirational content.

• Hashtags & SEO: Are you still relying on hashtags alone? Instagram is now prioritizing search-based content, so optimize captions with keywords.

• Link Clicks: For creators and businesses, track how many clicks your link-in-bio tools are generating. Update dead or irrelevant links.

TikTok: Watch Time and Rewatches Are King

TikTok’s algorithm is increasingly sophisticated. What it wants in 2025? Retention and rewatches.

• Average Watch Time: If your video is 20 seconds long but only has a 7-second watch time, it’s time to rethink your hook.

• Rewatch Rate: Look for content that drives people to replay. Was it storytelling? A surprise ending?

• Post Timing: What time of day are your high-performing videos going up? Consider shifting your posting schedule to match audience behavior.

• Audio Trends: Which sounds are performing for your niche? Hop on trends earlier rather than later.

• Profile Optimization: Do you have a clear call-to-action in your bio? Is your niche immediately obvious? Mid-year is a good time to refresh your profile.

Pro Tip: Audit your last 30 posts and sort them by reach and watch time. Then recreate or update the top-performing themes.

YouTube: Consistency, Retention, and Shorts Strategy

If you're on YouTube, your mid-year audit needs to take into account both long-form and Shorts content.

• Subscriber Growth: Are you gaining subscribers steadily? Look for spikes and analyze what videos caused them.

• Click-Through Rate (CTR): Are your titles and thumbnails performing? A low CTR could mean your content is good, but your packaging isn’t.

• Watch Time & Retention: YouTube rewards creators whose audiences watch videos all the way through. Check your audience retention graph—are you losing people in the first 30 seconds?

• Shorts vs. Long-Form Balance: Are you using YouTube Shorts to draw new eyes to your channel? Shorts can dramatically increase discovery if you post consistently.

• Comments & Community Tab: Are you nurturing your community? The Community tab is underutilized but a powerful engagement tool.

Pro Tip: Group your top 5 videos and look for common traits in title style, topic, and length.

Bonus: Use These Questions in Your Audit

Ask yourself:

1. What are my three highest-performing posts/videos and why?

2. What content formats are driving the most reach or engagement?

3. Are my goals still the same, or do I need to pivot?

4. Am I optimizing for platform-specific features and SEO?

5. Is my branding consistent across platforms?

*Important* 

Mid-year audits aren’t just about fixing what’s broken—they’re about doubling down on what’s working. Trends shift, algorithms evolve, and your audience grows and changes too. Taking the time to review your Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube analytics this June could be the difference between a stagnant second half of the year or a breakout one.

Why Stats on Instagram Stories, YouTube Shorts & TikTok Stories Don’t Always Matter

When it comes to Instagram Stories, YouTube Shorts, and TikTok Stories, it's easy to get caught up in views, replies, and sticker taps. But here's the truth: these tools are not the main event  they’re reminders.

Stories and Shorts often serve one core purpose:
👉 To nudge people to check out your main content or profile.

Here’s why the stats can be misleading or irrelevant:

• Short Shelf Life: Stories disappear in 24 hours (or less). That’s not enough time to generate meaningful, long-term engagement analytics.

• Passive Views: People often tap through stories mindlessly. A "view" doesn’t mean someone actually paid attention.

• Algorithmic Push vs. Intent: Shorts might get pushed to viewers algorithmically, but unless that leads to clicks, comments, or profile visits, it doesn’t serve your long-term strategy.

• Reminders, Not Conversions: Stories are best used to remind followers of your latest post, drop a teaser, or build anticipation. Think of them as billboard ads, not full campaigns.

• Focus your audit on the content that drives actions, not just passive impressions. Let stories and Shorts be the supportive sidekick not the superhero of your content plan.