Social Media Consulting
The importance of digital channels continues to grow – while constantly evolving. Customer services are becoming ever more relevant, cookies are on the decline, and the metaverse is already on the horizon.
No wonder continuous consulting from an experienced social media agency is more crucial than ever. Ongoing performance analyses are key to developing successful social media strategies, enriched with new ideas and content.
It’s a comprehensive task: from evaluating social media campaigns, analyzing competitors and target groups, to monitoring individual activities – all to identify the most efficient social media solutions.
After all, it’s about nothing less than continuously optimizing today’s most important communication channel – and one of the most important sales channels. Companies that fail to keep up with trends here quickly risk becoming companies of the past.
Smart businesses rely on social media consulting – or a social media agency – that knows all the trends, tools, software, interactions, and interfaces, and knows how to use them effectively. At Ruess Group, that’s exactly what we offer. For everyone who wants to stay one step ahead of both the market and the web.
Your contact

Rafael Rahn
The Most Important Social Media Trends
of the Coming Years
Social media channels are in constant transformation – both in terms of how they are used and what they offer. This means that companies and their social media consultants must always stay up to date and be able to identify the latest trends.
Only those who keep a forward-looking eye on developments can act in time, adapt their social media presence and campaigns, and achieve their goals. Those who fail to do so will quickly find themselves sliding to the lower end of the attention scale.
Trend 1: Google is No Longer the Only Search Engine
Google is still alive and well – but new players are entering the market. And this changes a lot: yesterday’s top priority was to rank as high as possible in Google search; today, visibility on social media has become even more important.
Already, 40% of 18–24-year-olds use social platforms like TikTok and Instagram as search engines. These channels now determine what, when, and where purchases are made.
For targeted marketing, it is therefore essential to adjust measures accordingly – understanding what differentiates Instagram from Facebook, and what mindset drives clicks on TikTok content.
Only those who know the specifics of each channel can effectively tailor their actions, decide which are relevant for their goals, and plan content strategically.
This is especially true for e-commerce, because social media is not just about advertising – it’s also where goods and services are sold, particularly in Asia and North America. In China, half of the population already shops via social media. Europe is still lagging somewhat behind, but this shows just how much untapped potential remains.
Trend 2: Cookies Are a Dying Breed
Google may have postponed the end of third-party cookies, but their extinction is only delayed, not cancelled. Alternatives are needed to deliver personalized content in the future. Options include creating incentives for users to set up login profiles on websites, or working with data modeling.
At the same time, privacy protection in community management is becoming increasingly important. Companies must act with sensitivity and transparency to avoid being perceived as data predators.
As persona marketing loses ground with the decline of cookies, communities will gain importance. Understanding and engaging groups on social networks will be more critical than ever.
Trend 3: Dialogue Is Becoming Increasingly Important
On social media, it’s now completely normal for customers to leave feedback in comment sections, often linking directly to a company’s account.
Yet, there are still too few control mechanisms and moderation tools. Companies and their social media consultants need clear strategies to moderate and engage in discussions professionally and productively.
Deleting unwanted comments is not the answer. Such actions often lead to justified and harsh criticism of the company and the platform.
Instead, it’s vital to create space for feedback and develop a thoughtful moderation strategy that fosters a culture of respectful dialogue and handles criticism constructively.
This is where experienced social media consulting adds real value. After all, only satisfied customers are loyal customers – especially within communities that are nurtured with the right social media plan and actions.
Trend 4: The Metaverse Is (Almost) Here
There is much speculation about the metaverse, but so far little beyond a vision. Nevertheless, the internet will evolve: multisensory stimuli such as virtual reality, augmented reality, and gamification are becoming increasingly important.
This will influence user and customer experiences – both crucial for communication and sales. Companies should already be considering how these new stimuli can be used effectively in the future.
As always, the key question is whether they fit the company and what opportunities arise from them. One thing is clear: when the metaverse arrives, direct interaction between sender and receiver will be even more important than it is today.
Trend 5: Beware of Greenwashing
Social media has become the most popular arena for social debate, with users who are politically aware and highly skeptical of marketing campaigns that only simulate engagement.
According to one survey, 82% of consumers expect companies to prioritize the protection of people and the environment over maximizing profits. Ignoring this can cause immense harm to a company’s reputation.
This means sustainable thinking and action must be lived daily within the company to be communicated transparently and credibly on social media. Integrity and authenticity are becoming central assets.
Even when it comes to environmental protection, effective moderation in comment sections plays a key role. Here, experienced social media consulting is essential – to provide timely, authentic, and well-founded responses.
Only the right consulting leads
to the right implementation
Social networks have become the communication channel of all communication channels. Advertising and communication spending here has long since surpassed the billion mark – and continues to grow rapidly.
In parallel with rising ad budgets, user numbers on the major social media platforms are also increasing. According to the latest social media analyses, Instagram has now taken the number one spot in Germany in 2024, overtaking Facebook for the first time since 2019.
At the same time, daily usage in Germany continues to rise, now averaging one hour per day. Social media has therefore become a firmly established part of everyday life – and will undoubtedly remain so.
However, for many companies and decision-makers, using social media in a professional, business context is still like a sealed book – and one whose contents change daily. This is precisely where experienced social media consulting comes into play.
The Elements of Successful
Social Media Consulting:
Element No. 1: Developing a Social Media Strategy
Element No. 2: Building a Content Strategy
Element No. 3: Developing an Ad Strategy
Element No. 4: Establishing Social Media Controlling
The “Starting Eleven” of Key Metrics
In general, social media controlling measures the following key performance indicators (KPIs):
- KPI 1: Followers and Fans
- KPI 2: Transfers from social media to the company website (clicks)
- KPI 3: Interactions with the company’s social media posts (engagement rates)
- KPI 4: Mentions on social media (social buzz)
- KPI 5: Sentiment
In addition, six further KPIs are particularly important. Absolute values at a given point in time are less decisive – what really matters is the overall development of these KPIs over a defined period:
- KPI 6: Customer Acquisition Cost (CAC)
The CAC measures the average cost of acquiring a new customer. A high CAC indicates efficiency problems in marketing or sales. - KPI 7: Marketing Percentage of CAC (M%-CAC)
This shows the share of marketing costs in the overall CAC.
- KPI 8: Ratio of Customer Lifetime Value (CLV) to CAC
This calculates the value creation per customer compared to acquisition costs, also known as the return on investment of new customer acquisition. - KPI 9: Time-to-Payback CAC
This indicator calculates the time (usually measured in months) required to recoup the CAC. - KPI 10: New Customer Acquisition through Specific Marketing Activities
This measures the impact of specific marketing programs on new customer acquisition. The value depends heavily on the relationship between sales and marketing, the company structure, and the established business model. - KPI 11: New Customer Acquisition through Marketing Influence in General
This reflects the overall impact of marketing across the entire buying cycle – how effectively it generates new leads, nurtures existing leads, and supports sales in closing deals.
Conclusion: Social Media Consulting
is all about one thing:
more effectiveness per euro
Today, social media is the place for communication and information exchange. Beyond that, it has evolved into an essential marketing and sales platform.
At the same time, social media is a vast communication ecosystem – with diverse channels serving a wide range of communication needs, and with new trends, tools, software, interactions, and interfaces constantly emerging.
It’s a world that is as fascinating as it is confusing – one that calls for a guiding hand. Usually, this comes in the form of experienced social media consulting, to connect e-communication and e-commerce with maximum effectiveness.
At Ruess Group, we’ve been doing exactly this for many years – for companies large and small that value us for precisely this expertise. Measurable and scalable. Ensuring that every euro delivers more impact – especially in challenging market environments.
Your contact person

Rafael Rahn