Module 1: Planning Content

Choosing Your Platforms and Audience

Your phone can create content for every social platform, but your time cannot. Small businesses and new creators often try to post everywhere, run out of energy within weeks, and conclude that social media "does not work". The fix is to start with a clear picture of who you want to reach and then choose the one or two platforms where those people already spend time and where your type of content fits naturally.

Start with your audience, not the app

Before you think about TikTok or Instagram, describe the people you want to reach. A simple audience profile answers five questions:

• Who are they? Age range, location, occupation, life stage.
• What problem or desire brings them to you? Looking for affordable office lunches, wanting natural hair care tips, needing reliable phone repairs.
• Where do they spend time online? Ask existing customers directly. It is the most reliable answer you will get.
• What do they enjoy watching or reading? Short funny clips, detailed tutorials, behind-the-scenes, deals.
• What makes them trust a business? Real customer reviews, seeing the owner, clear prices, fast replies.

Write this as a short paragraph about one realistic person. For example: "Wanjiru, 28, works in an office in Upper Hill, orders lunch on her phone three times a week, follows food accounts on Instagram and TikTok, and trusts places her colleagues recommend."

Understand what each platform is good at

Platforms change their features often, so treat this as a general guide and check each app yourself.

Choosing your one or two main platforms

1. Match the audience. Pick the platforms your audience profile and customer conversations point to.
2. Match your content strengths. If you are comfortable on camera and your product is visual, short video platforms suit you. If you sell to other businesses, LinkedIn may matter more.
3. Match your capacity. Be honest about how many hours a week you can give. Two platforms done consistently beat five done occasionally.
4. Add one "owned" channel. Social platforms can change rules or restrict accounts. Collect customer contacts with permission, for example a WhatsApp broadcast list, so you can still reach people.

You can repurpose content: a vertical video made for TikTok can often be posted as an Instagram Reel or YouTube Short. Remove another app's watermark first by saving your original edit before exporting, since some platforms may show watermarked videos to fewer people.

Worked example: a juice bar in Westlands

Achieng runs a small fresh juice bar. Her customers are mostly office workers and gym-goers aged 22 to 40. When she asks 20 regular customers how they found her, most mention Instagram or a friend's WhatsApp Status, and several say they watch food videos on TikTok. She has about four hours a week for content.

Her decision: Instagram as the main platform (Reels and Stories showing drinks being made, daily menu), TikTok for the same short videos to reach new people, and a WhatsApp Business catalogue and broadcast list for regulars who want to order ahead. She sets up a Facebook page only so that her business appears in searches, and does not plan regular content there for now.

Setting up your profiles properly

• Use the same name and handle across platforms where possible.
• Choose a clear profile picture: your logo for a brand, your face for a personal brand.
• Write a bio that says what you offer, for whom, and where. Add a link or contact method.
• Switch to a business or creator account where available to unlock insights and contact buttons.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Choosing a platform because it is popular, not because your audience is there.
• Opening accounts on every platform and leaving most of them empty.
• Describing your audience as "everyone".
• Relying only on followers and never collecting direct contacts.