TechBehemoths SMM Expert Insights 2026

Likes and followers can show that people are paying attention. But how can a brand tell whether that attention is helping the business grow?

For this edition of TechBehemoths Expert Insights, Dhanushka Ranasinghe of SyntelligenceIT and Deborah Olaleye of Isle Geeks discuss the metrics that matter beyond visibility, the mistakes that waste social media budgets, and how brands can use AI while keeping their content human. They also share what businesses should expect when working with a social media agency.

Meet the Experts

Dhanushka Ranasinghe is the Founder and CEO of SyntelligenceIT (Pvt) Ltd, a company providing software development, UI/UX design, and digital marketing services to international clients. His work across product design and digital services gives him a perspective on how businesses connect with their audiences online.

Deborah Olaleye is a Director and Marketing Specialist at Isle Geeks, a Johannesburg-based agency offering digital marketing, branding, content, and website design services. Her work focuses on helping businesses communicate their value and connect with audiences online. Isle Geeks is a TechBehemoths Award Winner in WordPress, SEO, and Branding.

What social media metrics actually matter for business growth?

Dhanushka Ranasinghe, SyntelligenceIT

For business growth, I don’t think likes are the most important thing. Likes are good, but they only tell us that people noticed the content. What really matters is action. For example, if someone saves a post, it usually means they found it useful. If they share it, they trust it enough to send it to someone else.

Suppose they visit the profile or click the website or WhatsApp link, that shows stronger interest. Direct messages are even more important, because when someone asks about price, size, or availability, they are already close to buying. So for me, the best social media metrics are clicks, messages, saves, shares, and sales, because those are more connected to real business growth.

Deborah Olaleye, Isle Geeks

While reach and follower counts can indicate visibility, the metrics that truly matter for business growth are those connected to business outcomes. Brands should focus on lead generation, conversion rates, website traffic quality, engagement rates, customer acquisition cost, and return on investment (ROI).

These metrics provide a clearer picture of whether social media efforts are contributing to revenue, customer growth, and long-term business objectives.

How should brands balance AI-generated and human-created content?

Dhanushka Ranasinghe, SyntelligenceIT

I think brands should use AI to support content, not to replace the human side of the brand. AI is useful because it saves time. It can help with ideas, captions, planning, research, and basic content writing.

But I don’t think brands should depend on AI completely. At the end, the message should still feel human. Because Customers connect with real stories, real emotions, real experiences, and real brand personality. Human content is also important for trust, creativity, behind-the-scenes moments, and understanding culture.

So for me, AI should help with speed, but the real voice of the brand should still come from people.

Deborah Olaleye, Isle Geeks

AI is a powerful tool for improving efficiency, brainstorming ideas, generating drafts, and supporting content production. However, human input remains essential for creativity, emotional connection, brand storytelling, and strategic decision-making.

The most effective approach is to use AI to enhance productivity while ensuring that humans guide the messaging, quality control, and brand voice. AI should support creativity, not replace it.

What mistakes cause brands to waste time and budget on social media?

Dhanushka Ranasinghe, SyntelligenceIT

I think brands waste time and budget on social media when they don’t have a clear goal. Some brands just post because they want to be active, but they don’t know what they really want from social media. like Is it for awareness, engagement, leads, or sales?

Another big mistake is focusing only on likes and views. Those numbers are good, but they don’t always bring customers. Brands should focus more on real actions, like messages, clicks, inquiries, and conversions. Also, some brands copy every trend, even when it doesn’t match their audience.

That can get attention, but it may not bring real business value. So for me, social media should not be just about posting content. It should help the brand build trust, attract the right people, and turn them into customers.

Deborah Olaleye, Isle Geeks

One of the biggest mistakes is treating social media as a posting exercise rather than a business strategy. Many brands chase viral trends that are unrelated to their audience, focus on vanity metrics, post inconsistently, or fail to define measurable goals.

Another common issue is neglecting audience research and performance analysis, resulting in content that generates activity but not meaningful business results.

What expectations should buyers have when working with a social media agency?

Dhanushka Ranasinghe, SyntelligenceIT

I think buyers should expect a social media agency to bring strategy, creativity, consistency, and clear communication. But they should not expect instant sales from the first few posts. A good agency should first understand the brand, the audience, and the business goal.

After that, they can create better content, captions, designs, posting plans, and reports. Buyers should also expect honesty. The agency should clearly explain what is working, what is not working, and what can be improved. In my opinion, a good agency is not just a team that postscontent.

They should work like a growth partner, helping the brand build trust, reach the right people, and turn attention into real business results.

Deborah Olaleye, Isle Geeks

Buyers should expect a strategic partnership rather than simply content creation. A professional agency should provide clear objectives, audience insights, content planning, transparent reporting, and regular communication. Clients should also understand that meaningful social media growth takes time and consistency.

While agencies can accelerate results through expertise and strategy, sustainable success is achieved through ongoing optimization and collaboration.

Both Experts Agreed That:

Likes and followers alone do not show whether social media is helping a business grow.

Posting without clear goals or following every trend can waste time and budget.

AI can help create content faster, but people should guide the brand’s voice and message.

A social media agency should offer strategy, honest reporting, and ongoing improvement, rather than simply publish posts.