Social media strategy.
A social media strategy doesn't start with the choice of platform, but with the business goal and the audience. This guide goes through what a social strategy contains and how to set one up, so the presence becomes a means for the business instead of content posted on a hunch.
By Alexander Larsson · Founder & Strategist· Published · Updated Our view
The platform is a choice, not a starting point. Know the goal and the audience and the channel almost picks itself.
What a social strategy is.
A social media strategy is the plan that ties your presence on social media to the business. It decides what you want to achieve, who you want to reach, on which channels and how you follow up, before a single post is published. It's part of a broader marketing strategy↗, not a separate content calendar.
Without a strategy, social media becomes a series of posts on a hunch, measured in likes. With a strategy, each post becomes a means towards a goal, and the follow-up is about business rather than vanity numbers.
What a social strategy contains.
A strategy that holds answers five things. They connect: the goal drives the audience, the audience drives the channel, and so on:
Business goal
What social should contribute: leads, awareness or loyalty. Without a business goal, the follow-up defaults to follower count.
Audience
Who you want to reach and where they actually are. That decides the channel choice, not the other way around.
Channel choice
Which platforms are worth your time, given audience and resources. Fewer channels done well beat many done half-heartedly.
Content plan
What you publish, how often and in what tone, adapted to the platform and to the customer journey.
Measurement
The metrics that show whether the strategy works: traffic, leads and relationships, tied to the business.
How to set up a social strategy.
The order matters, because each step builds on the previous one. Five steps from goal to follow-up:
- 01Set the business goal. What should social contribute: leads, awareness or loyalty? The goal decides everything else and makes the follow-up meaningful.
- 02Define the audience. Who do you want to reach, and where are they? The audience↗, not trends, drives the channel choice.
- 03Choose channels after that. Fewer platforms handled well beat many done half-heartedly. Choose based on where the audience is and what you can manage.
- 04Lay out a content plan. Decide format, tone and frequency per channel, tied to the customer journey.
- 05Set metrics and follow up. Choose metrics that reflect the business, and adjust the plan based on what the data shows.
Common misconceptions.
Most failed social media efforts can be traced to one of these mistakes in thinking:
- ”The strategy is choosing the channel.” The channel choice is a result of the strategy, not the strategy itself. Start with the platform and it's easy to end up in the wrong place.
- ”We have to be everywhere.” A strategy is as much about what you leave out. Focus beats spread.
- ”More content is better.” Volume without direction burns resources. A plan with fewer, right posts beats a calendar full of noise.
- ”Follower count shows the strategy works.” It shows reach, not effect. A strategy is evaluated against the business goal it was set to reach.
The through-line: a strategy starts and ends with the business goal, not with the platform or the numbers that are easiest to count.
How we approach social strategy.
We start with the business goal and the audience, and let the channel choice follow from there. The strategy becomes a plan you can act on, not a document in a drawer, and an initial review we do free of charge so you can see where the realistic opportunities are.
We measure against the business, not against follower counts, and you always own the accounts, content and data. It's the same principle that runs through everything we do: the right effort, tied to the business, at the lowest possible friction.
Want a social strategy that holds?
Tell us what you want to achieve and who you want to reach, and we'll sketch a direction: goal, audience and which channels are worth your time. The initial review is free.
Write to us →Frequently asked questions about social media strategy
What is a social media strategy?
A plan that ties your social media presence to the business: what you want to achieve, who you want to reach, on which channels and how you follow up. It's set before anything is published, so the content serves a goal.
How do you set up a social strategy?
Start with the business goal, define the audience and where they are, choose channels after that, lay out a content plan and set metrics tied to the business. Each step builds on the previous one, so the order matters.
Which platforms should you choose?
The ones where the audience actually is, given your resources. The channel choice is a result of the strategy, not the starting point. Fewer platforms handled well beat many done half-heartedly.
How often should you post?
As often as you can keep the quality relevant, driven by the strategy and your resources. Frequency without direction becomes noise; a considered plan with fewer, right posts beats a full calendar no one cares about.
How do you measure whether the strategy works?
Against the business goal it was set to reach: traffic, leads and relationships, not follower count. The metrics are decided when the strategy is laid out, so the follow-up measures effect and not just reach.