Happy Wednesday social pros!

This week we’re going to talk all things social media strategy. Because every social media manager/content creator could use a refresher every once in awhile. When was the last time you reviewed your strategy? Do you even have one?

Hopefully your answers are “just a month or so ago” and “YES of course I have one, duh.”

But if those aren’t your answers, then this week’s newsletter is perfect for you!

I love talking strategy. It’s fun to think through how social media can help your business grow and succeed. But not all strategies were created equal.

So I’m going to share my best tips below on crafting a social media strategy that actually WORKS for your business (beyond just going viral…).

But before I do, this week’s Social Media Journal is brought to you by:

Crafting Your Social Media Strategy: Less Chaos, More Impact

Let's face it – diving into social media without a strategy is like trying to build IKEA furniture without instructions. Sure, you might end up with something that vaguely resembles a bookshelf, but there's probably a drawer upside down and definitely some screws left over.

In today's digital landscape, where tweets fly faster than caffeinated hummingbirds and TikTok trends have shorter lifespans than mayflies, having a solid social media strategy isn't just nice to have – it's your survival kit in the content jungle. So, let's break down how to put together a strategy that actually works.

Start with the Big Picture (And No, Not Just Pretty Instagram Ones)

Before you start picking filters and crafting witty captions, you need to zoom out. Way out. Think astronaut-view-of-Earth out. What's your brand really trying to achieve? Maybe you're trying to become the go-to voice in sustainable fashion, or perhaps you want to be the brand that makes enterprise software seem less... well, enterprise-y.

Your objectives should be SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound), but they should also be REAL. As in, don't say you want to "go viral" – that's about as specific as saying you want to "be successful." Instead, aim for tangible goals like "increase engagement rate by 25% in Q3" or "generate 500 qualified leads through LinkedIn by year-end."

Know Your Audience (Like, Really Know Them)

Here's where many brands face-plant spectacularly. They create content for everyone, which means they're actually creating content for no one. Your audience isn't "everyone aged 18-65 with a pulse and an internet connection." Get specific.

Create detailed personas of your ideal followers. What keeps them up at night? What makes them laugh? What content do they share with their friends? Where do they hang out online? If you can't answer these questions, it's time to do some homework. Dive into your analytics, run surveys, and maybe even (gasp!) actually talk to some of your customers/clients.

Platform Selection: Quality Over Quantity

Just because a platform exists doesn't mean your brand needs to be on it. I know, revolutionary concept, right? Each platform you add to your mix is another mouth to feed with content, so choose wisely.

Think of social platforms like parties. LinkedIn is a business networking event, Instagram is an art gallery opening, TikTok is a youth club, and Twitter/X is... well, imagine a debate club, comedy show, and news channel all crashing into each other at high speed. Pick the parties where your audience actually hangs out.

Content Strategy: The Method Behind the Madness

Now comes the fun part – planning what you're actually going to post. Here's a framework that works:

Your content mix should follow the 70-20-10 rule:

• 70% valuable content that helps your audience

• 20% shared content from other sources

• 10% promotional content about your brand

Create content pillars – 3-5 main themes that align with your brand values and audience interests. Everything you post should fit into one of these pillars. This keeps your content focused and your strategy coherent.

The Team Dynamic: Making It All Work

Here's where the rubber meets the road. The best strategy in the world means nothing if your team can't execute it. You need:

A clear workflow that defines who does what and when. Who creates content? Who approves it? Who measures results? Document this process and make sure everyone knows their role.

Regular strategy sessions with your team to review what's working and what isn't. Social media moves fast, and your strategy needs to be agile enough to adapt. I suggest meeting to discuss your content/strategy at least once a month as an entire team.

Tools that make your life easier – scheduling software, analytics platforms, design tools. Pick ones that work for your team's size and budget.

Personally, I love Vista Social! It fills all the needs above for the most reasonable price I’ve found in my 10 years of being in social media management.

Measuring Success: Beyond the Vanity Metrics

Finally, let's talk about measuring success, and no, I don't just mean counting likes. While engagement metrics are important, they're just the tip of the iceberg.

Beyond the impressions, likes, shares, etc., track metrics that actually matter to your business objectives:

• Conversion rates from social traffic

• Customer service response times

• Share of voice in your industry

• Content engagement rates by type

• Lead generation metrics

You have a purpose for being on social media - making your business grow/be successful. Make sure you’re keeping track of how social media is doing that for you.

The Bottom Line

Creating a social media strategy isn't a one-and-done deal – it's more like gardening than building a house. It needs constant attention, pruning, and occasional replanting when something isn't growing quite right.

But here's the good news: with a solid strategy in place, you'll spend less time wondering what to post next and more time actually connecting with your audience in meaningful ways. And isn't that the whole point?

Start with these fundamentals, adapt them to your brand's unique situation, and remember – the best strategy is one that your team can actually execute consistently. Now go forth and create content that matters!

If you need more help crafting a strategy specific to your company, feel free to reach out by clicking the “Email Me” button below! I’d love to jump on a call and discuss your strategy/share some examples with you.

This Week’s Platform Updates

• Challenging Bluesky, Threads Now Allows for Public Custom Feeds

• X Adds New Elements to Its Grok AI Chatbot

• LinkedIn Amps Up Vertical Video Tools As Uploads Jump 36%

• Instagram Adds WhatsApp Connection Sticker for Stories

• Mark Zuckerberg Teases a 2025 Return to ‘OG Facebook’

This Week’s Social Media Meme

The Short-Form Content Treadmill Is Breaking Creators (And Maybe Our Brains)

Let's talk about the elephant in the room – or should I say, the endless stream of 30-second videos doing interpretive dances around said elephant.

Remember when creating content meant carefully crafting a blog post or spending weeks perfecting a YouTube video? Those were the days. Now, we're living in what I like to call the "content hamster wheel" era, where creators are expected to churn out approximately 47 TikToks, 23 Reels, and 15 YouTube Shorts before their morning coffee gets cold.

Here's the thing: this obsession with short-form content isn't just exhausting creators – it's fundamentally changing the way we create, consume, and value digital content. And not in the "look how far we've come" way, but more in the "what have we done" way.

I recently spoke with a creator friend who hasn't had a full day off in three months. Why? Because the almighty Algorithm demands daily posts across multiple platforms, and taking even a 24-hour break means potentially becoming digitally invisible. It's like playing a never-ending game of whack-a-mole, except the moles are trending sounds and dance challenges that'll be irrelevant by next Tuesday.

"But short-form content is what people want!" I hear you cry. Is it though? Or have we collectively trained ourselves – and our audiences – to have the attention span of a caffeinated goldfish? When was the last time you watched a TikTok and actually learned something that stuck with you for more than five minutes?

The math is brutal: creators are working longer hours to make shorter content that has a shorter shelf life. It's a recipe for burnout garnished with a side of declining mental health, served with a tall glass of impostor syndrome.

Don't get me wrong – I'm not suggesting we abandon short-form content entirely. It can be brilliant for discovery, entertainment, and those moments when you just need to watch someone fail spectacularly at opening a pickle jar. But we've tipped so far into the quantity-over-quality realm that we're starting to forget what quality even looks like.

The real victims here aren't just the creators (though their eye bags have eye bags at this point). It's also the audience. We're losing the depth, nuance, and genuine connection that comes from content that's given room to breathe. When's the last time you saw a truly thoughtful, well-researched piece go viral on TikTok? Exactly.

Here's my radical proposition: what if we collectively agreed to slow down? What if platforms rewarded consistency over frequency? What if we normalized taking actual breaks and spending more than 15 minutes creating a piece of content?

I know, I know – it sounds about as likely as getting through a day without seeing a "POV" video that doesn't understand what POV means. But something's got to give. Because right now, we're not just burning out creators – we're burning out the very essence of creative expression.

The current model isn't sustainable, and it isn't serving anyone except the platforms' engagement metrics. We're creating a generation of exhausted creators and distracted consumers, all chasing an algorithm that changes faster than my mom can figure out how to use her smartphone's front camera.

So here's my challenge to platforms, creators, and consumers alike: let's demand better. Better working conditions for creators. Better content for audiences. Better metrics for success that don't require sacrificing sleep, sanity, and substance at the altar of daily uploads.

Because if we don't, we're heading toward a future where content is as disposable as those trendy fast fashion hauls everyone keeps posting about. And frankly, both our creators and our brain cells deserve better than that.

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