Why Every Business Needs a Social Media Strategy

There’s never been a better time to connect with your audience. With just a few clicks, you can get in front of more potential customers than ever before and often, without spending a dime. But having a profile isn’t enough.

If you want real, measurable results from your social media efforts, you need a solid social media strategy. As Torie Mathis, longtime entrepreneur and marketing agency CEO, shares in her video, the key difference between businesses that thrive online and those that fizzle out is planning.

Why a Social Media Strategy Matters

Nearly every company knows by now that a social media presence is essential. But scrolling through your feed, posting at random, and responding to comments alone rarely gets you closer to your business goals. Without a strategy, your social media efforts are just shots in the dark. The businesses that succeed? They align every post, every interaction, and every campaign with clearly defined objectives.

Your strategy acts as the bridge between your daily activities and your big-picture goals, whether that’s building brand credibility, nurturing leads, or driving direct sales. Want to grow a loyal fanbase, boost brand awareness, or establish yourself as an industry expert? It all starts with defining those goals and mapping out how social media helps get you there.

Smart Planning and Automation

Let’s face it: Social can be a time suck if you’re not careful. A strategic approach focuses your time and energy, so you know exactly where your efforts need to go. When you see, for instance, that video content delivers five times the engagement of your static posts, a good strategy means you can double down on what works.

But you don’t need to do it all yourself or all at once! Social media automation tools, like MeetEdgar or Zoho Social, allow you to schedule posts, curate content, and even handle some engagement, freeing you up for tasks only you can do. That balance between smart automation and genuine, personal interaction is essential for building authentic connections.

Create Content That Converts

Your content is the engine that powers your social presence. But to work, it must do more than fill space; it must engage, inform, and drive action. With a strategic plan, you choose not only what to post, but when and how to post it. By focusing on your audience’s interests, pain points, and preferred formats (video, images, tips, stories, etc.), you can deliver value and stay relatable.

Continual refinement is key. Analyze what resonates most, borrow ideas that work from successful competitors (while staying unique!), and use feedback to improve your content mix. The more strategic and audience-focused you become, the more your posts will convert casual scrollers into loyal fans and customers.

Stay Consistent and Motivated

One of the underestimated perks of a social media strategy? Motivation! When you know exactly what to do each day, the overwhelm disappears and posting becomes enjoyable, even second nature. Develop a “big goals to daily tasks” approach: Break down your business goals, identify milestones, and map out actionable steps for every session. Consistency builds momentum and results.

Track Your Progress

How do you know if your strategy is working? Simple, you measure it. A results-driven social media plan includes clear metrics (like new followers gained, engagement rates, or leads captured) and regular check-ins.

Use this data to refine your approach, learn from both wins and misses, and optimize for better outcomes week after week.

Building Your Social Media Strategy

Ready to get started? Here’s your action plan:

• Create a detailed customer profile. Know who you’re trying to reach, what they care about, and where they spend their time.
• Audit your existing content. Repurpose what works—no need to reinvent the wheel.
• Develop a flexible posting schedule. Test, adjust, and optimize as you learn what your audience loves.
• Monitor, refine, and never stop learning. Every audience is different, so let your analytics guide your tweaks and improvements.

But social media strategy is just one piece of the puzzle when it comes to a smart marketing strategy. Let me ask you a question: Do you know how your marketing stacks up?

Find out by taking the SMART Marketing quiz. Get customized results on how to get smarter with your marketing – you’ll learn exactly what YOUR business should focus on, get customized recommendations on how to get the best bang for your marketing buck, and unleash your business’s true potential. It’s like having a personal marketing coach by your side!

And remember, you don’t need crazy tech skills, buckets of cash, or a dedicated staff to market your business; you don’t even need a lot of time.

What you need is to be smart, and building a social media strategy is smart for your business.

If you're ready to grow your business with smart marketing you can:

1. Sign up for weekly FREE Business Bytes with CEO, Torie Mathis

2. Get a SMART Funnel and begin to automate your marketing

3. Learn Digital Marketing with a Smart Marketing Course

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: TORIE MATHIS

Torie Mathis helps entrepreneurs grow their business with Smart Marketing.  She is a best-selling author, Army veteran, international speaker + trainer, and the CEO + Creative Director at Lake Shark Media. She also teaches entrepreneurs how to get smart with digital marketing at toriemathis.com