What is social media strategy?

A social media strategy is a plan that sets out your goals, audience, channels, content and how you will measure success on social media.

Without a strategy, social media can feel like posting into the void. A clear plan helps you focus on the networks and content that matter most to your business. It also makes it easier to stay consistent, involve others and judge whether your efforts are working.

A good strategy usually covers your goals, such as awareness or leads; who your audience is; which networks they use; your content pillars and brand voice; how often you will post; and which numbers you will track. It should match your wider business plans and be realistic for the time and budget you have.

Keep your strategy short and practical; a single page can be enough. Start with one or two networks and do them well. Review results every month or quarter, and update the plan as your business and audience change.

Example

A local bakery's strategy focuses on Instagram and Facebook, with three content pillars: new bakes, behind the scenes and customer stories.