Stop Treating Social Media Like Your Entire Marketing Strategy
Why a holistic approach to marketing matters and how your branding, social media, website, and community efforts should work together.
I own a social media agency, so this might sound a little funny coming from me, but social media should not be your entire marketing strategy. Don't get me wrong, I'm a huge believer in social media. I think it has a place in just about every industry, and I've seen firsthand what it can do for businesses when it's done well. But I also think we've gotten into the habit of expecting way too much from it. We want social media to build awareness, generate leads, drive website traffic, increase sales, and build customer loyalty, all while posting a f
ew times a week. That's a pretty big job for Instagram, don't you think?
Over the years, working with businesses across all kinds of industries, I've realized that some of the biggest opportunities aren't necessarily in doing more marketing. They're in making sure the marketing you're already doing is actually working together. Social media is an important piece of that puzzle, but it's only one part of a much bigger picture.
Yes, I Think Your Business Needs Social Media
Every once in a while, I'll hear someone say, "I just don't think social media makes sense for my industry." And I almost always disagree. Does every business need to be on TikTok? Absolutely not. Does a construction company need to be posting five times a week? Probably not. But I have a hard time thinking of a business that wouldn't benefit from having some kind of thoughtful social media presence.
Think about how you make decisions as a customer. Someone recommends a restaurant, you meet a business owner at an event, or you come across a company on Google. What's one of the first things you do? You look them up! And chances are, you're not just looking at their website. You're checking out their social media, reading reviews, and trying to get a feel for who they are. Social media gives people a chance to see the personality behind a business. It helps them understand who they're working with, what they can expect, and whether they feel comfortable taking that next step.
This is also where I think social media doesn't always get the credit it deserves. Someone might follow your business for months without ever liking a post or clicking a link. Then one day, they need your services and reach out directly through your website. On paper, that lead came from Google or your website, but social media may have been building that relationship the entire time. Just because someone didn't convert directly from a social media post doesn't mean it wasn't an important part of their decision.
Your Customers Aren't Following a Perfect Little Marketing Funnel
In marketing, we love to talk about the customer journey. Awareness, consideration, conversion, loyalty. It's a helpful framework, but people don't actually make decisions in such a neat, organized way. Someone might discover your business on Instagram, forget about you for three months, see you sponsoring a local event, hear your name from a friend, and finally Google you when they're ready to buy. Or maybe they meet you at a networking event, look you up on LinkedIn, visit your website, and sign up for your newsletter before ever reaching out.
The point is that people interact with your business in all kinds of ways before becoming customers. When we start expecting every single marketing effort to generate its own immediate return, we miss how much those efforts influence one another. That doesn't mean we shouldn't be measuring results. We absolutely should! But we also have to recognize that not every interaction is going to show up neatly in an analytics report.
I think this is particularly important for businesses with longer sales cycles or services that require a significant level of trust. If you're hiring an attorney, choosing a financial advisor, or investing in a major home renovation, you're probably not making that decision because you saw one Instagram post. You're doing your research, comparing options, and looking for reasons to feel confident in your decision. Social media can play an important role in that process, even if it's not the final step that leads to an inquiry.
First Impressions Matter, and So Does Your Brand
Before we even get into individual marketing channels, we need to talk about branding. And no, I don't just mean your logo. Your brand is the overall impression people have of your business. It's how you look, how you communicate, what you stand for, and how people feel when they interact with you. Whether someone discovers you through Instagram, a Google search, or a local event, that first impression is going to influence what they do next.
Imagine coming across a business on Instagram. Their content looks great, their messaging makes sense, and you're interested enough to click through to their website. Then you get there, and it feels like a completely different business. The colors are different, the information is outdated, and suddenly you're not quite as confident as you were a minute ago. That's a problem, especially when you've already done the work to get someone interested in the first place.
Your branding should feel consistent whether someone finds you on social media, visits your website, opens an email, or sees your business at a community event. It doesn't all have to look identical, but it should feel like the same business. When people repeatedly encounter a brand that looks professional, communicates clearly, and delivers a consistent experience, it becomes easier for them to recognize and trust that business.
Social Media Got Their Attention. Now What?
This is one of the biggest things I wish more businesses would think about. Let's say you're investing in social media management, creating great content, and getting people interested in your business. Awesome! But what happens when someone actually wants to learn more? They click over to your website. Is it easy to navigate? Can they quickly figure out what you offer? Is there a clear way to contact you, book an appointment, or make a purchase?
Because if the answer is no, you're making it harder than it needs to be for someone to become a customer. And no amount of Instagram posts is going to fix that. I think sometimes businesses get frustrated with their social media results when the real problem is happening somewhere else. Maybe your content is doing exactly what it's supposed to do by getting people interested, but your website isn't giving them what they need to take the next step.
Your website should be working just as hard as your social media. It should answer questions, provide useful information, build confidence, and make it easy for visitors to take action. Of course, not every business relies on its website for direct sales. Some people prefer to call, send a message, or visit in person. But whatever that next step looks like, it needs to be easy and obvious. Otherwise, you're putting a lot of effort into getting people's attention without giving them a clear path forward.
What About the People Who Aren't Ready to Buy?
Here's another thing businesses often overlook. Not everyone who comes across your business is ready to buy something right now. Maybe they're doing research, maybe they don't need your services yet, or maybe they love what you're offering but need a little more time. If you're relying entirely on social media, you're essentially hoping they continue seeing your posts and remember you when the time comes.
That's where email marketing, text messaging, and other ways of staying connected become so valuable. A monthly newsletter, for example, can be a great way to stay top of mind without constantly trying to sell something. You can share helpful information, highlight what's happening in your business, introduce your team, or give people a reason to stay connected. The same goes for thoughtful follow-ups, customer communications, and text updates when they make sense for your business.
I also think we sometimes get so focused on attracting new customers that we forget about the people who already know and love our businesses. Staying connected with existing customers can lead to repeat business, referrals, and stronger relationships over time. And depending on your industry, those relationships can be just as valuable as bringing in someone new. Social media is great for building a community, but having additional ways to communicate with that community gives you more opportunities to nurture those relationships.
And We're Only Talking About Digital Marketing!
This is where I think the conversation gets even bigger. What about everything happening outside of social media, websites, and email? Are you getting involved in your community, attending networking events, sponsoring local organizations, or building relationships with other businesses? What about print advertising, radio, local commercials, billboards, or even good old-fashioned word of mouth? Depending on your industry and audience, those things can still be incredibly valuable.
And the exciting part is that they can all support one another. Let's say your business sponsors a local event. Your logo is on the signage, your team is there meeting people, and you're getting involved in something meaningful in your community. Now you have an opportunity to share that experience on social media, introduce your business to new people, and potentially drive traffic back to your website. Maybe someone who attended the event starts following you. A few weeks later, they sign up for your newsletter. Eventually, they become a customer.
That's a great example of marketing working together, and I think businesses miss out on opportunities like this when they're only focused on what's happening online. Your community involvement can support your digital marketing, and your digital marketing can help extend the reach and impact of what you're doing in person. The same is true for traditional advertising. A print ad might introduce someone to your brand, while your social media and website help them learn more before making a decision.
You Don't Need to Do Everything. You Just Need a Plan.
Now, I'm not suggesting every business needs to be running Facebook ads, sending weekly newsletters, sponsoring events, buying billboards, and posting on five different social media platforms. Please don't take this as your sign to do all of that! The point of a holistic marketing strategy isn't to do more for the sake of doing more. It's to be intentional about where you're spending your time and money.
For one business, that might mean Instagram, a strong website, and a monthly email newsletter. For another, it might be LinkedIn, networking, and a really good follow-up process for potential clients. There's no one-size-fits-all approach, but there should be a strategy behind what you're doing and an understanding of how each piece supports the others.
I also think it's important to have someone looking at the bigger picture, especially when you're working with different people or agencies for different parts of your marketing. Your social media manager should know what's happening with your website. Your email marketing should support your current campaigns. Your advertising should reflect the same messaging people are seeing everywhere else. Otherwise, you can end up spending money on a bunch of individual marketing efforts without really having a cohesive strategy.
The Bigger Picture
When I started Honeypot, my focus was social media. And I still love it! I love the creativity, the storytelling, the community, and the opportunities it creates for businesses to connect with people. But as we've grown and worked with more businesses, I've also seen how much more effective social media can be when it's supported by everything else a business is doing.
Sometimes a client doesn't need more posts. They need a better website. Sometimes they need to spend more time nurturing the audience they've already built. And sometimes they need to get out from behind their screens and start building relationships in their own community. That's why I've become such a big believer in looking at marketing more holistically.
Social media is important, and I will argue that all day long. But it shouldn't be expected to do everything on its own. Before you decide you need to post more often, increase your ad budget, or jump onto another platform, take a look at the bigger picture. Are all the pieces of your marketing working together, or are you just doing a little bit of everything and hoping something sticks?
Because there's a pretty big difference between having a social media strategy and having a marketing strategy.
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