Your social strategy is actually a vibe check

You're posting. Nothing's happening. Your engagement is three likes and your mum. You've watched six "social media strategy" YouTube videos and feel more lost than before.

Here's the thing nobody tells you: social media strategy is 10% strategy and 90% vibe. You can have the best content calendar in the world and flop because your account feels corporate, distant, and vaguely like it wants something from the viewer.

Stop thinking like a marketer. Start thinking like a friend.

Your most successful social accounts aren't brands. They're personalities. Duolingo's owl. Aldi's sassy tweets. Ryanair's unhinged TikTok. They work because they feel like a person, not a committee.

You don't need to be unhinged. You need to be someone. Pick a tone, commit to it, stop flip-flopping between "professional" and "fun" depending on the week.

The five-platform truth

• Instagram: For 18–45-year-olds who want things that look nice. Retail, beauty, food, lifestyle — still your best bet.
• TikTok: For video-first brands with patience and personality. Not for the risk-averse.
• Facebook: Mostly your parents, still great for community groups and events. B2C local businesses win here.
• LinkedIn: B2B gold. The one place where "thought leadership" isn't a crime.
• Twitter/X: Chaotic. Only worth it if you're funny or have something to say.

Pick one. Maybe two. Never five.

What to actually post

The 70-20-10 rule that actually works:

• 70% value: Tips, tutorials, behind-the-scenes, "how we do this" posts. People follow you because you're useful, not because you want their money.
• 20% personality: Team photos, jokes, opinions, unfiltered thoughts. This is where followers become fans.
• 10% promotion: "Buy our thing." Yes, you're allowed. No, you can't do it every post.

Consistency is more important than quality

Unpopular opinion: posting 3 times a week at 70% quality beats posting once a month at 100%. The algorithm rewards frequency. Your audience forgets you exist in two weeks.

Plan 30 days of content. Batch-create on one day. Schedule the rest. Never post in real-time again unless something's actually happening.

The reply rule

Reply to every comment within 24 hours. Every single one. Even the stupid ones.

This sounds simple and basic because it is. It also works because 99% of businesses don't do it. Engagement breeds engagement. Ignored accounts stay small.

Metrics that matter (and ones that don't)

Ignore: Followers, likes, impressions.

Track: Profile visits, saves, shares, DMs, website clicks, and — the big one — customers who say "I found you on Instagram."

One new customer is worth more than 1,000 followers.

Start today

Pick one platform. Post three times this week. Reply to everything. Repeat for three months. Then tell us it doesn't work.