do you need a social media strategist?
Before I answer that, I'd ask you something else: do you have a business? I mean a proper one. A website that works. A product that is genuinely good, not just nicely photographed. And customers who come back. If those three things are in place, social has something real to amplify. If they're not, no amount of posting will do the work for you, and a strategist can't either.
Strategy and strategist are not the same thing
I've never met a brand that didn't need a social media strategy. Posting without a plan is just noise with good lighting. But needing a strategy and needing to hire a strategist are two different questions, and the second one depends on where you are right now. If your budget doesn't stretch to hiring help yet, that's okay. Get on Substack, read the books, follow the people who share what they know. You can build a solid strategy yourself. I'll be honest, though: it takes time, and it's time you'd probably rather spend running the business you started.
When "not yet" is the right answer
A small brand I audited recently was just getting started, and she wanted to know if social was working. Instead of selling her a retainer, I recommended an audit only. The audit showed something no content calendar would have caught: her pricing was far too low for what she was offering. She [tripled] her prices, which meant the business could actually be profitable for her. That's not a social media problem on the surface, but it's the most important strategic finding she could have made. She now has the audit to sit with, and the option to come back for ongoing support when she's ready. That's the version of this work I believe in. A strategist's job is to tell you what's true, even when the answer is "fix this first."
Premium brands need premium content
There's been a big shift toward raw, founder-led content, and I love it. But I don't think it works the same for every brand. If you run a Pilates studio or a bathhouse, you're selling a premium, considered experience. The people looking at your content expect it to feel that way. Founder-led can still be the heart of it, but it needs more production, more care and a clearer visual world than a quick phone video gives you. Good content also isn't only about selling. The brands people love entertain them, give them somewhere to spend a few minutes, and make them feel part of something.
Different people need different things
My background is in data and paid media, and the biggest thing it taught me is that your audience isn't one person. When I worked with brands like Zap Fitness and Fitness First, there were many different segments to reach. Someone starting their first gym membership wants something different from someone who lapsed last year. So each person got a different creative, a different offer and different copy, based on what they wanted and needed at that moment. That's the level of thinking I bring to boutique brands, even when the budget is small. Know who you're talking to, and talk to them.
The best strategy is the kind you can't see
In Byron, one brand I admire is St. Marie's. Their content feels like they're simply being themselves and having a lot of fun. But there's an agency working behind the scenes, and that's what I love about it. When strategy is done well, you can't see it.
What to look for if you do hire someone
Hiring badly is a bigger risk than going without. A study for the Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman found that 73.5% of small business owners stayed with a digital marketing provider for less than 12 months. That's a lot of broken relationships.
So before you commit, ask:
What will success look like at 30, 90 and 180 days, and how will we measure it?
Can I see a real report, with the numbers left in?
Who owns my accounts and my data?
What would make you tell me social isn't the right priority right now?
If the answer to that last one is "nothing," keep looking.
So, do you need one?
If you have a business you believe in and you're ready to build a world around it, probably yes, now or soon. If you're still working out your pricing or your product, start there. Either way, you need a strategy. The strategist can come when it's time. If you're not sure which side you're on, that's what an audit is for.
