One of the biggest challenges with social media is staying current

Trends are always evolving - sometimes on the daily! With new platform features rolling out constantly - what worked last month may already be outdated. As a Social Media Manager, part of my role is staying on trend - understanding what’s current, applying best practices, and ensuring brands stay consistent while still feeling fresh.

For small business owners and start-ups without a dedicated social team, this can feel overwhelming. Between running day to day operations and serving customers, who has time to analyze trending audio, test new formats, and consistently create engaging content?

That’s where strategy comes in!

Content is Only Half the Equation

Many people think social media success is all about content creation… Shocker, it’s not.

In my experience, 

• ½ of social media is content creation and consistent posting
• ½ is ENGAGEMENT

Yes, creating on-brand posts, editing videos, and crafting captions matters. Leveraging trends from platforms like TikTok and Instagram matters. But what truly builds a brand online is community.

As someone who genuinely enjoys scrolling social media and spotting trends early, I don’t just look at what’s popular - I look at how we can adapt trends strategically to serve a brand’s voice and tailor it to their audience.

But here’s what many businesses forget: If you’re not engaging, you’re not building! I see so many businesses just post to post - no strategy and no follow up. This definitely defeats the purpose of social media, which is to create relationships and meaningful connections with your digital audience.

The Intentional Scroll

Usually, being on your phone is frowned upon. But as a marketing professional, social media isn’t always a distraction - it’s intentional research.

One of my mentors encouraged our team to intentionally block time in our day to scroll: see what was happening locally, monitor trends, and understand how brands were showing up in real time.

It was the first time I was told to “take my phone out” - especially fresh out of college where being on your phone during class was definitely not encouraged.

Strategic scrolling allows you to:

• Spot trends right away
• See how similar brands are engaging
• Identify opportunities to join in on conversations
• Stay connected to your community

Community is the Long Game

The biggest gap I often see when working with clients is this: they invest in outsourced social media management (which is a smart move for many), but there’s no internal touchpoint for engagement.

While a Social Media Manager can handle strategy, content, and high-level community management, there’s a lot of value in having someone (whether that’s the owner themselves or an involved team member) internally dedicate even 15 minutes a day to engaging.

Why? Because community building is personal. No one wants to be left on read nor feel like they are chatting with a bot. People crave actual human interaction. And who knows your brand or business better than yourself?

When a customer comments on a post congratulating you on a recent project, for example, don’t just “like” the comment. Take the extra few seconds to respond:

• Thank you so much for the support!
• We appreciate you!
• Couldn’t have done it without amazing clients like you.

Brand loyalty is derived from human touchpoints like this! Whenever I comment on one of my favorite small business’s Instagram posts and I get a response back from the brand page or even the owner, I flip! The fact that a small business owner is reading my comment and taking the time to comment back, I feel seen and definitely more inclined to purchase from them in the future. Many small businesses even take their “followers” opinions into consideration when developing a new product or designing a new item.

Easy Ways to Engage With Your Community

If you’re wondering where to begin, here are easy ways to strengthen your digital presence and community:

1. Respond

A quick reply goes further than liking a message. Show people you’ve read their comment: acknowledge them and start a conversation when possible!

2. Follow Your Local Network

Your social feed should reflect your real-world network. Make sure your brand page follows:

• Local business partners & vendors
• Past and current clients
• Community organizations
• Industry peers

3. Carve Out 15-20 Minutes per Week to Engage

Set a recurring calendar reminder and spend time scrolling your feed intentionally.

• Comment on partner posts
• Share a client’s milestone
• Congratulate a local business on an achievement

4. Tag Others When Appropriate

It’s so important to collaborate: Tag other business pages, repost client content, and share testimonials. Social media is reciprocal - the more you highlight others, the more visibility you build for yourself or your business.

5. Always Ask Questions

Engagement isn’t just replying - it’s inviting conversation. Posting an Instagram story? Include a simple poll or question box that encourages responses.

My Approach as a Social Media Manager

As a Social Media Manager, I don’t just create content calendars and schedule posts. I help brands:

• Stay relevant without losing authenticity
• Adapt trends strategically
• Build meaningful community relationships
• Create engagement systems that are sustainable
• Turn followers into loyal advocates

Planning ahead is where social media strategy makes the biggest impact. Creating content one to two weeks in advance, and even mapping out content a month ahead, allows for intentional messaging, on point campaigns, and consistent voice. When content is thoughtfully scheduled, there’s time to align visuals, craft captions, and ensure every post supports larger business goals.

At the same time, flexibility is essential in a fast-moving digital space. Real-time happenings and trends create opportunities to connect authentically. The strongest social presence comes from balancing both: a clear, proactive content plan paired with the confidence to engage or post in the moment when it makes sense.

‍