There’s a quote I often come back to in my consulting work: “Hocus pocus, it’s all about focus.” It was pinned to the office wall of a client I worked with many years ago, and I still remember it crystal clear. It’s a saying that keeps me grounded and helps reset expectations, especially when working with clients who want to build their presence on social media.

Too often, clients approach me with stories about influencers, industry leaders, or competitors who seem to be winning the social media game. “They post every day, have thousands of followers, and their content always goes viral,” they say. And then comes the inevitable question: “How can I get there?”

This blog post is my attempt to unpack that question honestly. We’ll break down what it really takes to grow a meaningful, organic social media presence, and how to shift the focus away from the competition and back to your own goals, values, and lane.

The Social Media Comparison Trap

Before we get into strategy, let’s address the elephant in the room: comparison. It’s completely natural to look at someone else’s highlight reel and feel behind. But social media is often smoke and mirrors.

That CEO with 50,000 followers? They probably paid for targeted campaigns, have a dedicated team creating content, and outsource account management. Many “personal brands” aren’t all that personal—they’re polished operations with a budget.

And you? You are most likely wearing multiple hats, balancing content creation with running a business, managing clients, and dealing with the day-to-day. Comparing your beginning to someone else’s middle (or end) is not just unfair—it’s unproductive.

Get Clear on Your Vision

When I start working with a client on social media strategy, the first thing we do is zoom out. Social media is a tool, not a goal. Here are some questions I ask my clients to answer:

• Why do you want to grow on social media?
• What role should it play in your business?
• How will success on social media support your broader business goals?

Whether you want to build brand awareness, drive leads, establish thought leadership, or simply stay top-of-mind, your strategy should stem from your vision. Not someone else’s.

Define Realistic Goals

Once you have a vision, it’s time to set goals. Not follower-count goals (we’ll get to that), but outcome-based goals:

• Increase engagement (likes, comments, shares)
• Drive traffic to your website
• Generate leads or sign-ups
• Build a newsletter subscriber base

My Pro Tip: Make these goals SMART: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound. For example, “Grow my email list by 200 subscribers in six months through LinkedIn content.” It’s easier to stay honest and focused when you frame your goals in this manner.

Understand Your Audience

One of the biggest mistakes I see is creating content that speaks to everyone and it ends up reaching no one. Here comes the next set of questions:

• Who are you trying to reach?
• What challenges do they face?
• What kind of content would genuinely help them?

Use insights from past clients, audience feedback, or even competitor research to answer these questions. And then, create 2-3 ideal audience personas to keep your content focused. (More on that later)

Create a Content Strategy That Educates and Informs

People don’t log onto social media to be sold to—they’re there to learn, connect, or be inspired. And people buy from people. Hence, it’s important to take an authority-first approach.

Your content should reflect that. Think:

• Educational posts (how-to’s, industry insights)
• Behind-the-scenes looks at your process and organizational culture
• Client stories and case studies
• Thought leadership pieces

Aim for an 80/20 split: 80% value-based content, 20% promotional. And always lead with the benefit to your audience.

Stay Consistent, Not Perfect

Consistency beats perfection, every time. Many clients want to launch with a polished, high-frequency content schedule but burn out in weeks because it gets very exhausting.

Instead, start small and build up. Can you commit to:

• One post per week?
• A monthly newsletter recap?
• A short video every two weeks?

Use tools like Buffer, Hootsuite or SocialPilot (our current favorite) to batch content and schedule in advance. Create a rhythm you can stick to, and build from there.

Build a Social Media Calendar

Here’s where structure meets creativity. A content calendar helps you:

• Plan around key dates and launches
• Maintain variety (not just promotional posts)
• Stay accountable

Break it down into categories:

• Mondays: Quick tips or insights
• Wednesdays: Behind-the-scenes or process posts
• Fridays: Thought leadership or opinion pieces
• You can tailor this to your industry, of course. The point is to create a repeatable structure.

Be Honest About Resources

I tell clients this gently but clearly: if you want big results, you either need to invest time or money. Ideally, both. If you can’t afford a team, be ready to wear multiple hats for a while. And that’s okay. and if you have the money, hire us (goes without saying!)

Your journey doesn’t need to look like someone else’s. If you can only do 30 minutes a day on social media, that’s still progress. The goal is sustainability, not overwhelm.

Track Progress, Not Vanity

It’s easy to get caught up in follower counts, but they don’t always translate into business value. Instead, track metrics that matter:

• Engagement rate
• Click-throughs to your site
• Conversions (sign-ups, inquiries, downloads)
• Comments and DMs from ideal clients

Adjust your strategy every 30-60 days based on what’s working. Social media is not set-it-and-forget-it.

Focus on Your Lane

Here’s where that quote comes full circle. When you’re constantly watching the competition, you’re taking time and energy away from your own growth.

Your success depends on your consistency, your message, and your value—not your follower count.

Clients are often surprised when they shift their focus inward. They start to see engagement from real people, new inquiries, and growing trust. It’s slower, sure. But it’s sustainable. And it’s real.

Final Thoughts: Slow Growth Is Still Growth

The truth is, most of the success you see online is backed by money, teams, and time. That doesn’t mean you can’t achieve success—but it does mean you need a plan that matches your resources.

Focus on value. Stay consistent. Build a strategy that fits your life and your goals. And most importantly, stay in your lane.

Because that’s where the real growth happens.

Need Help Crafting Your Social Media Strategy?

If this resonated with you and you’re ready to stop chasing and start building, we’d love to help. Runway Digital Media works with clients big and small to create tailored social media strategies and content calendars that work for their business. Let’s talk.

Written by Jyothsna Diaz, Founder and Chief Strategist, Runway Digital Media