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On the surface, social media seems easy. You grab your phone, snap a photo, type a caption, and hit post. Except it's rarely that straightforward if you actually want to utilise your socials effectively for your business or brand. 🤷♀️
If you want results from your socials, there's more to it than posting when inspiration strikes (or just for no reason at all!). Behind every high-performing account is a full chain of planning, design, copy, scheduling, community management and analysis. And when you're juggling multiple platforms, the hours mount up fast.
In fact, 43% of small business owners reportedly spend at least six hours a week on these tasks. That's one hour and twelve minutes every weekday, MINIMUM, just for social. 96% of small businesses say they are active on social media, but a majority also say they don't have time for proper strategy in terms of social media marketing. So it's no surprise so many burn out trying to keep up with platforms they're not even sure are working for them.
Most content, and it includes your competitors' too, isn't serving a clear purpose. The good stuff comes from being deliberate:
Without this, posting becomes noise. The term "consistency" is tossed around a lot, but without strategy, it's just adding more clutter to a feed already bursting at the seams.
Here's a snapshot of what goes into a quality post:
That's a full week of work without even counting the pressure of not letting anything slip or wondering why impressions dropped overnight. And since people spend an average of 143 minutes per day on social media, missing a chance to engage or post at the right time can make a big difference in terms of visibility.
Small business owners report that spending 5–10 hours a week on social media marketing correlates with revenue growth. But only 57% actually spend that much time, and many fall short because they lack a clear plan or feel overwhelmed. Meanwhile, those same business owners waste around 6.8 hours weekly on low-value tasks like mindless social scrolling, emails, or interruptions. Imagine redirecting just a few of those hours into strategic social media and the tangible results that might bring.
A medium-sized company can spend up to 32 hours per month managing just one platform. That's four full working days. And yet, 80% of businesses say outsourcing can boost efficiency by up to 25%.
Doing the math: getting professional help with the planning, creation, scheduling, engagement, and reporting means you save time and free your headspace to focus on what you really love and where you're strongest rather than ignoring your socials and losing out on the opportunity to build community, interest and value.
You don't need to post daily on every platform. In fact, research shows that diversifying platforms by choice can actually lead to a correlation in increased revenue.
For example, an online skincare brand might focus just on Instagram and email, and see better results than trying to be everywhere. By putting effort into quality before quantity — like good visuals, strong captions, and helpful tips — they build genuine traction with an audience that's actually interested.
Or take a freelance web designer who notices that most of their leads come from LinkedIn and referrals. Instead of spreading themselves thin trying to make TikTok work, they focus on what's already driving results: testimonials, case studies, and value-led posts that attract the right kind of client. Less pressure, better return.
This is also why, if you are thinking about hiring a social media manager, it's worth avoiding anyone who wants to jump in and do everything all at once (especially if that just happens to be the most expensive option. 👀) A good social media manager will know how to start small and focused, building a strategy that makes sense before scaling up. And they won't be shy about telling you when there's no point wasting time (or budget) on a platform that isn't right for your audience or industry.
Great social media supports your broader marketing goals. That means:
A thoughtful email or well-timed, deliberate post can do more for brand trust and long-term return than a scattergun blasting of noisy, generic, in-your-face posts that don't 'say' anything. Sometimes, words without strategy are more pointless than not posting at all.
If you're spending more time on captions than clients or zoning out over whether you've missed TikTok's latest fad, consider this a sign. Social media shouldn't be another annoying item on your to-do list. It can be a fantastic tool for building connection, authority, and meaningful growth.
Outsourcing doesn't mean handing everything over and hoping for the best. Done right, it means having someone on your side who gets what you're trying to say/do and helps you apply it more often, more clearly, and without it eating up your entire week.
If it looks easy, the likelihood is that someone has spent years honing it behind the scenes. Or has someone experienced helping to shape it for them.
If social media is draining your time, energy, and creativity, it might be time to rethink how you're handling it. Whether that means slowing down, simplifying, or getting support, the goal is the same: social that works for you, not against you.
