"The right way" is one of the most misunderstood terms in Marketing. It suggests there is a single path, a perfect playbook that if followed, guarantees success. But anyone who has been in the "trenches" knows: Marketing doesn't work that way.
In Social Media Marketing, what's called "right" depends entirely on whether your choices align with your business's growth stage and the characteristics of the customers you're pursuing. For example, if you're a Google Analytics 4 consultant, social media is a place to showcase your expertise for businesses seeking solutions; but if you sell a fast-moving consumer good, the approach is completely different.
The biggest mistake brands make is treating social media as a default must-have channel, leading to following trends without careful resource consideration.
The stature of Reach and the power of Context
For early-stage brands, time is the scarcest resource. A common mistake I often see is businesses investing too much in platforms that have no potential for return (ROI). Teams spend hours perfecting images, organizing giveaways, and chasing vanity metrics, only to wonder why revenue stays flat.
Sometimes, the problem isn't the content, but the distribution channel.
"Reaching 400 people who never intended to become your customers isn't called strategy; it's just an activity that mimics progress."
The real power of Social Media Marketing lies in context. What state of mind is the customer in when you appear? Are they seeking solutions or are they entertaining? If your content is misaligned with the platform's context, you're wasting effort.
The trade-off: Smart choices over greed
Every time you choose to pour energy into Instagram, you're inadvertently giving up opportunities on LinkedIn or Email Marketing. No business has enough resources to be "perfectly" present everywhere.
Doing Marketing "the right way" is about making conscious trade-offs:
- Focus on quality over quantity: Better to own a small but deeply engaged community than ten thousand shallow followers.
- Message-channel fit: Don't try to cram a deep technical article onto TikTok, nor bring unrelated dancing videos to LinkedIn.
The debate about "Organic" vs. "Paid"
Many still argue which is the best approach. In reality, this debate often misses the point. No choice is best; only the choice that fits your niche and growth strategy at a given moment.
- Paid channels: Can bring quick traction, suitable for product launches or scaling.
- Organic channels: Build sustainable brand value and long-term trust.
The secret is combining them so that you don't drain resources and don't become blinded about where customers are actually spending time.
There is no "Plug-and-Play" checklist for success
I would love to give you a list of "must-do" steps for effective Social Media Marketing. But if I did, I wouldn't be honest with you.
Marketing depends on where you are, who you're talking to, what you're offering, and how those land in the real world. The only "right" way is the way that actually brings results for your business. Social media can be the biggest boost, or it can just be a support tool for other tactics. Either way, it's just a tool, not the definition of success.
Conclusion: Resist the temptation of certainty
Don't hope social media will magically solve all your strategic problems. What truly works is your willingness to put in the effort to think, test assumptions, and commit to a mix of strategies reflecting both short-term and long-term growth.
In other words, your "right" doesn't have to be the same as the business next door. The true "right" is whatever your business needs to keep growing sustainably.
Are you doing Social Media because you "have to" or because it actually serves your growth goals?
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