The 101 Guide to Creating Social Media Strategy

Social media isn’t just another marketing channel—it’s where culture happens. In 2025, nearly 5.4 billion people worldwide, or about two-thirds of the global population, use social platforms. In the U.S. alone, that number is around 72.5% of the population. For brands, that makes social media one of the most powerful tools to connect with audiences, drive sales, and stay relevant. But posting at random won’t cut it anymore. To win, your business needs a thoughtful social media strategy. Here’s how to approach it in 2025, starting with which platforms matter most. Breaking Down the Major Platforms Facebook With over 3 billion monthly active users, Facebook remains the largest social media platform worldwide. Its strength lies in community and reach: Groups, events, and paid ads continue to drive strong results, especially for local businesses and consumer brands targeting Gen X and Millennials. Think of Facebook as your digital town square: still busy, still valuable, even if younger audiences spend less time there. Instagram Instagram attracts about 2 billion monthly users, and it continues to evolve into a hybrid of storytelling and shopping. Reels dominate the algorithm, while Instagram Shops let users buy without leaving the app. Stories give brands a place to share more candid, behind-the-scenes content, balancing polished feeds with authenticity. If your brand leans visual, lifestyle-driven, or influencer-friendly, Instagram should remain a core part of your strategy. TikTok TikTok now boasts 1.6 billion monthly active users, with engagement that’s unmatched: users spend an average of 55 minutes per day on the platform. What started as a Gen Z app has gone mainstream, with Millennials and even Gen X scrolling daily. It’s the leading engine for trends, music and product discovery, making TikTok Shops an increasingly lucrative channel. For brands willing to be creative, quick, and unpolished, TikTok is where growth can happen overnight. YouTube With around 2.7 billion users, YouTube is still the king of long-form video and the world’s second-largest search engine. Tutorials, product explainers, and brand storytelling thrive here. But YouTube isn’t just about long videos anymore: Shorts have become a serious competitor to TikTok, giving brands another chance to reach audiences in bite-sized ways. If your brand can commit to consistent video, YouTube is a long-term play worth investing in. LinkedIn Now with 1 billion members, LinkedIn has shifted from a résumé platform to a content hub. Executives, thought leaders, and brands alike use it to publish articles, share insights, and drive conversations. For B2B companies or brands looking to build authority, LinkedIn is the go-to platform. It’s also a recruitment tool, making it a double win for companies that want to attract both customers and talent. X (formerly Twitter) X has a smaller user base than Facebook or Instagram, but it remains essential for real-time conversation. Brands that perform well here don’t just post—they interact, respond, and contribute to the dialogue. X is particularly strong for industries tied to news, sports, culture, or entertainment. If your brand has a strong voice and a clear perspective, X can still be a place to stand out. Threads Meta’s text-based platform hit 400 million monthly users in 2025, proving it’s more than just a fad. Threads thrives on quick takes, conversational updates, and community-driven dialogue. It’s especially effective for brands leaning into thought leadership or aiming to engage in cultural conversations without the noise of older platforms. BeReal While smaller, with about 21 million monthly users, BeReal helped usher in a new demand for authenticity across platforms. For brands, it’s a reminder that audiences don’t just want polished campaigns—they want candid, human connection. Even if you don’t actively use BeReal, the ethos it created should shape your strategy everywhere else. What is a Social Media Strategy? So what does “strategy” mean in 2025? It’s more than just having an account and posting occasionally. A strategy is your roadmap: which platforms you’ll prioritize, what kind of voice and content you’ll use, how often you’ll post, and what goals you’re aiming for. The best strategies today balance automation with authenticity. AI tools can help you draft captions, schedule posts, and analyze performance. But audiences can spot canned content instantly — human creativity and genuine engagement are what set brands apart. A true strategy is a roadmap for how your brand shows up online—and it covers several key elements: Platform prioritization: You don’t need to be everywhere. A strong strategy identifies the 2–3 platforms where your audience is most active and focuses your energy there. Content pillars: These are the themes you’ll post about consistently—whether it’s education, behind-the-scenes culture, product highlights, or thought leadership. Content pillars give your feed structure and keep messaging on-brand. Voice and tone: Define how your brand sounds. Are you witty and playful? Polished and authoritative? Approachable and empathetic? Consistency in voice builds recognition and trust. Format mix: Video, stories, carousels, live sessions, different platforms reward different content. A strategy outlines which formats you’ll lean on to maximize reach and engagement. Posting cadence: Instead of guessing, a strategy maps out how often you’ll post on each platform. In 2025, algorithms reward consistency, but quality always trumps sheer volume. Engagement plan: Social is a two-way street. Your strategy should detail how you’ll respond to comments, join conversations, and spotlight user-generated content to build community. Measurement and goals: Finally, a strategy sets benchmarks for success—whether that’s follower growth, website clicks, conversions, or deeper engagement metrics like saves and shares. The Benefits of a Defined Social Media Strategy A strong social media strategy pays off in several key ways. First, it builds consistency, which in turn builds trust. When your audience sees the same voice, tone, and values across platforms, they know your brand is reliable and authentic. Second, it creates efficiency. Instead of starting from scratch every time, your team has guidelines to follow, making campaigns smoother and more cohesive. Third, it fuels growth. Social media drives measurable traffic and revenue—studies show social-first brands grow about 10% faster than those that treat it as an afterthought. On top

The Ultimate Guide to the Best Affiliate Programs

What do The New York Times, BuzzFeed, and New York Magazine all have in common? It’s not just that they’re household names or news outlets. Here’s the real answer: they’ve all built thriving revenue streams through affiliate marketing. Wirecutter, BuzzFeed Shopping, and The Strategist are dedicated commerce arms that publish product reviews, gift guides, and shopping recommendations—all monetized through affiliate links. When readers click those links and make purchases, the publishers earn a commission. For brands, this is more than a curiosity. It’s a direct opportunity. By joining affiliate programs, your products become eligible for inclusion in these highly visible shopping roundups and reviews. That means you don’t just benefit from more clicks—you get the credibility and reach of major media outlets recommending your products. This guide breaks down the best affiliate programs for brands in 2025 and how they can help you land in those coveted gift guides and “best of” lists. Amazon Associates Let’s start with the giant. Amazon Associates is one of the world’s largest affiliate programs and the backbone of commerce content at places like Wirecutter. Here’s how it works: Publishers and influencers join the Associates program, and when they link to products sold on Amazon, they earn a commission on any sales generated. For brands, the key is to list your products on Amazon. You don’t join Amazon Associates as a brand—you join as a seller through Amazon Seller Central. But once your products are live on Amazon, publishers using Associates can link to them, which dramatically increases your odds of appearing in product reviews. That’s why so many Wirecutter recommendations link to Amazon: it’s easy for readers to click “buy now,” and easy for the publisher to earn a commission. CJ Affiliate Formerly Commission Junction, CJ Affiliate has been a leader in affiliate marketing for over two decades. It connects brands with publishers through a searchable dashboard. For brands, CJ is powerful because it gives you more control. Publishers apply to promote your products, and you can approve or decline based on fit. On the flip side, you can actively recruit publishers using CJ’s “Recruit Partners” feature, which makes it a two-way street. This network is especially popular among lifestyle and tech publishers, making it a strong choice if you want to hand-pick who represents your brand. ShareASale ShareASale functions as a massive marketplace for affiliate relationships. Brands list their products, set commission rates, and appear in categories that publishers can browse. For example, a writer compiling a list of sustainable beauty products can search that category and instantly see participating brands. The platform also includes a seasonal marketing calendar, which helps brands tie their affiliate efforts to key holidays and shopping spikes (think Mother’s Day gift guides or holiday roundups). While ShareASale is widely used by bloggers and niche publishers, it’s also leveraged by larger sites for specific campaigns. Skimlinks Unlike Amazon Associates or CJ, Skimlinks doesn’t require publishers to set up affiliate links manually. Instead, it automatically turns existing product links into affiliate links—making it a favorite for big publishers who want scale without added effort. Over 60,000 publishers use Skimlinks, including heavyweights like HuffPost, Hearst, and Condé Nast. For brands, this means that if you’re already part of a major affiliate network (Amazon, CJ, ShareASale), your links can be monetized through Skimlinks without any extra work from the publisher. Skimlinks also offers a “Publisher Hub,” where brands maintain a profile with commission rates and product info—making it easier for media outlets to discover and feature them. Sovrn //Commerce (formerly VigLinks) What used to be VigLinks is now Sovrn //Commerce. Like Skimlinks, Sovrn automatically converts ordinary product links into affiliate links, saving publishers the hassle of manual setup. While it’s smaller than Skimlinks, it’s still used by many mid-size and large publishers. Being part of Sovrn ensures your brand has broad coverage, since some outlets prefer Sovrn’s tools over Skimlinks. For brands, joining both maximizes your visibility across the publisher ecosystem. Why Affiliate Programs Matter for Brands Joining affiliate programs isn’t just about commissions—it’s about visibility. Today’s publishers rely on affiliate revenue to fund their journalism, so commerce content is here to stay. When your brand participates in major affiliate networks, you dramatically increase your odds of being featured in shopping guides, gift roundups, and product reviews. That visibility translates to: More traffic: Articles on sites like Wirecutter or The Strategist reach millions of readers. Higher trust: Third-party recommendations feel more credible than ads. Increased sales: Affiliate links remove friction, turning inspiration into purchase with one click. In other words, affiliate marketing isn’t just another growth channel—it’s a PR, sales, and brand-building strategy rolled into one. Work With Us The smartest brands in 2025 aren’t asking if they should join affiliate programs. They’re asking which ones and how many. From Amazon Associates to CJ Affiliate to Skimlinks and Sovrn, these platforms are the pipelines that connect your products to the world’s biggest publishers. If you want your brand featured in holiday gift guides, shopping roundups, or expert product reviews, affiliate marketing isn’t optional—it’s essential. Work with LaRue to build your affiliate strategy today.

The True Impact of a Micro Influencer for Your Brand

What exactly makes someone an influencer? Is it a verified checkmark by their name, a string of product endorsement deals or simply mountains of followers? If you were under the impression that influencers are only those individuals with follower counts in half a million or million-plus range, you would be mistaken (don’t worry, it happens to the best of us). Just like some of the best things in life — think cakes or dogs — influencers come in all shapes and sizes, from the household name mega influencers to the micro-influencers on the other end of the spectrum. While the term ‘micro influencer’ might not sound very influential on the surface, these individuals can be a great asset to your brand marketing strategy. We’re here to clear up common misconceptions about micro-influencers and let you in on the actual impact they can have on your brand. What is a Micro-Influencer? The first myth that micro-influencer marketing needs to debunk is that a micro-influencer can’t make a difference in advertising efforts. The best way to combat this misconception is to know just what a micro-influencer is (and what they aren’t). A micro-influencer is somewhere in between the recreational everyday social media user and the super successful, well-known influencer that pops up all over your feed. Micro-influencers typically have anywhere between 10,000 and 50,000 followers. It’s not only follower count where micro-influencers and mega influencers differ. While a prominent influencer may post a range of content from workout routines to vacation photos, micro-influencers are much more focused in their postings. A micro-influencer has acquired a following in a niche area, usually related to just one or two specialized interests. For example, they might be highly regarded in the fly fishing community or be known for creating seasonal recipes specific to their region. How Can a Micro-Influencer Benefit Your Brand? Another misconception about influencer marketing is that it is most successful when brands partner with mega influencers. In fact, influencer marketing can be much more impactful when a micro-influencer is tapped to help market your brand. Here are just some of the reasons why: Follower Engagement Authentic Partnership Reaching Niche Audiences Available to Collaborate Follower Engagement At first glance, it might seem like micro-influencers would have less follower engagement because they aren’t as famous as bigger influencers. Instead, micro-influencers are known to have higher engagement rates with their followers than other influencers. For example, in 2021, micro-influencers with less than 15,000 followers had a 17.96% engagement rate on TikTok, whereas mega influencers with more than 1 million followers had only 4.96%. The individuals who follow micro-influencers are dedicated followers with shared interests who care about each posting made. With mega influencers, fans might only like specific posts or care about one of the star’s many interests. When a micro-influencer promotes your brand’s products or services, you can be sure that their followers will see the post and take an interest in it. Authentic Partnership A marketing partnership with a micro-influencer is more likely to come off as authentic than one with a mega influencer. Your existing customers will see the influencer as someone who genuinely cares about your brand, and the influencer’s followers will trust that the influencer actually likes and promotes your products. If there is overlap between your customer base and the micro influencer’s audience, the campaign is even more likely to be well-received on both ends. Reaching Niche Audiences While it might seem like a mega influencer could help you reach a huge audience, with brand marketing, it’s more about getting the right audience. Micro-influencers are known for the specific niche topics they regularly post about and have built their followings on. With micro-influencer marketing, you can effectively reach audiences you wouldn’t target with traditional strategies. Suppose a wellness brand decides to launch a new shampoo made of all-natural, sustainable ingredients. In that case, they might reach out to a micro-influencer who is well-known in the eco-friendly beauty community. This would help the shampoo make a bigger splash in its target market than it could if the brand chose to partner with just any influencer. Available to Collaborate Mega influencers are more likely to be selective about which companies and products they work with and are less available and open to collaborations. A newer brand has a better chance at partnering with a micro-influencer than one with millions of followers. There are also simply more micro-influencers than mega influencers, meaning that any brand should find the right one to work with. Whether you are looking for a dog grooming or winter accessory knitting micro-influencer, you should be able to find one willing to collaborate. Key Tips for Working with a Micro-Influencer A micro-influencer truly is a better bet for most brands than social media stars with massive follower counts. Even big companies like Coca-Cola, Sperry and Sephora have successfully partnered with micro-influencers. If you’re stuck on how to make the most of micro-influencer marketing for your brand, here are some helpful tips: Determine Marketing Goals Creating a marketing plan before jumping into any new brand strategy is always a good idea. Knowing what you want to accomplish from a micro-influencer marketing campaign will help you find the right micro-influencer for your goals and forge a successful partnership. Work with More than One Don’t be afraid to work with more than one micro-influencer. If you have multiple products in your brand lineup, find micro-influencers that make the most sense for individual products. You can also utilize micro-influencers in different regions to promote your brand across a wider geographic range. Get Creative and Collaborate The biggest asset a micro-influencer brings to the table is their audience of engaged, dedicated followers. Don’t hesitate to listen to their ideas and collaborate on creative ways to market your brand to their followers. After all, they know their audience best (and that is why you hired them in the first place).