Most agencies treat social media like an afterthought—posting just to check a box. But the ones that dominate? They treat it like a core growth channel. They build systems, not just content. They optimize for reach, not just likes. And they create engagement that translates into actual business results.
Consider this: 71% of consumers rely on social media to guide purchasing decisions (Sprout Social). That means if your agency isn’t leveraging social media strategically—for both your clients and yourself—you’re leaving (a lot of) money on the table.
The agencies that win at social don’t just “stay active.” They build a system that drives leads, boosts brand authority, and scales without burning out their team. Luckily, CoSchedule has everything you need to do exactly that.
Here’s how you can build the best social media marketing strategy for your agency.
1. Define Your Goals
A social media strategy without clear goals is just noise. Agencies aren’t just posting for fun—they’re posting to drive results. But vague objectives like “increase engagement” or “grow brand awareness” won’t cut it. Define your goals in real terms:
- Brand Awareness: Increase visibility for your agency or your clients (metrics: follower growth, impressions, share of voice).
- Engagement & Community Building: Nurture deeper connections and advocacy (metrics: comments, shares, saves, brand mentions).
- Lead Generation: Convert social traffic into prospects (metrics: click-through rates, sign-ups, inquiries).
- Client Retention & Thought Leadership: Establish credibility in your niche (metrics: content shares, LinkedIn engagement, referral traffic).
💡Pro tip: Make your goals SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound). So, instead of “increase engagement,” it should be “Boost LinkedIn engagement by 30% in three months with interactive posts and direct outreach.”
2. Find Your Brand Voice for Social Media
Most agencies blend into the background because they all sound the same: “data-driven strategies” and “ROI-focused campaigns.” Snooze. Nobody remembers the agency that says what every agency says.
To stand out, your agency needs to have a distinct brand voice. Here’s how:
- Define Your Voice. Are you sharp and insightful like McKinsey or bold and unfiltered like Wendy’s? Decide how you actually want to sound.
- Talk to Your Clients’ Audiences, Not Just Other Agencies. Your voice needs to connect with their customers, not just impress other marketers.
- Create a Brand Voice Guide. A simple brand voice guide keeps everyone on the same page (and stops your team from slipping into corporate jargon).
Want proof that personality wins? Look at Duolingo on TikTok. They’ve turned an owl into a social media icon by ditching the safe, predictable content brands usually post. Instead of just “sharing updates,” they own a personality—fun, chaotic, and weirdly relatable.
💡Pro tip: Use Hire Mia. This AI-powered tool from CoSchedule analyzes your website and audience sentiment to refine your brand voice. This way, you won’t end up sounding like every other agency out there.
3. Understand (And Own) Your Niche
Before you even think about marketing, get clear on who you’re serving and what makes your agency stand out—starting with your audience. Find out about their:
- Needs: Conduct surveys, interviews, and competitor analyses to uncover your clients’ desires and pain points.
- Preferred Platforms: Determine where your clients are most active—Instagram, YouTube, or other platforms—to tailor your content accordingly.
- Content Preferences: Identify the types of content that resonate with your audience, such as videos, infographics, or articles.
💡 Pro tip: Check your competitors’ engagement—what content is working best for them? Use that insight to refine your approach.
Now, flip the focus to your agency. What’s your thing? No agency can do everything, and the best ones don’t even try. Instead of being a jack-of-all-trades, double down on what you do best.
- Are you an expert in B2B lead generation via LinkedIn?
- Do you specialize in high-impact, viral content for TikTok?
- Is your strength crafting data-driven performance marketing campaigns?
For example, look at Glossier. Its Instagram goes beyond predictable product shots, featuring user-generated content, customer testimonials, and BTS peeks. These are strategic efforts from the brand to turn customers into a community. If you work with beauty or DTC brands, you can steal this playbook.
The bottom line? Niche down. If you specialize in organic growth, don’t chase paid ad clients. If you thrive in high-ticket B2B marketing, skip the consumer brands. The stronger your positioning, the easier it is to attract the right clients.
4. Create a Content Calendar
A brilliant strategy means nothing without execution. That’s where a structured content calendar comes in. Without one, social media efforts become inconsistent, reactive, and chaotic.
CoSchedule’s Agency Calendar is built specifically for agencies, making it easy to plan, schedule, and manage multiple clients’ content in one place. How can you benefit from this tool, you ask?
- Consistency = More Visibility: Posting sporadically leads to weak engagement. A calendar ensures you show up regularly, boosting algorithm performance.
- No Stress: Plan content in advance so your designers, writers, and strategists aren’t stuck in panic mode. Everything’s planned, scheduled, and ready to go.
- Smoother Collaboration: Assign tasks, manage approvals, and track performance—all in one centralized dashboard.
Content marketing isn’t just about posting—it’s about planning. Systemize it, and scaling becomes a whole lot easier.
💡 Pro tip: If you use CoSchedule’s Agency Calendar, you can easily execute your strategy and your clients’ social strategies. It features custom Client Calendars to keep everything organized and segmented for better visibility.
5. Automate Your Social Media Strategy
Let’s be honest—managing social media manually is a nightmare, especially when you’re juggling multiple client accounts. Your own agency’s social presence? Probably an afterthought.
That’s exactly why you need automation. Instead of scrambling to post at the last minute, tools like CoSchedule’s ReQueue keep your content flowing without you lifting a finger. Here’s how to make it work for you:
- ReQueue reshares your best-performing posts, keeping them in circulation without spamming your audience.
- ReQueue handles the repetitive tasks so you can focus on strategy. No more copying, pasting, and rescheduling the same posts.
- Even during peak client work, ReQueue helps keep your social channels active and engaging—aka they’re never silent.
How to Get Started with ReQueue
- Identify posts that stay relevant over time.
- Organize them into ReQueue groups for smarter, more targeted recycling.
- Define the schedule, and let ReQueue handle the rest.
💡Pro tip: Discover ReQueue power tips to leverage this platform fully.
6. Be Consistent
The key to any effective social media marketing strategy for agencies is showing up—over and over again. A quiet account fades into irrelevance, while brands that post consistently stay top of mind.
Take The Social Shepherd, a US-based agency that has built a strong following by regularly sharing valuable insights, case studies, creative campaigns, fun reels, all of it. It’s this steady stream of content that keeps them relevant and reinforces their expertise in digital marketing.
If keeping up with posting feels impossible, ReQueue has your back. It automates the sharing of your best content, ensuring your agency stays visible—even when client work takes over.
7. Monitor and Measure Your Success
Social media isn’t a “set it and forget it” game—you need real data to make smart moves. Instead of drowning in meaningless numbers, focus on marketing metrics and KPIs that actually tell you something: Are people engaging? Clicking? Converting? If not, why?
CoSchedule simplifies this with:
- Social Profile Reports – Track engagement across platforms.
- Campaign Reports – Compare performance across multiple campaigns.
- Social Engagement Reports – See how post frequency affects engagement.
And because no one enjoys manually compiling reports, you can automate weekly/monthly performance summaries and export them for clients in just a few clicks.
Need a big-picture view of your campaigns? CoSchedule’s Calendar View lays it all out, so your team stays in sync. Prefer a more detailed breakdown? Table View helps track progress at a glance—ideal for juggling multiple clients.
8. Highlight Your Portfolio
You can say your agency is great all day long, but nothing speaks louder than your actual work. A strong portfolio proves what you’re capable of—no fluff, just results.
- Show Off Your Best Work: Social campaigns, blog posts, videos—whatever you do best, make it shine.
- Name-Drop (Strategically): Past clients and brand partnerships add credibility. If you’ve worked with recognizable names, don’t be shy about it.
- Let Clients Do the Talking: A well-placed testimonial is more powerful than any sales pitch. Real success stories, real numbers, real impact.
Instead of listing generic accomplishments, curate a portfolio that makes potential clients think: I want results like that. Then repurpose it into videos, testimonials, and other content to share via social.
9. Leverage Influencer Marketing
Most influencer marketing feels forced—don’t let that be you. Instead of blatant self-promotion, use influencers to tell compelling stories, spark discussions, and make your agency a name people trust. Done right, this builds credibility without feeling like an ad.
To start, look for people who actually influence your target clients. A marketing podcaster with 5,000 engaged listeners? More valuable than an Instagrammer with 100K passive followers. Find thought leaders who already shape industry conversations.
You should also go platform-specific. Play to each social media platform’s strengths:
- LinkedIn: Collaborate with industry pros to break down case studies and trends.
- X: Engage marketing voices who can spark viral conversations.
- YouTube and Podcasts: Long-form content lets influencers showcase your agency’s expertise naturally.
If you want these influencers invested in your agency’s success, give them a reason. Commission-based referral links or performance incentives ensure they stay engaged. Then, actually track what’s working—who’s bringing in quality leads, not just clicks.
💡Pro tip: Let influencers adapt their content accordingly instead of forcing a rigid script. Stay in the loop with regular check-ins, but give them creative freedom. Otherwise, it’s just another stale promo.
Examples: Successful Social Media Strategies from Top Agencies
Let’s review how three leading marketing agencies have built strong, engaging social media brands for themselves.
1. We Are Social
We Are Social doesn’t just share marketing insights—it sets the tone for industry discussions. Its content blends expert analysis, case studies, and campaign highlights, positioning the agency as the go-to source for those looking for cutting-edge strategies.
We Are Social stands out by tapping into cultural trends and real-time conversations in digital marketing and consumer behavior. Add in high-quality visuals and sharp storytelling, and its brand naturally draws in the kind of clients who want to stay ahead of the curve.
👉 Lesson: Don’t just post content. Create conversations people want to be part of.
2. Firebelly Marketing
Firebelly sticks to what it knows best: food and beverage marketing. Its social feed content—client success stories, industry-specific tips, and social media insights—is tailored to brands in this space, making them a trusted authority.
What really sets the agency apart is its client-focused approach. Instead of making it all about the agency, Firebelly highlights its clients’ wins, using real results and testimonials to build credibility and attract future partners.
👉 Lesson: Specialization builds credibility. Own your niche, and your audience will come to you.
3. Tenthwave Digital
Tenthwave Digital’s social feeds showcase major digital initiatives, industry insights, and high-impact projects, but its biggest strength is its strategic partnerships.
Take the agency’s Stop Bullying, Speak Up campaign. By teaming up with Facebook, Time Warner, and Cartoon Network, it reached over 2 million people with a powerful anti-bullying message. The agency has also worked with PayPal, eBay, and Google, proving the team can handle large-scale, integrated campaigns with serious reach.
👉 Lesson: The right partnerships amplify your impact. Collaborate with trusted brands and causes to make your work more visible and meaningful.
Execute Your Strategy with CoSchedule’s Agency Calendar
Managing social media and influencer collaborations can get messy fast. Use CoSchedule’s Agency Calendar to keep everything on track with easy scheduling and task management. Consequently, your team stays organized and aligned with campaign objectives—both for your agency and your clients.
Learn More Agency Marketing Tips Here
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