January 7, 2025 • 10 mins
Episode Overview
An in-depth look at three real case studies showing how businesses achieved significant growth by being more intentional and doing less on social media. It features actual data and implementation strategies that will work in 2025.
Key Case Studies
Local Retail Store
- Initial challenge: No reach despite following "best practices"
- Strategy changes:
- Community-focused content
- Entertainment over sales
- Strategic timing
- Results:
- 423.7% engagement increase
- 282.9% impressions increase
- Zero paid advertising
- Initial challenge: Burnout from daily posting
- Strategy changes:
- Reduced posting frequency
- Focus on genuine engagement
- Strategic audience targeting
- Results:
- 30.6% follower increase
- 143.5% engagement increase
- 122.2% impression growth
- Initial challenge: Random YouTube posting
- Strategy changes:
- SEO-focused approach
- Clear audience targeting
- Business goal alignment
- Results:
- 253.7% engagement increase
- 513.6% view increase
- 13.66% watch time improvement
- Quality over quantity in content creation
- Platform mastery beats platform diversity
- Entertainment without purpose is just noise
- Consistency means reliable, not daily
- Real relationships beat algorithms
- Audit your current content strategy
- Choose one primary platform
- Create engagement-focused content
- Build genuine relationships with audience
- Implement daily engagement routine
- Instagram: @wheeler_marketing_agency
- Subscribe to the podcast
- Ready to cut through the social media noise? Send us a DM or head to wheelermarketingagency.com and let's chat about your business.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:05):
welcome to the social media reality check
the show that cuts through the noise
and brings you real
actionable social media strategies that really work
I'm your host Danielle Wheeler
and with over 15 years of experience
managing social media for business
I'm here to share what's actually moving the needle
no fluff no outdated tactics
practical strategies you can implement the day
(00:26):
hey everyone
let's dive into today's reality check
so real quick cause um
I think this ties into the
episode
I was actually meeting with one of my clients
on New Year
Steve and absolutely adore her
and we've been working together for a year now
she's fantastic
anyhow
we got to talking about social media
(00:46):
and how exhausting it's all become
and how everyone is burning out
trying to keep up with it all
and it kind of hit me that 2025 needs to be different
it needs to be the year that we all get intentional
about our social media marketing
so
here's why
I'm so excited to share today's episode with you
(01:07):
cause I'm going to show you how
one of our clients increased their Facebook
engagement by over 400%
without spending a dime on any ads
another grew their Instagram following by 30%
while actually posting less than before
so I'm gonna break down
these case studies from the last 90 days
(01:28):
that prove you don't need a massive budget
or to dance on rails to see actual results
and trust me this is going to change
how you think about social media in 2025
so reality check time
let's be
honest about the myth that everyone's still believing
No. 1 you have to pay to play on social media
(01:48):
No. 2
you need a post every single day
number three
you have to be on every platform or No. 4
you need to follow every trip
you know what's funny about these
is that these myths haven't changed
since I started in social media
they've just gotten more and more exhausting
but here's what nobody's talking about
(02:09):
businesses seeing the
best results are the ones ignoring these myths
completely I get it
I was there too
but let me tell you why
being intentional beats being everywhere
any day of the week
so let's go over the first case study
which is a local retail store that changed everything
so I love sharing the story
(02:30):
because it shows what's possible
when you stop following the crowd
so
this local retail store came to me a little frustrated
they were doing everything right
posting daily
the whole 9 yards
but the reach was basically non existent
and the same goes for their engagement
which was actually even worse
(02:51):
here's what we did differently in the last 90 days
number one
we actually took the time to understand their community
number two
we created content that their audience wanted
No.3 we got strategic with the timing
and No. 4
we built a community instead of just selling or saying
come in and buy things
(03:11):
let me give you a specific example of what we did
so instead of posting you know
generic product photos
or those really pretty graphics that look great to us
as marketers
we started actually posting more entertaining content
and showcasing the people
that actually work at the store
(03:31):
so like for example
they just got a big shipment of some product in
and instead of building a graphic and posting it saying
look what just came in or what have you
we created
a reel that used a really funny audio and showcase
the rival of the new product
it outperformed every other come by
(03:52):
this announcement that they've ever posted
why
because it was real it was relatable
and it was entertaining
and it wasn't just another come on in by this post
so 90 days later
these numbers still make me smile
their engagement went up 423.7%
their impressions increased by 282.9%
(04:17):
and guess what
no paid advertising
so the real lesson is
when you truly understand and entertain your audience
they become your marketing engine
all right let's move on
case study No. 2 this is one of my favorites
because it completely flips the script
on everything we're told about social media
(04:38):
my client was burnt out posting daily
feeling overwhelmed and getting nowhere
so of course feeling super frustrated
so here's what we did instead
No. 1 we cut the posting frequency
I know it's kind of scary right
and number two we focused on actual conversations 3
(05:01):
building real relationships
and 4 got strategic about who we were talking to
90 days later
followers grew about 30.6%
engagement jumped by 143.5%
and impressions grew by 122.2%
(05:23):
here's what's wild during the same period
her competitors were all jumping on every trend
doing every dance challenge
posting daily pointing at text bubbles
meanwhile she's posting three times a week
having real conversations in her comments
and making real connections in her DM
and the best part is she
(05:44):
even got her evenings and weekends back
she's actually enjoying social media again
all right let's move it along
case study number three
so this company was like most businesses on YouTube
posting as much as possible
and hoping something would stick
no real strategy no clear audience
just you know
(06:05):
content for content sake we've all been there
what did we do we got intentional
so No. 1 we dialed in the SEO
because YouTube is a search engine first
No. 2 actually figured out who they were talking to
No.3
we aligned everything with their business goals
(06:27):
and 4
we created content people were actually searching for
so the results speak for themselves
after 90 days the engagement went up 253.7%
the views increased by 513.6%
and their watch time improved by 13.66%
(06:48):
so I wanna do
kind of quick pause here and share something
I think is super important
this approach isn't just about social media
it's about building a sustainable business
one of my mentors actually told me years ago
that social media is just a tool
not your whole toolbox
(07:08):
and I think that's
really never been more true than it will be this year
what's the big take away here
what's really working
I would say really knowing your audience
not just guessing
quality
conversations over the quantity of post you're doing
mastering one platform before adding in
(07:29):
all the other ones or just even one less can really
really be more
I think
entertainment without purpose
is just more noise on social media
and consistency
doesn't mean daily or multiple times a day either
it just means reliable
real relationships beat algorithms every single time
(07:52):
and you don't need to be everywhere to be successful
my biggest thing is organic social media is not dead
it's just picky about the quality
so how can you make this work for you
that's the big question
so I don't want you to listen to these case studies
I want you to actually be able to
implement this approach so here's your game plan
(08:14):
No. 1 I want you to do your audience research first
I don't care if you've been in business a month
a year
two years what have you
go back look at your audience
define who you're really talking to
map out their actual problems
figure out what content that they want
then you can go ahead and do the content strategy
(08:36):
where you pick your main platform
set a realistic schedule again
doesn't have to be daily multiple times a day
just realistic just reliable
and create your engagement windows
these are the times that you are going to commit
to engaging with your actual audience
which leads into No. 3 building real relationships
(09:01):
create a genuine response strategy
and focus on building your community
here's a quick win that you can start today
go look at your last 10 posts
count how many are actually asking for engagement
versus just broadcasting
I bet what you'll find
and what I find with most clients
is that we're talking at our audience
(09:23):
instead of talking with our audience
change that one thing
and you'll start seeing a major difference
I know some of you are thinking
but Danielle my industry is different
trust me I've heard this from every type of business
here's the thing
whether you're selling software or sandwiches
people are people they want to connect with real humans
(09:46):
not faceless brands 2025 isn't about doing more
it's about being intentional with what you do
start with one platform understand your audience deeply
and show up consistently
that's how you build sustainable growth
without the burnout
(10:06):
remember social media doesn't have to be complicated
it just has to be real until next time
this is Danielle Wheeler
reminding you to keep it authentic
keep it strategic
and always get your social media reality check
welcome to the social media reality check
the show that cuts through the noise
and brings you real
actionable social media strategies that really work
I'm your host Danielle Wheeler
and with over 15 years of experience
managing social media for business
I'm here to share what's actually moving the needle
no fluff no outdated tactics
practical strategies you can implement the day
(00:26):
hey everyone
let's dive into today's reality check
so real quick cause um
I think this ties into the
episode
I was actually meeting with one of my clients
on New Year
Steve and absolutely adore her
and we've been working together for a year now
she's fantastic
anyhow
we got to talking about social media
(00:46):
and how exhausting it's all become
and how everyone is burning out
trying to keep up with it all
and it kind of hit me that 2025 needs to be different
it needs to be the year that we all get intentional
about our social media marketing
so
here's why
I'm so excited to share today's episode with you
(01:07):
cause I'm going to show you how
one of our clients increased their Facebook
engagement by over 400%
without spending a dime on any ads
another grew their Instagram following by 30%
while actually posting less than before
so I'm gonna break down
these case studies from the last 90 days
(01:28):
that prove you don't need a massive budget
or to dance on rails to see actual results
and trust me this is going to change
how you think about social media in 2025
so reality check time
let's be
honest about the myth that everyone's still believing
No. 1 you have to pay to play on social media
(01:48):
No. 2
you need a post every single day
number three
you have to be on every platform or No. 4
you need to follow every trip
you know what's funny about these
is that these myths haven't changed
since I started in social media
they've just gotten more and more exhausting
but here's what nobody's talking about
(02:09):
businesses seeing the
best results are the ones ignoring these myths
completely I get it
I was there too
but let me tell you why
being intentional beats being everywhere
any day of the week
so let's go over the first case study
which is a local retail store that changed everything
so I love sharing the story
(02:30):
because it shows what's possible
when you stop following the crowd
so
this local retail store came to me a little frustrated
they were doing everything right
posting daily
the whole 9 yards
but the reach was basically non existent
and the same goes for their engagement
which was actually even worse
(02:51):
here's what we did differently in the last 90 days
number one
we actually took the time to understand their community
number two
we created content that their audience wanted
No.3 we got strategic with the timing
and No. 4
we built a community instead of just selling or saying
come in and buy things
(03:11):
let me give you a specific example of what we did
so instead of posting you know
generic product photos
or those really pretty graphics that look great to us
as marketers
we started actually posting more entertaining content
and showcasing the people
that actually work at the store
(03:31):
so like for example
they just got a big shipment of some product in
and instead of building a graphic and posting it saying
look what just came in or what have you
we created
a reel that used a really funny audio and showcase
the rival of the new product
it outperformed every other come by
(03:52):
this announcement that they've ever posted
why
because it was real it was relatable
and it was entertaining
and it wasn't just another come on in by this post
so 90 days later
these numbers still make me smile
their engagement went up 423.7%
their impressions increased by 282.9%
(04:17):
and guess what
no paid advertising
so the real lesson is
when you truly understand and entertain your audience
they become your marketing engine
all right let's move on
case study No. 2 this is one of my favorites
because it completely flips the script
on everything we're told about social media
(04:38):
my client was burnt out posting daily
feeling overwhelmed and getting nowhere
so of course feeling super frustrated
so here's what we did instead
No. 1 we cut the posting frequency
I know it's kind of scary right
and number two we focused on actual conversations 3
(05:01):
building real relationships
and 4 got strategic about who we were talking to
90 days later
followers grew about 30.6%
engagement jumped by 143.5%
and impressions grew by 122.2%
(05:23):
here's what's wild during the same period
her competitors were all jumping on every trend
doing every dance challenge
posting daily pointing at text bubbles
meanwhile she's posting three times a week
having real conversations in her comments
and making real connections in her DM
and the best part is she
(05:44):
even got her evenings and weekends back
she's actually enjoying social media again
all right let's move it along
case study number three
so this company was like most businesses on YouTube
posting as much as possible
and hoping something would stick
no real strategy no clear audience
just you know
(06:05):
content for content sake we've all been there
what did we do we got intentional
so No. 1 we dialed in the SEO
because YouTube is a search engine first
No. 2 actually figured out who they were talking to
No.3
we aligned everything with their business goals
(06:27):
and 4
we created content people were actually searching for
so the results speak for themselves
after 90 days the engagement went up 253.7%
the views increased by 513.6%
and their watch time improved by 13.66%
(06:48):
so I wanna do
kind of quick pause here and share something
I think is super important
this approach isn't just about social media
it's about building a sustainable business
one of my mentors actually told me years ago
that social media is just a tool
not your whole toolbox
(07:08):
and I think that's
really never been more true than it will be this year
what's the big take away here
what's really working
I would say really knowing your audience
not just guessing
quality
conversations over the quantity of post you're doing
mastering one platform before adding in
(07:29):
all the other ones or just even one less can really
really be more
I think
entertainment without purpose
is just more noise on social media
and consistency
doesn't mean daily or multiple times a day either
it just means reliable
real relationships beat algorithms every single time
(07:52):
and you don't need to be everywhere to be successful
my biggest thing is organic social media is not dead
it's just picky about the quality
so how can you make this work for you
that's the big question
so I don't want you to listen to these case studies
I want you to actually be able to
implement this approach so here's your game plan
(08:14):
No. 1 I want you to do your audience research first
I don't care if you've been in business a month
a year
two years what have you
go back look at your audience
define who you're really talking to
map out their actual problems
figure out what content that they want
then you can go ahead and do the content strategy
(08:36):
where you pick your main platform
set a realistic schedule again
doesn't have to be daily multiple times a day
just realistic just reliable
and create your engagement windows
these are the times that you are going to commit
to engaging with your actual audience
which leads into No. 3 building real relationships
(09:01):
create a genuine response strategy
and focus on building your community
here's a quick win that you can start today
go look at your last 10 posts
count how many are actually asking for engagement
versus just broadcasting
I bet what you'll find
and what I find with most clients
is that we're talking at our audience
(09:23):
instead of talking with our audience
change that one thing
and you'll start seeing a major difference
I know some of you are thinking
but Danielle my industry is different
trust me I've heard this from every type of business
here's the thing
whether you're selling software or sandwiches
people are people they want to connect with real humans
(09:46):
not faceless brands 2025 isn't about doing more
it's about being intentional with what you do
start with one platform understand your audience deeply
and show up consistently
that's how you build sustainable growth
without the burnout
(10:06):
remember social media doesn't have to be complicated
it just has to be real until next time
this is Danielle Wheeler
reminding you to keep it authentic
keep it strategic
and always get your social media reality check
Popular Podcasts
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
24/7 News: The Latest
The latest news in 4 minutes updated every hour, every day.
Therapy Gecko
An unlicensed lizard psychologist travels the universe talking to strangers about absolutely nothing. TO CALL THE GECKO: follow me on https://www.twitch.tv/lyleforever to get a notification for when I am taking calls. I am usually live Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays but lately a lot of other times too. I am a gecko.