How Do You Create an Effective Social Media Strategy for Different Business Types?
In this day and age, every business needs a social media strategy in place. And as a social media manager, knowing how to create an effective social media strategy for a business can turn these businesses into new clients.
So, where do you begin with creating this strategy?
You need to know what type of business you're dealing with, and get clear on what the immediate goals and needs of the business are.
The 4 Primary Types of Businesses That Buy Social Media Services
That's why I've identified the four primary types of businesses that you'll come across as a social media manager in my step-by-step strategy playbook.
My strategy method was created in a time when I was hired by a content marketing agency to complete over 300+ social media strategies in just two years.
During the course of creating these 300+ strategies, I discovered patterns and processes that sped up my work…
And one of these patterns is the 4 main businesses that you will come across as a social media manager, and how to apply my social media strategy template to all four of these types.
This approach can work across any kind of business, especially these 4 core types of businesses.
With a slight variation in approach and by knowing the specific client's customer base and branding, you can tweak this strategy template and apply it to every business you encounter.
What Are the 4 Main Categories of Businesses?
Whether it be a B2B or B2C business, there are 4 main categories of businesses — all of which need Social Media Management services — each of which has specific strategies.
A majority of the time, the types of businesses that are going to approach you about social media are going to fall into one of these four categories.
1. Digital Products or Subscriptions
The first type of business is digital products or subscriptions.
This is when a business is selling information in the form of e-books, online courses, an online software or technology, or some kind of digital subscription. In other words, the customer for this type of business pays for a product online and then receives the product digitally.
This type of business is often B2C, but it can also be B2B. For instance, in a SaaS product (software as a service), the business might be selling a software to another business to use for their company's needs. However, you can still approach this type of B2B social media strategy in the same way you would if it were a customer that you were selling the product to.
An example of this is with online tools, such as a tool like Hootsuite. There are two versions of Hootsuite. One version is for the customer, ie: a social media manager or solopreneur. This would be B2C (business to consumer), marketing and selling to the end user. The other is their enterprise version, selling packages with multiple logins for an entire company or marketing team to access. In this case, it would be B2B (business to business), marketing and selling to other businesses.
2. Physical Products Purchased Online
The next type of business is physical products purchased online.
This is when products are purchased online and then the physical product is shipped to your house, such as businesses with products sold on Amazon, Etsy, or a Shopify storefront. This is any B2C situation where customers are buying online and then the products are being mailed and shipped to the customer.
3. Local Brick & Mortar Businesses or Services
The third type of business is local brick & mortar businesses or services.
This includes any type of in-person store or boutique, hairdressers, auto-shops, restaurants, movie theaters, etc.
For local brick & mortar shops, your social media strategy will be tweaked to cater to a specific location in order to target that local customer base. Having a location-based business requires the customer to leave their house, get in their car, and drive to that location. A customer's physical presence is required in order for a transaction to happen. So the social media strategy for a local business follows the same baseline strategy template, but is then adjusted to target the local area.
4. Virtual Services
Lastly, the fourth type of business is virtual services.
Virtual services is any type of service-based business that happens online, including bookkeeping, virtual assistant roles, social media management, web development, data entry, etc.
My social media strategy technique can be applied to all 4 of these types of businesses.
How to Apply a Strategic Approach to Each Business Type
With the Social Media Pro approach and strategy, you'll be able to offer comprehensive social media services for all four of these types of businesses using my step-by-step strategic playbook.
When one of these four types of businesses reaches out to you about social media marketing, the first thing you should do is offer a free consultation call to get clear on their goals, what they need, and to answer any questions they may have.
A successful audit begins with the consultation. Here you can determine what your client's objectives are by listening and asking specific questions to find out what they're struggling with and what they're looking to accomplish. In my strategy playbook, I provide a strategic client questionnaire to use for your consultation calls so you can ensure you're asking the right questions on your first call with a client.
Once you've had your initial consultation with a client, now is the time to inform them of the “next steps”. This is your time to tell them what the next steps are to work with you, and where you'll offer your audit and strategy services to the client.
Now is where my game-changer strategy technique comes in: selling the audit and strategy as a service to the client. Gone are the days where you do work upfront for the client for free.
With my strategic method, you learn how to get paid to create social media strategies for your prospective clients so that you never write another client proposal for free.
Key Strategy Elements for Each Business Type
To create an effective social media strategy for each business type, focus on these key elements:
Digital Products/Subscriptions Strategy Focus
- Content that educates about product benefits and features
- Demonstration videos and tutorials
- Customer testimonials and success stories
- Free trial or freemium model promotion
- Webinars and live demonstrations
Physical Products Strategy Focus
- High-quality product photography
- User-generated content campaigns
- Unboxing experiences and reviews
- Shopping features on Instagram and Facebook
- Limited-time offers and seasonal promotions
Local Brick & Mortar Strategy Focus
- Location-based targeting and check-ins
- Local events and community involvement
- Google My Business integration
- Local influencer partnerships
- In-store promotions advertised online
Virtual Services Strategy Focus
- Thought leadership content
- Case studies and portfolio highlights
- Behind-the-scenes of service delivery
- Client testimonials and reviews
- Service process explanations
Measuring Social Media Success for Different Business Types
Each business type requires different metrics to track success:
Digital Products/Subscriptions
- Free trial sign-ups
- Conversion from free to paid
- User engagement with educational content
- Customer retention rates
Physical Products
- Click-through to product pages
- Shopping cart completion rates
- Return customer rates
- Engagement on product photos
Local Brick & Mortar
- Store visits attributed to social media
- Local engagement rates
- Event attendance
- Check-ins and location tags
Virtual Services
- Lead generation from social media
- Consultation bookings
- Portfolio view duration
- Referral sources
Conclusion
Understanding these four primary business types and how to approach their social media strategy needs will make you a more effective and valuable social media manager. By tailoring your approach to each specific business category while following a proven strategic framework, you'll be able to deliver results regardless of the client's industry.
Ready to elevate your social media management services? Learn more about my comprehensive Social Media Strategy Playbook and start turning consultations into paid strategy clients.
FAQ: Social Media Strategy for Different Business Types
Not always. Start with where the target audience spends their time. As a rule of thumb, digital products perform well on LinkedIn and Twitter, physical products on Instagram and Pinterest, local businesses on Facebook and Instagram, and virtual services on LinkedIn and Twitter.
Digital products and virtual services usually need quarterly updates. Physical products benefit from seasonal updates. Local businesses can often review their strategy twice a year unless major market changes occur.
Using a one-size-fits-all approach. Each business type has different needs. Local businesses require location-focused content. Physical products need strong visuals. Digital products need education and demos.
Price based on complexity and potential ROI. Larger digital or e-commerce brands support higher strategy fees. Small local businesses may need more accessible tiers. Value-based pricing generally works better than hourly rates.
Your framework can stay consistent, but templates should be customized. Digital products need educational content. Physical products need visuals. Local businesses need community-focused content. Virtual services need expertise-driven content.
Last Updated: May 15, 2025
