Posting Isn’t Strategy. Here’s Why.
I used to think digital strategy was just about being loud. Posting constantly. Following every trend. Chasing every algorithm. If a brand was everywhere at once, I assumed it was doing something right. I now realize how wrong that thinking was.
For a long time, I believed that consistency and visibility were the keys to success. If a brand posted often and stayed active across platforms, I assumed it had a strong strategy. To me, strategy meant choosing Instagram over X, TikTok over Facebook, and figuring out the perfect time to post.
Looking back, what I called “strategy” was really just activity.
After learning about Breakthrough Advertising and the levels of awareness, my perspective completely changed. I began to understand that real digital strategy is not about how much content you produce. It is about how intentionally that content is created…
Strategy Is More Than Tools and Platforms
Digital strategy is different from channels, tactics, and tools because it focuses on thinking before doing. Channels are where content appears. Tactics are the actions brands take. Tools help execute those actions. Strategy connects all of it. It answers deeper questions: Who is my audience? What do they already know? What do they care about? And what are they ready to hear next?
This connects directly to the levels of awareness framework from Breakthrough Advertising. Eugene Schwartz explained that audiences move through stages: unaware, problem-aware, solution-aware, product-aware, and most-aware. A helpful breakdown of how awareness influences copy and messaging can be found here:
https://medium.com/@chadbennett200/blog-3-ce272c097f08
https://medium.com/@chadbennett200/blog-3-ce272c097f08
Source: Pinterest
Modern digital media also shows why strategy matters more than automation alone. As this Forbes article explains, even advanced tools like AI can fail when they are not guided by strong strategic thinking:
https://www.forbes.com/sites/jasonsnyder/2026/01/30/the-hidden-ai-failure-thats-quietly-breaking-advertising-economics/
https://www.forbes.com/sites/jasonsnyder/2026/01/30/the-hidden-ai-failure-thats-quietly-breaking-advertising-economics/
Learning Strategy Through My Professional Experience
I began seeing these principles in action through my work at WMNF 88.5 FM and through my separate role as a social media manager. In both spaces, I’ve learned that posting frequently is not enough. What matters is understanding why you are posting and who you are posting for.
At WMNF, much of our content focuses on community engagement, music, public affairs, and local stories. When promoting programs, events, or station initiatives, we often start with storytelling and connection before asking for donations, attendance, or support. This helps build trust with listeners who may still be unaware or only partially aware of the station’s mission.
In my previous role as a social media manager for Where Your Food Comes From, I learned this lesson even more clearly. Many people are unaware of how their food is produced or why local agriculture matters. Instead of immediately promoting products or services, our content first focused on farmers, sustainability, and real stories from the field. This helped audiences become problem-aware and solution-aware before we ever introduced promotional messaging.
By approaching both roles with an awareness-based mindset, engagement improved. Audiences responded more when they felt informed and respected rather than sold to. These experiences showed me that strong digital strategy works across industries - whether in nonprofit media or food education.
Why Awareness Shapes Everything
Levels of awareness influence what brands should say, where they should say it, and when they should sell.
For unaware audiences, brands should focus on emotion and storytelling, especially on platforms like TikTok and Instagram. For problem-aware audiences, they should educate through blogs and videos. For solution-aware and product-aware users, messaging should focus on proof, value, and convenience through email, retargeting ads, and landing pages.
Strategy helps brands move people naturally from curiosity to commitment.
Without this process, marketing feels rushed and ineffective.
What This Lecture Taught Me
This lecture taught me that digital marketing is not about being everywhere. It is about being intentional. Even in today’s fast-paced digital world, people still want to feel understood before being persuaded.
That is why Breakthrough Advertising remains relevant. Platforms change. Tools change. Algorithms change. But human decision-making stays similar.
Posting alone does not build trust.
Posting alone does not create relationships.
Posting alone does not guarantee impact.
Posting alone does not create relationships.
Posting alone does not guarantee impact.
Strategy does.
Conclusion: Strategy Over Noise
Real digital strategy means showing up with the right message, at the right time, for the right mindset. Through my experiences with WMNF, Where Your Food Comes From, and Global Queen, I now understand that meaningful marketing starts with awareness - not just activity.
Posting is easy.
Strategy is intentional.
And that is what makes the difference.
