Social media marketing has evolved far beyond posting a witty caption or product shot. With ever-changing platforms and strategies, many internal teams find managing social media alongside other marketing efforts too time-consuming. That’s where a specialist social media agency steps in.
But what should you expect from a good agency — and how do you know you’re hiring the right one?
Strategy first
Every strong agency relationship starts with a smart strategy, rooted in data and insights. A good social media marketing agency will dive deep into:
Audience profiling and lifestyle trends
Competitive benchmarking to spot gaps and opportunities
Industry research and trend analysis. Ideally look for an agency with expertise in your sector
Social listening to understand what’s already being said
Social search & keyword insights to help you gain visibility
These insights inform your overall strategy, including:
Channel selection: Where to show up and how often, including whether to capitalise on new emerging channels or wind-down under-performing options
Content pillars: Key themes and formats, balancing what resonates with what your business needs to highlight
Tone of voice: A clear, distinctive brand personality with example phrases
Visual style: Balancing brand guidelines with social-first content
Paid social strategy: Supporting your broader marketing goals
Content That Performs
Once the strategy’s in place, it’s time to bring your content to life. From everyday graphics and copy to full-scale video production, a flexible social media agency should deliver content that fits your budget and brand.
At Carousel, for example, we offer video packages ranging from cost-effective mobile footage to high-end shoots with professional partner crews — and everything in between. We’ve even commissioned a videographer to shoot swim-through footage in our Buxton Crescent hotel client’s indoor-outdoor pool!
Whatever the format, the agency should manage the full process — from creative briefs and legal sign-offs to shoot coordination and content delivery.
And smart content planning should always align with wider marketing activity, whether that’s supporting a TV campaign, amplifying a live event or PR stunt, or boosting website traffic.
Equally important: being reactive. Your agency should be ready to identify relevant trends and jump on them fast — with the creativity and agility to make them your own.
Technical know-how
The social landscape shifts constantly. Your agency must stay ahead of platform updates, new features, and algorithm changes — while also having the technical chops to troubleshoot when things go wrong.
Legal and compliance expertise is just as important. From ASA guidelines and GDPR to IP rights and ad regulations, a responsible social media agency will keep your brand safe and on the right side of the law.
Putting the social back in social media
Social media isn’t just a broadcast channel — it’s a conversation. The best agencies support with:
Community management: Prompt, positive interaction and complaint handling
Crisis comms: A plan for when things go wrong
Advocacy programmes: Mobilising real customers to spread the word
Influencer marketing & brand partnerships: From micro-creators to large-scale activations, identifying the right fit for your brand and negotiating favourable terms & pricing
Paid Social That Delivers
Even with strong content and partnerships, brands can often struggle with slow organic growth on traditional channels since organic reach has declined significantly since the early days of social media. Paid social ensures your investment in content gets seen — and drives real results, but it’s important to also combine this with a strong organic strategy, where public-facing content should show the relatable, engaging side of the brand.
A good social media marketing agency will guide you through:
Choosing the right platforms and ad formats
Balancing brand-building with performance and conversion goals
Audience targeting and retargeting strategies
Setting up conversion tracking and CRM integrations
Budget and bid strategies for maximum ROI
Reporting That Matters
With endless metrics available, focus is key. Your agency should work with you to define clear KPIs — tracking a mix of the below, depending on what matters most to your brand:
Soft metrics: Reach, engagement, views, sentiment
Hard metrics: Leads, conversions, ROI
Beyond reporting, expect insights. A strong agency will continuously analyse what’s working, test new ideas, and adapt your strategy to optimise results.
There’s no one-size-fits-all
Every brand is different. Whether you want full-service support, help with paid or influencer marketing, or to complement your in-house team, flexibility is essential.
At Carousel, we tailor every partnership to suit your brand, budget and goals, which has helped us to become a global-award winning social media agency.
Ready to level up your social media?
Get in touch — we’d love to help.
