By now we all know that the secret to success on social media isn’t just posting content but it’s building your brand’s presence and engaging with your audience.
No one knows this better than Kat Murphy, Head of Strategy (and Memes) at Social Kat Media, who’s built a social media agency that helps small businesses, large brands, and everyone in between to level up their social media content.
We sat down with Kat to discuss her journey on social media and how she uses Instagram to establish herself as an expert in her field. Plus, Kat shares some tips and tricks for other small business owners with their social media marketing.
What is the story behind your business? How did you get started?
“While studying advertising at university, I took an interest in social media and began pursuing it as a specialty. I started working freelance and then realized I could do this for real. I quit my corporate job and took a chance on myself. I focused on small businesses because I was so passionate about community building.
That was six years ago and I haven’t looked back! Since then I’ve built a thriving agency that supports local businesses and large national brands.”
When building your business, how did you use social media to build awareness and grow a following?
“As a Social Media Strategist, of course, social media was my go-to for building my brand!
I’ve used social media to educate my audience and set myself up as a leader in the industry. The real power of social media has been the connections I’ve built with my audience. By sharing parts of my life and business with my audience, and actively engaging with them, I’ve been able to create a strong community.
Social media acts as a main lead source for the business and is a wonderful portfolio for people who are referred to Social Kat Media. It’s the best showcase of what we do!”
Which social media channels have you found most helpful in growing your business, and why?
“Instagram is our jam! I love Instagram for building community. Through images and videos, I can share education while also showing up as my authentic self. This allows my audience to see me as an expert while also getting to know me on a more personal level. Using reels, hashtags, and targeted engagement has allowed us to grow our community effectively and sustainably.”
What Plann features do you love as a social media marketer?
“I love being able to clearly map out my social media content to see how it will look while also being able to strategically plan the goals and categories of posts. It’s so important to remember that Instagram needs to do more than just look good! It also needs to have a purpose and a plan. Using Plann has allowed me to balance showcasing the brand as a whole.”
What was the first thing you noticed when you started using Plann?
“I immediately noticed that it was so easy to use and intuitive — the features go beyond so many scheduling tools on the market. The focus on strategy ensures content is more meaningful for businesses and achieves goals. It’s not just about creating or scheduling content — it helps in building strategy and knowing why you’re posting, which is so important.”
What are your top three tips for small business owners looking to tap into the power of social media marketing?
“Make a plan! If you’re posting on the fly or randomly – it feels overwhelming and you probably won’t see the results you’re looking for! It’s important to determine your goals for your content, balance those goals, and then make a plan!
Don’t compare yourself to others. Your journey is different from others. What another business is doing on social media isn’t necessarily what you should be doing online. It’s important to figure out what you enjoy doing on social media AND what is getting you results.
Have fun. At the end of the day, social media should be fun. Making it something that you enjoy doing will make it more sustainable for you and get you better results. Play around with different types of content to find what feels good.”
What’s next for your business?
“I’m working on developing more products and courses to help even more small business owners! Hint: a reels course coming *reeeeeeel* soon. 👀 Everything we do is about empowering small business owners to build engaged communities, have fun online, and build sustainable social media systems.”
Ready to supercharge your success on social media?
Looking for an all-in-one content creation suite that allows you to manage your social media channels effortlessly? From mapping out your strategy and designing your graphics to saving plug-and-play hashtag sets, you’ll find everything you need inside Plann.
Go on, and redeem your 7-day free trial of Plann Plus. If you don’t like it, keep using Plann for free!
