Deliver measurable business impact by turning social media strategy into a scalable, performance-led growth engine. Social Media Strategy by Julie Atherton is a practical guide for senior marketing professionals who need to align social media investment with commercial outcomes and long-term brand value. As digital channels fragment and search behaviour increasingly shifts toward AI-powered tools and social platforms, many organizations struggle to translate activity into consistent results. This fully updated third edition provides a clear, structured framework for planning, executing and measuring social media strategy in complex, multi-channel environments. It includes new insight into the changing nature of search, the role of social platforms as discovery engines, the strategic value of brand communities and the evolving skillsets required across modern marketing teams. You'll learn how to: - Align social media strategy with business objectives and performance metrics - Plan and execute campaigns that deliver consistent, measurable ROI - Build and manage diversified influencer and community ecosystems - Select and optimize channels across organic, paid and emerging platforms - Improve efficiency using proven tools, processes and templates With practical frameworks, downloadable resources and real-world examples, Social Media Strategy gives senior leaders the clarity, confidence and structure needed to maximize social media's contribution to sustainable business growth. Themes include: social media strategy, digital marketing leadership, AI and social search, influencer management, brand communities, performance measurement

Julie Atherton, MBA is the founder of the social media advisory and marketing consultancy Small Wonder. As a public speaker, consultant and strategist, she has 30 years' experience working with global brands including Nissan, ITV, Deloitte Digital, Asos and St John Ambulance. She lectures in social media on university MBA programmes at the University of Exeter and the University of Bath, and trains marketing professionals in digital, brand, social media and content marketing. Her book B2B Social Selling Strategy, is also published by Kogan Page.