Is Your Brand Overeating at the Social Media Buffet?

Recently, I read a memorable post by Anthony Gaenzle entitled "From Scroll Chaos to Channel Clarity in One Week."

But first, a few words about Anthony, Chief Growth & Strategy Officer at E&I Creative in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Anthony works as a personal brand consultant for executives, business owners, and others. He is a two-time published author, digital marketing influencer, and has helped brands both large and small grow and thrive across multiple industries through strategic marketing campaigns.

Anthony, who is also a fellow blogger, has appeared here on MY blog many times, most recently on May 9th as part of my Spring Leadership Series 2025. A memorable quote from that Q&A was this leadership tip from Anthony, "Listen to understand, listen to build trust, listen to empower your team."

Now, back to Anthony's recent post about social media. His imagery about the social media buffet resonated with me while thinking about all the social platforms that have come and gone over the last decade and also about all the leaders I've encountered over the years who think having a digital presence on every social platform of the moment is the best idea. Who can relate?

As Lisa Masiello wrote back in 2015, "Your prospects and customers are out there. They're talking to each other, sharing information, getting advice and asking questions about your company and products before they ever share their contact information on your marketing form or pick up the phone to talk to sales. You need to be there too — interacting, communicating, and building relationships. They'll keep talking with or without you, saying positive things and maybe negative things about your business. It's important to be part of the conversation."

That is absolutely true, however, the social media landscape has changed in the last decade.

Anthony wrote in his recent post, "At a conference in 2013, I watched another attendee at a pre-event breakfast try to balance waffles, scrambled eggs, bacon, and a yogurt parfait on one flimsy paper plate. You know where this is headed, right? We've all been there. Predictably, everything slid off, directly onto his shoes. That's exactly what chasing every social platform looks like. Lots of shiny choices, zero nutritional value. Before you know it, you're cleaning syrup off your brand-new sneakers instead of closing deals. What's the takeaway here? Your brand plate is finite, and so is your time and energy. Pile on only what you can actually eat (and enjoy)."

Anthony advised that a good idea would be to use a "Choose Two Method" to MAXIMIZE your social media activity. "Instead of buffet-style overload, aim for a well-paired entrée and side dish. Two social media channels give you just enough surface area to show up consistently and experiment without feeling like you're speed-dating algorithms. For bigger brands, going beyond two makes sense. For a one-person show, a smaller business, or a lean startup, limiting your presence makes more sense."

Anthony called this his "Dinner-Party and Cocktail-Hour" approach:

"The Dinner-Party Channel: Choose a channel where your best stories live in long-form. Maybe that's LinkedIn articles, or maybe it's a weekly YouTube show. The vibe here is more cloth napkins, deep conversation, and everyone leaves full."

"The Cocktail-Hour Channel: This channel should be good for short, punchy posts that tease the dinner party and lure newcomers. Think X, Threads, or Instagram Reels. The vibe here is clinking glasses and quick laughs."

He also challenged readers to try this approach for a week to "measure conversations over vanity metrics."

So, what do you think? Is your brand overeating at the social media buffet? Or does your brand have just the right balance of social media platforms, activity, and engagement?

SHARE THIS: One channel can pigeonhole your personality, while three or more invite overwhelm. Think of it like owning a dog and a cat, which creates manageable diversity. Add a parrot, an iguana, and a goat, and suddenly you need an ark. You're spread too thin. You're running a zoo. ~@AnthonyGaenzle #SocialMediaMarketing #BizTip #DebbieLaskeysBlog

Image Credit: LinkedIn.

Read: From Scroll Chaos to Channel Clarity in One Week (June 27, 2025):

https://elevateinspire.beehiiv.com/p/from-scroll-chaos-to-channel-clarity-in-one-week

Read: SPRING LEADERSHIP SERIES 2025 – Featuring Anthony Gaenzle (May 9, 2025):

https://www.debbielaskeysblog.com/2025/05/spring-leadership-series-2025-featuring_0372116430.html