What is SOSTAC and how can you use it as a junior marketer?

If you’re new to marketing, you’ll probably hear a lot about being “strategic” — but nobody really explains what that looks like day to day.

Marketing is flooded with various models and frameworks, often just reiterations of the original ones. However, the core models are often the best, with SOSTAC being one that has stood the test of time. It’s a simple planning framework that helps you think about what you’re doing, why you’re doing it, and how it connects to real results. More importantly, it’s not just for senior managers — junior marketers can use it as well.

Like pretty much everything in marketing, SOSTAC is an acronym that stands for Situation, Objectives, Strategy, Tactics, Action, and Control. Think of it as a way to structure your thinking before you dive into tasks.

Situation — Understand what’s really going on

In your role, this might mean looking at current social posts, website metrics, or campaign performance before creating anything new. Ask simple questions: Who are we talking to? Which posts get engagement? Where does traffic come from? You don’t need complicated analysis — just build the habit of assessing first.

Objectives — Know what success looks like

A lot of junior marketers get given tasks without context. Push yourself to ask, “What’s the goal behind this?” Is it brand awareness? Leads? Event sign-ups? Even if you’re writing one email or planning a week of content, linking your work to a clear outcome makes your marketing more purposeful.

Strategy — Think beyond the task

Strategy sounds intimidating, but it’s really about direction. For example, if your audience is students, short video content might make more sense than long blog posts. When you understand the bigger picture — who you’re targeting and what makes the brand different — your day-to-day decisions become easier and more consistent.

Tactics — The work you actually do

This is where your role probably lives most of the time. Designing posts, writing captions, scheduling emails, updating websites. The key is to see these as tools, not the end goal. Good tactics support the strategy — they’re not random ideas pulled from trends.

Action — Turning plans into real activity

Being organised is underrated in marketing. Keep track of deadlines, who’s responsible for what, and what needs approving. Even simple checklists or shared calendars help campaigns run smoothly and make you look more professional.

Control — Learn from what happens next

After something goes live, don’t just move on. Look at the results. Did people click? Did engagement improve? Even basic numbers can tell you a lot. Over time, this habit builds confidence because you’re not guessing — you’re learning.

So, how do you actually apply SOSTAC in your role? Simple, start small. Before your next piece of work, quickly run through the six steps in your head:

• What’s the current situation?
• What’s the goal?
• Who are we trying to reach and how?
• What am I creating?
• What needs to happen to get it live?
• How will I know if it worked?

You don’t need to write a full strategy document every time. Just using this mindset helps you move from “doing marketing tasks” to thinking like a marketer — and that’s where real progress starts. Doing this on a regular can help to build those strategic and analytical muscles which will get you moving in the direction of a marketing manager or strategist.