Five things to consider BEFORE hiring a Social Media Manager
I think we can all agree that Social Media is now part of everyday life, and if you are running a business or building a brand it is ESSENTIAL to be part of the conversation happening across the various Social Media channels.
But in and amongst the running of your actual business, curating and managing Social Media can often feel overwhelming and if you don’t know your Facebook from your Pinterest or feel like you have been left behind by the TikTok generation, hiring a Social Media Manager might be a good shout!
In today’s blog we are going to have a quick look at some questions you need to ask yourself if you are thinking about contracting out the Social element of your brand.
First things first….
1.What do you really want from a Social Media Manager?
The role of a Social Media Manager is many and varied and what you want/need/expect from someone you work with may be completely different to the business next door.
By spending some time considering exactly what areas you need help with (before you even have a discussion with someone) you will be able to give a prospective manager a much clearer picture of your expectations and they can give you a realistic price for the services you require.
Some things to consider are;
-How involved do you want to be with your Social Platforms?
-Do you want content simply producing, or posting/scheduling too?
-Do you require long form or short form content?
-How often do you want to post content?
-Will you be providing any content/templates or will it be up to your manager to source and research?
-Will you need videos producing?
-Do you require someone to run ad campaigns?
-How much do you want them to get involved with the analytics of your Social media?
Obviously, the more they do, the more you will pay, but generally the more they can get involved with, the more coherent your social media strategy will be and the more effective it will be…which brings us nicely onto….
2,Budget
Social Media managers are professionals and deserve to be compensated as such.
They will have spent a long time honing their skills and are constantly learning!!
Assessing and reassessing what makes engaging content, keeping on top of platforms algorithm changes and best practice and ensuring they are up to date with current effective marketing techniques are just a few areas of specialism they have!
They will willingly bring all that expertise with them to your social campaigns…so you can concentrate on running your business and not having to learn how to edit videos or handle Snapchat filters!
So please…don’t expect to be able to recruit an effective and knowledgeable manager for a token amount.
If your budget doesn’t stretch to everything you expected it would, don’t panic, you may just need to reassess where to spend your budget to get the best results.
Approach a meeting with a good idea of what you can afford on a monthly basis, and your prospective manager can discuss what can be done with that figure in mind.
Take advice from the professionals and they will guide you to get the most value from the budget you have available.
3. What social channels do you use/want to use etc
Are you wanting to make the most of your current social channels or are you looking to expand onto other platforms? Whatever the answer is make sure your potential manager can deliver on those platforms.
Ask to see examples of their work, ask to see their own social media platforms. Make sure they have the knowledge and specialism to handle the platforms you need at the level that you want and need…or have the budget for.
4. What are your desired outcomes?
Having a solid idea of what you need from your social media channels will help any manager direct your campaigns effectively and (again!) price your project accordingly.
Do you simply need a constant presence, do you want more followers, do you need those followers to convert to customers immediately? Are you trying to build a community? Are you struggling with engagement?
Whatever it is, that you want or need, make sure you set this out to your manager from the outset, so you can plan and review that plan and its outcomes regularly.
5. Are they a good fit for your brand?
This is a biggie! Your social media content is a direct reflection of you and your business, so anyone you hire in to take over this vital element of your marketing, MUST be able to represent your brand….or the voice you want your brand to have.
By looking at your potential managers portfolio or their own social platforms, it will give you a good idea of whether their natural personality reflects your brand, or if they can authentically project the ‘voice’ you want your business to have.
If you feel like hiring a Social Media Manager would be a good next step for your business, drop us an email. We have the knowledge and experience to propel your business forward using Social Media and have plans to suit all budgets.
To book a no obligation chat, get in touch.
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