Every business seems to be on the hunt for a social media manager these days. That perfect social media manager may exist but it is not a one-size-fits-all maneuver.
The key to being successful in your social media presence involves:
- Showing up consistently
- Dedicating time to researching and developing strategies
- Creating and publishing content
- Having meaningful conversations with potential customers
- Analyzing your efforts
Your social media manager has the important job of interacting with your target audience. They create and publish content, communicate with potential customers on your behalf, and use their skills to help you reach your goals. Many businesses are choosing to outsource this role. The rub is in finding the right fit and knowing exactly what to look for in your social media manager.
5 Things To Consider Before Hiring Your Social Media Manager
Let’s start by gaining a clear understanding of what a social media manager is and what the role entails.
A good social media manager wears a plethora of hats. They are your graphic design, video editor, copywriter, customer service professional and strategist all rolled into one. Many business leaders looking to hire a top social media manager overlook the depth of the skills required of their social media managers. It’s more than simply “posting” on Instagram.
It’s going to be important that you have the right systems in place.
Your choice in social manager will need to understand your brand, your operations and many of your processes to be successful. He or she will need to be connected to the inner workings of your business. If your social media manager is not working in-house, you’ll need to find ways to ensure that he or she is included in your culture, thoroughly trained, empowered to make decisions and kept abreast of updates and changes.
Explore what “good” content means for your business.
Nuanced content is an inescapable requirement of social media success. The subtle distinctions in copy and its visual companions add dimension, make your brand more relatable as well help it to stand out among the noise. Here’s a simplified example for clarification, you wouldn’t wear your business suit to the BBQ, it’s important to push forth the right look for the right place.
Keep up with the social media changes.
Even the infamous donut meme gets old and outdated at a moment’s notice. Not to mention, the platforms themselves are always changing things up. The Instagram algorithm has had four major updates since January 2022. Of course, that is just one social media platform, so just. when you think you have it all figured out, you realize you don’t. Your social media manager should be on top of these changes and know how to pivot when they happen.
Let’s talk budgets.
Refer back to the first point for a refresher (if needed) of all the things a social media manager does. Then check your budgetary expectation to see if it is in line with what these multitaskers do for you on a daily basis. At a minimum, you can expect to pay $1000 monthly. When you look at this as a percentage of your overall marketing budget, you start to see that it’s a significant investment. Now is a good time to ask the questions:
- How will this investment impact your net profits?
- How will you measure your ROI?
- Are your goals for the channel clearly defined?
If you can’t come to a good and clear answer to these questions, you may hold off on the hiring of a social media manager until you can. In the interim, you may find that an employee (or group of employees) can split the social media duties. If this path is taken, it is imperative that brand guidelines and customer service standards are adhered to.
Ready to talk about your social media strategy?
Zoom with Jackie over lunch every Friday from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. for a Marketing Jam Session! Please RSVP: jackie@awvemarketing.com
