5 Reasons to Hire a Social Media Manager for Your Business
You’ve decided to delegate a few piles off your desk – a huge step for any business owner. To add to the stressful decision, you now have to find The One social media manager who is right for you and your organization.
Bad news? It feels daunting and overwhelming. You're not sure you know what to look for or what to ask.
Good news? You can do this.
First, it’s important to understand what you’re looking at when countless job titles contain some iteration of ‘social media’ – but be warned that not all social media *insert qualifier here* are created equal.
It’s likely that for your purposes, you need a Social Media Manager, one who will enable your organization to maintain a successful social media presence that will allow you to build your brand and ultimately attract and retain new clients.
These are people who live and breathe social media. People for whom every ping, ding and red-badge notification give them anticipatory butterflies as they eagerly engage with people online.
The 5 Signs You Need A Social Media Manager
A social media manager can help you manage all of your unique social media needs – which can be varied, extensive and exhaustive – and build a strong online presence to get you back to what you love most: running and growing your business.
Do any of these ring (too) true?
1. You're not social-media savvy.
To do something well – not ‘good’ not ‘OK’ but great – you have to understand it. But, admittedly, you don’t so it’s not top-of-mind.
2. You miss messages.
Whether it’s a Facebook message about one of your products or a Twitter mention you missed from a week ago, you know it should have been addressed sooner – as in ‘within-five-minutes’ sooner to earn the new ‘very responsive to messages’ Facebook badge.
3. Social media is an afterthought.
As with most things on your to-do list, those you don’t enjoy or understand are often relegated to the way bottom. However, it’s virtually impossible to gain traction in your social presence without proactive execution of a well-thought-out strategy.
4. You already work 40+ hours.
We know – if you’re a business owner, 40 hours probably seems like a light week. Being an owner is time-consuming – and there just aren’t an extra 30 hours a week left to manage social media.
5. You're not reaching your targets.
You’re just not converting enough people, gaining enough new followers, or advancing your campaigns.
You need help.
Pros & Cons of Hiring a Social Media Consultant
Now, as we’ve mentioned previously, if you’re a small-to-medium business, the thought of hiring someone to manage your social presence seems lofty at best, and decadently impossible at worst.
But while you may worry that you can’t afford to have someone dedicated solely to social media, you really can’t afford not to.
Why?
Because when you think about how social media has – at least in part – leveled the exposure playing field, its opportunities are endless for SMBs to increase brand awareness and new customer gains, and all without paying-to-play like in the traditional advertising and marketing media days of yore.
But, sure. We’ll play along – and give you some pros and cons to hiring help.
Pro: Larger Following
Social media experts can help you build a larger following, and when users follow or like your page or channel, they’ll see your posts and have a better chance of engaging with you. And your social media manager can focus on interacting with your audience, writing posts, and scrutinizing analytics.
Con: Costs
Hiring help isn’t free, as much as we all wish it were. But when you think about the possible returns on having someone dedicated to engaging your ideal audience, the cost could easily be offset by the revenue your social media generates in the hands of an expert.
Pro: Analytics
It takes a special kind of beautiful mind to make sense of social media analytics, and chances are that’s not your forte. Experienced social media managers can help you understand your Google Analytics so you can make smarter decisions with your social media budget.
Con: Reputation
Put simply: You will have to entrust your brand’s reputation to someone other than yourself. But, just as with any other person you hire, you have to fill gaps with trust – and a social media manager is no different.
Pro: Strategy
Granted, you’re entirely capable of posting a nice photo of your product or sharing a rave review. But then what? A social media manager can put some experience, muscle and brains behind each and every post to make sure you maximize your exposure and engagement each and every time.
Con: Location
Your social media manager may not share your area, zip or – heck – even country code. But thankfully, social media traverses all time zones and runs 24/7. So as long as you and your social media expert are on the same page, not having the same office matters not.
Make The Most Of Your Social Media Presence With A Social Media Manager From BELAY
Need a plan to reach your ideal audience? A Social Media Manager can do that.
Want monthly analysis and a continual feedback loop to help reach your social channel goals? You got it.
Those menacing red-number notifications as prospects and customers alike all engage with your social media? Your Social Media Manager can handle that for you, too.
Let a BELAY Social Media Manager manage your unique social media needs – which can be varied, extensive and exhaustive – and build a strong online presence to get you back to what you love most: running and growing your business.