Do I need a social media manager?
What is a social media manager?
How do I find a good social media manager?
These are a few of the big questions that may well be running through your head as you are preparing your next marketing campaign.
Many people thought “social media” was just going to be a fad. In fact, my friend and colleague, Ingrid Cliff from Heart Harmony Communications, and I ran some social media workshops for small business owners back in 2007. At that time, one of the common responses we received was, “That seems very interesting. But I don’t think it will take off.”
However it has turned into an integral part of most marketing plans. If you are one of the business owners wondering if you need to hire a social media manager or how to hire one, you first need to know what a social media manager is and how they can benefit you.
Do I need a social media manager?
Not every business needs a social media manager. If you find that you are missing out on potential business because you are spending too much time trying to learn or engage on social media, then it is time to hire a social media manager. Whether you are a large company or a small business working out of your garage, then a social media manager could benefit you.
What is a social media manager?
The thing that you, as a business owner, need to know is that social media managers are not there to simply post and reply to your customers and potential customers. They are not there to do what you could most likely do on your own. They are there to take you and your business to a whole new level.
A great social media manager will know how to:
- Manage a publishing calendar
- Schedule posts on the platforms you are using
- Work with you to produce content and curate content
- Properly engage with your clients, potential clients, and collaborates
- Watch the networks for mentions of your brand or certain keywords
- Produce and review analytics to determine the next step
- Follow up on projects
- Communicate with you and your other business managers for announcements that need to be published
- Run optimization experiments
You want your social media manager to help in all aspects of your social media marketing plan. In addition to the list above, you want them to be creative and self-motivated. You may have specific posts you want to go out, but they are there to help by knowing your brand and creating their own posts for your business.
How do I find a good social media manager?
If you have decided that you need a social media manager, then your next step is to find one that is a good fit for you and your company. Hiring that kid who grew up in the social media age may sound very promising, but it may not be your best option. They may know how to use social media, but are they able to effectively use it as a part of a marketing plan?
You may well find that someone over the age of 40 is better qualified so do not let age play a factor in your decision. Instead, look at their mindset, integrity, and marketing capabilities. You will quickly be able to decide who is a good fit for your business and qualified as an expert on managing social media by asking a series of seven questions.
7 Questions to Ask When Hiring a Social Media Manager
- “Which social media tools do you use for analyzing, monitoring, and publishing?” This will let you know if they use the limited free tools, or if they have used professional social media management software.
- “What relevant metrics do you use for tracking social media ROI?”
- “Which social media platforms have you used in the past, and why?”
- “What do you think of my business’ current social media efforts? Which social platforms would you recommend for my business, and why?” This is key in letting you know that they are self-motivated and have done their research.
- “Explain your understanding of the relationship between SEO and social media.”
- “How are large and targeted audiences of value on social media?” They need to know that there is a difference and that each has its benefits and downside. The answer to this can tell you a lot about how they tackle marketing.
- “Tell me how you would respond to a negative comment on one of your posts.” How they respond to this will let you know how much experience they have experience dealing with crisis.
So, if you know it’s time to hire someone to manage your social media accounts, look for potential candidates and ask them the 7 questions above. The answers they give you will help you to know if they are suitable for your role.
