Thinking about hiring a social media manager but unsure exactly what it involves, what they will do, how much you will need to be involved and how much it will cost? Well, hold on tight because I’m about to spill the beans on why hiring a social media manager is like having a magic wand for your online presence and will answer all these questions for you and many more! Here is the secret to exactly what a social media manager does.
Why small businesses need a social media manager at all?
Imagine your business as a fabulous party – you’ve got the dazzling outfits (products/services), delicious treats (content), and a fantastic venue (your website). Now, what good is a party if no one knows about it? That’s where your friendly neighbourhood social media manager struts in.
A social media manager is your digital cheerleader, your online voice, and your growth guru, all wrapped into one. They’re the ones who make sure your brand’s message reaches the right people, at the right time, and on the right platforms – think of them as the DJ who gets everyone dancing!
Yes, you could do all of this yourself, but as you know finding the time, having the energy and inclination and the knowledge or even interest in social media is completely another.
Perhaps you aren’t techy, hate social media at the best of times or perhaps you are struggling with how to post about the same thing in 100 different ways. It’s a challenge for many that’s for sure, so you aren’t alone. This is why many small businesses just like you look for a helping hand with their social media management.
What does a social media manager do?
The short answer is as much or as little as you need or want them to do. That’s not the answer you wanted, is it… let’s break it down into some of the activities that could be included in a social media support package.
Write engaging posts – consistently!
Half the battle of social media for small businesses is posting consistently. This means you ideally need to have a plan of what you will post about. Otherwise, you will find yourself in the frustrating position of knowing you need to post and then scratting around trying to figure out what you can post about! This can lead to irregular posts with possibly less than your best content as you were rushed. At worst you may not post at all, leaving your audience thinking you have disappeared.
Branded images and graphics
Your image or graphic needs to grab attention and be on brand. If you aren’t a dab hand at photo editing or graphic creation or Canva and Photoshop software are alien to you (as they are too many!) then you could benefit from a helping hand.
Even if you are happy content writing yourself a social media manager could just help with the graphics. They could just create a set of templates and show you how to edit them yourself with ease. Keeping your costs low and to a one-of-cost rather than an ongoing commitment!
Scheduling content.
Creating attention-grabbing images and engaging content is just the start, posting your content at times your customers are active is the next step and using the best platform to schedule your content is important too.
Some social media scheduling software can be penalised by some platforms and lead to your posts being restricted in reach. Your social media manager will be able to ensure you are using the best means to schedule your posts to get you the results you deserve.
Competitor and consumer analysis.
Checking out competitors and looking for ways to promote your business to your target audience takes additional time most busy business owners don’t have. This can mean you are missing opportunities, and that means losing money! Doing your research means you can spot gaps in the market, make the most of your competitor’s shortcomings, reach new audiences and engage with your long-standing followers that have until now not utilised your services or purchased your products.
Competitor and consumer analysis is a hugely undervalued area in social media marketing and marketing in general.
Engagement and outreach.
Ideally, you should be looking to increase your followers and audience. Just posting on your page is unlikely to be sufficient to grow your audience too much. You will likely require some outreach support to proactively attract new followers.
It is also essential to engage with your audience on your posts and on theirs! This is also a role that can be actioned by your social media manager.
Ok, so you are interested in speaking to a few social media managers, what next:
Ready to consider hiring a social media manager. Great choice! Your initial discussion is like a coffee date – casual, informative, and sprinkled with excitement. Here’s what you can expect:
The aim of the initial chat should be to establish if you are a good fit for each other’s businesses. Is this person someone you can work with, do they understand your business, do they match your excitement for the business?
Find out about how they work, when will they be available, and what is their experience. They should be asking you lots of questions and encouraging you to talk about the business, your goals and dreams, your ideal clients, their problems etc.
Are you looking to boost sales, engage with customers, or simply spread the word? Ask for any ideas they may have to see if they align with your business.
If you feel you could be a good team, then it’s now time to talk money.
Don’t worry though. Social media managers come in all flavours, from a la carte options to full-service packages. It’s like picking toppings for your pizza – you choose what fits your budget and appetite.
Don’t be tempted to deny you have a budget, it is much easier to explain your ideal budget and they can then advise you what services they can provide for that cost. Social media and marketing, in general, can be like guessing the length of a piece of string, it can be as detailed and long as you want it to be.
Agree a plan.
Alright, now it’s time to dive into the nitty-gritty of what your social media manager will do. Their scope of work is like designing your party theme – unique to your brand, tailored to your goals, and designed to dazzle.
Agree on a plan you can both work to, remember, you will need to sign off on any work such as social media posts before they can be scheduled. So, keep that in mind to ensure you aren’t the bottleneck with your marketing moving forward too!
The Grand Onboarding
Congratulations, you’ve found your social media a! Onboarding is like the DJ setting up their gear before the party – it’s all about getting ready for the big show. Here’s the drill:
1. Passing the Baton: You share essential business info, like your brand’s colours, voice, tone, logos, and imagery. Your social media manager soaks it all in like a sponge, ensuring they can mimic your style and vibe seamlessly.
2. Goal Setting: It’s like planning party games – your social media manager sets clear goals and key performance indicators (KPIs). These are like the party games’ rules – they’ll measure success and keep everyone on track. Keep a note of your social media statistics such as followers, reach, engagement etc so that you have a benchmark for your social media managers’ level of improvement in each area.
3. Platform Access: Just like giving the DJ access to the sound system, you grant your social media manager access to your social media accounts. No worries, they’ll treat your accounts like treasure!
Ongoing Love and Care
Your social media manager isn’t a one-hit wonder; they’re in it for the long haul. Imagine them as your party planner who stays throughout the bash to ensure everything goes smoothly. Here’s the lowdown on ongoing considerations:
1. Monitoring and Tweaking: Your social media manager is like a watchful host, keeping an eye on the party vibe. If something isn’t clicking, they’ll tweak the strategy to keep the energy high.
2. Fresh Flavours: Just like adding new twists to party treats, your social media manager keeps your content fresh. They’ll come up with new ideas, themes, and trends to keep your audience engaged and entertained.
3. Monthly Shindigs: Once a month, you and your social media manager catch up – it’s like sharing highlights from the party. They’ll present you with juicy insights, metrics, and results, showing you how your online presence is blooming.
In a nutshell, a social media manager is your partner in the digital dance, taking your small business from a wallflower to the belle of the ball. Now you know what a social media manager does, dust off your digital dancing shoes and let your social media manager lead the way to online stardom! 🎉🚀
If you would like a helping hand or a quick free social media review to see where you might need some help message us now