In 2016, 78% of people in the USA had at least one social networking profile, and worldwide approximately 2.34 billion people use social media, a number which is predicted to increase to 2.95 billion by 2020. There is no denying that those are impressive statistics and that social media is an extremely useful tool in the world of business. With so many people reachable through platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, there is no question that you should be exploring what your business can get from a social media presence…the question is, should you be managing your profiles yourself? It’s not a simple yes or no answer. Perhaps you’re debating hiring a Social Media Marketing Assistant, or maybe you’re exploring the possibility of outsourcing the work to a Social Media Management business? It can be difficult to decide, so we’re highlighting the key factors to consider, helping you make this make or break decision for your business.
Outline your goals
Don’t be impulsive about this, social media is fun and fancy-free, but not when it comes to your business. It’s serious. Don’t rush when starting to look at your options. Begin by outlining your goals. You need to decide how integral social media exposure is compared to other forms of marketing, such as television, newspaper and radio advertisement. Consider how many platforms you’d like to focus on, which are right for your brand? Don’t simply sign up for every social profile and fail to deliver an effective campaign from any. This is a large factor in whether you should be outsourcing or whether you can manage this internally.
Money matters the most
A small business usually has a tight budget and differing fiscal priorities, in this situation in-house can be a more economical approach to social media. Consider integrating the role of Social Media Manager into an existing employee’s workload, for example, the head of marketing, until you can consider hiring one person specifically for the role. On the other hand, if social media exposure is an integral part of your business’s marketing strategy, or if you’re business is steadily growing investing money in expert knowledge can be advantageous, resulting in more consistent and creative content that generates new clients without distracting you from other important tasks.
Consider how much time you want to spend and how hands-on you want to be
Many often underestimate the amount of time social media marketing requires, it is not just posting updates but preparing a strategy, researching competitors, creating engaging content and being the first point of contact for both new and existing clients. Using an in-house social media specialist has its advantages. An employee dedicated to social media is someone you can quickly and efficiently communicate with, whenever you require. You can receive feedback instantly and can be sure that they have a good understanding of the business ethos. When outsourcing Social Media Management, arguably you have less input, though of course you can explain the direction you’d like to take. However, if you select the right company, an experienced social media specialist will have much to offer. They will have introduced businesses to the world of social networking time and time again, making them efficient at seeing where your presence can be improved and able to ensure more time is directed towards getting successful social media campaigns up and running, quickly.
Social media knowledge & experience is highly valuable
While knowledge and experience can come from having an in-house specialist, they are unlikely to have the same skillset and support that comes with a third-party specialist comprised of multiple people. You know the saying, “two heads are better than one”, well it’s true here! If knowledge and experience in the field of social media for business is what you want, outsourcing is arguably the best way to go. Make sure you do your research or even audit the company you’re looking to use. This way you reduce the risk of wasting money with inexperienced companies claiming to be experts in Social Media. If you or your business looking to market, promote your business, contact Media Components for a free social media audit and consultation!
