Is it time to hire a social media manager for your business?

Maybe you’re a new business trying to attract more followers to your Instagram. Maybe you’re an established company but need to work on keeping your audience engaged. Or maybe you have killer social media content, brand, and strategy, but you need to start outsourcing.

Whatever situation you’re in, social media managers can take hours off your workload while growing your online following through engaging content and expert strategy.

Think it’s time to take the plunge and hire a social media manager for your company?

Here’s everything you need to know.

What do social media managers even do?

Ok, before we get into the nitty-gritty, let’s talk about what social media managers do. Because it’s actually a lot.

Stated in one sentence, social media managers design a social media strategy for your business and then create and schedule social media posts on your behalf.

Why do you need a social media manager?

If it’s not clear already, social media managers save you a lot of time. But that’s not it. 

Social media managers are experts at, well, social media.

So while you could manage socials yourself, a social media manager will go above and beyond to give your socials that extra edge.

Sure, you could try to figure out the strategy yourself or put off hiring a social media manager because you don’t have enough time to delegate and “no one can do it better than yourself,” but here’s the thing, social media managers are invaluable to your business.

Am I ready for a social media manager?

The basic requirements for hiring a social media manager are (1) having a social media account and (2) having a business tied to that account. That’s it!

You might not be ready for a social media manager yet, if…

• You do not know who your target audience is.
• You don’t have a defined brand.
• You don’t have a budget to outsource.

Don’t have this information yet? That’s ok. While this streamlines the process, you can still work with a social media manager if you’re just starting out. In fact, you might gain clarity through the process.

What to ask yourself before hiring a social media manager

So, you’re ready to hire a social media manager, and you’re anxious to find the perfect one for your business.

But wait. Being crystal clear with your business and social goals will help you find a social media manager that saves you time, grows your accounts, and is a perfect fit.

1. What are my goals?
2. What social media platforms do I need help with?
3. Am I just starting out?
4. What makes my business special?
5. How much help do I need?

Where do you find a social media manager?

Now that you’re prepared to find the social media manager of your dreams, your next task is to find the perfect one for your business. Want to know where the social media managers hang out? Here are some ways to find them.

1. Social Media – The best place to find a social media manager is…on social media!
2. Networking – Ask people in your industry who they’re working with. FB groups are a great way to get recommendations.
3. Web Search – You can find great social media managers through the world wide web.
4. Job Boards – You can also find social media managers through job advertisements on Upwork, Freelancer, and other freelancing sites.

How to find the perfect social media manager for your business

Whew, that’s a lot of different places to look for a social media manager.

As you’re looking for an excellent social media manager to run your business accounts, you’re probably wondering what you’re looking for. 

Not anyone can be a social media manager. It requires a lot of skills to effectively run successful social media accounts. 

Here are some of the skills you want to look for in a potential hire:

• Excellent writing – You’re looking for someone who consistently speaks in your unique brand voice.
• An eye for design – Remember, your SMM can also create the visuals for your socials. It’s important that your branding is consistent.
• Organization – Scheduling content, posting consistently on socials, and keeping up with communication takes plenty of organization.
• Stellar customer service – You’re going to be in close contact with your social media manager so make sure you enjoy talking to them, they respond promptly, and that you feel heard.

The best way to assess your future social media manager is to…

1. Check through their portfolio.
2. Hop on a call with them.

Anyone can say they’re a social media manager, but not everyone can prove it. Your social media manager should have clear strategies and systems in place and a portfolio to prove it.

And, even the most qualified social media manager with the most robust portfolio might not be the best fit for your business. That’s why I recommend you interview 3-4 SMM before picking one to ensure you have the best possible fit for you and your business.

If you’re wondering if we’d be a good fit, I’d love to get to know you more. I’m a lawyer turned full-time social media manager (they call me the hashtag queen), and I wouldn’t have it any other way.

Head on over to my Ask Ania Media contact form, and let’s talk about making some amazing social media content.