Life is busy – especially for a business owner. And marketing via social media can take a considerable amount of time.
In a 2018 survey, it was revealed that 84% of all business owners manage their own social media. How much time does that consume? And what does it take away?
If your social media is too much to handle, you don’t enjoy it, or it’s taking you away from your zone of genius, consider outsourcing it. Read on to learn how to outsource your social media, and get your valuable time back.
Should I outsource my social media?
So how will you know if it’s time to have someone else at the reins? Ask yourself these questions before you decide to outsource your social media.
How much time do I have?
Social media isn’t just about creating content and posting it. You will also need to:
- Track your brand mentions
- Monitor any engagement
- Try new growth hack methods
- Respond immediately to any enquiries
Social media is open 24/7. If you don’t have time, outsourcing may be the answer.
Do I know how to do it?
Not everybody knows how to manage their social media effectively. Are you sharing content that your clients or potential clients want to see? Are you able to keep up with all the platform changes? If you are overwhelmed, or lack the creativity or energy to keep up on social media, then it’s time to outsource.
Have I established a brand voice?
Creating a voice for your brand takes time. But the right voice will increase brand engagement.
If your brand voice is strong enough, a good social media manager will mimic it. If not, you may need to invest more time.
Do I need content?
Social media managers specialise in creating content for all types of businesses. If you’re struggling to regularly produce fresh content, consider a professional to do that for you.
Can I afford it?
Consider your budget and the time you are allocating to managing your social media. If you could free up your valuable time to focus on running your business, then how much would that be worth to you? There are social media solutions out there to suit all budgets – from agencies, to freelancers, and VA’s.
How do I start?
Now that you’ve decided to outsource your social media, it’s time to get started.
Find the right person
There are countless social media experts out there. So it’s essential to find the right one – someone that you can trust to speak on behalf of your brand.
Start by asking friends, family or colleagues if they can refer anyone. When you have a list of potential consultants or agencies, you can check out their customer testimonials by:
- Reading reviews on their social media profiles
- Reading the testimonials page on their website
- Googling the company or consultant’s name and viewing their LinkedIn profile
Arrange a call to get an understanding of their services and the clients they normally serve. Whilst many consultants or agencies work across a diverse range of industries, you may find that some specialise.
Consider a virtual assistant
Perhaps entrusting your social media to an agency isn’t you for you. Or maybe you simply don’t have the budget.
Consider using a virtual assistant (VA). A VA is someone who provides professional administrative, technical, or creative assistance to clients remotely from a home office. Imagine having your very own assistant, but online.
You will, however, need to invest time into your VA. The more training you can provide, the higher quality of work they will produce. You may still want to seek assistance with social media strategy through an agency or specialist.
VAs can be found on freelancer platforms such as Fiverr and Upwork, or through reputable off-shore outsourcing agencies such as Outsourcing Angel. Choose your VA carefully, though. We recommend using an agency as other platforms can be unpredictable.
What next?
Now that you have found your perfect match, the real work can begin.
Work closely together
The person responsible for your social media is also responsible for your brand voice. So it’s important to work closely with them.
Set up a regular meeting where you can discuss any changes or new promotions. This way your team will always be on board.
Email your consultant directly with any questions you may have.
And ensure that everyone’s roles are clear – who will be dealing with complaints? What responses can or can’t the consultant post?
Monitor the work
It doesn’t matter how much, or little, you want to be involved with your social media. You must always monitor your consultant’s work.
Make the time to review any updates they send you. This ensures that any posts are timely and relevant.
Always check for mistakes or posts that you find inappropriate. That way, you can be sure that your consultant has a firm understanding of your company.
Focus SME’s vision is to help B2B and service-based businesses grow their business effectively through social media marketing. If you would like to find out more about our services, we’d be delighted to speak with you. Contact us here to get started.