“Should I hire a social media manager?”
Well, good question! But before you can answer that one, you need to ask yourself these 2 basic questions:
1. DO you have the TIME it takes to do what social media management requires
2. DO you have the MONEY to invest in a social media manager
SO depending on your answer to those 2 questions will depend on whether you should hire one.
Here is the thing, social media management has become a FULL-TIME position in business.
Most companies (not all) have a marketing budget that take up more than double of what it pays its staff and employees!!!
It’s a HUGE department in business that should not be ignored.
Please note, there are companies out there who don’t have any social media presence and who are VERY successful… however be aware of what industry they are in and who their target market is.
But for the majority of us, our target market is active on social media….and seeing that the average person spends close to 3hours a day scrolling, it is a great space to share your products & services.
Back to those 2 questions……
1. So, if you don’t have the time to invest in building your brand and presence on social media, then YES you need a social media manager.
2. If you don’t have the MONEY to invest in a social media manager, then you going to have to MAKE the time to become present and active on social media.
If you are unsure how to hire the right social media manager, consider the following:
- An eye for design
- A gift for copywriting
- Very unique (i.e. they don’t use generic images and weak copy)
- A skill for learning YOUR target markets language
- Ask them to look at your feed and do a “mockup” of what they believe it should look like.
- Give them a brief of who your client is and ask them to write a mock-up post of a specific product or service aimed at your target market.
- You don’t need to hire someone with a degree or even a diploma, they either “got it” or they don’t.
- I would HIGHLY recommend that they send you a referral or two, that you can chat to. This will help you understand how they work in a team, communicate, deliver on deadlines and timelines etc.
Don’t brush off social media management as a sideline of your business, it plays a big role in business nowadays especially when it comes to building brand awareness.
What to expect to pay for a social media manager?
Well seeing that it is one of the most time consuming activities in business nowadays (hence why you may be asking the question “should I hire a social media manager”)…..you are are going to be paying for 2 thing….1) their time and 2) their skills.
It varies from person to person and I have seen people charge as low as $100 per month, all the way up to $5000 per month!
In my personal opinion, EVERYONE’s time is worth more than $100 a month and if it’s very low you might be paying for someone whose first language isn’t English.
I also think charging $5000 per month is ridiculous. Unless you are guaranteeing massive sales targets (which is not the job of a social media manager…..READ MORE HERE to find out what to expect from your social media manager) then there is nothing that can justify that stupid price.
If you believe you are worth that, good for you, but I am not in the business of ripping people off, ESPECIALLY if it is women running small business or who are starting out in business.
Most Social Media Management Companies have “packages”, me included, and these rates can vary A LOT, so the best solution is:
1) Know your budget (lay it out and plan).
2) Interview a couple of people who can deliver on that budget.
3) Take it from there.
There is going to be some trial and error. Social media growth takes time especially if it is done organically, but it’s the only way to see what will work and what won’t.
And what about if I can’t afford it yet AND I don’t have the time?
Speaking from experience, everyone has the time.
- Spend less personal time on social media
- Don’t watch TV
- Plan your days better to ensure you can fit in a minimum of 45min every day to dedicate to your social profiles (break up the time if you need to)
- Research your target market
- Learn how it’s done.
Do whatever it takes to grow your business.
CONCLUSION:
- Consider answering the 2 basic questions first BEFORE deciding if you should hire a social media manager.
- Hiring a social media manager is fast becoming a priority in business if you want to maintain a strong media presence and constantly build brand awareness.
- Pricing is SO varied (as mention above), the best place to start is with YOUR budget plan.
- Consider those essential 4 factors when hiring an SMM
- “Mock-ups” and referrals are essential, make sure you ask for them before hiring.
I hope that this has helped you answer the question “Should I hire a social media manager”.
Leave a comment below and let me know how you hired your success SMM!
