- 90.4 percent of millennials, 77.5 percent of Generation X, and 48.2 percent of baby boomers use social media according to eMarketer.
- Today, social media is a must-have for any digital marketing mix.
- Social media management is a full-time, hands-on job.
- Hiring a social media marketing manager ensures that an expert is fully dedicated to increasing your visibility and engagement while staying on top of important trends.
Social media can yield enormous results for brands if they can tap into the correct audiences. 90.4 percent of millennials, 77.5 percent of Generation X, and 48.2 percent of baby boomers use social media according to eMarketer. In other words, your audience is on social media, and that means social media needs to be a significant part of your digital marketing mix.
For many business owners, this leads to the question of whether or not to hire a social media marketing manager. Brands like Pop-tarts, Reebok, and Wendy’s have seen a lot of success from investing in good social media managers, but is it right for every brand?
Small business owners might worry that it’s not worth the cost. The truth: it absolutely is – as long as you find the right person. Effective social media marketing is a full-time, hands-on job, requiring expertise in a field that is ever-changing. Bringing on a social media marketing manager means you’ll have someone fully dedicated to increasing social engagement and visibility, monitoring your social campaigns, and staying on top of the latest social media trends.
So who should you trust to bring your social media game to the next level? Here are five things you should look for in a social media marketing manager.
1. Understanding your brand and its voice
Brands like Wendy’s, Pop-tarts and even Denny’s have made their mark being witty on Twitter and Instagram. Their content doesn’t feel like it’s coming from a brand, and they put their own spin on trends. The professionals that manage these accounts have a clear understanding of who their audience is and how to cater their writing to appeal to them.
When considering potential social media marketing managers, look for someone who can not only assume your brand’s voice, but also personalize it to convey your messages with an authentic touch.
2. Excellent customer service
As shown in the Sprout Social Index™ Edition XVI: Above & Beyond, the two main reasons that consumers message a brand are due to customer service issues or a great experience. Finding a social media manager who understands the ins and outs of customer service means that you can trust that your brand will be well represented.
Look for someone who understands your brand from the customer’s perspective and can empathize with their experience. Your social media manager shouldn’t be directly responsible for fielding customer complaints, but they should have their finger on the pulse of the relationship between your brand and those who have converted to it.
3. Organization
Social media management typically entails overseeing multiple platforms and keeping up with them daily. From ensuring that your brand jumps on the latest Instagram trend to engaging with your followers, social media professionals have a lot on their plates, and they need to be able to manage their time wisely. A seasoned expert will make use of tools, policies, and processes to keep all of the moving pieces straight.
4. Flexibility and openness to new trends
Marketing tactics and social media are ever-changing. Sites like Instagram, TikTok and Twitter add new features to their sites often, so hiring someone who is flexible and can easily adapt to new strategies is important so your content is always engaging.
Being well-versed in the basics of optimizing profiles and creating posts, highlights, and stories is crucial for a social media marketing manager. But your potential new team member should also be proactive in researching the latest trends to stay ahead of the game! One way to stay up to date on all things social media is to follow us on Instagram, where we post the latest updates every week.
5. Personality
When looking for a social media manager, it’s important to consider that the best candidate for the job might not be the person with the most experience. You’re looking for the person who can match the attitude and tone of voice of your brand, and characteristics like empathy, a sense of humour, creativity, and a knack for strong storytelling can sometimes outweigh work experience.
Don’t just look for a manager, but a partner
Hiring a social media manager can open up precious time for you to focus on other things within your business, and it’s important to choose the right individual for the job. Being open to seasoned candidates as well as those who have the right personality for your brand and the potential to learn quickly can be a great investment for the growth of your brand. The best way to find that dream social media manager is to ask questions that will allow candidates to show their knowledge, organization skills, and authentic personality.
At Redefine Marketing Group, we’ve put together a social media team that has both the experience and creativity necessary to take your brand’s social presence to the next level. We manage our clients’ social media campaigns like true partners, and we’d be happy to do the same for you. Connect with us directly or on our social media today!
