Hiring a Social Media Professional for your Business

I’m a firm believer, largely because of my profession, that a business needs to have a presence on social media. I believe however, that if a business is not going to post regularly, consistently engage with their consumers, or overall not do social media right – then, they shouldn’t be doing it at all.

Ignoring consumer questions on social media tarnishes a business’s reputation more so than if there was no presence. Are you regularly engaging with your audience on social media? When was the last time you posted something on your networking sites?

There is no benefit to being on social if you’re not planning on being social.

What does this mean for businesses?

The questions above will be able to quickly yet vaguely determine whether you should hire a social media professional to not only manage your social presence, but help develop creative ways to communicate with your followers.

Running a business takes time, determination, and focus on achieving sales objectives. While social media is important to build a presence and credibility in your respective industry, it is not on the priority list for most businesses – thus, it goes untouched for weeks or even months.

I also believe that someone should have all the information before making a purchase decision, whether you are buying a product or service.

So what can a social media firm do for your business?

We conduct industry research. This does not simply mean that we know social media trends, but a good social media manager will conduct research in the industry in which you do business. A good social media creator and manager not only will develop engaging and rich content but will also educate and inform your followers on business related news.

When it comes to social media and PR, it's all about strategy; a social media professional will typically be academically trained in public relations or marketing - meaning the details are in the plan. Professionals will lay out objectives with the business or the brand prior to execution - then lay out strategies and tactics to get there.

Social Media managers understand the importance of creative and timely posts, but we also have the ability to live tweet any event that is in the best interest of your business. This includes anything from sponsored events to industry related television programs, just to name a few.

Quick response times are vastly important and determine your organization's level of customer service; social media is no different. A social media firm does just that, schedules, live tweets, and responds immediately to consumer engagement from all your social networks. Our business is to make your business thrive and succeed in all aspects.

Once the campaign is over, determining whether it has been successful or if any changes must be made, your social media professional will do testing, measuring, and reporting. Along with post-campaign analysis, it is our job to do regular reporting to determine what engages your audience and increases your followers, and then make recommendations going forward. 

When selecting a social media firm, ask probing questions and make sure that they will follow the guidelines that I have outlined above. 

I'd love to talk to you more about what I can do for your business's social media presence. Contact me for a free consultation.

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