Social media is an essential part of any marketing strategy. It can be used to build brand and product awareness, connect with customers, and drive sales. However, managing social media can be a time-consuming and challenging task. If you don’t have the resources to handle it, you may be wondering whether you should hire a social media manager or try Social Media Outsourcing to an agency that specializes in it.
Either option can help you develop a strategy and create effective content. Both will free your time to focus on more important tasks, and both work towards your goals to help you get the most out of your social media investment. But each has its pros and cons. Here are some of the factors to consider when deciding whether outsourcing or hiring is the cost-effective choice for your business:
Dedication vs. Expertise
Social media is partly something anyone can master and partly rocket science. All the tools and how-to you need to handle social media successfully are available somewhere on the web for you or someone on your staff to eagerly to learn and adopt. Outsourcing social media is especially beneficial, however, if there’s a reason you can’t hire a dedicated social media manager, or no one on your staff has the insight to give your company the social media presence it needs.
Social Media Outsourcing usually offers a team of experts who are up-to-date on the latest social media strategy, trends, and best practices. This can help you ensure that your social media presence is always effective and engaging. A dedicated hire may not be quite as up-to-date as quickly, stay as current for as long, or as able to apply new tactics when they’re needed.
Personal Control vs. Committee Input
A dedicated social media manager may be more in tune with your day-to-day needs, providing faster, more personalized responses to your audience and customers. This may be a better option if your business needs a highly personalized approach or a unique social media personality. An outsourced team, however, allows access to a committee of experts who are usually versed in the latest technologies and strategies. They may be able to call on skills, insights, and abilities an in-house social media manager may not.
Single Gatekeeper vs. Social Review
People make mistakes. When they occur on social media, a small mistake could damage your brand. An agency experienced in Social Media Outsourcing can reduce the risk of making these mistakes. This is primarily because you are hiring a team of people who are all committed to showcasing your excellence. You should be able to get more opinions on what should be done, and more scrutiny and consideration over what is posted. A single, in-house manager may lack this feedback loop not only for social output but on strategy, making mistakes or misdirection harder to catch in the numbers.
Single Gatekeeper vs. Social Review
Hiring in-house can provide a predictable cost that is easier to budget for. Outsourced teams can easily shrink and grow as demand requires, offering the advantage of only paying for work that’s needed. This can be a huge advantage if your marketing is seasonal, or your product cycle is cyclical.
Constant Cost vs. Pay as You Go
Hiring in-house can provide a predictable cost that is easier to budget for. Outsourced teams can easily shrink and grow as demand requires, offering the advantage of only paying for work that’s needed. This can be a huge advantage if your marketing is seasonal, or your product cycle is cyclical.
Need vs. Potential
Size matters. If your need is small, or short-term, you may find that Social Media Outsourcing is the perfect solution. If you only need help with basic social media tasks such as posting content and responding to comments, you may be able to find an agency, or even a freelancer, that offers a lower rate than hiring a full-time employee or engaging a social media outsourcer that offers very comprehensive services.
Expenditure vs ROI
Do you want to leverage social media to respond to current events? Build a new audience? Turn new customers into repeat customers? Increase order size? Don’t be afraid to ask bidders to estimate ROI based on average responses to similar social media campaigns. Have a clear strategy in mind as you review your options and look at the solution that will meet your needs and give you the ability to move quickly into any social media wave that breaks next. Be sure to compare rates from several Social Media Outsourcing vendors before making a decision.
Novice Hires vs. Expert Business Partners
People and agencies that specialize in social media may not specialize in your business. You may have to train both a social media manager and an agency in your brand and industry. This is nearly unavoidable unless you promote from within or do it yourself. Make sure that if you must train these skills, account for the extra time and budget needed to get things running smoothly. You may have to wait longer to get started or spend a little more.
Tight Control vs. Strict Oversight
ith Social Media Outsourcing, there is a risk of losing control of your social media presence to the vendor managing your social media accounts. If you are not careful, you could lose touch with your audience and your brand identity, and these will be costly mistakes indeed. Quickly walk away from any agreement that doesn’t leave you as the ultimate decision-maker when it comes to your social media direction and all your customer data.
Effectiveness is a Function of Investment
Whether or not Social Media Outsourcing is cost-effective depends a great deal on your expectations and you’re planning. It doesn’t have to be difficult or expensive, and finding the wrong social media agency can be both. It all comes down to your budget, time, skills, and goals. Being cost-effective in outsourcing, however, requires you to closely evaluate the size of your business, the scope of work, the talent and people you already have, and the skills and work ethic of the agency you choose.
Spending this time upfront can mean that the costs of Social Media Outsourcing can be offset by the time and money you save, and by the upswell in business it has the potential to create. Every need is different, so keep the above comparisons in mind to make the cost-effective decision that’s right for your business.
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