Deciding to outsource your social media marketing is a big step for any business. So it’s understandable you want to feel confident it’s the right move to invest in a freelance social media manager.
But why do you even need a social media manager? Maybe you’ve taken your social media as far as you can by yourself and recognise it’s time for a more strategic approach?
You could be overwhelmed trying to keep up with the constant changes and don’t have time to keep creating content and run your own business? Or perhaps you haven’t even got that far, and your business is falling behind your competitors because you don’t really have any social media presence?
Regardless of the reason, hiring a freelance social media manager is the perfect solution, and once you understand the impact a great social media manager can have on your business, you’ll stop wondering, “Why hire a social media manager?’ and start thinking “How do I hire a freelance social media manager?”
#1 Hire a social media manager to get a social media strategy that sets your business up for success
What platform should you be on? Which insights matter most? What should you post to attract more customers? A good social media manager will incorporate all these elements into a bespoke strategy that they’ll tweak and refine as your accounts grow.
#2 Hire a social media manager to make social media marketing a priority for your business.
Social media marketing is crucial to business growth and success these days so any savvy business owner will ensure it is at the top of the priority list when it comes to budget allocation.
But if social media marketing is always at the bottom of your to-do list, rest assured a freelance social media manager will make it their priority. There won’t be any more last-minute panics or posting on the run. Instead, your content will be carefully planned and aligned to help you achieve your wider business goals.
#3 A social media marketer will help you grow brand awareness and bring your perfect people through your buyer's journey.
A good social media marketer will understand the different types of content your business needs to attract new followers. But they’ll ensure everything they do is bringing potential future customers into your world so that your followers align with your brand values so they eventually become buyers.
#4 Work with a freelance social media manager to get new eyes on your content
Social media managers know which apps to use to create the most scroll-stopping content, know what’s working on each platform at any time, and, more importantly, they’ll test to ensure they know what works for YOUR business.
They’ll also spend time writing targeted captions that speak directly to your customers’ wants and needs to draw more of the right people to your platforms and compel them to take action.
#5 A social media manager can help you beat your competitors (not physically!)
Your social media manager will look to your competitors, industry experts and influencers to understand what works and doesn’t! They will then use this knowledge strategically to grow your business.
And they’ll work hard to position your business as the leader in your field, ahead of your competitors.
If beating your competitors is a priority for you, you can understand why you need a social media manager to take control of positioning you ahead of the competition.
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The complete guide to hiring a freelance social media marketer
#6 If you need faster response times for your customers then a social media manager can help
People want answers before they buy. But they won't wait long to get them before they give up and spend their money with someone else. Having a social media manager who not only brings the right people into your world but also monitors your platforms, responds to comments and messages, and gives people the answers they need quickly will help stop customers from going elsewhere.
#7 Social media marketing is not an administration task
Read that again.
Social media marketing is not an administrative task, and one of the biggest reasons why you need a social media manager is that your customer has the power to tell all their friends about you in a negative light or ensure the sentiment that spreads on social media is one of negativity.
Customer experience is crucial and is a major part of your social media marketing, but it's not just about waiting for people to contact you. Social media marketers will be social listening to ensure all brand mentions are monitored and dealt with effectively regardless of where they happen.
By hiring a professional to handle the job you’re investing in your business's long-term growth and reputation. That’s probably not something you want to leave to an office junior who may have good intentions but doesn't know how to be a social media manager.
#8 Hire a social media manager to build an engaged following of buyers
Engagement is key on your social platforms, the days of posting and praying for comments are well and truly over.
But engagement doesn’t pay the bills!
You really need people to spend money for your business to grow. So, conversation with your future customers is essential to bring them through your sales funnel. A freelance social media manager will work to create strategic content that’s designed to generate engagement from the right people.
Once the conversation starts they’ll continue building that conversation to bring people through a buyer's journey to eventually become customers.
#9 Strategic social media marketing can help you get more PR opportunities
There are tons of PR opportunities on social media and a one of the many benefits of hiring a social media manager is that they will be able to respond to those on your behalf so you can grow your reach even further. Your social media manager might be the key to getting your business featured in the media.
#10 Influencers are key to your growth on social media
Your customers are already on social media following other people. Social media managers will identify any influential accounts and will work strategically to harness their power to amplify your message.
Think of this as a way to strategically borrow someone elses audience so that even when your audience is small, you can still reach the right people.
#11 A social media manager can help you gain back time for your business
You didn’t start your company to have to be on social media all day every day so outsourcing that element of the business means you can focus on your zone of genius and work on the other important money-making areas of your business.
Social media is time-consuming and can also take up a lot of energy and focus that you should be redirecting elsewhere.
#12 So you don’t need to know how everything works
One of the benefits of hiring a social media manager is that they love being on social media! So, if you’re someone who hates Facebook, doesn't ‘get' Twitter and doesn’t always want to be on your phone, outsourcing your social is a no-brainer.
Social media managers live for social media… their phones are almost glued to their hands! And because of that, they know how everything works, even on the constantly changing platforms, so you won’t ever need to worry about learning how to use new features to get your business in front of the right people.
#13 You are too emotionally involved.
Sorry, but you are! A social media manager won’t be as emotionally involved as you, so they can make more rational decisions about your marketing.
This is especially helpful when responding to snarky comments or negativity without damaging your brand. And because they aren’t emotionally involved, they can conduct efficient testing and follow the data to get better results.
Download
The complete guide to hiring a freelance social media marketer
#14 You’re not an expert
Would you service your own car? Cut your own hair? No? didn’t think so! Social media is no different.
It’s a time-consuming job that requires specific skills and knowledge. That’s why it makes perfect sense to outsource this important job to an expert. While you can spend time on the things, you are an expert on.
#15 A freelance social media manager saves you money!
That’s right, one of the many reasons to hire a social media manager is to SAVE MONEY! When you hire a social media manager who is also skilled at digital advertising, they’ll know how to harness the power of paid traffic to reduce your advertising costs and boost your return on investment.
And by not hiring an employee, you avoid having to cover payroll, pensions and all the other expenses that come with having an employee on your team.
#16 You don't really want a huge agency… trust us on that!
Freelance social media managers are not big agencies, and that’s a GREAT thing. It means they aren’t juggling 10 clients and only working traditional office hours. They’re as invested in your success as you are.
When you work with an agency, you can often find that the person who is managing your account isn’t the person who is managing your socials. And that can be a big issue.
#17 Crisis aversion & management
…who wouldn’t want to outsource that! One of the many benefits of hiring a social media manager is that they will have their ear to the ground to quickly shift tact in line with global events.
If a big news story breaks, making your planned content seem inappropriate, your social media manager will ensure your messaging is managed swiftly.
They’ll also work with you to quickly resolve any business related PR crises and protect the reputation of your business.
#18 You might get more support than you expect
Many freelance social media managers aren't just experts at social media marketing. Many understand email marketing, paid ads, copywriting and other areas too. So you might find they can advise you on other aspects of your marketing too. If this is a priority for you, we'd recommend you list exactly what you'll need help with before you look for a social media manager.
#19 You get more than one freelance social media manager on your team
One of the reasons to hire a social media manager who is part of our membership is that they can tap into the collective brilliance of a much larger community. Our members have access to the latest social media and marketing updates, ongoing training and a community where they can get advice and ideas pretty much every day of the week!
So when you hire a freelance social media manager from our directory, you’re tapping into the wisdom of hundreds of social media managers worldwide!
#20 It's environmentally friendly to hire a freelance social media manager
All businesses are under pressure to do more for the environment, and hiring a freelance social media manager is certainly an environmentally friendly move! As more and more staff return to the office post-pandemic, a remote social pro means no commute, no additional office space and a far lower carbon footprint.
#21 Social media marketing is not going anywhere!
If you've been burying your head in the sand, thinking social media will die a slow death, think again. No matter what you sell, who you are trying to attract or where you are based, your customers ARE on social media.
Now you understand the benefits of hiring a social media manager, we can help you find one!
STEP ONE: Get the complete guide to hiring a freelance social media manager
STEP TWO: Head to the Meet The Social Pro directory to find a social media manager for your business.
STEP THREE: Relax and focus on your zone of genius!