For many business owners, it’s a love-hate relationship with social media. Even for those who rely on it as a major sales driver, it can still feel overwhelming to keep up with consistent, engaging posts. Whether you’re juggling too many other tasks, or just feeling stuck on what to write, you might start wondering if it’s time to hire a marketing agency for social media. In this article, we will take a deep dive into that very question, looking at the pros and cons of hiring external help, as well as the qualities to look for in an agency if you decide to go that route.
Do I Need a Social Media Presence?
First, in case you’re wondering whether you need to have a social media presence at all for your local business, the answer is most likely, “Yes, you do.” While there are some exceptions—businesses that have been around for a very long time, or those in very high-demand industries, such as essential trades—you need a social media presence for a number of reasons:
- It shows your business is active and thriving.
- It helps customers get to know your brand and values.
- Many people, particularly younger generations, are increasingly using social media as a search engine to discover and vet local businesses.
Why Managing Your Own Social Media is Ideal—When Manageable
Ideally, you or someone on your team has at least a few hours a week to dedicate to marketing. If that is the case, handling social media would be a good use of that time. Here’s why:
It’s Easy to Get Started with Social Media
Social media is very approachable. Most of us already use it on a personal level, so the platforms generally feel familiar and require less of a learning curve to get started.
Content Is Within Easy Reach
Social media means sharing content, from educational posts to company news to customer testimonials to funny happenings at the office. If you are present in that day-to-day, you’re positioned to share those updates in real time.
It Feels More Authentic
No one knows your business better than you. When you are the one posting, it naturally reflects your brand voice.
You Can Move Faster
Most agencies have a planning and approval process to ensure quality and accuracy, which is essential, but if you’re managing content yourself, you can post as soon as inspiration strikes. In the world of social media, speed is an advantage if you’re wanting to react to timely events or jump on trends.
It Is More Affordable—Sometimes
If your business has a tighter marketing budget, it might be the best choice to keep social media marketing in-house to reduce some upfront expense. But, it should be noted, don’t forget to weigh the cost of outsourcing against the value of your time, especially if social media pulls you away from your primary tasks.
Here’s When You Might Want to Hire a Marketing Agency for Social Media
As you’re reading this, you might be thinking, “Wait, aren’t you a marketing agency? Don’t you want companies to use your social media management services?” Good question—of course we do! But, our first priority is to provide advice that is in the best interest of the business, and sometimes, managing your own social media may be the right choice for you. That being said, however, there are many situations where hiring an agency makes more sense.
You Don’t Like Social Media
Creating posts simply out of obligation can lead to dull, unengaging content that doesn’t connect with your audience. It’s perfectly okay if you don’t enjoy social media! But if that’s the case, it’s better to have an agency—who genuinely enjoys the work—represent your brand with the enthusiasm and creativity that is more likely to reach your goals.
You Don’t Have Time to Stay Consistent
Many businesses start out with a regular practice of posting, but slowly it starts becoming a week, a month, several months since the last update. It happens! We get busy with our day-to-day tasks of running the business, and social media, while important, is not mission critical and gets put aside. Hiring an agency helps you stay visible and consistent on your platforms while taking a task off your plate.
You Want More Strategy
Posting just for the sake of posting isn’t going to make an impact. Effective social media marketing works as part of your overall marketing strategy. If you’re hoping to drive website traffic, generate leads, boost brand awareness, or align your social media efforts with SEO, a marketing agency can help you build a strategy to reach those goals.
What to Look For in a Social Media Marketing Agency
So, you’ve made the decision that you’d like to hire an agency for your social media marketing. How do you find the right partner? The following tips will help you find a good match:
Thoughtful Onboarding
A good agency will begin by doing a deep dive into your business. They ask questions about your products/services, values, voice, goals, audience, and more. They might even create a formal Voice and Tone Document to help keep messaging consistent.
Partnership Mindset
The best results are achieved when the agency and business work together. While a social media agency can certainly create posts independently, the most successful content is highly customized to your business. Providing an image repository and regular updates on the happenings of the business will give your social media posts that personal touch.
Mutual Respect
Look for an agency with a clear, efficient process. There should be a system for reviewing and approving drafted material within a reasonable timeframe. On your end, staying on top of deadlines helps the agency stay on schedule too. The mutual goal is smooth, easy collaboration.
Conclusion
Hiring a marketing agency for social media may, or may not, be the best choice for you—but if it is, it can be a huge help. Whether you’re too busy, don’t like social media, or you are ready to kick your strategy up a notch, working with a marketing agency can help your business show up consistently and enthusiastically on your social media platforms. If you’re interested in learning more about hiring an agency to handle social media, let’s talk.
