Should you Outsource your Social Media Marketing?

Should you outsource your social media marketing?

No! Well, it depends. I know a lot of social media marketing service providers are going to disagree with me, but here’s my philosophy on outsourcing…

Hiring an outsider to manage your company’s social media marketing is like hiring a salesperson and sending them to talk to your potential customers without training them! 

social

In my almost 50 years of working as an adult, I’ve sold, well, you name it: cars, timeshares, cookware, advertising, subscriptions, hotels and even encyclopedias (remember those?). No matter what I was selling, I went through intensive training to learn the product or service inside and out, upside down and backwards and forwards. I had to be able to explain why it was different from the competitors. I had to learn the customers’ pain points and be ready and able to fill their needs, solve their problems and answer questions.

There is no way that an outsider can know your business like you know your business!

Unless, of course, the specialize in your industry. Naturally, that brings up the question, how long have they’ve been marketing in your industry?

The main idea of social media marketing is the social part.

The only people who should be building relationships with your company’s potential customers is you and/or a trained staff member – someone who, like a properly trained salesperson is an asset to your company.

Social Media Outsourcing Horror Stories

Many times, I’ve had to come to a client’s rescue when they’ve been burned or abandoned by an outside firm, an intern, or a young, close relative — you get the idea.

The Problems with Outsourcing Social Media Marketing Services

Beware of the shysters

Shyster: a person who uses unscrupulous, fraudulent, or deceptive methods in business.

They...

  1. Usually overcharge. If they charge more than $1500/m to manage your social media pages, it’s too much!
  2. Purchase fake Facebook fans or Twitter or Instagram followers on your behalf and charge you for it.
  3. Don’t provide monthly reports with monthly insights, analytics, statistics, and demographics — which are critical for you to know what’s working and not working.

Why Demographics are Important…

There was a website whose main target market was local women – name withheld to protect the clueless. The owner had an outsider managing their social media who bought Facebook fans and Twitter followers and charged them over $1200/m! Sure, they have tens of thousands of Facebook fans but, for a local site, that doesn’t look natural. A couple of thousand is more realistic.

Take a look at their Facebook demographics. Notice anything odd?

FBInsightsscreenshot

Over 60% male! For a women’s site! That right there is a HUGE RED FLAG that the fans are purchased. Also, the majority of the fans are not even in the U.S.! They’re in Turkey, Pakistan, India and other countries! Like those people are likely to respond to posts or show any interest in what’s on the site. Advertisers on their site are essentially being lied to.

Unfortunately, like many small business owners, she didn’t know what she didn’t know.

Don’t fall for too-good-to-be-true pitches or promises. No one can guarantee you the first page of Google or any specific growth unless, they’re buying placement or followers. Organic strategies are the best — but, they take time. Make sure they provide you with a customized strategic plan for your business and not some cookie-cutter plan they use for everyone.

If you do decide to hire an outside agency, make sure they are in the U.S.! If there is an issue, you can contact the BBB and get the problem solved. You have no recourse if they are outside the country.

Why Insights are Important…

check your analytics every month
Check your analytics monthly!

A client of mine, who I helped jump-start their social media marketing, is a BBQ restaurant. If you walk into the place at dinner time, you see mostly baby boomers, yet when you look at their Facebook page insights, the demographics of their fans are 35-44. That’s a huge difference. You market to these two age groups differently.

Also, you get an idea of what type of posts your fans are responding — liking, sharing, and commenting — to the most. Do they prefer videos, graphics or articles?

Why Statistics are Important…

Which networks are driving the most traffic to your website? You need to know this so you can adjust your social media tactical plan accordingly. If you see that more of folks are coming from LinkedIn than Facebook, then you need to spend more time on LinkedIn.

Your stats will change as your following grows and it will vary with the types of blog posts and promotions.

What type of Person Should you Hire In-house to Manage your Social Media?

What about an intern?

Interns are OK considering they work for free — if they are getting college credit — otherwise, you have to pay them. However, you must take these factors into consideration. They…

  1. Are usually very transient and leave when the internship is over along with your company’s usernames and passwords.
  2. Are usually young and maybe irresponsible and immature. (You may get lucky and get a good, upstanding kid with integrity.)
  3. Theydon’t understand marketing on social media. Just because they can post on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter doesn’t mean they know how to market on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter! Make sure they’ve taken the proper social media marketing courses and passed with good grades.
  4. Don’t understand basic marketing principles in general. Again, you must take into account their marketing coursework. Ask to see some of their assignments and term papers.

If you still want to hire a student, for financial reasons, (but you do get what you pay for in this case), make sure either you know that person well – a neighbor, friend’s kid or a relative. If not, get at least 5 real references. Get their references and call them. Make sure they are legitimate companies and not just the kid’s friends vouching for him or her. Check the company’s website and social media pages. Ask them for examples of their work. Remember, anyone can make up numbers, use fake Facebook pages and Twitter accounts.

The best person to hire to do your social media marketing is actually an older, creative person who has solid, marketing experience. The marketing basics have not changed, only the media has. Then hire me to train them properly.

Here’s what to look for in a Social Media Manager…

People, if you don’t seriously understand this, you’re going to throw your money away, waste valuable time, look like a fool, and lose customers!


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