As marketing professionals, we are accustomed to gathering information and creating organic marketing content for the brands we serve, BUT at the same token, most of us are working with smaller than preferred teams and budgets at times. Working with a social media agency or hiring an internal social media employee will make a huge difference in your marketing program and bottom line.
To help you with the process we created a checklist for hiring and contracting social media help!
Social Media Manager Hiring Checklist
Are they organized?
How organized are they as a person? Are they able to be on time and complete tasks effectively, or are they often falling behind? Out of all of the items on this checklist, being organized is the most important. It doesn’t matter how great you are at social media, or with your writing skills — if you’re unorganized, the rest of your work will fall short.
Social and digital marketing is fast paced. Your social media team needs to stay up to date with deadlines, to keep daily, monthly and annual content organized and flowing.
Are they flexible?
Flexibility also is an important part of the marketing and social media management world. Without flexibility, it is nearly impossible to work around busy schedules and last-minute projects and updating content because something changes at the last minute. Social media management requires working around the company’s needs and schedule.
Are they a strong copywriter?
Social media copywriting is a huge responsibility and it falls on most social media managers. Strong writers can batch create captions and write quickly and effectively on short notice. Writing for social media marketing is more concise and conversational. Most PR professionals or business writers do not write in this manor.
Do they have social media experience?
Are they experienced in social media marketing, or are they just social media end users? Either way, you need someone with lots of experience in the field to be in charge of your social media. It is important to separate their use of social media platforms from their professional experience marketing on the platforms. Marketing on social media is a completely different ballgame then using social media, it requires a completely different set of skills.
Do they seem observant?
Social media marketing and management requires a strong ability to observe and listen to your community online. Identifying opportunities for engagement, collaboration and much more in a timely manner can separate a good SM manager from a great one. Hiring someone who can observe, listen and react in a timely manner is essential.
Finding the right person, consultant, or agency for your team is crucial. Just like any other role, it can be challenging to find the perfect fit for the job description and team dynamics. When in doubt, trust your gut and take time to hire right. This will will save you time and money in the long run.
What are some of the qualities you would hope for in a social media manager? Let us know in the comments.
Interested in partnering with LHM Strategic to assist in your social media marketing and management efforts take a look at our retainer options today.