One of the most frequent questions that pop up for the team at businessDEPOT Marketing is Social Media and how to manage it.

Business owners often want to capture the magic of Social Media for themselves, but lack the skills, experience and time to properly execute a Social Media plan. And so, they might not think twice about palming it off.

I have had the first-hand experience of working with a company who put the ‘young person who is always on their phone’ at the wheel of the company’s Social Media efforts. Sure, they know a lot about Instagram and have almost 1,000 followers on their personal account after all, but do they know about managing a business Social Media account? And most importantly, your business’s Social Media?

Often, the business owner will put Social Media into the too hard basket and offload to these ‘youthful’ individuals who are left to their own devices (literally). But, what are they portraying to the public about your business when you they don’t have to answer to you? Maintaining the quality of your web presence is essential.

I doubt if you were pitching for a big sale you would put someone with little company knowledge in the spotlight. You would want someone with the ability to answer the tough questions that get thrown their way. You would want someone who had an understanding of the brand’s history, great product/ service knowledge and is able to uphold a high level of professionalism which is representative of your company.

I’m sure we have all seen the flops and heard the horror stories of big companies who have made this crucial mistake and put someone with little to no experience (perhaps a green intern) in charge of their most transparent voices.

Business owners often don’t have time to manage their own diary let alone their Social Media. So, if you’re thinking about delegating the management of your Social Media to someone else in your business [or even to an agency], consider the skills and capabilities of this person first:

someone with a strong understanding of the business

Emphasis on the word strong. First and foremost, you want someone who understands your business from the inside out, not someone with a basic understanding in specific parts or divisions. You need someone who lives and breathes the brand and is as passionate as you [the business owner] are.

someone with a moderate understanding of social media

Notice the word moderate. You don’t have to be an absolute whiz kid to master the art of Social Media, posting an image and coming up with a caption which is reflective of your brand is relatively easy (if you have a great understanding of the business). The killer of Social Media management is consistency and not skill, so don’t feel deterred that the individual you may delegate to do the job is not the person with all the followers.

someone with a background in marketing or public relations

Having someone with a background in Marketing or Communications is beneficial to understand your audience and how to communicate with them is fundamental to your Social Media plan. These individuals often have the skills to put themselves in your customer’s shoes and see things from their point of view.

someone who is willing to give it a go

Choose a savvy individual who is willing to take time to keep up with changes and trends in the Social Media space. Someone who is organised, self-motivated and on their toes. Social Media is about consistency and keeping the presence of your brand strong.

If you do decide to look for internal or external help with your Social Media, take the time to make the right decision. Your Social Media is a fantastic tool when used properly to engage your audience. Your Social Media accounts and online presence is representative of your brand. If you put your brand in the hands of just anyone you may see minimal or no positive outcomes in your Social Media marketing efforts.

If you have any questions about how best to manage your Social Media activity or need direction on the strategy you will use to move forward, get in touch with the team at businessDEPOT Marketing!

 

Originally authored by Tyson Cobb.