Whether you’re a freelancer just starting out or a huge multi-national corporation, this question is relevant to everyone.
This single decision could have lasting impacts on your brand’s performance.
If you choose the wrong person at the start, they could cause irreparable damage.
To be honest, this is unlikely. But, you have to be aware that it could happen.
Rather than look at who SHOULD manage your social media profiles, we’re going to spend a little bit of time focusing on who SHOULDN’T. Then we’ll get onto who you should pick.
Who shouldn’t be put in charge of social media?
Too often, organisations pick the “young” person to look after social media.
Now, this might work if that person is your ideal client.
But, before you simply choose someone because they “understand” social media, think about this...
If you needed someone to write a speech for a room full of your ideal clients, would you pick this person?
If you needed someone to create a leaflet for an upcoming expo, would you pick this person?
If you needed someone to come up with the concept for a TV ad, would you pick this person?
It’s not necessarily that if you wouldn’t pick them for these roles, you shouldn’t pick them to look after social media. But, think about why you wouldn’t pick them. Could this be a sign you shouldn’t pick them to look after social media too?
For example, you might not pick them to help you with any of these activities because they work in finance and don’t have the required creativity. So, why would you leave them in charge of social media?
Being “young” does not necessarily mean you know how to run a brand’s social media account.
The other option we see people default to is themselves.
This one is particularly pertinent for small businesses and freelancers where budget is more of a challenge.
Again, if you’re experience isn’t social media, you may struggle with this complicated world.
Is there another employee more qualified to take this off your plate?
Do you know another freelancer you could trade services with?
Are there any short courses you could sign up for so you can grasp the basics until you’re able to offload it?
This is a much tougher one to overcome but there are ways.
Who should look after a brand’s social media channels?
So, if you shouldn’t just default to the young person in the office or burden yourself with it, who should look after it?
Now, we’re not going to pitch that you should scout out an agency. Instead, we’re going to look at the qualities you want in the person looking after your accounts.
If you don’t have access to someone who fits the bill, then maybe look to an agency or a freelancer to support you.
First up, they need an understanding of how the platforms work.
They need to know a profile from a page, organic posts from sponsored posts, a hashtag from a mention and so much more.
There’s no point in putting someone in charge who struggles to get on the internet, let alone run a social media account.
Next up, they should have a good foundation in marketing in general.
Too many people believe they can run a social media account because they’ve built 10,000 followers for their dog. That’s not always the case.
They need to understand key marketing concepts. Things like this.
Another quality we believe is also imperative is creativity!
Some people know exactly what to say, they just don’t have that creative edge which helps them catch people’s attention.
This could be design, photography, or campaign ideas. But without creativity, your brand’s going to disappear into the background.
And, finally, they need to have time.
Too often, we speak to people who think social media is just sharing a post once a day.
It’s not!
It takes time to plan, time to come up with new ideas, time to create the content, time to do the admin side of social media management and time to engage with your audience.
So, to recap, the person who looks after your social media channels should...
...understand how social media platforms work.
...have some foundation in marketing.
...have a creative flair.
...have time available to give it the attention it needs.
Do you have the right person in charge of your social media accounts?