10 Reasons Why You Should Outsource Your Social Team
Posted: 03/22/2021 | Author: Jim Lochner for Creatives On Call | Tags: Thought Leadership
There are 3.5 billion social media users worldwide (approximately 45% of the current population), and that number continues to grow. We spend on average 145 minutes a day scrolling through puppy pictures, puffed-up personalities, and political posts. But just because your thumb gets a daily workout doesn’t necessarily mean you’re an expert on social media marketing.
If you’ve tried to run your social media marketing in-house, even with a dedicated administrator or team, you’ve probably noticed how challenging it is to run a successful strategy. Everything from overworked stressed-out employees to the constant day-to-day monitoring of your various channels can quickly lead to stagnation or burnout if not properly handled. Before that happens, check out these 10 reasons for outsourcing your social media marketing.
YOU GET STRATEGIC HELP
Less than 50% of companies have a documented social media strategy. In today’s world, “winging it” on social media will ground your marketing efforts. It’s no longer enough to post a photo of “this week’s special” to Instagram, share random photos of your business event, or talk about your products and services. Without a clear content strategy and key performance indicators, social media is unlikely to improve your business. Experts can analyze the data from your efforts, identify areas that give results, and help you adjust your strategy for peak performance. Time to outsource.
YOU SAVE YOUR BUSINESS TIME
80% of customers expect companies to respond to their social media posts within 24 hours. Time is even more of the essence when it comes to complaints—42% of those complaining online expect a response WITHIN THE HOUR! 62% of customers are influenced enough just by negative social media comments on a brand that they would cease doing business with them. Since social media is open 24/7/365, do you have the time to monitor and respond to all those comments—good and bad? Time to outsource.
YOU SAVE YOUR BUSINESS MONEY
Outsourcing is typically more cost-effective than hiring someone in-house. The average annual salary of a social media manager is $51,406 (plus, of course, insurance and benefits). Can you be guaranteed your new hire has the proper expertise in all areas of social media? Can they hit the ground running or will you have to train and develop them on top of your day-to-day duties? Time to outsource.
YOU GAIN ACCESS TO SOCIAL MEDIA EXPERTS
Gone are the days when you could dedicate only two or three hours a week to your social marketing or hire an intern to take care of it. (No offense to all you dedicated social media interns out there!) By outsourcing, you gain expertise from someone who lives and breathes social media. They’ll use your customer knowledge coupled with testing and data to help you evolve your strategy. Time to outsource.
YOU GAIN A FRESH PERSPECTIVE
You know your customers and your business inside and out. But it’s easy to get in a rut and post the same types of content over and over. Customers are watching how your business conducts itself on social media and what you’re saying. A slip-up or wrong messaging can be devastating for your brand. Bore your followers and they’ll flock to your competitors. Outsourcing brings you new opinions, new ways of phrasing, and a fresh outlook on subjects that you deal with every day. Time to outsource.
YOU GET PLATFORM-SPECIFIC KNOWLEDGE
With users spending approximately 15% of their waking life on social media, can you keep track of all the demographics, statistics, and best practices for each platform? Social media experts have up-to-date information and technologies to better advise you on how to adjust your social strategy. Time to outsource.
YOU STAY ON TOP OF THE TRENDS
Are you leveraging the benefits of Instagram stories? Do you know how the latest Facebook algorithm changes impact your business? Did you take advantage of the recent explosion of TikTok when customer monthly usage nearly doubled from 12.8 hours a month to 21.5? Social media is an ever-changing landscape and it’s difficult to keep up with the trends behind (and in front of) the scenes. Time to outsource.
YOU GET STORYTELLERS
Social media isn’t all about followers, likes, and sales. It’s about building a community, responding to current events, and giving a shout-out to others. Social media experts will identify additional opportunities to engage with and respond to customers, amplify your messaging, and tell your story in fresh, new ways. Time to outsource.
YOU GET ADVERTISING EXPERTISE
Only 5.2% of your Facebook followers see your organic post, and the number continues to decline. Is Facebook even your target demographic? Or do you just spend ad money on there because everyone else does? Most marketers know that budgeting for social media ad spend is essential. But you need to be where your ideal customer is spending their time, and every platform has different advertising parameters. Social media experts will know the best platform(s) for your brand, help you highlight your brand voice in visuals and content, and test and track so that you’re able to maximize your ad budget. Time to outsource.
YOU’RE ABLE TO FOCUS
Social media can take a lot of time, especially to know it well and keep up with the ongoing changes. Rather than giving your current staff (or yourself!) yet another daily task to do, give them the time and space to focus on their strengths. Your business will benefit and your employees will be happier. Time to outsource.
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73% of marketers believe social media marketing has been “somewhat effective” or “very effective” for their business. But that effectiveness plummets if your wings are clipped. It’s time to pull together a proper social media strategy and outsource the management of that strategy to help your business soar. Creatives On Call is the source for experienced social media creatives to help.
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