Social Media Management is Not a Job for Interns
Successful social media management is more than simply putting out a post and seeing what happens. Here are 4 reasons why you need to upgrade your department and take social media more seriously.
Key Takeaways
Unqualified individuals should not be managing your brand.
Proper social media management requires multiple assets and a social strategy.
Utilizing social media ultimately means building brand equity, one post one comment and one engagement at a time.
Once a novelty enjoyed by a younger generation, social media has become a serious tool for business. Although it's accessible to everyone, behind it, a strategy and analysis that makes success much harder than simply putting out a post and seeing what happens.
Social Media Management is not just a job for an intern, and this is why…
Unqualified individuals should not be managing your brand. Leave the poor interns alone, stop putting them in positions where they won't succeed. I'm absolutely stupefied when I see organizations put someone new or without the knowledge in charge of their social media channels.
Social media has become democratized.
For starters, let's make one thing clear. Social media has become democratized. Meaning, everybody has the ability to access any of the platforms available and make a post or put out content. Everyone thinks they can simply check the box and say I posted today.
Yes, but what did you post? What did it accomplish?
Look at it this way…
Home Depot has everything you need to build a house. That does not mean you want to live in a house that I built. DIY only goes so far. Having someone take the lead on social media just because they're tech savvy isn't going to cut it either. Just because you can…does not mean you should.
Here's why you should hire a professional.
Social media requires multiple disciplines. Social media has many components or pieces to it. Think about what needs to go out in a series of posts, copy, photos, video, graphic design, and hashtag research. And that's before we even get into optimal content for each platform.
Companies are trying to shoehorn all these responsibilities into a so-called “Social Media” role. They want one person to do all of these things and sometimes at a discounted rates.
Proper social media management requires multiple assets and a social strategy. Sometimes an entire team is needed to maintain good social channels. If you expect your social media manager to shoot a video, photograph, copyright, etc, then you're going to be disappointed (and they will most likely be looking for another job).
Social media management requires multiple disciplines to come together harmoniously. Putting up great content is one side of the equation. But what about your audience?
Social Media Listening and analytics are overlooked and undervalued.
Organizations need to do social media listening and analytics for optimal results. Although outputting great content and messaging is important. Social media is a two way street. You've got to crunch some numbers and listen to your audience. Yes, even read the bad comments to find out what's resonating and what's not.
Numbers aren't the end all be all.
But accurate insights will help you make proper determinations in your social strategy. Oftentimes, you see brands pushing out ads and posts and not even responding to comments or questions. It's a really bad look. Give the people what the information they want and respond to inquiries.
Analytics, content, and engagement are great, but you still need to understand who you are and how you are received online as a brand.
Understand your brand's voice.
Whoever is in charge of your department needs to immerse themselves in your brand in order to properly communicate: your mission, the values, the products, and/or services. Without insight into your brand, a social media coordinator will at best get you tepid results, and at worst, damage your company's image.
Utilizing social media ultimately means building brand equity, one post, one comment, and one engagement at a time. Every engagement needs someone behind that keyboard that has a deep understanding of your brand. The pace at which we consume content is ferocious and our collective appetite is only increasing every day.
Make sure you stay on track with your social channels by properly delegating to qualified individuals and supporting them with the resources they need to succeed.