So Today...

So today… I thought about how managing more than one social media account can be beneficial and not so good for others. While most brands like to show their unique side and personality, most of them do not have somebody that is specifically covering their social media marketing.

Outsourcing your social media marketing is the probably the most efficient way to handle the situation, however there are a few problems the client can run in to. For example, if someone manages more than 2 or 3 accounts, how much of that content will sound the same? That all depends on the industry I think. While it is good to have someone covering one specific industry, I think it can also hurt them in certain ways.

If you have three clients that all talk about the same products, events, and news… how do you choose which client gets the best content first? You don’t. You have to treat each process like the other one doesn’t exist. The perk of staying in the same industry is evident. You understand where and what to look for online, you are able to connect with the right hashtags, and follow and link up with the right people. All these things alone can help the brand you are handling become a industry leader over time.

At the end of the day we have to be professional in what we do. Understand that the client is trying to accomplish something and carry that out. Whether it’s selling/promoting a product, event, or just their company. Ensure that the presence you are maintaining is always fresh, in the client’s best interest, and something that they would actually talk about.

So Today… I really took the time to study this year’s Social Media Marketing Industry Report by Michael A Stelzner. I found this report really interesting. It talks a lot about how social media marketers are increasingly using different outlets like Twitter, Facebook, etc. to grow their brand online. After surveying 3300 social media marketers and figuring out what questions they want answered the most about social media marketing, Michael came up with a great report and a lot of answers. Some of his major findings that I found important included the fact that social media marketing takes a lot of time, something that I think most people overlook. Which is another reason why you should outsource your social media marketing if you have the budget to do so. Not only is it going to save you time, but it will let you focus on doing more important things like running your business effectively. Generating business exposure through social media is very important. This report stated that companies that had a good involvement in social media have increased their traffic (72%) and improved their search rankings (62%) online. While there are a lot of benefits to social media marketing, a lot of marketers do not gain this success over night. The report states, “A significant 58% of marketers are using social media for 6 hours or more each week and 34% for 11 or more hours weekly.” Experience is a major part of how long it takes someone to manage their brand through social media. Letting someone with experience help you manage your companies social media presence will allow you to grow faster and maintain other important marketing strategies in your business. If we have learned anything it is the fact that it’s a time consuming process if you want to do it right. One of the biggest benefits of social media is being able to separate yourself in this online world filled with distractions. Don’t bug out about what you need to do and how you are going to do it, seek guidance from someone who knows how. It will be your best investment yet. 

In social media today, companies, individuals, and celebrities are looking for options to help them succeed with this new form of communication. Turning to third party marketing firms is become more and more common. As companies transition their online presence to a third party, how do they control the message? As an individual grants access to another person to help with their tweets, how do they maintain personality? If a celebrity has a friend write a message for them, does the message really have merit? These are questions companies, individuals, and celebrities alike must ask themselves before employing a third party firm to help with social media. Companies are an entity, with a brand personality all on their own. If a business is to have an outside firm manage their social media presence, it is important to make sure their personality is not lost in the wings. The company should make sure the third party solution is made well aware of company protocol and methods before handing over the reigns. 

For an individual- it is common to let others contribute to a social media voice, but rarely should an individual give full control to another entity. The value of following an individual stems from the ability to hear their particular opinion on a matter, or get keen insight. When an individual outsources their voice, who are followers really learning from? For celebrities, it is essential to maintain control over their social media space. It is a dangerous situation to have others sharing messages on behalf of a celebrity, as it can be devastating for a fan to find out they are being ‘duped’ by the athlete’s social media pages. A third party should assist in consulting celebs on the content or pattern of their messages, but to remain authentic, the celeb should have their voice in each and every message. If there is a situation where a third party has full control of a social media presence, the first step is to understand the goals of the company, individual, or celebrity. They must get to know the voice, the audience, the strategy behind the client’s social media pages. Authenticity is key in building a large following. Be confident a third party social media company can truly represent the firm before outsourcing.