Working with a social media manager

If you’re reading this in December of 2021, you may be prepping for the new year. This is a time to set goals and make positive changes in your business. 

One thing you may be considering is hiring a social media manager to handle your business accounts in 2022 (and if you’re not, I highly recommend it). 

If this is the case, congratulations! 🎊 You’ve made a decision that will not only save you a ton of time, but a social media manager will help you build your brand and make a lasting impression in your community. 

For those of you who haven’t worked with a social media manager before, here’s a rundown of what to expect and how to make the most of it. 

Onboarding

When you first reach out to a SMM (social media manager), they’ll likely ask to hop on a “Discovery call” or “consultation” to get to know you better. 

They’ll ask questions about you, your business, what services you’re looking for, what your goals are, etc. Be prepared to talk about your business and social media goals. Be open and honest, so that the two of you are on the same page. 

If you decide to hire the SMM, the next step typically involves the proposal and agreement. They’ll send you a list of services they propose, along with a legally-binding contract for you to sign and return. You might receive your first invoice at this point, seeing as most SMMs require payment for services upfront. 

Afterwards, you may be expected to fill out some client intake forms. SMMs need access to your social media accounts, branding assets, marketing photos/templates, and more, so make sure you have these files readily available. 

Once you’ve completed all of your “homework,” you’ll be contacted to set up a kickoff/strategy call! This is where the fun begins. ☺️ You’ll get to discuss post topic ideas, themes, and any other questions that you might have at this point. 

Social media management (project details)

If you’ve been managing your own social media accounts up to this point, you know how much work it is (if you’ve been keeping up with it). 

A good social media manager will create a content calendar that is tailored to your business. This involves a ton of details, including: planned post dates, post captions, graphics, hashtags, themes, and more. 

To create content for your business, they’ll have to research your brand and industry; SMMs are excellent researchers! 🤓 Some will have a regular strategy call with you to keep up with your company announcements, events, specials, etc.

After content is created, they’ll send you the content calendar for your review. This shouldn’t take you too long, as the SMMs have already done the majority of the work. All you’ll need to do is check their work and mark your feedback + approval. Once approved, they’ll schedule the posts. 

Lastly, the SMM will engage with your followers. This means, they will make sure to respond to any post comments. Some take it a step further and like/comment on your follower’s posts. 

This is the gist of their responsibilities, but I’m sure I forgot to include a few things.

Reports and regular check-ins

Another part of working with a social media manager involves getting reports and check-ins. 

The SMM will regularly check on how your page and posts are performing, so that they can adjust their strategy accordingly. 

In your social media report, you’ll find information on your follower count, reach, engagement, limitations, recommendations, and more. You’re not expected to do anything with this report, but feel free to reach out to your SMM with any questions or suggestions you may have. 

Another thing to expect is regular check-ins. Personally, I like to chat with my clients once a month to see if they have anything new going on, like upcoming events, specials, etc. 

How you can get the most out of social media management

While your SMM is capable of managing your accounts entirely on their own, there are a few things you can do to help with the process. 

1. Show up to any and all meetings on time. Their time is valuable, just like yours.
2. Respond to their emails in a timely manner, even if it’s to say you’ll get back with them. 
3. Take lots of office photos and videos to help make your social media page reach the maximum number of people (and share them with your SMM)! 
4. Prepare for monthly check-ins by having this information ready: Company updates/announcements/milestones, upcoming events, promotions/specials/discounts, employee anniversaries/birthdays. 
5. Provide honest feedback on their social posts, especially if you strongly like or dislike something; that way they can learn your preferences. Remember that you can provide constructive criticism without being mean. 

Final thoughts

At the end of the day, your social media manager wants what’s best for you; they want to see your business bloom. 

While it’s not easy to let go of control, it is worth it. 

You can trust us to run your social media accounts here at Like It Marketing. We’re 100% committed to providing you with quality service. 

Contact us here or send us an email at Tonya@LikeItMarketing.com if you’re interested in getting started with social media management for the new year. 

As always, thanks for reading, y’all! 💙