Business owners have a lot to think about. From planning and executing business strategies to taking care of financial and legal obligations, there’s always something that needs to be done to ensure the business is running smoothly and making a profit. For many business owners, social media often falls to the bottom of the priority list.
Whether a poor or non-existent social media presence is due to a lack of time, knowledge or desire, your business could be missing out on some great brand building and marketing opportunities.
Fortunately, social media management and content generation is a task that can be delegated in most cases.
But who should you hire to help you with your social media presence?
We all know a teenager who’s constantly on their phone taking snaps for Snapchat and posting photos to Instagram. It’s only natural that business owners might resort to their tech-savvy teens for help with social media. While teenagers definitely have the know-how when it comes to the latest technology and social media platforms, they may not be as well-versed in the fields of business and marketing.
If you’re looking to build your online community, increase brand awareness and boost your bottom line, you’re going to need to call in a professional.
Here Are 6 Reasons You Should Hire a Social Media Professional to Manage Your Online Presence Instead of Your Teenager:
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Consistency
Consistency plays a major role in the success of a business on social media. Everything from when you’re posting to what your posting should be carefully thought out and planned. If your profiles are active for one month and then there are no new updates for several weeks or months, you’re going to lose people. The language and the “voice” you portray online should also be consistent with your brand.
A social media professional will work with you to ensure consistency with your posting schedule, as well as your brand voice.
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Platforms Change
Social media platforms are constantly evolving. From updates to aesthetics and user features to changing demographics and platform popularity, businesses need someone who is on the ball.
A social media professional stays on top of industry news and trends and can provide insight on how you can utilize platform changes to your benefit.
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Policies Change
When you signed up for your social media accounts, did you read through the fine print? If you signed up a long time ago, have you stayed up to date on any changes to the policies?
Social media platform policies outline information such as privacy, data security, advertising guidelines and terms of use. Facebook is notorious for its frequent and significant policy changes, but other platforms have also been known to make revisions.
A social media professional is well-versed in the fine print and can make sure policy changes won’t have a negative impact on your business.
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Experience
Even though someone might share frequent updates and have hundreds of followers on their personal platforms, this does not mean they know how to effectively use social media for business purposes.
Most platforms have special features designed specifically for businesses. These optimized features include call-to-action buttons, access to analytics, and verified accounts.
A social media professional has experience in handling company accounts on social media and can optimize your profiles and content to achieve your business goals.
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Best Practices
With experience also comes knowledge of best practices. Save yourself and your teen from much of the trial and error that comes with social media by hiring a pro.
Whether it’s creating effective ads, increasing engagement or dealing with negativity, a social media professional has proven tactics and strategies to help you succeed online.
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Data
As a business owner, you probably want to know if the time, effort and money you’re putting into social media are having an impact. It takes time and knowledge to sort through the data from various sources and determine which metrics to track in order to measure your success.
A social media professional not only knows how to access and retrieve relevant data, but also knows how to interpret the numbers to improve your strategy and get you the biggest return on your investment.
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Legal Implications
Beyond the terms of use for each individual social media platform, there are various other laws and regulations that could affect your online marketing efforts. These laws will vary depending on industry, region and country. For instance, in Canada you should take into consideration federal copyright laws that could impact the images you share, contest laws if you decide to host a giveaway and specific advertising regulations that apply to your industry.
A social media professional is aware of these types of legal implications and can work within the law to help you achieve social media success.
**Please note it is wise to also consult with a lawyer if you have any legal questions or concerns.
Does your business have a social media presence? If so, who do you turn to for social media tips and advice?
By all means, if you have a savvy teenager around that’s willing to help you, do not hesitate to ask them to take photos, videos and share their knowledge and talents with you. But if you wouldn’t trust them to manage your business offline, don’t leave them at the helm online.
For more on how Lifeblood Marketing can help your business, contact info@lb.realtylabsmarketing.com.