How to Successfully Outsource Social Media for Your Business

Is there a way for businesses to leverage social media to their marketing even when they have no time to manage it?

The answer’s yes, and it’s through outsourcing.

Thanks to this innovative concept, businesses of all sizes can enjoy the benefits of social media even if their not hands-on with it. Plus, they get expert insights without drowning through countless articles on Google.

But how does a business outsource its social media successfully?

Here are five tips on how to do so.

1. Set your social media goals.

If you want to achieve success in social media (or any other marketing channel), you need goals. These objectives will help you walk the right path to getting the most out of your social media game. 

Plus, having goals will help you discuss what you need from your potential social media expert.

There’s no one-size-fits-all approach when it comes to establishing goals for a business. Every business can benefit differently from every social media platform. 

For instance, an e-commerce store may use Facebook or Instagram to drive more traffic to its website. The same goal may not directly apply to a real estate agent, for example. Instead, they might leverage FB more for building their email list or lead generation.

TL;DR: before you search the internet, ask yourself first, what do I aim to get from social media?

2. Ask yourself, how much do I really need to outsource?

Sometimes, a business may only need assistance with setting up their social media profiles. A social media specialist will help you create your profiles on your preferred platforms, design essential graphics such as your Facebook or Twitter header, and establish the tools for managing your profiles conveniently.

If you’re going for this kind of setup, have your social media expert explain to you the basics of social media. This way, you’ll know how to navigate the engagement and content production mazes with ease.

However, if a business owner has their schedule full that they don’t have time to produce social media content consistently, then they’ll need full-time assistance.

If you’re outsourcing all your social media, it helps to educate your social media VA about your brand guidelines. Or at least, what image you intend to make among your audience online.

3. Choose an experienced social media consultant.

There’s no harm in hiring a newbie social media specialist for your business. Their affordable rates are quite attractive, especially for startups and small businesses. 

But think of the investment you’ll make with an experienced social media VA. No more trials-and-errors or guesswork because they already know what works and what doesn’t in this industry. 

They can give you the insights and strategies you need to reap the benefits you crave from social media. The keyword here is experience.

So the moment you start your search for your specialist, go for proven social media experience and skills. There are freelancers and social media outsourcing companies out there who can offer you these two qualifications at reasonable rates.

4. Work with your social media VA closely.

Social media works best within a teamwork setup. Although a social media specialist can handle most of the stuff for you, they’ll still need your decisions on other areas, mostly related to branding. 

You’ll also need to monitor your consultant’s performance. Are they staying accurate and relevant to your brand guideline? Are they creating content that connects with your audience? How do they deal with honest mistakes?

Outsourcing your social media doesn’t mean you don’t have the opportunity to learn more about how it works. If you have questions or ideas re your social media strategies, you can always consult your specialist. 

Lastly, you’re the one who knows your business the most. Your social media VA will still need your insights when it comes to responding to negative feedback or specific inquiries about your product or service. 

5. Assess your ROI from social media from time to time.

Remember those goals you set from our first tip? List them down, review your post and ads analytics on social media, and assess your performance. Did you achieve your quantified objectives, say, 1000 IG followers within a month?

If you haven’t reached your goal in the given amount of time, or only came close to the mark, review your strategies with your social media specialist.

As tedious as analytics assessment may sound, it’s the best way to know you’re achieving the best ROI from your outsourced specialist. 

Remember, outsourcing will always be a work-in-progress. The best way to make things work between your business and your outsourced specialist is to continue working with each other.

Preparation goes a long way in outsourcing your social media successfully.

With the help of these tips and smart planning on your part, you’ll make the best outsourcing investment for your business!

If you’re looking for a shortcut to finding the right social media specialist for your business, jump here.