You’ve been handling your business’s social media management yourself up until now, but lately you’ve started wondering if it’s time to hand over the reins to a professional social media manager. Determining the right time to outsource social tasks can be tricky – you don’t want to do it too soon and lose your unique voice, but waiting too long can stunt your growth. So, how do you know if you’re ready? Here are five signs that it might be time to outsource your social media marketing.
You’re Spread Too Thin Across Platforms
In the beginning, managing a Facebook page and Twitter profile seemed simple enough. But now your followers are asking why you don’t have an Instagram, and could you please start a YouTube channel too? The more platforms you’re on, the harder it gets to keep up quality posting schedules and engagement across all of them. If just checking Twitter is already falling to the end of your to-do list, bringing on some help might be wise.
Running Contests and Campaigns Feels Overwhelming
You handled your first Facebook giveaway alright when you only had 300 followers, but now that you have 35k fans, coordinating something of that scale sounds daunting. Professional social managers have experience running major contests and will handle all the details like designing graphics, crafting rules, collecting entries, picking winners, and coordinating prizes.
You’re Jealous of Competitors’ Engagement Rates
You work hard on creating valuable social content, but notice some competitors with similar followings are getting two, three, even four times as many likes and comments as you. A social media pro studies current algorithms and best practices, so they can help advise you on strategies to improve your reach and engagement.
Negative Comments and Complaints Throw You Off
That occasional negative comment used to roll right off your back, but the more followers you gain, the more haters seem to pile on too. Removing yourself from the drama can help you maintain the right tone and proactively manage your brand reputation. An experienced manager will know how to handle critical feedback professionally in a way that mitigates damage.
Keep Up or Fall Behind
From Stories and Reels to the latest in messaging apps and experimental features, social platforms progress rapidly. As an individual, you can only stretch yourself so far to keep up before you fall behind competitors utilizing cutting-edge channels. Social media agencies dedicate whole teams to research, so they’re tapped into what’s changing now and primed for what’s happening next.
If more than one of these points hit home for you, then chances are good that outsourcing may provide some needed relief. Look for an agency that seems like the right culture fit and has strengths in areas you aim to improve in. The right social manager will handle the details to free up more of your mental energies for higher level business strategy while still maintaining your unique brand voice.
