With billions of people more connected than ever, brands can now reach their customers like never before. That’s one of the reasons why 97% of Fortune 500 companies rely on social media for their marketing strategies.
However, if you don’t know what you’re doing, a poor social media marketing strategy can backfire. Many businesses look for social media marketing specialists, but it can be tough to find the right services for your needs.
Let’s talk about whether you should outsource social media marketing or hire an in-house team in 2022!
What Do Social Media Marketers Do?
Social media marketers should have an understanding of how each platform works, the best times to post, and how to reach specific audiences on various platforms. They should be able to manage your social media accounts effectively and develop/implement a strategy on your behalf, based on your needs.
So, what kind of services will a social media manager do for your business. While they may offer more specialized services, you can expect them to:
- Develop an understanding of your brand and target audience
- Create and tailor content to your intended audience
- Conduct A/B testing
- Track key performance indicators (KPIs)
- Use AI and automation for faster results
- Communication with your business and audience
- Video/image design (or other content)
- Optimize timing and content for organic reach
The list goes on, but this is a typical job description for this position. Social media marketers can come from different backgrounds, but most often from marketing, journalism, business, or content marketing.
Remember, not all services are the same. With specialized services, social media marketers may offer plenty of other services for your business, but this will depend on their niche.
Overall, they’re in charge of carrying out an effective social media strategy based on your company’s goals. This way, you can just set it and forget it. However, there are different types of social media managers to choose from, each with its own benefits.
Benefits of In-House Social Media Marketing
The benefits of having an in-house marketing team are straightforward; you’ll have access to your team whenever you want, you’ll be able to train them however you want, and it’ll be easier for your team to collaborate.
When you have an in-house team, it will be easier to delegate certain responsibilities to one another and work cohesively toward the same goals. As things change throughout your business, calling for a meeting will be as easy as can be, and you can have one person in charge of the division to ensure everything is running smoothly.
Downsides of In-House Social Media Marketing
Let’s be honest, not many businesses can afford their own marketing team, let alone a division specifically for social media. You will have to pay skilled employee salaries, benefits, and more for an in-house marketing team of any size. While it would be convenient to have everybody on your social media projects in-house, the costs will outweigh the benefits for most businesses.
If your company will earn more from its social media marketing strategy than it would pay for these employees, then it will be worth it. If not, then it isn’t worth the risk. No employer wants to be forced to lay people off down the line.
Also, if you have an in-house marketing team to carry out your social media strategy, chances are that social media won’t be their primary focus or expertise. A general marketing team can implement a social media strategy, but likely not as effective as a specialist.
Benefits of Outsourcing Social Media Marketing
One of the major benefits is the choice of services. You can choose from networks of thousands of freelancers, marketing agencies, branding services, and so much more. Any of these will be able to help improve your strategy, depending on your company’s needs.
This variety of options can make a world of difference to your strategy. If you’re looking to win over a specific target audience, find a team with industry experience, build a brand identity, or anything else, you’ll be able to find a team that offers these services.
Specializations are common in the field, including platforms (LinkedIn, TikTok, etc.), industries, specialized services, target demographics, and more. If you’re looking for a specific type of service, an in-house team is less likely to offer that.
Next, there’s less risk involved. It’s a lot easier to shop around for the right services than it is for the right employees. It isn’t easy to find and replace employees, but with the right services, you’ll have no contract and no obligation to continue service.
Also, an outsourced team will come with the right automation and tools necessary for the job, saving your company money on investments. With an in-house team, you’ll have to pay for various tools, software, subscriptions, and more.
Once you find the right management team, it will be similar to having an in-house team, only for a fraction of the price. A skilled enough marketing team will be able to work with your brand, your vision, and your budget.
Downsides of Outsourced Marketing Services
The only cons of outsourcing are the variance of quality. Finding the right services can be tricky if you don’t know what you’re looking for but, again, there’s no obligation to continue with outsourced services you don’t want.
The only downside of finding a high-quality quality marketing team elsewhere is that you won’t share the same building. However, help will only be a phone call or an email away, and you should be able to meet with your team whenever something changes. If you’re looking to save money on services without sacrificing quality, then outsourcing is the way to go!
How to Outsource Social Media Marketing
If you think outsourcing is right for you, then you should consider looking into the right services for your needs. Here’s how you can start!
Choose a Type
When outsourcing your social media marketing, you’ll have a few options to choose from. You may consider hiring a freelancer to do the work for you. For a small business wanting around one post a day, this may be a great option.
However, freelancer rates do vary widely, and you could find yourself overpaying for such a small amount of posts. Another option would be to use a social media marketing service from a marketing firm. This way, you’ll pool resources with their other clients, which may save you some money.
You’ll also have the benefits of working with a team that’s experienced, capable of building a cohesive strategy together, and available to answer questions regularly. In many ways, it’s more similar to working with an in-house team than with a freelancer.
Find the Right Services for Your Needs
Look around for the right company’s services on their website to see if they offer what you need. If you’re simply looking for one post a day, then this won’t be a problem. However, if you’re looking for any specialized services, it will help to shop around first.
This could mean finding services with industry experience, one that specializes in a certain platform or demographic, and more.
Read Reviews
We are fortunate enough to live in a world where we have access to any information we want, including previous customers’ experiences. It’s very helpful to read online reviews, but only when they offer context.
A one-star or five-star review means little without any information, so ignore the numbers and read what they have to say. A one-star review could come from a simple miscommunication and a five-star could come from a friend, so be thorough with your research.
Even better, you can ask for references. This way, you can ask specific questions about any of your concerns and get honest testimony from previous customers. If these references come from a similar industry to yours, then you’ll be able to ask even more specific questions!
Give Yourself a Boost
Whether you want social media management from an in-house team, marketing firm, or freelancer, using a service like Stormlikes can help you build organic likes and followers for an incredibly small investment. This type of service can even help you target specific countries, genders, and more to help build a following within your target audience.
Boost Your Strategy Today
Now that you know the benefits and how to outsource social media marketing, there’s no time like the present to get started. The sooner you do, the sooner you can boost your organic following for a fraction of the cost of an in-house team.
Get the help you need today and stay up to date with our latest marketing news to help keep your business running smoothly!
