The Lie: Anyone can manage your social media.
It’s fairly common to see business executives hand their social media presence over to the millennial in the office, typically an intern or young office assistant. While these individuals are often great at connecting with each other on social media, they might not be the best option for connecting your brand, and I’ll tell you why:
Social media has the power to connect directly with customers, to engage users in conversation about your product or service, and to present your brand to an audience of millions. That’s a big responsibility. Is your social media manager qualified to do these things effectively?
When you’re looking for someone to manage your social media, being a millennial doesn’t always mean they have the knowledge and skillset required for the job. At cj, our social media specialists have 4 key areas of expertise. These requirements are a good place to start when looking for someone to manage your accounts:
1. Writing
Their is nothing worse then going to a facebook page & seeing horrible speling, bad grammar, EXCESSIVE CAPS, and too many exclamation points!!!!!!!!!!!
Don’t settle for mediocre writing skills. Find someone who can write well and who can effectively take on the voice of your brand, meaning that the content they produce reflects your core values and the quality of your product or service.
2. Analytics
There are a few best practices for each social media platform. These practices offer a great place to start in creating content, but at some point, you have to be able to measure what works for you and what doesn’t.
You also need to know where your social holds value. Are you looking to build relationships through engagement? Spreading awareness of your brand? Increasing traffic to your website? We work with each of our clients to determine what their goals are and how social can help to achieve them. If the only KPI your millennial can offer is “number of likes,” he’s not your guy.
3. Marketing
Social media is constantly evolving, and with that evolution comes the opportunity to get creative. Your social media manager should be able to develop campaigns and strategies that are relevant and competitive across social platforms.
One campaign that has been successful for us, and has been client favorite, is our Charity of the Month campaign. The client chooses a local charity to be featured on their Facebook page. For each new like the client receives throughout the month, the client donates $1 to the selected charity. It’s a great way to rally the community to support a good cause while also growing your audience.
4. Public Relations
Much like a public relations coordinator, a social media manager works hard to spread information from you to the public in a way that creates a positive image for your brand. This includes responding to and interacting with the questions and comments that come up from social users, which can be challenging.
It isn’t unusual to see negative comments on social media outlets. Your social media manager has to be able to provide responses that diffuse the conversation. Most disgruntled users can be calmed with a simple acknowledgment that their thoughts were heard and are being addressed.
There are others who are just there to stir the pot, typically called “trolls.” These are individuals who frequently post in various locations with the intent to disrupt and debate. Your social media manager needs to be able to identify these trolls and prevent the conversation from escalating.
The Lie Debunked: You need social media managers who know what they’re doing.
Social media, like any other aspect of your business, should be handled by a trained professional. It requires strategic planning, quality writing, knowledge of best practices, and excellent communication skills. Don’t settle for less.
This quality and expertise is precisely what you’ll find at cj advertising. We take the time to analyze the performance of what we produce and use it to set goals, make adjustments, and implement new strategies. We research best practices and work to build a relational experience for your audience. We apply this knowledge to establish a social media presence that increases engagement, builds brand awareness and generates leads.
Most importantly, we take the time to understand your brand. Your values, your goals, your vision: these set you apart from the rest, and we’re here to make sure that your social media accurately reflects the outstanding quality of your brand.
