Using Social Media Outsourcing to Monitor and Manage Your Social Networks

by MRamos on 08/06/11 at 1:43 pm

THE RISE OF THE SOCIAL MEDIA EXPERT

With the popularity of check-in and review sites across the
social networking sphere, users are interacting with company pages that may or
may not have been generated by the actual business itself. For many companies,
this means a Facebook or Yelp presence, whether they wanted one or not.
Managing and monitoring these pages, even those that have been purposely set up
by business owners, can be overwhelming to employees and marketing departments
unfamiliar with social media practices. Cue the rise of the ‘Social Media
Expert.’ Designed to free up your time from social networking, outsourcing your
social media efforts to these firms or individuals is neither necessary nor
practical for everyone.

Social networking is still a supplement, first and foremost,
to your marketing effort. If you handle your own marketing campaigns, you can
probably handle the social media side. The most common reason why a business
feels they need to hand off their social networking to someone outside the
company is a lack of time. Business owners who don’t have the manpower to
implement social campaigns or to learn the techniques to grow their social
influence benefit most from outsourcing their social media.

HOW TO KNOW IF YOU NEED ONE

Determining if you need a social media expert really depends
on how you’re using or plan to use social media, and how much time you’ve got
to devote to achieving that plan. Like any marketing campaign, specify your
target audience and learn about them. Find out how these users interact with
social media and what they like. If you already have fans and followers, are
they just looking for quick updates regarding discounts and promotions? Do they
engage in discussion regarding your product or service or look to your business
as a source for information regarding your industry? If your audience has a
sense of community or you’re looking to build a sense of social community, do
you have the skills, time and energy to participate with them and help grow the
community?

Networking, in its most basic sense, is building
relationships with people. Social networking is no different, and to build a
following and nurture relationships with your customers takes time and genuine
interest. If you can’t dedicate the time to recognizing and engaging with your
online community, you may need the outside help.

PROS

• Social media experts are familiar with the most updated
  tools, trends and features and of networking sites
• Blogger network for affiliate programs.
• Campaign metrics and analysis
• Fresh perspective

CONS

• Doesn’t allow YOU to get to know your customers on a
  personal level
• Difficult to maintain consistency across pages run by
  multiple sources
• Added expense

FINDING THE RIGHT SOCIAL MEDIA EXPERT FOR YOUR BUSINESS

So maybe the pros out weigh the cons and you’re ready to
pass off your social media pages to someone who has the time to attend them
properly. How do you let someone else handle your online efforts while
maintaining your company’s image?

It’s important to work with someone who understands your
voice and personality. If the brand is young and sassy, and you have someone
updating in an understated tone, fans, friends and followers won’t get it and
will lose interest. While the content may be marketing driven, it shouldn’t
always sound that way. Marketing copy shouldn’t sound preachy, it should be
inviting. Remember that even though an expert is outsourced, they still work
for you and your brand. Choose someone just as you would internally, a good
fit, who will make sense to the community they’re interacting with. The right
social media expert for you will know the business just as you would.