March 15th is marked as World Consumer Rights Day to raise global awareness about consumer rights and needs. So it’s the perfect day to openly share what you have every right to expect when you hire a social media manager, firm, or agency.
Social media management is on the rise, as entrepreneurs and thought leaders understand how vital it is to have an active and consistent presence online. Because maintaining an effective marketing campaign takes continuously updated knowledge (and a lot of time), delegating and outsourcing are gaining popularity.
For a service that can have such an impact on your public image, it’s important to feel confident that you’re hiring someone who knows what they’re doing. Here are a few things you should know about a professional social media manager or agency to protect your consumer rights.
Your SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGER HIRING BILL OF RIGHTS:
You have the right to know who is doing the work.
Make sure that the firm you are hiring isn’t outsourcing the social media work.
Do they use in-house, trained employees? [✓CHECK!]
Or do they hire independent contractors? [?RED FLAG]
When a company outsources the work, it can lead to getting the job done by someone who isn’t fully trained and up-to-date on social media best practices, isn’t on board with what you originally discussed with the person who sold you the service, isn’t a native English speaker, or doesn’t take responsibility for getting the results you want.
You also want a point of contact to share new information or to talk to if things aren’t playing out how you expected. Know who you can call or email to discuss any concerns.
You have the right to know that they’re qualified for the work.
Do they SPECIALIZE in social media? Or are they dabbling in everything, from website design to SEO to PR to marketing? All digital marketing takes different skills. You are paying for someone who is a true expert, who knows what they’re doing, and who keeps up with the current guidelines. You have a right to expect your social media manager to specialize in social media management.
You have the right to know what you can expect from them.
Your social media firm should set expectations up front, so that you see what you are paying for and are able to measure if they are doing their job. Discuss your specific goals, and confirm that their work will lead toward those goals before getting started.
You have the right to know when you’ll be paying.
Are you committing to a long-term contract? Will your card be automatically charged each month? Obviously, you have a right to know the terms up front, but you also have the right to terminate an agreement if the manager isn’t continuing to keep their end of the bargain.
Month-to-month agreements are always safest. Although social media marketing is a long-term strategy (and you don’t want to continually switch your message, branding, timing, etc.), you do want to assure that the person managing your content and engagement is doing a great job. If not, you should be able to end your contract quickly.
Hiring a social media manager can be a huge boon to your business, but if you don’t do your research and hire someone qualified, it can have negative consequences.
Want to discuss your social media needs with someone who meets all of the above criteria? Give us a call or email us right now!
?732-462-0972
