Congratulations, you’re finally ready to start a social media initiative for your company! Although you might not have worked out all the details, you are ready to make Social Media Marketing a priority. It’s so important for your brand to be visible on social networks, and there are some critical decisions you need to make about the goals of your campaign and which platforms you are going to use. But just as importantly, have you decided who will be running your campaign?

So often, the “who” is an afterthought, a part of the process to be dealt with later, but this should actually be one of the first decisions you make. It will help you to determine which of these tasks you’ll take on yourself, and which you can delegate. If you are planning to have a colleague manage your company’s social media efforts, bring in that person or group early in the process. This allows you all to collaborate as a team, and become more invested in this project. Plus, it is more productive, and typically more fun, when you don’t have to tackle the project alone.

Depending on your company structure and resources, there are several good options for social media management. Below we have featured some of these options, highlighting the benefits and drawbacks of each. Deciding which strategy suits your business is an important first step toward taking the leap into social media marketing.


Social Media Marketing

 

Company Principal.

Your CEO has an awesome personality that everyone loves. They’re the face of your company, so why not make them the face and voice of your social campaign?

PROS:

CONS:

If your CEO has the time and inclination, go for it!  For those instances when they need to wear their CEO hat and handle other tasks, you’ll want a backup plan in place, or be prepared to put your social media campaign on hold.


Communications Director.

Your Communications Director oversees all other communications, so this is a natural fit.

PROS:

CONS:

Again, this comes down to ensuring that managing social campaigns is a good use of the Communications Director’s time, and that they have the expertise to pull it off.


Internal Staff Member/Office Administrator.

Internal communications are funneled through this staff member, so it’s an easy jump for them to funnel messages out to the public.

PROS:

CONS: 

More often than not, this option is better in theory than in reality. However, if you have a staff member who is passionate about social media and marketing, it can be a great choice. Be sure to set clear goals so you both know when it’s working, and when you may need to reevaluate.


Intern.

You brought on some young college-aged interns who are very familiar with social media. They already know the technology!

PROS:

CONS:

This is a great option if you want to test out a social media campaign and don’t have anyone on your staff who can take it on. It’s also a great option if your business has a busy season and only needs seasonal support. If this is the case, be sure to have a plan and guidelines ready to for the intern to implement.


Family Member/Volunteer.

You don’t have any staff members or their days are already too full, but you have a family member who wants to help.

PROS:

CONS:

Sometimes a close friend or family member is all the help you have, and it’s a great place to start. However, it’s not really a feasible marketing solution in the long term. Learn what is working and growing your businesses so you can hire someone in the future to take on this revenue-generating project.


Contractor.

You prefer to outsource your social media marketing to a specialized company that does this every day.

PROS:

CONS:

You and your team need to be focused on what you do best, and it may be worthwhile to bring on a contractor who is already the best at social media. If you have the budget and infrastructure, this is a great option.


As you can see, there isn’t one correct answer in terms of who will be managing your company’s social media marketing. Depending on the size and structure of your business, there are multiple options to choose from. It’s up to you to decide what is the best fit for you.

Once you know which direction you want to take, figuring out the goals of your social campaign is critical. This is something you may want to have mapped out in advance so you and your team have a clear vision when you start.

Not sure where to begin? Well, you are in luck! Our next installment will be focused on setting goals for your social media marketing and learning how to measure success. Stay tuned!

 

Categories: Social Media , Uncategorized