If your company is like many businesses today, then you've already joined the major social networks such as Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn. Your company managed to keep them updated for a little while but your business isn't getting any interaction. There are no retweets, Facebook comments, or LinkedIn connections.
The social media pages you built feel more like an abandoned town in a bad Western movie than the hub of conversation you had hoped to create. If this describes your business, you're not alone. Many business owners don't know where to start when it comes to social media. They have a vague idea that they can make a few sales using it but they don't know more than that. That's where hiring a social media manager can come in handy.
An experienced social media manager does much more than create a few status updates a week. Your social media manager understands your brand's marketing goals and works to ensure those goals are met. Your manager already knows the importance of the sales funnel and positions your company as an industry expert.
You may feel overwhelmed at the thought of hiring a social media manager. Many business owners do. But there are a few tips that can help you when it comes to hiring a social media manager.
First, look for a social media manager with experience. Your ideal candidate should already have a few clients. Research these clients on various social media platforms. Are customers engaging with the brand? Are comments and tweets responded to promptly? Does each social channel have unique updates or is the exact same content posted across several of them?
Second, find the candidate that could be your customer. If your customer base is stay at home moms that buy your organic cleaning products, then you don't want to hire a career woman in her thirties that uses a maid service. This candidate won't be able to relate to your target audience and won't know the best way to promote your products.
Remember that hiring a social media manager is a lot like hiring a spokesperson. You're choosing someone to represent your brand. You want this person to connect easily with your customers and be energized by interacting with them.
Next, ask about metric tools that your candidate uses to measure brand engagement. If your candidate can't answer this simple question easily, then the interview should end here. You want a candidate that knows how to measure your social media stats and can use this information to create even better campaigns. Ideally, your candidate should mention Google Analytics, Facebook Insights, HootSuite's Social Analytics or another well-known metrics tool.
Now, it's time to ask your candidate about your social media presence. A good candidate has already researched your company and knows which social media sites your business uses. Ask your candidate to name social media networks that your company isn't using that would be a good fit for your business. Your candidate should have a ready answer for this question as well as several ideas for how this new network could benefit your current marketing strategy.
Before you conclude your interview, ask your candidate for a modest estimate of how much revenue they generated for their most recent clients. When you ask this question, reject applicants that begin to talk about likes or shares instead of giving you a clear answer. The whole point of using social media networks is to grow your business revenue. You can't take likes or shares to the bank.
When it comes to hiring a social media manager, take your time. Choosing the wrong manager can damage your brand's online reputation and cause your company to lose profits. But the right manager will help your social media presence thrive and bring in a stream of new customers that are hungry for your company's products.
© Zawya BusinessPulse 2014
