Venturing into the vast land of social media can be daunting for any business and leave you feeling overwhelmed with more questions than answers.
What is a Facebook algorithm? There’s a character limit on Twitter posts? Can I post more than pictures on Instagram? What in the world is Snapchat?
And those are just surface questions, failing to reach deep into the world of social media that is quickly evolving.
Here’s what you need to know: Your business can reach more customers and increase revenue if it successfully utilizes social media marketing. Many businesses – both large and small – have failed miserably, however, at social media marketing and lost money while damaging their brand.
Social media marketing can be a highly effective way to increase brand awareness and reach new audiences who could be converted to customers, but only if it’s used the right way.
That’s why it’s better to leave it to the professionals and hire a social media marketing agency. You need to have someone who fully understands the technology, terminology and tools and can guide you down the right path.
Hiring the right social media marketing agency should be your first step. Before you know it, the shares and likes will pour in and then come the leads.
5 benefits for hiring a social media marketing agency
1. Agencies know best practices and how to maximize your budget
Businesses can gain a competitive edge in a crowded space by hiring a social media marketing agency that knows the best practices to get the most out of your campaigns.
Facebook’s algorithm update last year seriously decreased organic reach, forcing businesses to turn more to social media ads. The good news is that agencies know how to get the most out of social media ads with the use of creativity with design, content writing and video. They’ll also know how to capitalize on timing, posting on social media when breaking news happens or something goes viral.
Also, agencies will know how to get the most bang for your buck with your budget. They’ll know how to structure and target campaigns whether on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. Just trying to figure out the ad formats and other options can he a headache if you don’t know what you’re doing.
2. Gain expertise and someone who will think outside the box
Many times it takes an outside-the-box idea to really take off on social media. It really pays to be a leader instead of a follower on social media.
Hiring social media experts can really give you an edge in terms of content ideas and campaign strategies. Agencies have tried-and-true formulas that have generated success. They also know what hasn’t worked in the social media space, helping you avoid pitfalls that have cost other businesses thousands of dollars.
Also, hiring a social media marketing agency helps you gain access full suite of paid tools that can benefit businesses with scheduling posts, reporting, analytics and more.
Agencies will also study your previous social media campaigns, perform audits and look for ways to optimize. They’ll look for avenues for quick returns while also incorporating a long-term strategy plan. Additionally, they’ll evaluate your competition to know what could work best for your company’s brand and goals.
3. Gaining outside perspective adds value
Anytime you can have a professional peak behind the curtains of your business a company has the chance to make improvements.
Does perception really equal reality?
Often times we call get stuck in our own little bubble, making it hard to see past the four walls that surround us. That happens a lot in forming social media strategies and you believe can enhance your brand.
Getting a second opinion on your brand and your social media campaign can prove invaluable for businesses, especially through the eyes of specialists who do this kind of work every day.
Be smart. Choose humility. You don’t always know best.
4. You don’t have the resources to get the job done
Many companies simply don’t have the resources and budget to employ a full team of social media specialists to conceptualize and implement a campaign.
Often times only one or two people oversee a business’ social media marketing. And those two employees usually have other responsibilities as well.
Hiring a social media marketing agency will help your business scale quickly. You’ll gain a full team of support with expertise in every area from design to creative content writing to quality video production.
Also, businesses gain around-the-clock support to allow your social media ads to work for you no matter what time it is.
5. Save your company a lot of embarrassment
A bad social media campaign could be devastating for your brand and business.
Think about it: What if your business produces social media posts that you find humorous but others believe are offensive?
What if you post something on social media that violates copyrights or gets your social media accounts suspended or – even worse – results in a lawsuit? Some major brands have recently stumbled mightily on social media.
Dove, which brands itself as “the home of real beauty,” is known for empowering women. But a recent Facebook post by the company resulted in waves of criticism.
The ad showed a black woman transformed into a white woman after using Dove body lotion. The ad did more to alienate and insult Dove’s targeted audience rather than leverage its already-strong brand. The backlash led to Dove removing the ad from Facebook and issuing an apology.
Last year, the U.S. Air Force also faced intensive backlash for an insensitive tweet that made light of drone attacks and bombing victims, claiming that victims would rather hear “Laurel” or “Yanny” rather than their A10 drone.
A social media influencer had previously posted an audio clip recording of a voice saying “Laurel” or “Yanny” by asking what was actually said. It led to a viral sensation that the Air Force tried to capitalize on. Instead, it became a public relations fiasco. The Air Force promptly deleted the tweet and issued an apology.
Avoid your own public relations nightmare by hiring a social media marketing agency today.
For more information about hiring the right social media marketing agency, contact Thrive Internet Marketing Agency at 843-353-6383 or online.
I appreciate these insights, Brandon. I think more people are realizing social media marketing isn’t optional for their companies, but I also think you’re right, too many still think of social media as a hoop to jump through, rather than an active dialogue with their customers that can be a game-changer but can also harm their brand like you’re saying.
My husband and I are starting our business soon, so I wanted some advertising tips. I didn’t think about hiring a social media marketing agency, but it makes sense when you don’t know anything about creative content writing and quality video production. My husband and I could really increase our business sales if our online presence is strong, so I’ll look into hiring a social media marketing agency, thanks to this post!