When Do You Need To Outsource Your Social Media?

In “Build Your Own Digital Community” Episode 47, Kristina talks about outsourcing the management of your social media accounts. Outsourcing can be very helpful to alleviate additional stress as a business owner. 

Kristina starts the episode with an important question: when is it appropriate to hire a social media manager to help grow your accounts? She finds that it is easy for entrepreneurs to simply outsource particular aspects of the business that they dislike. It’s not always reasonable to outsource whatever you want once you start making a profit. The best course of action would be to learn in a  hands-on manner, and gain more experience. It is beneficial to get creative and determine how you want to portray your business to the public using social media. It can also be helpful to outsource in certain situations.

Assessing your Social Media Knowledge

The first thing Kristina suggests is assessing your social media knowledge, and establishing whether or not that is something you want to learn. If you are interested in learning how to use social media platforms, there are many free and easy ways to learn. Kristina says that you can turn to YouTube and look up videos on how to use platforms such as Instagram or Facebook. You can even sign up for courses on how to use social media platforms. In the end, the most important thing is that you are showing up consistently on your chosen platforms. Even if you have a strong knowledge of social media, you may lack knowledge in strategy. That is when you can hire a strategist to assist you.

Time Management

If you find yourself in a position where you simply do not have enough time to manage social media, Kristina recommends scheduling posts for the month using websites such as Later. In this situation, outsourcing a social media manager could be helpful. With that being said, it is important to remember that hiring a social media manager does not mean that you won’t have to touch social media for the rest of your life. There will be days where you will be in a story on Instagram or you will have to confirm that the post is to your liking. Another thing Kristina wants listeners to know is that if you’re planning on hiring a social media manager, it is important to ask them how they’re going to teach you social media. It is ideal to find someone who is willing to teach you certain methods so that you are not fully reliant on them. It is important that this relationship is a partnership.

Return on Investment

Another area to consider when it comes to outsourcing, is if saving time on social media will ultimately make you more money. It is crucial to ask yourself if you are doing what makes the most sense for you. Does it make sense for you to be spending so much time on social media when you could be working on other tasks that would potentially earn you more profit? Kristina emphasizes to do your research and ask questions so that you know what you’re getting into before you actually outsource a social media manager. It is also important to be clear on your expectations. Ask them questions such as who is responsible for what. At the end of the day, it is your social media account and not theirs. 

Kristina ends the episode with a quick recap of her points and encourages listeners to reach out to her for guidance regarding outsourcing if they ever need it.