Social media advertising isn’t an easy job.
You have to have a basic understanding of each platform, the proper tools to analyze data, consistent posting schedule, and decent quality to draw attention. Social media managers have excelled in making this their career, but so have many agencies. If you’re on the edge about hiring a social media manager or hiring a service to advertise for you, here are the advantages and disadvantages of both.
Social Media Manager
Social media managers have an intense schedule and it’s definitely a job that requires a lot of expertise. Recently, SocialCast released “The Hectic Schedule of a Social Media Manager,” which lays out what these skilled people do day by day. It’s clear that it isn’t an easy job, but there are benefits of hiring these individuals. Here are some advantages and disadvantages of hiring a social media manager.
Advantages
- Usually Cheaper: With the average for social media campaigns being anywhere from $3,000 to $20,000 per month, it can be a lot easier to hire a manager since the national average salary is only around $47,190 per year.
- Committed: Since social media managers work full-time for your company, they’ll be much more dedicated to your organization.
Disadvantages
- Very Stressful: Because this career path requires a heavy workload, it can be extremely stressful for one individual to handle all of these tasks.
- Requires Skill: Finding someone who knows how to effectively use every platform can be challenging since each social media website is different.
Social Media Marketing Service
The other option you have is to hire a social media agency to handle your advertising. These companies work to publish content on your social media pages and promote your business. Many businesses, as many as 62%, choose this route. While there are many advantages to this approach, there are some disadvantages as well.
Advantages
- Have Required Software: Rather than purchasing the software needed for social media advertising, agencies have the programs needed to get the job done.
- Team of Professionals: Hiring a social media agency ensures that you’ll have a team of professionals working on your advertising, which could generate more ideas.
Disadvantages
- Some Risk: When you outsource anything, there is always the risk that sensitive information may leak. Your business could potentially lose intellectual property if your account is managed alongside a competitor's account.
- More Expensive: As mentioned before, a social media marketing agency can be as high as $20,000 per month. Over a year, this can be very costly, and it may make more sense to hire a manager at less than $50,000 per year.
In Summary
Overall, only you can decide if you should hire a social media manager or agency. Forbes estimated that a mid-size company takes about 32 hours per month to handle a single social media platform. Small and mid-sized businesses may have the ability to handle advertising in-house using a social media manager. However, if you are having an issue finding someone who is skilled enough to handle your advertising, it may be best to outsource your business. Only you can decide the best way to handle your company's social media advertising, but these advantages and disadvantages may make it easier.
