Having seriously considered bringing in a social media manager to help my clients reach their full potential. Not only must they maintain engagement, they’re required to stay on top of trends, manage multiple networks, be strategic, and connect business goals.
Social media marketing budgets in the entertainment sector are projected to increase 25% over the next five years.
Here’s what I’ve learned about the necessary skill sets to achieve success as a social media manager.
1. Learn the latest tools
There is a big difference between understanding the market place and knowing when to leap into the latest platform.
To manage expectations and time I believe it’s important to create a checklist to evaluate all the new platforms:
- Is the new network a fad or does is have potential longevity?
- Does the purpose of the network align with the actor’s brand or social identity?
- Is our current or potential audience on this network?
- What content and tools do we need to successfully manage this client on a daily basis?
- Will we see a return on investment/energy if we join that particular network?
2. Set a strategy
Social media is no longer a micro segment of marketing. What are your objectives? Then align your strategy to that agenda. If there are no metrics be proactive. Establish benchmarks, create metrics, and track your progress.
Questions to think about:
- Are the social strategies for the client reachable?
- What is our brand voice and how do we adapt that for social?
- What resources, human and technological, do we need to flourish?
- What processes are in place to learn and adjust as necessary?
Remember to track, analyze, and report on results to prove ongoing value for the company. Your opportunity is to meet and surpass the needs for the client and strengthen his or her own voice.
3. Brand evangelism runs 24/7, 365 “Money never sleeps”
Many social manager run themselves into the ground in an attempt to keep up with the various emerging social media platforms. This will result in sloppy posts and an uneven experience for followers.
Consistency and quality are more important. Managers must get behind the business 110%. However, setting realistic expectations about bandwidth and optimal engagement levels.
Here are questions to considered:
- What are the best days and times to engage our brand’s audience?
- How should our content vary dependent on day, time, and season?
- Should we use technology that uses automated and optimal send times?
- Who are your reliable teammates who can help manage all of this?
- Do we use tools to collaboratively monitor, engage, and respond?
Successful social media manager requires you to be focused and present. Know when to ask for help and train fellow associates to pitch in when necessary. Your team, or the whole collaborative effort, will keep the content fresh, your clients happy, and yourself sane.
4. Know when it’s time to pull the plug
Know when to jump ship if you don’t see results.
Like a bad boyfriend/girlfriend facts, experience, time, and data does not lie. I believe the most successful social media managers would have to analyze metrics and know when to double up their efforts or cut the cord.
These are some questions you may want to consider before you do so:
- Did we devote enough resources, human and technological, to make it work?
- Is the audience on this network still appropriate for our client and our brand?
- What factors cause the decrease in performance or engagement?
- Or, did verifying platforms increase followers?
- Do we or did we utilize proper content and voice for this particular client, brand, or network?
- Are there going to be some residual benefits to a lower profile presence versus total elimination?
Some platforms like Facebook and Twitter, I believe are here to stay, so it’s unlikely those ties should ever be cut, but there are a ton of new sites popping up everyday that really need to be analyzed. Just because Pinterest is 75% women does that mean your male clients shouldn’t be promoting on that site?
Conclusion
I believe social media management can be professionally satisfying, addicting, and sexy. At the same time, it can also be frustrating and extremely brutal. Hopefully these four habits will help you reach new levels of success. If it fails, there’s always another vocation that may be better suited for your strengths.
