Are You Looking For a Professional Social Media Manager?
What Exactly Is Social Media Marketing?
Social media marketing is the use of social media platforms and websites to promote a product or service.
Although the terms e-marketing and digital marketing are still dominant in academia, social media marketing is becoming more popular for both practitioners and researchers.
Most social media platforms have built-in data analytics tools, which enable companies to track the progress, success, and engagement of ad campaigns. Companies address a range of stakeholders through social media marketing, including current and potential customers, current and potential employees, journalists, bloggers, and the general public. On a strategic level, social media marketing includes the management of a marketing campaign, governance, setting the scope (e.g. more active or passive use) and the establishment of a firm's desired social media “culture” and “tone.”
When using social media marketing, firms can allow customers and Internet users to post user-generated-content (e.g., online comments, product reviews, etc.), also known as “earned media,” rather than use marketer-prepared advertising copy.
What Does a Social Media Manager Do?
We like this definition:
A social media manager is the individual in an organization trusted with monitoring, contributing to, filtering, measuring and otherwise guiding the social media presence of a brand, product, individual or corporation. The role is similar to that of a community manager on a website forum or public relations representative. Social media managers are often found in the marketing and public relations departments of large organizations. Social media managers often work full-time within companies.
What You Need To Know About Hiring a Freelance Social Media Manager
An independent, freelancer social media manager who provides freelance marketing services can work as many or little hours as they prefer. They often have multiple clients and are not an employee.
Defining Features of a Freelance Social Media Manager
- is an independent contractor (not an employee)
- sets their own business policies, procedures, and operating hours
- works remotely, usually from a home office
- communicates and delivers work via email, online services, instant messenger, phone, etc.
- experienced and skilled at social media support
- offers highly specialized or industry-specific services
- functions as a virtual social media marketing support system for your business
When you work with a freelance social media manager you bring a skilled virtual ‘partner’ onto your team. Keep reading to find additional advantages to contracting with a social media manager.
Benefits of Hiring a Freelance Social Media Manager
- lunch hours
- sick leave
- vacation pay
Additionally, there’s none of the waste of paid downtime because a freelance social media manager invoices only for the exact time spent working on your projects.
By choosing to work with a freelance social media manager as opposed to an in-house employee, you’re cutting overhead and increasing productivity because a freelance social media manager works on your projects only if and when you require it. And, because a freelance social media manager is already skilled at providing virtual social media management services there is almost no training period, so you have more time for your own clients.
I am a Certified Social Media Manager, Strategist, International Keynote Speaker, Organic Specialist and Agile marketer! Blogging is my creative outlet. Running, hiking and skiing are how I recharge. You'll recognize me on stage and online by my always present orange glasses, a nod to my Dutch heritage.
