10 questions to ask before hiring social media agency
The word’ social media’ is a big hit right now, and social media agencies are everywhere. But how are you going to identify which agency is the best suit for you?
Don’t worry; go through the list of questions and ask a couple of social media agencies, and you will understand who exactly you need to choose!
Have you been in business for a long time?
It’s all about building trust and knowing about the organization’s past. Choose a company that has been managing social media accounts for a long time. They should be familiar with how platforms like Facebook and Twitter evolve, and they should be comfortable making strategic recommendations that change year after year and sometimes month after month. Agencies with history may provide you better advice on what works and what doesn’t since they’ve been around long enough to make mistakes, learn from them, and develop a plan that helps you achieve your goals.
What is the size of the agency’s workforce?
Hundreds of companies and freelancers claim to be social media experts, but the vast majority are “content mills,” generating content for customers without thinking or planning. Some social media firms may have two or three individuals working for them, and if they receive four customers, they won’t be able to handle them all. What happens if one person gets sick or goes on vacation? There may not be enough agency personnel to pick up the slack, and as a result, your brand may suffer.
What is your team’s track record?
The agency’s personnel’s background and skill sets are also essential. Look for agencies with experience in marketing, public relations, and advertising since all of these skills may be applied to a successful social media strategy. We encounter competitors from the finance industry or were formerly web developers and are just trying to benefit from businesses who don’t understand that social media marketing is just that — marketing. Would you entrust your IT department to your CFO? When it comes to selecting a social media marketing agency, the same is true! Look for one that focuses on marketing.
Is it necessary for my business to be present on every social media platform?
A life insurance company or bank isn’t obligated to be on Pinterest, and they may also avoid Instagram. They should, however, perform customer service and brand education roles on Facebook or Twitter if it aligns with company aims. Agencies who want to put your brand on every social media now don’t care about your goals or KPIs. What is the proverbial jack-of-all-trades? Therefore the answer should be “absolutely not” or “it depends on your goals.” every brand’s marketing plan should be customized to meet its unique needs.
What sets you apart from your competitors?
Neither freelancers nor prospective agencies will be able to answer this question. They’re effectively performing the same thing as an intern for your company: they’re just posting on your social media channels to make your firm “look” active. As our agency has expanded, we’ve seen a lot of companies come and go. A distinguishing trait of the good ones is that they have a distinctive feature. We’ve been focusing on strategy, ROI, and maximizing listening in the social arena to provide better branding, PR, sales, and social customer support. If a firm can’t give you an elevator pitch, it’s unlikely that they’re equipped to handle your social media marketing. It takes years to develop the right approach, a strong team, and an agency that can “walk the walk.”
Who are your top competitors?
Agencies that haven’t been around for very long won’t have a grip on local, national, or global competition since they’ve never managed a brand that did its due research by looking at more than one proposal. They’ve never had to compete for business as a result. If the agency is serious about being in business and “in it for the long haul,” they’ll have identified agencies to model themselves after while also analyzing the competition down the road.
What’s your content development and workflow like?
As companies who have worked in the social media field for years know, content generation is more than just having some fresh college kid send out a bunch of articles. Because you’re getting a lot of “stuff” pushed out to your social media channels, the “content factory” technique seems tempting, but it lacks thought. A reputable agency will be able to answer this question effectively. A good agency will have checklists, protocols, and a team that follows them. They’ll also know how to mix traditional media and public relations with social media marketing. Other companies will struggle to develop a meaningful answer because they lack a fundamental success optimization approach.
How do you define success in social?
Measuring the return on investment from social media can be difficult, but an agency should be able to help you reach your KPIs if you have well-stated targets. Collaboration with you, the consumer, is required to develop and define social media success. Perhaps you’re attempting to build interest in a specific event to attract additional attendees. You might wish to boost the number of widgets you sell. You could also be looking for brand ambassadors to assist you in getting the word out about your business. Each of these goals may be achieved and assessed via social media. A good firm will work with you to set goals and objectives before they “go live” in your accounts.
What is your reporting procedure?
Aspiring agencies would avoid this question like the plague. Reporting may be a scary experience. Companies who aren’t monitoring progress or supporting your business in reaching actual goals aren’t interested in reviewing what they did or didn’t do for you aren’t interested in reporting on what they did or didn’t do for you. On the other hand, reporting is critical to your company’s performance and understanding of what works and what doesn’t. To guarantee that you’re on course to accomplish all of your declared targets and KPIs, reporting should track them all. Outside of social media, great agencies should seek “opportunities” to help your brand’s marketing activities become more integrated.
What is the current state of your client list?
I’ve seen several agencies identify consumers with whom they’ve previously worked. To ensure they’re doing a decent job:
- Find out who they’re currently working with and follow them on social media.
- Inquire about case studies and examples of the work they’ve done for these clients.
A competent social media marketing company should have a few satisfied customers willing to brag about their social media accomplishments.
Looking for a social media agency ? Why don’t you check the services of Idea Usher ?
