Help Finding your Social Media Consultant
In today’s digital age, social media has become an essential element in every small business marketing plan. Social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram are no longer optional for small business owners to use. To survive the fierce competition and build a strong online presence, small businesses need to hire an expert in social media. In this blog post, we will discuss the 15 must-haves in a small business social media expert.
Must-Have Qualities
Servant Minded
Getting your social media strategy right takes time and dedication. Having a social media expert that will take the time to truly understand your business and customers so they can maximize your marketing dollar is key. This one is non-negotiable.
Knowledge of Platforms
A social media consultant must have a thorough understanding of various social media platforms, their features, and their unique selling points. This knowledge can help small businesses identify the best social media platforms to focus on and is key to creating your content plan.
Content Creation Skills
A social media consultant must possess excellent content creation skills to create compelling and engaging content that resonates with the audience. Text, Images, Video, Stories, Reels – each of these have tricks of the trade that only come from doing.
Analytical Skills
A social media consultant must have excellent analytical skills. The ability to analyze data and draw insights can help small businesses optimize their social media strategy further. Small Business social media is ultimately marketing, and being able to see and make great decisions about your data is of major importance in any social media expert.
Communication Skills and Availability
Communication is a critical aspect of social media marketing. A social media consultant with excellent communication skills can create and nurture relationships with the target audience. Your social media experts should be available to you via chat so you can interact quickly and collaborate well.
Advertising Knowledge
A social media consultant must have knowledge of social media advertising. This knowledge can help small businesses reach a broader audience and drive targeted traffic to their website. Ultimately, your marketing can be leveraged with paid ads and you will want a social media expert with great ad knowledge.
SEO Knowledge
A social media consultant must have some basic knowledge of SEO. This knowledge can help small businesses rank higher on search engine results pages. Especially for blogs and websites, SEO is a key part of your online presence that must be managed as a part of your content plan.
Creativity
Creativity is the key to great social media marketing. A social media consultant with a creative mind can curate and create content that stands out from the crowd. There is a spectrum here – so find someone who matches or just exceeds your creativity. You want to make sure you seem on brand.
Branding Knowledge
A social media consultant must have an understanding of branding. This knowledge can help small businesses develop a consistent brand image across different social media platforms. Your social media expert should help you establish (if needed) and ensure that all of your posts are on brand.
Community Management Skills
Community management is an essential aspect of social media marketing. A social media expert must have excellent community management skills to handle customer queries and complaints. This should include pre-approved responses.
Responsive
Your social media consultant should be responsive and quick to respond to customer queries and complaints with on-brand messages. This quality can help small businesses build customer trust and loyalty.
Passionate
A social media consultant should have a passion for social media marketing. This passion can translate into innovative and creative social media campaigns that drive results.
Time Management Skills
Time management is vital in social media marketing. A social media consultant must have excellent time management skills to manage different social media platforms effectively.
Embraces Change
Social media is constantly evolving. A social media consultant should always be up-to-date with the latest social media trends and algorithm changes.
ROI Focused
A social media consultant must be ROI focused. The ability to track and measure the return on investment (ROI) of social media campaigns can help small businesses make data-driven decisions. One great way to ensure that your social media expert is ROI focused is to pay them for performance rather than a retainer fee. If they aren’t willing to work for a % of your increase in sales, that should be a red flag.
Conclusion
Hiring a social media consultant can significantly benefit small businesses looking to build a strong online presence. However, hiring a consultant with the 15 must-haves listed above is essential. These skills and qualities can help small businesses develop and implement a successful social media strategy that drives results. If you need a consultant – we help freelancers, solo business owners and small businesses thrive online at Sloan Innovation. We’re available locally in Edwardsville Illinois and serve customers all over the US.
