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By Beth Ellis, Senior Account Executive
It’s no secret that social media has dramatically changed the way in which we interact with one another. We’ve been calling and texting since the 90s / early 2000s, but since the introduction of smartphones, social media has brought forth endless alternative ways for us to interact with one another, on a seemingly endless number of platforms. The popularity of social media is nothing short of spectacular: according to Statista, in 2021, over 4 billion people were using social media in some form. This is projected to rise to 6 billion by 2027.
It’s maybe not an exaggeration, then, to suggest that social media has become a necessity for businesses. While traditional methods of sharing your message remain important, like advertisements, events, and of course PR, social media is an invaluable tool for helping potential partners and customers find your services and access your expertise. While your reach isn’t guaranteed to hit all 4 billion-plus social media users, it can certainly reach the audience you’re looking for, no matter how niche. However, it can be a time-consuming exercise, as it requires dedicated resources to ensure not only posting but engagement to drive real value for your business.
Here are some of the reasons why your business would benefit from outsourcing the management of your social media:
1. Taking care of things when you don’t have the time
Contrary to what some may think, it takes time and effort to maintain a corporate social media account - responsibilities include, but aren’t limited to, the following:
Keeping track of DMs, mentions and comments
Updating necessary details, i.e. logos, bios
Publishing news, such as offers, promotions, and awards, timeously
Keeping track of competitor news and movements
Following, commenting on and resharing influencer posts
Leveraging pertinent national days and holidays to achieve maximum audience engagement
All of the above takes time - time that managers and business owners don’t always have. Having your social media accounts managed means you’re in safe hands, with no need to worry about missing out on important dates, customer feedback, or sharing your news and views with the world.
2. Keeping up with the algorithm
I think we can agree that no matter what you think of Elon Musk, his takeover of Twitter has been tumultuous. From changes to who can have a blue checkmark and who can’t, to character count changes, to a new ‘for you’ filter - there have been endless shifts since his acquisition last October.
And that’s just Twitter. Other, younger social media sites such as TikTok also regularly undergo changes. When the app first launched in 2016, videos had a maximum length of 15 seconds, nowadays they can be as long as 10 minutes.
Keeping up with changes to social media platforms can eat up a lot of your time. Having a dedicated social media management team frees you up from this onerous task and ensures your brand is constantly pushing the right type of content in the appropriate manner to the relevant platform.
3. Engaging with customers and followers
A 2021 report by Sprout Social found that consumers ranked social media as the #1 way to keep in touch with their customer base, with 64% stating that they want brands to connect with them. In addition, 70% said they felt more closely connected to brands with CEOs that are active on social media.
Many companies, such as BT, Spotify, and Amazon, have dedicated social media pages solely for fielding questions from customers. They’re able to update hundreds of thousands of followers with a few clicks of a button, and also provide personalised customer service by direct-messaging them.
By having a social media management team, you’ll not only create trust among your customer base, but also project a more ‘humanised’ image of your business.
Consider too that if your customers don’t receive timely enough answers to their questions or feedback, they might take it as an indication that you don’t deem them worthy of your business’s time, and turn to alternative providers. Simply having a social media presence isn’t enough: it’s important to demonstrate that you are attentive to your followers!
The takeaway
Consistency is key when it comes to social media. Growing your channels takes time and effort: there’s no magic button to press to gain thousands of followers. But as your follower count increases, so does the number of people interested in your business.
A dedicated social media team can lend a genuine, authentic voice to your brand, helping to humanise it. This of course apart from saving you time, and attracting people who like to engage with brands on social media.
At Waters Agency, our experienced team provides tailored social media management for a number of our clients. Want to learn more? Email us at hello@watersagency.com, or follow us on LinkedIn,Twitter,Facebook andInstagram.
About the author:
Beth Ellis is a Senior Account Executive at Waters Agency. In her previous agency role, she worked on B2C and B2B accounts covering a wide range of industries, such as technology, hospitality and manufacturing. Her Degree in English Literature from the University of Chester has given her a passion for the impact and meaning a well-told story can provide.
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