Know How To Speak To Your Digital Marketer:
In speaking with potential clients I often hear: ‘I do not want to have to touch social media at all’. Although I understand I them to know some basic terms when hiring a social media company. You need to understand what content curation and creation is, as well as, strategy & management, as it relates to social media. Let’s discuss some terms that you should know so you know what you are paying for also.
When looking for a company to help with your social media you have to know which platforms to be on. When starting a conversation with an Online Marketer you want to discuss which platforms you hope to be active on. Ask for their recommendations if you are uncertain. They will also want to know how many platforms you want a real presence. I usually recommend the ‘big four’ (Facebook, IG, Twitter & LinkedIn). Although I recommend these, it is nearly impossible to be genuinely active in all. So you should really think about the two that you want most of your brand activity on. In other words, you or your marketer will probably use a scheduler to post curated content & even some created content, but be sure to comment and be active on 2 of the four.
What Are you Paying for with online marketing?
In regard to knowing what you are paying for, you have to know what takes time in the industry. Content is, as they say, King, but not all content is equal. Curated content is content posted by others. It could be articles, blogs, quotes, etc. you share because it is relevant to your audience as well. There are many tools that marketers may use some of which are listed on Hubspot’s site. Originally created content, however, is content created specifically for you and for posting on your platforms. It can be as simple as a picture with a quote, or as in-depth as a complete article related to the industry and the audience you want to reach. This takes considerably more time, research, and images, and will, therefore, usually be more expensive.
More terms…
Managing your social media – means that the company will be monitoring your social platforms not just throwing material up them. This is a very important part because if you do not respond to comments your audience could lose interest. Management should also include reports. The company should be providing you with monthly, at a minimum, reports. You can certainly request them more often usually as well.
Finally, strategy has to take place if not by you, then absolutely by the company you hire. It is not an exact science but does require research into your industry and into what competitors are doing. Having discussions with you about who you are trying to reach and working together to formalize a strategy. It will often need to be tweaked and re-tweaked, as social media can be a fickle being.
All Types Of Marketing
When I discuss Marketing, I will also discuss Google Adwords, which most are familiar with now, as well as, many online options, radio, television, print, and, yes, guerrilla marketing. I always begin with a questionnaire form for you to complete, as I want to learn as much as possible about you and your company as well as your ‘voice’. Your voice or tone is what will help us to create and curate posts for you that sound like you. Our relationship is very fluid in the beginning especially but then can become less involved as we hone in on what is working best.
We take a personal approach and I believe this works great as the better we know you, the better we represent you to the world and are sure to have ‘your voice’ as we reach others.
We want to represent your company’s heart, and your message to the world and if we do not know this, we cannot possibly post well, nor be strategic for you.
Now You Know
Much goes into online marketing, most of which many do not know or even consider. The beauty of it is that if we do our work right you, the client, should not have to consider these things fully either. For us, it is much more than simply posting cute dog pictures and quotes on social media, it is a matter of knowing who you are and what you want to say to the world. It is our interpretation that goes into copy, pictures, article content & posting so that it is your voice. Therefore, next time you consider hiring for your social media, you are well-armed with knowledge and you will be able to discuss fully what your needs are so that they represent you well. One final note, if you really want to research and know even more terms, there are many articles that define more terms. I am merely sharing the basics of what is good to know so that you will be able to find a good fit for you and your company as you look for someone to help you with your social media.
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One final note, if you choose to go it alone, you may want to see this article on Hootsuite which is a Beginner’s Guide to Content Curation.
UPDATE: As you may know I have transitioned out of the digital agency and now offer Marketing Coaching (& business coaching). I truly love it.
If, however, you are looking for a company/person to manage your social media I can highly recommend three companies:
Please tell them I sent you. Anyone of these companies will serve you and help you greatly with your social media and winning strategies.
