Are you thinking about hiring a social media marketing agency to manage your business’ social media platforms? Whether it’s because of the increasing popularity of social media, the accessibility, or its outstanding reach in a short amount of time, we are all well aware of the significant impact that social media can create for a growing business. Within the last decade alone, we have recognized social media marketing as an essential tool for brand recognition. More importantly, it is optimal for the growth of a business in the modern world.

But you might be wondering, is it worth it to hire a social media marketing company? Should I manage my company’s social media platforms myself on top of all my other tasks? When trying to decide whether you should hire a social media marketing agency, always consider the following key points:

Experience

Social media has become its own beast of an industry in a matter of a few years. When you’re on the fence about hiring a social media marketing agency, start by comparing your experience. Are you familiar with social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Google Plus? If so, to what extent are you familiar with each platform and how often can you personally engage with each one? How does your experience compare to that of the agencies you are willing to consider? Who has more experience within the social media industry? The success of a social media marketing agency depends on having efficient social media marketing solutions. They specialize in their particular social media niche and are laser-focused on their knowledge of the social media industry.

Time

You know the phrase: time is money. Can you or one of your employees develop a social media strategy and execute it across several social media platforms on top of other responsibilities and tasks? Your decision can be solely based on the fact that it takes up time that you don’t have. Social media marketing agencies recognize that you want to grow your business through the presence of these online platforms. Social media marketing agencies exist to do just that. Most agencies have a team of social media specialists with a variety of skill-sets to accomplish your shared goals. Your success is their success. Their knowledge and resources exceed the proficiency that a single person may attempt to provide.

Consistency

What any social media influencer, brand ambassador, and professional will tell you is that consistency is key. Potential consumers within your audience expect new content frequently. They will be disappointed when they don’t see new updates. Most people don’t just want to see quality content, they want every post to be unvarying. Apart from frequency, your audience also expects to see a consistent message throughout your online platforms. Post the same information you publish on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and Google Plus.

Cost

Will it cost you more to hire an employee or use an agency? A full-time employee just to accomplish tasks on social media could cost you a pretty penny, so you might consider hiring a part time employee. The disadvantage with hiring a full-time employee is whether or not those part time hours will allot for all the social media planning posts, strategizing distribution, engaging with followers, reviewing analytics, creating content and scheduling posts for the week as well as special events. Are you willing to pay someone a full-time salary or risk having a part-time employee execute your marketing strategy? The advantage with a social media marketing is its affordable cost for quantifiable results.

Relevance

While your social media platforms may be doing fine for the moment, are you prepared to update them as new trends emerge and as social media networks continue to change? Because of frequent technological advancements and evolving politics, there are always changes to be made within the world of social media in terms of privacy, hacking, and censorship. Relevance can also refer to the latest viral trends, hashtags, and campaigns. When hired, a social media marketing agency dissects your industry and researches your market to the best of their abilities. It is their responsibility to identify your competition in order and come up with creative ideas to remain relevant within your industry.

Conclusion

If you don’t know where to start, don’t hesitate to hire professionals that specialize in the industry of social media marketing. It is not enough to be familiar with the platforms from the surface. One must be familiar with the back-end of each platform as well. A good social media marketing agency will present you with the best ideas to ensure that you obtain the best results for your platforms. Hiring a social media marketing agency can save you a lot of time spent organizing and planning the best way to get your message across. They promote your business and advance its growth in a way that utilizes the power of social media. Even with hiring an agency, there is still room for involvement and open communication is always present.

Social media agencies have the data, the design programs, the analytics, and the time to cater your platforms to your brand. To be successful on social media, it is crucial to be commit and be consistent. Agencies are capable of measuring return on investment, observing the reach of your posts, and answering customer inquiries within a specific timeframe. Allow them to do their jobs, so you can continue to do yours.