Written by Alexandra Elliott, Associate ’23
As we enter the new year, organizations tend to reflect on their actions, accomplishments, and shortcomings throughout the year. Simultaneously, executives look for new ways to maximize future growth, while also overcoming obstacles. There are many facets to evaluate during this process, but one aspect that continues to play a major role in an organization’s public perception and success — social media.
According to a 2022 DataReportal report, between 2021 and 2022, social media users increased by over 10%, and experts predict that the number of users will continue to grow in 2023. Furthermore, 71% of consumers who have a positive social media experience with a company are more likely to recommend it. We don’t have to spell out the importance of social media — we can see it in our everyday lives. But what can your organization do to capitalize on the opportunities within the social media realm?
From startups to large corporations, communicators have started to search outside of their organizations to outsource, manage and monitor their social media presence. Although most of these organizations are capable of doing this in-house, outsourcing social media can save valuable time and resources. Additionally, an outside expert can be more experienced, and capable of developing new strategies for growth, consistently monitoring and responding to consumer feedback, and aligning your social media with your marketing strategies and overall long-term goals. Social media will no longer be idled “until there’s time” because it is now someone’s first priority.
In order to mitigate risk when outsourcing social media, there are a few essential tips to consider.
- Define your brand identity. Authenticity is key with social media so it is crucial that your organization effectively defines what it wants to portray about itself and how it wants to communicate with the general public.
- Determine your organization’s short and long-term goals. Do you want to build brand awareness? Do you want to increase sales? Having a clear answer to these questions will allow your social media specialist to tailor their work to your specific needs.
- Establish a communication channel between your organization and your social media specialist. Whether it’s through Google Teams or Slack, consistent communication ensures that either side can ask questions and feel heard, which fosters collaboration and prevents detrimental mistakes.
Fortunately for organizations that are considering outsourcing social media, the benefits heavily outweigh potential risks of relinquishing control to an outside source.