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Now that you’ve decided to hire a social media service company to help with your company’s promotion via social media platforms like Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, and YouTube, it’s time to figure out which one to hire. Hiring the wrong service can be a massive waste of time and money, so follow these 10 tips for hiring a social media service company!
1. Get Referrals
If you don’t know anyone who has used a social media marketing service company, ask friends and family if they can recommend any. While you may not get the most reliable answers, but it is worth a try. You could also search for reviews of the companies on Google or Yelp to see what others say about them.
You should also ask your lawyer if they know any reputable service companies you can hire. Many of them work with these companies regularly, so they should be able to get you good referrals if they cannot take on your project themselves.
The more information you have before choosing which company to work with, the better your decision will be. Before contacting any agencies, please find out how long they have been in business and the number of clients currently working with them.
2. Look for a Company With Strong Online Profiles
Look into the backgrounds of the individuals managing your social media accounts before committing to any social media service provider. This way, you know they are qualified to help you with your needs. To find profiles, search Twitter or LinkedIn and take note of their accomplishments and qualifications. You can also ask them for links to their profiles to see what they have done in the past.
Those looking to break into the field of social media management should have a solid online profile that can be found quickly. Requests for social media handles are more common in today’s application processes. Check each applicant’s handle on social media sites. After selecting an applicant for your company, do a background check and follow up with references. Ask about their experience and the tasks they would prefer if hired.
If their online profiles seem too good to be true, working with them might not be worth it. And if someone claims to have worked with famous companies but cannot prove this by showing any evidence, then keep looking!
3. Take a Good Look at Their Profile
Before hiring a social media service company, look closely at its profile. Do they have a large number of followers? Do they have any testimonials from previous clients?
What kind of experience do they have with the company you’re looking to hire them for? Take all these things into consideration when making your decision. If it feels wrong or you need help finding enough information, move on and try again. Remember that this will be a meaningful relationship, not one that should be dismissed as insignificant. Talking with applicants before hiring them is essential because only some people may be available.
References are one of the most critical steps in interviewing candidates because it shows if they have been trustworthy in the past. References could come from previous employers, coworkers, or clients. It is essential to set expectations before hiring a social media service company, such as determining how often posts will be created per day and what type of posts will include.
4. Make Sure They’re Local
One disadvantage is having to pay higher wages because most companies outsource to other countries where labor costs are lower. Another thing to consider is the time difference. If you’re running a company in North America and your service provider is in Europe, there may be delays in communicating with them during their workday. It’s best to have someone local for quick responses.
An excellent way to find a reputable service provider close to you is by looking at reviews from previous clients who have hired them. You can also ask friends and coworkers for recommendations or use an internet searches engine like Google or Bing. There are many different social media platforms to choose from, so they must offer all of the services that you require.
5. Ask What They Learned From Their Mistakes
Ask your potential Social Media service company what they have learned the hard way. If they don’t give specific examples, they might be untrustworthy. When in doubt, you can always go with a smaller business that has fewer clients to take care of.
If their answers don’t seem sincere and they offer canned responses or only look at you when they speak, then find another provider because you will not get much out of them anyway. It’s okay to ask for references before hiring someone; make sure it’s in writing!
6. Pay Attention to Their Writing Skills
First and foremost, you should always ensure that the company or writer is experienced in social media. One way to do this is by checking out the company’s portfolio. If they have a blog, you can also read their posts to get an idea of how their writing flows.
You should also pay attention to how a person writes on social media because that will indicate the content they’ll create for your site. In addition, some companies specialize in different kinds of content (e.g., videos vs. infographics), so it helps to know which niche you need help with before hiring them.
When looking at resumes, try to find someone with experience who has done similar work for companies identical in size and scope to yours. It would be difficult for a marketing agency starting to manage your social media account as effectively as someone who has been doing it professionally for years.
7. See if They’re a Member of Any Professional Organizations
Also crucial when looking for a social media service company is whether or not they’re a member of any professional organizations. Professional organizations can help you be successful in finding the ideal candidate for the role and will be able to vouch for their professionalism.
The American Marketing Association provides an excellent directory of marketers with links to their profiles and tips on hiring them. The Interactive Advertising Bureau also offers this information on its website, which is helpful if you know which factors to consider when choosing a social media marketing agency.
If the organization you are considering hiring is a member of multiple professional organizations, that should make you feel more confident about your decision.
There’s nothing worse than spending money on services from someone who needs to be qualified to provide it. You should always do your research before signing anything!
8. Meet With Them in Person
The best way to find a company to help you with social media is to meet with them in person. By doing this, their level of professionalism will be readily apparent to you, but also the quality of work they produce and whether or not they’re the right fit for your needs.
Plus, getting as much information as possible is good practice before deciding this. Take note of how many people the company employs, what type of work they do, and their rates. If you have any questions, now is the time to ask them! It can be good to know everything upfront.
Asking the company to tell you their plans for marketing on different platforms is an essential part of the hiring process because it means you if they know what they’re doing. It also gives you some idea of where your business fits its priorities.
9. Get a Contract
Hire a social media service company with a contract. With one, you can have recourse if the social media service company doesn’t do the work promised or if they deliver it as you expected. With a contract, both sides know what is expected of them and how it will be done.
Some social media service companies may not offer contracts because they worry their customers won’t need them. The truth is that some customers need the extra security of a contract before working with someone new. Make sure you ask for a contract. If they refuse, then find another company to work with.
10. Ask for Results
Last but not least, ask for results. What kind of results have they been able to provide in the past? What is their success rate? How long do they see a return on investment (ROI)? Is their service affordable? What are their qualifications?
If you are assured in your responses to these questions, you’ll be able to find the perfect social media service company for your needs. Remember that there’s no need to hire more than one company because a good marketing strategy includes all the abovementioned components.
But if you want to work with multiple companies, communicate and keep track of each company’s projects and goals so you don’t overlap services or duplicate content. And make sure your branding is clear!
