Social media is so accessible that even your eight-year-old niece is more of an expert than you are. That might make you think passing this task off to a junior staff member makes sense. If a kid can do it, anyone can!
Sorry to break it to you. The reasons that influencers go viral are not necessarily the reasons you want your business to be known for. What to say, why to say it, and who to say it to is a delicate balance that takes research, social listening, and time to curate.
The process of creating, editing, writing, and scheduling content for social media is often underestimated. I have lost count of how many people have said, “Oh, you’re in social media. That must be fun!” They’re not wrong. Coming up with a creative concept is something we love to do. However, saying it’s “fun” completely discounts the time, effort, and expertise we’ve had to build to become videographers, photographers, set directors, producers, copywriters, editors, and coordinators. And no, we’re not perfect in all these areas because they are completely different roles that take years to master. But who has the budget to hire all these different people? No one. So, you hire a social media manager.
In this article, we'll delve into the investment required for effective social media management and why valuing this marketing channel and the people you hire to run it is crucial.
Social media Doesn’t Take That Long
If you post three times a week (12+ a month), you need to dedicate a MINIMUM of 40 hours per month:
Creating a content skeleton. | 2 to 4 hours | This is a calendar filled with ideas for your month. Some will be set in stone, some will need to be captured, edited, and posted on the same day, and some are loose and can be slotted in wherever makes sense. It’s a guide only.
Capturing the assets. | 8 to 12 hours | These can be videos or photos. They’re all geared toward the ideas that you placed in the content skeleton. If you get more, that’s great. Many people choose one day a month to capture their content. This is the most efficient way to do it, but it’s not always feasible if the face of the brand is not available.
Editing the assets. | 30 mins to 1 hour per post | If you’ve organized your digital assets well and have a clear vision, this can take less time. The more complicated the edit, the longer it will take. Sometimes, editing is simply cropping and brightening a photo, which takes less than five minutes. Then, there are times when there are 30 assets that need to go into one post, which might take more than an hour. If there are multiple formats required for different platforms, add extra time.
Writing & editing the copy. | 15 to 30 mins per post | What’s the spin? Who are you talking to? What questions are you answering? Has this changed since the skeleton was created? What’s trending that makes sense for your business? What variations need to be made for each platform?
Scheduling and posting. | 5 to 10 mins per post per platform | Every platform has different requirements, and this stage can require additional time per platform – even when you schedule them. Music licensing is different on each platform; information needs to be manually inputted for each platform, and many other things add to the time. When is the audience on each platform the most active?
Engagement. | 1 to 2 hours per week | It doesn’t end when you press send. Posting consistently is only one tiny piece of the puzzle. Responding to comments and engaging with other accounts daily is essential for your algorithm.
Your Administrator Can Handle Posting
While it might be tempting to delegate social media management to an intern or administrator, it's essential to recognize that effective social media management is a specialized skill. Social media professionals understand the nuances of different platforms, the psychology behind user engagement, and the evolving trends within the digital landscape. Most importantly, what trends to jump on and when to step back.
Administrators are often undervalued team members who must take on more tasks than they should. They don’t have time for this. They have their hands full managing the day-to-day operations of a business. They’re the first contact your clients have when they convert due to your organic and paid advertising efforts. You don’t want administrators to be so strapped with additional tasks that they can’t offer value to your clients. Administrators are an excellent resource for your social media manager, but they’re not your social media manager.
Simply put, it's more than just posting updates—it's about creating a cohesive brand narrative that resonates with your target audience. Have you seen the brands that constantly post brand-centric graphics? Do they engage you? At least they’re posting, but it’s not good content. That’s all I’ll say on that front.
Social Media is not that serious
What other marketing channel allows you to interact directly with your target market? Where else can you get real-time feedback on what they want to see? Social media is a gold mine of market research. Having your finger on the pulse is integral to your success.
Audience Connection: Social media is a direct line to your audience. Engaging with your audience in real time fosters a sense of community and loyalty. People buy from people they like and trust (you’re going to hear that one a lot from me. 😊)
Brand Visibility: With billions of active users across various platforms, social media provides unparalleled visibility. Consistent, high-quality content ensures your brand stays top-of-mind when users think about products or services in your industry. This is both positive and negative. Anyone can be on social media. It’s made it a pay-to-play game and is fast approaching other traditional marketing channels in terms of cost.
Data-Driven Insights: Social media platforms offer valuable analytics that can inform your marketing strategy. Understanding metrics like engagement, reach, and conversion rates allows for data-driven decision-making, optimizing your efforts for better results. With some scheduling software, you can see all your comments in one place for easy social listening.
AI Can Do It All
AI is an incredible tool! I used ChatGPT to write this blog, then tore it to shreds because some of it was good, some of it was bad, and most of it sounded like regurgitated stuff I’ve read repeatedly. “In the competitive digital landscape” was used four times. FOUR TIMES! The blog didn’t sound like me at all. Sure, you can train AI to sound more like you, but even when you add your list of things not to say, they’ll still add it in there.
Side note: A little piece of me still feels like using AI is cheating. My profs did a number on me sending everything through Turnitin!
If this is how you will efficiently get your content out there, I say do it! I love it as a start to get my creative juices flowing. I start with a broad idea, which helps me narrow it down and focus. Be mindful that this blog still took me two hours to rewrite, and I write all the time. I had to add the details and the time data that made it more valuable for you to walk away with an understanding of the time it takes to do this and how much value should be placed on it.
At the end of writing, I also use Grammarly, another AI tool. While the writers of Grammarly are grammar experts, the software is not. Using this software turns all writing into the same dull noise, and you lose your unique tone of voice. I want you to know what it's like to work with me. I want you to hear my brand's voice.
I use Grammarly, not because I'm concerned about my writing, but because who wants to remember comma placements? I’ll let it do simple things that won’t change the content and can only add clarity. However, it consistently tells me to change the word design to something else. Most of the content I write is about interior design. There’s seldom a synonym for design.
I mention these things to you because you must remember that AI is not perfect. It still takes a skilled writer to know what tips to listen to, when it's okay to break grammar rules to create interest, and how to keep your brand tone of voice consistent.
Final Thoughts
I hope this slightly cheeky blog helped you see that social media needs to be taken seriously. By valuing this marketing channel and entrusting it to dedicated professionals, you not only save time but also unlock the full potential of social media as a tool for brand growth and customer engagement.
Our next blog will discuss which social media platforms might be most valuable to you.
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