Why You Should Hire a Social Media Agency
Welcome to The Social Lab! This blog will not only help you navigate your personal social media, but also investigate marketing trends and examples of great social media work. Do you have something we should talk about? Make sure to send us an email or contact us on social media.
Obviously, we are pro-social media agency, since we are one, but we do want to share the pros and cons of hiring an agency, rather than doing the social media work yourself or hiring in-house. Many companies and business are worried about out-sourcing this aspect of their company, but what many CEO's, founders, or marketing executives need to remember is that the social media agencies sole purpose is to improve your social media. Rather than having a billion different tasks and roles, the agency can devote all of their time to developing an amazing social media strategy and implementing it.
The Pros:
1. Agencies Cost Less
We can't tell you how many ill-advised job applications have been posted looking for a social media manager or director. While it is nice to have someone in-house, since there is a higher level of communication, it is also significantly more expensive depending on your needs. Many of our clients pay roughly $1500 per month. So for one year of work, we are getting paid $18000, which is way less than you would pay someone to be in your office every day. Also, with the continued improvement in technology, working remotely and just having online meetings is easier than ever and doesn't negatively affect your company.
2. Agencies Are Future-Oriented
Agencies work with multiple companies, which means that they are always learning and developing new processes and tactics for creating the best social media content and strategies. The chances of the agency becoming stagnant and not looking for the next new trend is rare, much rarer than someone working in-house and constantly using the same programs over and over again. Businesses and brands can really benefit from an agency finding the next big thing and sharing it with their company before other companies find out.
3. Agencies Work 24/7
Agencies aren't going to call in sick, take a vacation, or require health insurance. They are going to be constantly focused on your social media 24/7, rather than an employee that could get wrapped up in work politics or become disgruntled. Basically, instead of having one person working for you, you have a team of individuals that want to impress you every day in order to grow their company even more.
The Cons:
1. Development of Trust
Many companies or brands have trouble trusting an agency to have their best interest at heart. The best way to remedy this is to be selective about who you work with right off the bat. If you aren't sensing a high level of communication during the initial meetings then that agency might not be a good fit for you. Remember, since the work is remote, you want to have complete faith in the agency and sleep well knowing that they are working hard on your behalf. We recommend really nailing down the reporting process and how information will be presented to you on a monthly basis. Which metrics do you care about and want detailed reports on? If the agency and you have a deep understanding of each other's expectations, then a strong level of trust will be created and a great working relationship will commence.
2. Communication
No matter how great an agency is, they are still remote, which means that there has to be a high level of communication taking place. Great social media agencies will have constant communication through the form of phone calls, video chats, and emails, but some may have different opinions on what "constant communication" is. Just like developing trust, communication needs to be fostered from the beginning and expectations regarding how often you will be in communication need to be aligned. Always remember, this agency should be trying to impress you every single day and the customer has all the power. There is nothing wrong with telling an agency that you want more meetings or phone calls.
3. Social Media Philosophies
Differing philosophies between agencies and businesses are something that we see often and while they aren't necessarily a con, they are something you need to look out for. If your business really cares about crafting individuals posts that are unique, but the agency is about recycling content over and over again, then a rift is going to be created. I'm sure you have noticed a trend with all the cons, being that great conversation during the initial phase of the relationship is essential for developing a great atmosphere.
Conclusion:
There are without a doubt more pros and more cons, but we feel that the ones stated above give you a general idea of what you are getting into when you hire an agency or hire an in-house employee. There isn't a right answer and it really depends on the work culture you have in place. Just remember, agencies should cost less and they should care greatly about impressing you with their social media skills. If your company wants to devote time, money, and energy towards social media marketing, then hiring an agency could be a great initial step towards determining whether or not you should hire a full-time person with an office.
Do you have an experience as a company or agency when it comes to hiring a social media team? What are some pros and cons you can think of when it comes to agency vs. in-house? Let us know on social media or send us an email.
