Ahh, it’s the age-old question our agency receives on a regular basis… “How do I know when I should consider outsourcing my digital marketing to an agency?” We might be biased, but if you ask us it’s likely we’ll respond that there’s no better time than the present. Truly though, we know for small businesses and brands, figuring out when to take the deep dive and really designate a chunk of your marketing budget toward hiring an agency can be a challenge. So below, you’ll find a list of questions you should consider asking yourself before making the decision…
Question 1: Is your social converting? Are you reaching the goals you set out for yourself or brand?
If you have a well-documented brand voice, a good social media agency will be able to send you example copies for your approval until you feel at ease that they get it.
If you’re still trying to find your brand voice and are at the beginning stages of this strategy, now isn’t exactly the best time to outsource your social media management.
If you’re going to outsource anything, hire a social media consultant to help define your brand voice for social media and then take it from there.
Question 2: How much time do I have to devote to it?
Social media is about more than throwing up a photo on your Instagram with a witty caption and an emoji. Ask yourself if you have time to do the following…
Develop an in-depth content strategy and calendar.
Track brand mentions.
Monitor community management.
Create social advertising and monitor it.
Keep up with constant content creation: both written and visual.
Review analytics and measure success.
Question 3: Do I know how to engage with my audience?
In order to develop an effective social media marketing campaign, it’s crucial that you know who your target audience is and where they’re most active online.
Additionally, it’s also important that you have a good understanding of who your competitors are and what they’re doing to draw in customers that should be yours.
Question 4: Do I have an established brand voice?
Before you take the plunge into social, it’s important that you know and define your brand’s voice and personality.
In getting to know your brand’s voice, it’s also equally as important that you know what calls to action will lead to the highest return on investment for your brand.
Have you tapped into what’s trending in your industry so that your brand appears relevant and in the know?
Question 5: Do I have content or do I need content?
If you’re struggling to figure out what content to post… it’s time, simple as that.
Question 6: Can I afford to outsource?
Define what kind of outsourcing your brand needs.
Make sure you understand how long the contract is.
Figure out if you also have the budget for social media subscriptions and social media advertising, as both are crucial to the success of your partnership.
Decide if on top of the budget, you also have the time. Working with an agency requires time on calls, time to review and edit content and time to analyze reports.
