9 out of every 10 businesses use social media marketing (SMM) in some form or another to establish a connect with their target audience. There is no doubt that social med…
9 out of every 10 businesses use social media marketing (SMM) in some form or another to establish a connect with their target audience. There is no doubt that social media is ‘the’ platform for businesses to target, as people around the world spend at least an hour checking their Facebook or Twitter profiles on a daily basis. In fact, the amount of time people spend on social media is fast approaching the duration of TV viewing, which means that SMM is indeed the perfect way for a business to market its products and services.
You can find yourself lagging in the rat race if you are not engaging potential customers through social media. Billions of people use social media on a daily basis around the world and your competitors are probably already establishing an active presence on the leading social networks. The best way to go about SMM is hiring professionals. However, you cannot just hire the first company you find online. To make things easier for you, here’s a look at 5 questions you should ask a social media marketing agency before hiring:
1. What is Your USP?
There are hundreds of millions of search results for social media agencies on Google. However, not all of them are made equal. When considering an agency to hire for your campaign, the first thing you should ask is what sets them apart from the rest. You don’t want cookie cutter solutions, because the marketing strategies and methods vary from business to business. You need a company that has a solid track record, case studies, and a clear methodology for the work they do. Otherwise, you are taking a gamble.
2. What Are the Best Social Networks for Businesses?
Social media websites are a dime a dozen. Given that a majority of them have at least a hundred million users, you might assume that you need to maintain an active presence on each one. However, this is not the case, and any social media agency worth its salt will tell you that. Ask the professionals about the best social networks for businesses and expect an answer backed with research and facts. If the answer is vague or the company promises to market you on every social network, you should know better than to hire them.
3. How Do You Develop Content?
Content is the king when it comes to SMM as well. To constantly engage your target audience, you need to provide them with informative and valuable content, and that is only possible if the agency you are working with is capable and willing to create new content on a regular basis. Ask about their process for developing content, especially the research that goes into it. One key factor is a focus on SEO. Moreover, brands that incorporate rich media content tend to gain more traction on social media.
4. How Will You Keep Me In the Loop?
It is important that you are able to keep an eye on the progress of your campaign, as it keeps the agency you are hiring accountable and responsible. They should have a process in place to constantly update you of all developments, whether positive or negative. Also, they should not be apprehensive about regular reporting.
5. What Are the KPIs?
Based on the end goal you have communicated to the social media marketing agency, they should define clear KPIs that they will use to measure the success of your campaign. Metrics such as level of engagement and number of clicks should be measured and reported to you.
Ask the 5 questions and you will surely be able to select the right SMM agency.