Social media has created an entirely new marketing platform, making it an invaluable part of your business, no matter what industry you are in. While many larger companies have entire digital departments set up, some smaller companies may be on the fence in what resources to put into social media. Many factors, like budget and targets, play into whether or not a company wants to outsource the job of managing social media to an agency or a new headcount. If you are currently (and reluctantly) managing your company’s social media, here are some signs that it’s time to transfer the work elsewhere.
 

It’s a dreaded chore on your to-do list, attended to at random hours of the day.

If you’re not treating social media like a job, then likely you’re not doing a good job. Nowadays, customers reach out first and foremost via social media. If you don’t have someone on hand 24/7 to monitor social care and requests that come through online, whether it’s through Facebook or Twitter, your company is missing out on a valuable way to connect directly to potential customers and clients. Not responding quickly nowadays is unprofessional, however small the request is. It’s important to attend to comments coming in on social media at all hours of the day.
 

Your social media is not being frequently updated.

Similarly, you need to be updating your pages with relevant content to keep consumers and your audience base engaged.  Even if you’re a new startup or small company, you should devote at least a few hours a week updating your social media platforms. Platforms like Facebook, SnapChat and Instagram all engage users in a different way, and it’s important to have a stream of constant, curated, content across all your social media. Closing early for the holidays? Update your social media! Have special offers available for one week only? Blast the message out on social media.
 

Your social media is not relevant.

Creating content that compels people to like, share, tag friends, and comment on takes skill and time; there’s a reason why being a blogger nowadays is a full time job! Hashtags in the market aren’t intuitive – there are many trends that come and go. To keep up your Instagram / Snapchat number of followers, you need to constantly be updating with relevant content for your audience.  
 

There’s little attention paid to the overall brand building storyline of your social media.

Social media marketing is more than posting updates as well. It can be a powerful and seemingly organic way to build your brand story. Brands like Daniel Wellington pull from their fan social media pages to build an attractive idea of who their customer base is – turning their product into something aspirational and desired. This however, isn’t something that can be done by haphazardly posting pictures every so often. Many brands – especially tech and fashion – plan posts weeks in advance to create or build hype around key storylines.
 

You answered yes to all of the questions – and you also have an agency in mind that fits with your company’s scope and strategy.

Not everyone or every business can manage social media themselves. Thus, hiring an agency whether on contract or long term is a great solution. The most important thing is finding an agency that not only understands your brand voice but also has the right attitude and capability to work as a team. If you have agencies or talent in mind that seems to fit the bill, it’s a great start to handing off some of the workload.