Do You Need a Social Media Strategist For Your Small Business?
Before addressing whether or not your small business needs the high-level job responsibilities of a social media strategist, it is important to understand what you can gain. The job duties of this position can be summarized into three categories:
- Formulating the strategy to meet marketing objectives.
- Creating content marketing for social media.
- Ownership of company's social media. Social media can be broadly defined as content marketing, search optimization tools, blogging, videos, etc.
The Goal
The goal of this position is to increase web traffic to the company's website, and to create brand awareness. According the Small Business Administration (SBA), "small businesses can leverage different platforms for a variety of reasons to either expand visibility, increase sales, or inform their audience." Ultimately, a social media strategist can have a significant impact to the company's revenues and bottom line.
The Role
As defined above, the role of this individual is to drive traffic and drive sales. Here are some key characteristics required of a social media professional, and how they'll benefit your business:
- Analytical - This person would be responsible for providing detailed analysis of social media reach and social strategy performance. It is unlikely that a small business owner would have the time to perform this analysis.
- Technical Prowess - To be successful in this role, the social media strategist has to be comfortable working with different technologies and platforms. Knowing how to access Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and others is not enough.
- Creativity - In order to stand out in a crowded marketplace, a company's social media strategy has to be compelling. Creativity is critical in differentiating your business from the plethora of others.
A Full-Time Gig
The position of social media strategist is not a part-time job, nor is it a job that can be performed by an intern or an entry-level individual. This role requires a full understanding of the company's revenues and profitability. A successful social media strategist understands what needs to be done to impact revenues and the bottom line. It is equally important that he or she knows how to track the performance of each social media strategy.
As a small business owner, you are already wearing the sales hat, the IT hat, the finance hat, the operations hat, and probably about 10 other hats in a typical 10 to 12 hour day. It is highly likely that a small business owner does not have the time, or skills, to be effective at social media. The answer to the question posed in the title of this article is a resounding yes! The competitive landscape would suggest that having a social media strategist is table-stakes in today's business world.
This article was written by Michelle Guilbeau for CBS Small Business Pulse
