A dedicated social media manager spends hours and hours in front of a computer screen, curating content, finalizing ideas, writing copies, and also making sure to engage with the audience.
The life of a social media manager is never easy.
From juggling tabs, posting stuff on every social media network all day, interacting with the audience, managing all the social accounts to all the ups and downs, social media emerges as a significant challenge.
If you are a social media manager, it will bring you utmost peace that you are not the only one feeling overwhelmed.
Many others like you have the exact same job, hence the exact same issues.
This is why I want to encourage how companies can support their social media managers!
7 Tips on Providing More Support for Your Social Media Team
1. Don't be a backseat driver
Just because you have your own social media account, doesn't mean your an expert. You hired them because this is their specialty. If you are micromanaging, you will rob them of their internal confidence and passion for their specialty.
This internal confidence and passion is critical for an amazing social media manager. If they're passionate about it, they're probably growing their social media insights and skills in their free time.
Empower them and they'll be the best social media manager you could hire. Stifle them and you'll have a mediocre social media presence or will need a new social media manager in >6 months.
2. Put mental health first
There are no lights out in the social media world, but social media managers still need to sleep. Be mindful of unreasonable tasks during weekends and off-hours.
The reality is, it's hard to know boundaries and expectations with your social media manager. Especially when it comes to replying to comments off-hours. This is a conversation that needs to take place at the beginning of the working relationship.
Social media people know the benefit of responding to comments on the weekends, late at night, etc. They understand how this builds favor with the Algorithm gods.
So, they might be doing this already without the feeling of being acknowledged. They're on a one-way track to being burnt out!
You can help prevent this by discussing expectations and boundaries.
3. Give social media managers a seat at the table
There's nothing that social media manager hates more than being told what to post without having been included in the brainstorming from the start. Bring them into the conversation. Give them a sense of ownership.
Did you know that your social media manager might have a better perspective on how your customers think than many other people in the company?
It's true. Your social media manager is in the trenches. Day in day out. Responding to dozens of messages, concerns, and questions from existing or potential customers.
They're constantly hearing frequently asked questions from your customers. Their insights and perspectives can be extremely valuable to your content strategy.
PRO TIP: Use your customers FAQ's to inform your content strategy.
4. Equip your team with the right tools they need to succeed
Scheduling natively on 5+ platforms is hard to sustain. More time saved means more time spent on community building, strategy, and content creation.
5. Respect their content calendar
The words "can you post this now?" are like nails on a chalkboard to your social media manager. Plan ahead, and provide your team with a creative brief.
6. Show your support
First step, follow your company's page. Then encourage your employees to follow the company's page. To go the extra mile, share the company updates, comment, and like the content.
7. Grow the team
Too often than not social media teams are understaffed and overworked. Help reduce burnout and productivity by investing in your team. Perhaps it's time to hire a video editor or a graphic designer.
Did you find this helpful? Share this with someone you work with! I really appreciate it.