5 Reasons to Outsource Social Media Management

By: Maann Sagun, MDC, DMP
September 16, 2022

From a simple platform to connect with people, social media has evolved into a crucial communication tool—even for businesses.

In fact, it is now one of the leading channels for brands to research and engage with their audience. However, managing even one social media account can be quite time-consuming and even costly. Which is why businesses outsource social media management to more experienced professionals.

Moreover, outsourcing enables businesses and in-house marketing teams to focus on improving the customer experience. Hence, they can generate more leads and increase their profitability, whilst building a solid online presence.

Yet some people argue that social media management is not rocket science. They say all you need is a really good stock photo and a free-to-use template for aesthetics and you’re good. For them, if it sells, then it works. Unfortunately, nothing could be farther from the truth.

It is true that no one can manage your social media better than you. However, it is also true that outsourcing social media management can help you yield more long-term benefits. To help you decide who to believe, we’ve found out the top 5 reasons why businesses outsource social media management.

Why outsource social media management

Can you imagine the world without social media? As of April 2022, there are around 4.65 billion social media users worldwide. Indeed, almost everyone is now on social media—including micro- to large-sized businesses. In fact, businesses are using social media for every stage of the buying journey.

Micro- and small-businesses enjoy a greater marketing advantage on social media because of social commerce. Have you ever watched an online live selling on Facebook or TikTok? Or maybe you have found and purchased something from a seller on Instagram.

Not to be outdone, medium- and large-sized businesses who have more resources utilise boost posts and ad placements on social media. Have you seen an ad for a discount or voucher for a webinar on LinkedIn? Or maybe you have come across a social card to try a new service in your area on your Facebook newsfeed?

Whichever social media platform you are on, you’ll see a business (or two!) showcasing their products or services and promotions. Whilst it may seem straightforward, managing your social media involves a lot of energy and creativity. More importantly, you would need:

1. Time and devotion

Time is one of the biggest reasons why businesses outsource social media management. Why? Because they don’t have a lot of it.

In fact, medium-sized businesses can take up to 32 hours managing one social media account. This includes tasks, such as:

Uploading content.
Tracking your brand mentions.
Monitoring conversations.
Analysing campaigns.
Replying to enquiries.

The time required to manage even one social media account can be quite overwhelming. Not to mention 39% of social media users expect you to reply within 60 minutes. Some social media users also expect you to be online 24/7—and this is just for one platform. What more if you are running two or three accounts?

We don't have a choice on whether we do social media, the question is how well we do it.
Erik Qualman Tweet

2. Virtual Social Butterfly

Another main reason businesses outsource social media management is because of their followers. They need to make not only a real connection but also build loyal followers.

When you’re on social, you need to actually hold a conversation and not just offer a standard reply to enquiries and comments. Also, knowing that they are talking to an actual person helps build their trust and confidence in your brand.

However, not everyone has the skills to converse with strangers, especially virtually. In addition, there is a prescribed social media etiquette that you have to consider. Moreover, you have to behave in a manner that suits the diverse members of online communities.

Learning about your audience can help you determine how to keep them engaged. Moreover, developing the skills for effective virtual connection can help you create a real connection with your followers. Then again, do you have the time to do all these?

3. Brand Voice and Values

No two brands are the same. Even if you both sell the same product or services, you have different values and personality. Hence, you will also have a different voice when presenting your brand on social media. And when it comes to social media, brand voice is everything.

Your brand voice not only shows your uniqueness but also sets how your mission and values are delivered on social media. Sadly, some businesses do not have a defined brand voice.

Is your brand supposed to be light and funny? Or would you prefer straightforward and more informative? How would you construct your posts and what words would you use? What about your call-to-action statements? Do you even have a brand voice?

4. Goals and strategy

Before you start looking for what to post, you should think about your goals for using social media. Are you all about brand awareness and increasing followers? Or do you want to boost engagement and generate more leads? Bottom line, you need to have a clear goal in mind to develop an effective campaign using strategically planned content.

Next, you need to research your competition. What are they posting? How are they responding to feedback and comments? Also, what about your industry? Are you updated on new legislation about your products or services?

Finally, do you know how often you should post? Have you determined the best time to post for your type of industry and on which platform? Also, do you know how frequently you should post in a week for each type of platform? Moreover, what content do your audience want to see?

5. Knowledge and resources

Probably the biggest reason businesses outsource social media management is because they lack the right knowledge, expertise and resources. For example, do you know which platforms suit your online marketing needs? Also, do you have the tools to create not only great but also engaging content? Moreover, do you know how to optimise content for search engines?

When developing your content strategy, you have to ensure that your voice is consistent across all your social media assets. This includes not just the textual content, but also the visual content—e.g., brand imagery, graphics, fonts, colours.

In addition, social media platforms have their own search engines and best practices. Which is why what works on Facebook may not perform quite as well on LinkedIn and vice versa.

Lastly, do you have sufficient funds to hire your own in-house team and equip them with the right software and tools? Managing your social media accounts on your own can be very costly. Why? Because you need different tools for creating content, measuring its performance and managing it on different platforms.

Engage, Enlighten, Encourage and especially...just be yourself! Social media is a community effort, everyone is an asset.
Susan Cooper Tweet

Not rocket science

Businesses that assume anybody can post usually end up making social media marketing mistakes. For example, posting only what they want to sell—often during business hours or if they have the time. Another is believing that an hour or two managing your socials is enough to ensure your online marketing is running smoothly.

Contrary to what other people think, social media management isn’t just about scheduling posts, nor a one-time strategy. It is a continuous effort to plan, develop and optimise content, and engage your audience.

Indeed, there are several factors that you must consider when managing your social media accounts. Thankfully, outsourcing your social media management helps determine the direction you want to take with your online marketing. Moreover, outsourcing ensures your social media strategy is executed properly, so you can achieve the results you want.

Where to outsource social media management

DBA has a team of social media experts who can help you maximise the potential of your online marketing. Our Creative Team is composed of experienced and skilled content creators—graphic designers, content writers and video editors. We can help you plan, create and schedule content, monitor your accounts and measure your campaign’s performance.

With our knowledge and experience, we can maximise your social media marketing strategy to boost brand awareness and engagement. We will give your business a fresh perspective and guide you in finding your brand voice and tone. Ultimately, we can help you build brand loyalty, increase conversion rates, and grow your business.

Talk to us to find out how you can start outsourcing your social media management.

Maann Sagun, MDC, DMP

Maann is a Communication Specialist and educator—masking as the Senior Content Writer of DBA. She is also a Digital Marketing Professional and specializes in SEO Audits. Maann has taken both her master’s degree in Development Communication, and bachelor’s degree in Mass Communication from the University of the Philippines.