8 Mistakes to Avoid When Working With a Social Media Marketing Agency
By StackServe
You’ve just made the decision to start working with a social media marketing agency. Congratulations! But before you sign that contract and hand over your hard-earned cash, there are a few things you need to know.
There are a lot of social media marketing agencies out there, and not all of them are created equal. In fact, many of them are downright terrible. So how do you make sure you’re working with the right one?
Here are 8 mistakes to avoid when working with a social media marketing agency.
1. Not Researching the Social Media Marketing Agency Thoroughly
Don’t make the mistake of hiring a social media marketing agency without doing your research.
Before you sign on the dotted line, be sure to check out the agency’s website and see what kinds of clients they’ve worked with in the past. You should also read any case studies they have posted to better understand their success rate.
If the agency has a blog, take some time to read through a few of the posts to see what kind of content they produce. And, of course, be sure to check out their social media accounts to see how they interact with their followers.
All of this research will give you a good idea of whether or not the agency is a good fit for your brand. It’s important to read any testimonials or reviews. Only then can you be sure that you’re making the best decision for your business.
Remember, social media is a powerful tool and you need an agency that knows how to use it effectively. So take your time, do your homework and choose wisely.
2. Neglecting to Define the Scope and Timeline
When you’re first starting out with a social media marketing agency, it’s important to take the time to define the scope and timeline of the project. This means sitting down and hashing out the details of what you want to achieve, and setting realistic expectations for how long it will take to get there.
If you don’t do this upfront, it can lead to miscommunication down the road. The agency might think you want one thing, while you’re expecting something completely different. The end result? A lot of wasted time and money on both sides.
So take the time to define the scope and timeline of the project, and make sure both parties are on the same page. It will save you a lot of headaches in the long run.
3. Undervaluing the Importance of Brand Identity
It’s not just about the number of followers you have.
Sure, that’s an important metric to keep track of, but it’s not the only one. In fact, simply having a lot of followers doesn’t mean your brand is successful. It’s far more important to focus on developing a strong brand identity that resonates with your target audience.
Your social media marketing agency should be able to help you with this. But if you’re not doing your part and providing them with the necessary information, it’s going to be difficult for them to help you achieve your goals. So make sure you’re taking the time to properly develop your brand identity and communicate it to your team.
4. Failing to Set Measurable Goals and KPIs
One mistake you might make when working with a social media marketing agency is failing to set measurable goals and KPIs. Without measurable goals, it’s hard to tell if the agency is doing a good job or not.
Some things you might want to measure include reach, engagement, leads, and sales. Once you’ve determined what you want to measure, you need to set clear goals. For example, you might want to increase reach by X% or increase leads by X%.
Once you have your goals set, the agency can develop a strategy to help you achieve them. But without measurable goals, it’s tough to know if the agency is doing a good job or not.
5. Not Giving Enough Feedback
One mistake you might be making is not giving enough feedback to your social media marketing agency. It’s important to remember that they are working for you, and they want to do a good job.
But in order to do a good job, they need to know what you like and what you don’t like. So if you’re not happy with something, speak up! The sooner you give feedback, the sooner they can course-correct and make changes that you’re satisfied with.
And on the flip side, if you are happy with something, don’t be afraid to give positive feedback, too. A little praise can go a long way in keeping your prospective social media marketing agency motivated and inspired to do great work for you.
6. Not Tracking Results Closely
You might think that once you’ve hired a social media marketing agency, success is guaranteed and you can sit back and relax. But that’s not the case! It’s important to track the results of their work closely to see if they’re actually achieving the goals you’ve set for them.
If you’re not tracking results, you won’t be able to tell if the strategies they’re using are effective or not. And without that information, you won’t be able to course-correct if necessary.
So how can you track results? There are a few different metrics you can look at, depending on your goals. For example, if you’re trying to increase brand awareness, you can track things like reach, impressions, and engagement. Or if you’re trying to drive more traffic to your website, you can track things like click-through rate and organic traffic.
Whatever your goals may be, make sure you’re tracking the right metrics and checking in with your agency regularly to see how things are going.
7. Expecting Immediate Results
When dealing with a social media marketing agency, it’s essential to manage your expectations. Chances are that you’re not going to see results overnight—you’ve got to give it some time and let the agency do the work.
It can take days or even months before you start seeing real results from your social media marketing efforts. Results can vary depending on the platform you’re using, the type of campaign or strategy you’re implementing, the content you’re sharing, and the target audience you’re trying to reach.
Patience is key when working with a social media marketing agency. Rome wasn’t built in a day, and neither is a successful social media presence.
8. Not Creating a Sustainable Budget
When you’re budgeting for social media marketing, it’s important to be realistic. You need to create a budget that will sustain your marketing efforts over the long haul, and not just for a quick fix.
If you’re working with an agency, they should be able to help you create a budget that makes sense for your business. And if you’re doing it yourself, there are a number of resources out there that can help you figure out how much to spend on social media marketing.
The bottom line is this: don’t cut corners when it comes to your social media budget. It’s an important part of your overall marketing strategy, and it deserves to be treated as such.
Conclusion
So, you’ve decided that you need help with your social media marketing. That’s a great decision! However, there are a few things you need to keep in mind when working with a social media marketing agency.
First of all, be sure to clearly communicate your goals and objectives. The agency should have a good understanding of what you’re trying to achieve, and they should be able to develop a plan that will help you reach your goals.
Second, be patient. It takes time to see results from social media marketing, so don’t expect the agency to wave a magic wand and suddenly see a surge in traffic or sales. Be patient and let the agency do its job.
Finally, be willing to listen to the agency’s recommendations. They have experience and knowledge that you may not have, so be willing to trust their judgment. Follow their recommendations and you’ll likely see better results from your social media marketing.
You can also check out these top social media marketing agencies currently featuring on StackServe.
