One of the hottest jobs right now is the role of a social media manager. Small and large businesses alike are busy hiring like mad because of the apparent need to get on the social media bandwagon. The question is: are they justified in doing so?

The simple answer is yes, yes, and yes! Let me explain. For the sake of this article, let’s assume the social media manager you hire is competent and is actually going to do what you hire them to do.

Now, what does a social media manager even do anyway?

Well first of all, the term social media means more than just Facebook and Twitter. A lot more. The term really extends to anything where user generated content is concerned. This includes social networking platforms like Facebook and Twitter to be sure but it also includes forums, wiki’s, blogs, social bookmarking sites, and basically any web space that allows anyone to add their thoughts. This includes sites such as Amazon.com and BestBuy.com that allow user reviews.

So, if you have a social media manager, he or she is not only posting your latest status updates, he/she is also tracking your brand online, monitoring your industry, and making sure your content (possibly even created by them) is getting distributed across the internet. It’s a lot of work and it takes a lot of skill.

And that leads me to the next point…

A good social media manager knows how to position your business

Social media isn’t about pitching your products or services. A good social media manager knows that it’s all about conversation and creating a company culture. Social media just isn’t set up for old fashioned ad campaigns. A business must add value first. That’s just how it works in the new online climate. Add value, solve someone’s problems, make life more inspired or happy or funny and your company will enjoy a natural viral effect compounded by the infinite nature of the internet.

A social media manager acts as a communication portal

With the internet, every aspect of a company is tied somehow to what’s happening online. Let me give you an example. Let’s say you recently had a bad product go out. It was a total accident but now people tweeting not to buy your stuff. How are you going to manage this? Do you even know about it? Maybe you don’t but for some reason your sales are drastically dropping and you don’t know why. This is a very feasible scenario. Even worse, what if someone made a video about your product or service saying some less than friendly things and it went viral. That could really hurt you. The question is, without someone managing your social media, how would you even know any of this until it was too late?

A social media manager can act as the go-between with your customer service. But it doesn’t stop there. They will also interact with your operations, sales, and especially marketing.

People are talking about you and your company online whether you’re listening or not. You might as well be listening. A social media manager will act as your digital eyes and ears and report back to you.

These are all things a social media manager would spend his/her time doing for you. Yes, every company needs at least one social media manager. Now, the question is, do you really want to bring one in-house or contract a social media firm? See what we think here.  Social Media Manager: Outsource or In-house?

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Here’s the breakdown of 10 things you must know about social media and your business.

1.    More people are online than ever before. If Facebook were a country it would outnumber the United States. Is your business where the people are?
2.    Tight marketing budget? Most social media platforms are generally free (besides your investment in time). Social media is highly successful while remaining extremely cost effective.
3.    When you share something online, it’s potentially viewable forever. And because it’s online, you have a potentially limitless source of viewers. Millions of people could see your expertise today and even years from now. Can your ad in the yellow pages do that?
4.    Your online presence and search engine optimization will grow organically. More links to your website means more quality traffic and that means more business for you.
5.    Social media acts a bridge between your business and your customers. You can find out, in real time, what’s trending and what’s being said. That’s business intelligence that no other source provides so immediately, so effectively, and so inexpensively.
6.    You can target any group or market you wish. You decide exactly who sees your message and when. Can your mass mailings do that?
7.    Social media is permission marketing which means people want to hear from you and share your product or service. Contrast that to an overpriced billboard along the road.
8.    Through social media you can build an army of loyal customers and clients who will in turn spread your message virally. The word of mouth marketing that comes from this sharing means massive growth for your business.
9.    People want solutions to their problems and as you share your best information online, they will come to you for more. Not only that, they’ll tell everyone they know where they got help.
10.    You can add a personal touch to your business with social media. People are done with corporations and lack of customer service. People will buy from you because they feel like they know you and that you understand their needs.

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