Social Media is a powerful tool for businesses to directly interact with fans, build relationships with customers and keep people in the know about their business developments.
It’s also a marketing discipline that businesses are commonly outsourcing due to an internal knowledge/skills gap, or a lack in personnel capacity. Some businesses might not even have an existing marketing department or position.
In these cases, deciding to go with outsourcing social media has typically been a result of businesses already realising the potential value that it can add to their organisation, along with the inability to execute campaigns in-house.
The stage between finding and hiring is the phase that all 5 of the most common outsourcing mistakes take place.
The common mistakes listed below can be the result of either the business owner, the outsourcing partner, or a combination of both, not communicating effectively from the onset.
Outsourcing Social Media Mistakes
1. The Business Results Are Not Understood
Being clear on what the business is trying to achieve is key. Strategies and tactics formulated around anything but the actual business results will inevitably cause a lack in optimal performance.
If your business drop-ships products from China for example, then its likely your business result from social marketing is to increase profit. Spending £5,000 on marketing to produce £1,800 in added sales within an agreed period is an expense that doesn’t provide a return Spotify Streams kopen on investment. Even if your outsourcing partner informs you of wider benefits you may have gained, it is likely that their focus has not been entirely on your business result.
Some business owners may not know the extent to which they expect to achieve the business result. For instance, setting a business result of improved customer service through social media, yet assigning only a few hours a week to try and cater for a vast customer base, is unlikely to result in fulfilment.
Sometimes, the business result has not been communicated at all and the outsourcing partner is left to deliver whatever they see fit. You would be surprised to hear how often business owners just take recommendations as hard evidence, due to the fact that they do not want to get involved with something they know little about.
Universal understanding of the business result will ensure the outsourcing partner gets paid to deliver what the business wants to achieve.
2. Policies Are Not Established
Throughout the planning and strategy stage, social media policies should be established and communicated to everyone involved. If a social campaign is launched without having clear policies in place, then it can be very difficult for the outsourcing partner to understand how to act, or react, in certain situations.
For larger organisations, knowing who is contributing to which campaigns and controlling how they represent the company is essential. Governance should be established, along with a set of best practices and content guidelines.
Failing to establish social media policies can resolve any responsibility in situations where best practice are avoided.
3. The Business Voice Is Not Communicated
Any business who acts differently online to real life is being misrepresented. Customers shouldn’t be fooled into thinking your business believes in something, when the reality is entirely different.
There are many companies who have found themselves in this position. So the obvious question is, Why?
Why would a company post something that they wouldn’t say directly to a customer? Is it the veil of their computer that causes them to feel free to type out anything that enters their head? It’s doubtful. More likely the reason for so many indiscretions by brands online is a lack of professional staff.
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