When is the right time to bring in a social media strategist?
- Dave Endsor
- 1 minute ago
- 3 min read
Like any job title involving strategy, social media can be overcomplicated by a lack of knowledge, or potential misunderstandings, as well as arrogance, egos and the complication of opinions.
This post shouldn’t contain any of these things, but they’re all challenges I’ve faced when delivering social media strategies throughout my career.
It’s an occupational hazard.
In my 15+ years working in the digital version of the Colosseum, where everything you do is on show for praise and criticism, I’ve seen it all – from both sides of the agency and in-house divide.
Now that I work for myself, I thought I’d share my thoughts on when you might need me, or someone like me... but hopefully me!
What is a social media strategist?
Before I dive in, let me answer this fundamental question.
In any industry, a strategist is someone whose job is to create the plan that will help an organisation achieve its various short and long-term goals. In business, more specifically marketing, a social media strategy is just one component of a wider strategy.
But it only can be effective if the person creating it – i.e. the social media strategist – understands the whole business.
Who they are? What they do? Who they’re trying to talk to? What they want to achieve? How they make money…
(That last one is vital.)
Only by knowing all of this can a social media strategist – me(!) – build a plan that helps companies to maximise their presence on social.
What a social media strategist isn’t, is an entire marketing department.
If you’re looking for that then you need a marketing director or CMO that can build one for you from scratch. That’s not me.
When do you need a social media strategist
The real answer is when it feels like you need one, but that’s not helpful.
Hopefully these pointers are.
When you want a sanity check – You can be a marketing director or CMO looking for an unbiased opinion from outside your team, or a social media manager seeking support to reassure you that you’re on the right track.
When you lack clear goals – All you or your team seem to be doing is posting without rhyme or reason. A strategist guides you out of that habit and helps you connect your social media efforts to your business goals.
When you want new ideas – New ideas inject life into existing problems. Bringing a strategist into your business from the outside can do just that – whatever your sector.
When you need an expert – You might have a junior team, or a junior ‘team’ of one, that could benefit from professional coaching, mentoring and guidance. They win, and so do you.
When your team needs support – The social media manager might be effectively handling the day-to-day, but it doesn’t give them the time to think more strategically.
When it’s overwhelming – Social media strategy and management is a full-time job. You might be a marketing manager managing all the plates, finally accepting you can’t spin all of them… which is ok!
When nothing seems to be working – Sometimes, despite good people trying good things, nothing seems to work. You don’t seem to be seeing a business, or even, a marketing impact.
Ultimately, hiring a social media strategist isn’t about matching your problems to neat little boxes. It’s about recognising those moments when expertise, clarity and calmness are needed to help move your business forward.
Most brands are able to get something from social media that will benefit their business. That doesn’t mean every brand should be using every single channel all of the time. Instead it’s about finding your voice in the noise, with a sense of purpose and meaning that can’t be replicated by your competitors.
You get that through strategy.
And if you’ve read this far and thought “this sounds like me”… then yes, that might be your sign that it’s time.
