How to Hire a Social Media Manager

How to Hire a Social Media ManagerHow to Hire a Social Media ManagerNearly every business uses social media these days. In fact, your Facebook, Instagram, Twitter or LinkedIn account may be the first interaction potential customers have with your product or service. As a result, businesses are on the lookout for skilled social media professionals to help grow and improve their online presence.Social media managers need to have a varied blend of skills, including management experience, content and design savvy, strategic and analytical thinking skills and marketing expertise. They form the core of any social media team, and theyre likely the first hire you make before you expand the department as your needs grow.Read on for helpful tips and advice about how to hire a social media manager.Clearly define the roleFirst and foremost, you need to outline the job description associated with the role. Every case is different, but, to help you get started, heres a list of what social media ma nagers typically doDefine and implement overall social media strategytrommel up inbound traffic and product adoptionLead teams that create social content and build communitiesReport on the effectiveness of social media efforts using analytics toolsWork with internal marketing and public relations firms to ensure that social media acts as an extension of the companys overarching marketing strategyIn addition, do you want your new social media manager to assist with launching a new product, work to build company audiences, help with recruiting? All of the above?Its important to assess how much of the role is writing, community management or planning and strategy, says Amy mn, vice president and division director at The Creative Group in Atlanta. Understanding ahead of time the core of what you need this person to do day to day will help ensure you find a social media manager candidate that meets all of your business needs.Look for these skills and experienceKeep in mind that social me dia is still a relatively new field. While there are certain skills to look for on paper, relevant experience should count for a lot in your final evaluation.Generally speaking, a candidate should have at least three years of experience in social media marketing and management, coupled with a degree in marketing, communications, business or a related field.Companies are increasingly using data to inform business decisions and marketing strategy, so an applicant with a proven ability to interpret data and adjust strategies accordingly will give you a competitive edge.Of course, you should look for experience with familiar social media networks, but also scan for candidates who are comfortable using industry standard tools, like Google Analytics, Klear, Buffer and Hootsuite. Experience in search engine optimization (SEO) and familiarity with Adobe Creative Suite is a big plus.Dig deeper than technical proficiencies. Social media managers are expected to interact with different teams a cross the organization, including marketers and executives, so sternfrmig communication skills are an absolute must. Of more than 400 advertising and marketing executives we polled, 23 percent said soft skills carry more weight than hard skills. Fifty-eight percent said they give both equal weight.Social media managers interact with the public as much as any of your employees, in a forum that is visible to virtually anyone, says Kirt Zimmer, senior manager of social media for (The Creative Groups parent company). Its important that they have maturity, patience, an understanding of the brand voice, and an interest in solving customer problems.Need help hiring a social media manager in your area? Our skilled recruitment specialists can save you time and money.Ask the right social media manager interview questionsOnce you have a short list of strong candidates, its time to move to the next step. In-person interviews allow you to learn more about your top candidates and gauge how well t hey will meet your needs.Be sure to ask candidates about their past social media experience, and how they tend to structure and implement a strategy and then measure the results. Push for specific examples of past campaigns that were successful - and unsuccessful. Ask what they learned throughout the process.Use a variety of social media manager interview question types to draw out different kinds of information. For example, hypothetical questions may help you predict how a candidate will react in certain situations, while off-the-wall questions will help you get to know their personality.Looking for more specific questions? Alex Kreutler, TCG division director in Dublin, Ohio, suggests asking the following social media interview questions to candidatesWhat strategies have you used in the past to generate leads?Tell me about your knowledge of SEO and its relationship with social mediaWhich social media tools do you use or have you used in the past?Which is your favorite and why?Wh at do you believe are relevant metrics for tracking ROI on social media?How do you deal with negative comments of a brand reputation crisis?Zimmer notes that he likes to ask candidates which brands on social media the candidate admires and why. The answer can provide insights about what they think is important in social media marketing, and how they might behave in the role if hired, he says.Adds Zimmer Social media evolves at an incredible pace, so it requires practitioners who have not just a tolerance for change but rather an excitement about the opportunities change offers. To determine which camp they are in, ask them to talk about a time when they needed to adapt to a social media change and did so successfully.Finally, ask about their preferred work environment and arrangements. This can help you determine how well they will fit in with your current staff and mesh with your companys culture. These questions can be invaluable in avoiding bad hires.Do some extra diggingPrior t o bringing candidates in, take a look at their personal social media profiles. After all, if theyre going to be in charge of your companys accounts, they should be active on their own across a variety of channels. Look for candidates who utilize a range of networks and whose profiles are impressive, current and well maintained.Offer the right compensationThe unemployment rate for social media managers is at an all-time low right now, so its best to start with a competitive rate for your location, Mangan says. Social media managers have highly in-demand skill sets and if you find the right person, you should act quickly and make a competitive offer. If you dont move fast enough, you risk losing the candidate and wasting precious time and resources in a lengthy interview process, or, worse, a failed search.The midpoint salary for a social media manager in the United States is $57,750, according to The Creative Group 2019 Salary Guide. Candidates with extensive skills and experience, o r those working for large agencies in urban areas, may earn up to $98,250. When it comes to closing the deal with your preferred candidate, salary is key.VIEW OUR SALARY CALCULATORIf you dont have the budget to be flexible on salary, you may need to consider offering more nonmonetary benefits to attract skilled candidates. Sometimes, unique perks and incentives can make up for a slightly lower salary. If your company offers flexible work arrangements, additional vacation time or attractive extras like free gym memberships, advertise them. Many candidates are looking beyond salary when making decisions, especially if theyre entertaining multiple offers.