5 Mistakes to Avoid When Hiring a Social Media Agency

In any business, social media plays a vital role in communicating, marketing a product, and reaching out to customers. There are billions of active social media users, and if properly utilized, social media can be a boon to help business grow rapidly. However, many businesses often do not have the right resources to handle the brand image effectively, and this is where social media agencies help out.  

Choosing the right social media agency helps in enhancing a brand’s presence, but at the same time can be quite difficult. Organizations can make very costly mistakes that can lead to a lot of wasted resources, lost prospects, and even a tarnished image. In this article, we discuss five mistakes businesses make in relation to social media agencies and how best to hire them.  

Not Setting Clear Goals

A common mistake we often spot is the businesses not defining their goals and expectations. Strategies are designed and initiatives are taken based on the defined goals. Without defined goals, the agency works aimlessly which leads to unwanted results. To avoid this, set SMART goals - Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound. Goals such as, “I want more followers” can be changed to, “Increase Instagram followers by 20% within 6 months.” Give these goals to the agency so they know if they can meet your needs and strategize accordingly. In addition, establish Key Performance Indicators (KPIs). For example, with regards to brand awareness goals, you can focus on reach, impressions, and follower growth. For lead generation, concentrate on tracking conversion rates. Having set goals and KPIs enables the agency to focus on these specific targets that will work for your business. For instance, if your strategy involves leveraging short-form video content, clearly defined metrics for platforms like TikTok are essential. A precise goal could be to significantly boost SocialBoosting TikTok views within a set timeframe to enhance brand visibility.

Poor Research and Due Diligence

Confirm the agency You’re Planning to Work with Has Past Experience From the Same Industry Focused Agency. Knowing your area of business permits the creation of campaigns tailored to your audience, trends, and the problems you are currently facing. For instance, a tech or e-commerce agency will have insights and experience with your target market and your competitors which will help them build custom tailored strategies. Lastly, Inform them to be clear on how to give reports, their processes, and how much they are charging.Reputable agencies, such as True North Social, will have an open discussion on their methodologies, pricing, and expected outcomes so their clients have a clear idea of value amplification.

Weak Communication and Client Management

Communication is the most important element to get right alongside agency partnership. Miscommunication can easily lead to the misinterpretation of what is being discussed, delays, and needless anger. Focus on how the agencies reach out because their first impression will be their last. Clarity and responsiveness is a vital element and they should be message-oriented. Listening and understanding are very crucial. Prior office interactions have shown that the agencies which communicate broadly from the get-go beat expectations. Establish clear boundaries on how often reports are to be issued and in what manner updates will be dispersed. What is the reporting frequency alongside a set template to be filled. Guarantee them that their requirements would be in the given range. The reporting is done by the assigned account manager whose clients regard the workflows as conducive from their understanding of the business and campaigns help strengthen them. Find an agency that considers itself a partner and not an externally contracted service. This is helpful as it enables collaboration and improves the experience for both parties.

Ignoring Data and Performance Metrics

Evaluating performance based on vanity metrics such as follower and like counts is detrimental. While these metrics are nice to flaunt, they fail to provide insights into the campaign’s effectiveness and the return on investment. Any agency that claims to be reputable would be using these strategies to shape their campaigns. They should track engagement, click, conversion, and cost per acquisition rates as well. Inquire on their measurement and reporting procedures. They should provide explanations that would make the metrics reported actionable. Moreover, inquire about their operations optimization. What are their A/B testing strategies? What are their performance metrics and data strategy adjustment frameworks, and how do they improve and ensure better results? A good agency will ensure that their marketing efforts will always be aligned with the campaign data and with your goals.

Choosing Cost Over Quality

It's understandable to want to save money. However, doing business with the cheapest agency often comes at a cost. These agencies often lack the experience required to conduct business properly, which results in them rushing through campaigns or doing shoddy work. Instead, ask yourself, How much value will the agency add to my business? Start off by dividing their value proposition and ask them to justify their pricing. What value will the agency bring to your business? What services are bundled with the cost? Are there hidden fees charged for reporting or unnoticeable work? An agency with reputational value and a proven track record, albeit more expensive,, will yield better value in the long run. What is your roi? Direct investment with high returns will require a good agency. With the right agency by your side, you will be able to grow and scale your business. Just keep in mind that agencies with guaranteed glorified results at absurd prices often are the worst agencies to go with.  

Conclusion  

Choosing the right social media agency requires both placing your trust in them and is also important for the growth of your business. The essentials begin with proper research, open communication, the setting of clear objectives, utilizing data, and weighing the cost against the value. All of these elements make it easier to find a partner who understands and aligns with your vision and objectives.  

Focusing on the objectives puts your business in the right position for setting social media agency boundaries. Transparent communication, setting a budget that does not prioritize the cheapest options, and social listening strategy also play a major role. All of these elements ensure meeting and even exceeding the set expectations. In combination, they strengthen the business and guarantee results, which in turn allows for easier brand prominence and smoother business growth in the competitive social media environment. Partnering with an experienced agency like True North Social ensures you have the right expertise and strategy to achieve these goals.