Focus, Recruit and Manage A Successful Social Media Team with this 3-Step Process
Think you can't do social media right?Social media is growing so rapidly that it may seem beyond the resources of many small and mid-size businesses. But by concentrating on a simple 3-step process any business can tame social media and make it contribute to company ROI.
STEP 1 – FOCUSThere isn’t enough time or resources to do it all, and it’s not all necessary. In fact, social-savvy businesses are learning that the trick is to focus on those efforts that will yield the most results, then move on to the other very important activities of the company.
Focus begins with dividing the social media platforms (alternatives) into just two groups: The Big Four and All Other.The Big Four of Social MediaThe Big Four are, of course, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Google + (now that Google + has added Business Pages.) More than likely you will use all four, but it is possible that you may have to prioritize your efforts. To get a handle on how to decide, see “
Resource Page For Social Media Teams – Infographic from Mashable.”
Social Media "All Others"All others refer to new platforms like Pinterest that may provide special niche opportunities for your business. Be very selective on what and how many you choose. Discover 5 social media platforms you should follow on the
Resource Page.
The second part of focusing is what to do with each channel you select. Focus on the 3-4 key activities that make a difference. For a “to-do” list go to the “
Resource Page For Social Media Teams." Here you'll find suggestions, many by
Patrick Shea, social media specialist at
Hubspot. (By the way, Patrick’s webinar on social media teams is the inspiration for this article.)
STEP 2 – RECRUITRecruit your social media team. Be open-minded about whom to recruit, reach out into all departments, and use this checklist as a guide. Look for individuals who:
• Have current, active accounts on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Google+ other specialized platforms.
• Have a natural ability to engage and interact with people online.
• Have company knowledge.
• Have unique and interesting hobbies that may be the source of compelling interaction.
• Have a great sense of humor.
• Are great at taking interesting photos and smartphone videos.
• Have special skills such as writing, listening, and promotion development.
Your goal is to be able to assign ownership to each social media platform and to each task.
STEP 3 – MANAGEThere are two levels of management: strategic and tactical
Strategic ManagementStrategic management largely occurs at the ownership/key management level and includes:
• Setting the business objectives of social media (such as brand-building and lead generation), including how to measure and report results.
• Assigning responsibility for platforms and tasks (such as updating LinkedIn status and sharing Facebook comments).
• Assigning responsibility to update the group on the latest developments in each platform.
• Personality and tone of the corporate persona
• Content direction
• Degree of freedom and flexibility of interaction
• Frequency of interaction
• Time and resources to allocate
• Legal and confidentiality issues
Tactical ManagementTactical management means the daily process of engaging and interacting with visitors, and empowering social media team members to be both individual personalities and corporate spokespersons.
LEARN MORE WITH THE SOCIAL MEDIA RESOURCE PAGE.Key TakeawayFollow this 3-step process and you can be up and running with an effective social media program is just a few hours.