Social Media – simar

How to Use Social Media for Small Business

Allison Todd — Mon, 04 Jan 2021 13:30:46 +0000

Currently, there are over 3.72 billion active social media users across the world. Given its grand scale, it is high time that business organizations should consider making use of the lucrative social media platforms to improve the overall ROI. Allison Todd –the Chief Strategist & Founder at SiMar –a leading social media marketing agency, explains social media’s importance for small businesses in the given post.

Currently Social media is indeed a great way to connect with people who are already aware of your brand. At the same time, it also provides an excellent opportunity to reach out to new potential customers and make them aware of the products & services that your brand has to offer. Unlike the common belief, nothing is overwhelming about social media for you to worry about.

Tips on How to Use Social Media for Small Business

Even when you are starting, some simple social media tricks could help you out. The leading digital marketing experts at SiMar –a reputed digital marketing agency, lay out some of the essential social media tips for your small business. Here are some:

Start with a Proper Plan

As you start to implement social media in your business; it is essential you start with a proper plan. Social media tools are immensely simpler to use. You can start over by using organic posts for free to kickstart your social media marketing campaign for beginners. Like every other reliable business marketing strategy, your social media marketing campaign should also start with a proper plan. When you are preparing the right social media plan, here are some additional tips:

Set specific social media objectives.

For instance, you can consider acquiring customers or raising conversion rates instead of just looking for more likes.

Research the competitors.

Relevant competitive analysis can help you to know about working for other businesses in the given niche.

Conduct a proper Social Media audit.

As a part of the audit process, we recommend to look out for impostors that might be stealing your social media reputation.

Decide the Right Platforms for You

There are several social media platforms out there. Some of the famous ones are Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, and others. Depending on your social media marketing goals, you should select the right social media platform to execute the same.

Know Your Audience Well

As you wish to target the respective audience through your social media marketing campaign, we recommend knowing your target audience in the first place. With the help of relevant social media analytics, you can look forward to analyzing the respective behaviors and preferences of the end consumers. Upon customizing your social media marketing strategies based on the users’ interests, you can look forward to gaining optimum success.

Expand the Audience

Once you are aware of the target audience, you can rethink the social media plan. It is time to look out for innovative ways to reach out to more target audience in the given market.

Conclusion

In conclusion, in a small business, it is imperative for you to pay attention to the right social media marketing strategies for optimum results.

Positive Mindset: Retaining Post-Vacation Vibe

Allison Todd — Wed, 01 Nov 2017 12:25:39 +0000

All work and no play is no life at all. Taking a vacation is a great way to de-stress. Imagine 1 to 3 days or more of no emails and voicemails, phonecalls in the middle of the night, deadlines to think of, and heady client meet-ups to attend to. Pure bliss! It helps revive the system and get your creative juices going. But while vacation is proven to do just that, the avalanche of work-related issues can also be sweeping once you go back. So, before you go all depressed upon going back, here are some tips to keep that awesome post-vacay vibe going:

Try to ease down on work commitments. The moment you get back, you may want to have a day or two with no meetings or client meal meet-ups. Focus on answering emails, voicemail’s, and other queries needing immediate attention. This is also a good time to reorganize your calendar and check on work or presentation deadlines. It is best to also review back-to-work priorities set prior to the vacation should something more urgent came up. Address the most urgent ones and leave some of the pleasantries at a later time.

Time to give your office desk a face-lift. By the time you’ll be back, request papers, invoices, and folders of reports may occupy a vast amount of your work space. Sign them up. Send them out. There is nothing more satisfying than having a de-cluttered desk at the end of the day.

While de-cluttering may be foremost on your mind, bring also that sunshine with you. Fresh flowers on a vase will add more warmth to a seemingly dreary office space. If there’s no space for flowers, bring anything colorful like a calendar posted on your cubicle wall. A framed picture of yourself immersed in the sea or sand can also maintain that positive vibe egging you to move forward.

Accept the expected but do it in a stride. It is normal to be stressed with the avalanche of work load greeting you back. Learning how to control such stress levels depend largely on your mindset. Address immediate concerns for 20 to 30 minutes and then, take a break for 5 to 10 minutes. This will bring back a more relaxed system while staying productive all the time.

When work concerns simply swamp you to no end, bring out the iPod out and listen to your choice of music. Reggae and tropical beats add more positive vibe as you go chasing deadlines. Others prefer classical songs to sooth the mind when solving gargantuan task.

Bring more than positive vibe with you by picking up one good habit. It may be to do yoga as the sun rises or to meditate during sunset. Some also made a realization on spending at least a couple of hours outdoors or unplugging from technology will add more positive vibe to a full work week. In most cases, vacations also bring about a sense of clarity on how to bring about work-life balance.

There are 101 optimistic ways of retaining post-vacation vibe. The key is to always look forward to coming back. Work is, after all, your bread and butter—and without it, planning your next getaway will be virtually impossible.

Social Media Fun Facts To Up Your Digital Game in 2017

Allison Todd — Wed, 25 Oct 2017 09:16:50 +0000

Social media fun fact is there are almost 3 billion global active social media users. This number is increasing by 9% annually.

The number of sponsored ads and social media subscribers will grow at a rate of 9% of 3 billion? That’s …hmm, you do the math. Consumers and businesses are all over social media. You can find them on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat, LinkedIn and more. This is a digital venue that allows users to maintain relationships. Those relationships become a great avenue for word-of-mouth recommendations and client reviews. For businesses, these platforms are where you can promote products and services.

As social media continues to grow, the electronic gadgets we use to also continue to evolve. Those gadgets allow real-time activity driven by real-time marketing. Sounds like a win/win but not without challenges. It’s important to stay ahead of the social media by keeping us with the digital trends. To get you started, here are Social Media Fun Facts To Up Your Digital Game in 2017:

You Can Go LIVE with Video

Live streaming has become more popular. We’ve leaped beyond the days where youtube was the only place to use your video. Facebook Live is dominating and Instastories and Snapchats are close behind. But don’t be mistaken, YouTube is still the place to be. Real-time activity with real-time marketing is the key to success. Remove your social media fears and get creative on YouTube, Facebook Live, Snapchat, and Instagram Stories. Ultimately, your business can stay ahead of the competition with a sound video strategy.

You Can Do Business with Social Commerce, 24/7.

Social media is the place where friends become customers and strangers become friends. And social commerce is the ability to purchase products and services during your social media experience. Facebook is making it convenient with the Shop Now option and Twitter with the Buy Now options. They’ve become the one-stop shop for business. It’s the best digital workspace you could image. Of course, you want to use your website as your core foundation but remember to catch your customers where you can. And there are 3 billion waiting on social media.

You Can Increase Customer engagement with Messaging Apps.

The demand for fast response and instant solution is surging. Messaging apps make it easy to achieve both and increase customer engagement. This way you win customers and create ambassadors for your brand. Want to power up your customer service? Download messenger and never miss an opportunity to ensure quick validation and fast interaction. Customers appreciate the fast response and personalized engagement with your business teams.

You Can Create Ingenious Advertising.

It’s opened a new window on organic visibility, paid or sponsored advertising, and a more creative approach for consumers to enjoy your brand. Advertising has become even more pronounced and versatility is the top concern as it becomes global in scope.

You can Upgrade your Social Media.

This year you have seen how brands ever evolving with creative and emerging tactics, to intrigue the social subscribers’ memory, interest and need. But instead of dividing efforts on various platforms, focus on one platform that will deliver the most-est results. Use your other channels to share the interest and gather new prospects while leading them to your product and services awesomeness!

Truly, it is perplexing to imagine a life without social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Google+ or WhatsApp. At least not without a large advertising budget in media and print! Social media has become a part of today’s highly connected society and fast-moving society. To keep up, it’s important to stay relevant, be creative and content, content, content! This way, you guarantee that you keep up in an ever-evolving market and achieve sustainable success.

Business Startup Ideas for Less Than $100

Allison Todd — Tue, 24 Oct 2017 10:00:16 +0000

Business Startup: Long ideas but short on cash?

It’s great to have a good idea but it’s even better to have a working idea. Take a look at these entrepreneurs ideas that have proven to be a success. Here’s a list of the series on Business Startup Idea for Less Than $100 to inspire your entrance into the entrepreneurial world.

Consultancy. If you have the expert level knowledge, that’s expert level advice. Your business startup can be your own consultancy. You can provide advice, management and project tasks. Got a new method for eco-gardening, a superstar on social media or the best-organized assistant, ever? YOU are ready to begin. All you need to do is set-up your digital space, create your social media accounts and start sharing your content. This is where you market your expertise. Join a freelancer site like Upwork or Elance and earn while you grow.
Direct Sales. Be your own boss and work at home. Go into direct selling for established companies like Mary Kay, Rodan + Fields, IT Works! Global and more. You may also set up an online website and organize your own direct sales party.
Professional Organizer. From organizing events to putting things in order in a home, you can monetize your skills and earn. With a 1-page website, active social media accounts and a couple of social media ads – YOU are ready to go! Begin with your network, you’d be surprised how many need to be organized. Don’t forget to ask for referrals.
Homemade Foodie. Do you have a penchant for homemade gourmet foods? You can create your signature chocolates, cakes and pastries and soup mixes to name a few. All you need is access to the food, preferably a farmer’s market, shop local! Oh and cooking skills, of course!
Life Coach. People hire coaches to give them sound, unbiased advice. People want to be led to their success and reminded what assets they possess. This special skill doesn’t require certification but its absolutely preferred. You want something that sets you apart from the rest. You also need to build a strong reputation and work on getting a solid following in the market. When done correctly, this can be a profitable business.
Decorator. The holidays are coming up. People want their homes and tables decorated and more. This is a profitable season for professional decorators. Start taking pictures of everything you do and post those on your social media accounts. Write blogs about your experience and your love of creativity. Let your client referrals be your best marketers. Take note: the whole year is filled with anniversaries and holidays!
Home Companion/Caregiving Services. Help families connect with the right caregivers and companions to a family member in need. With a simple website, some social media and a great network, you can spread the word fast. Sign up with agencies looking for contractors to refer clients. Call other agencies and position yourself as the person they call during overflow.
Rental Services & Sales. Got equipment and stuff lying around at home? Monetize these by renting them or letting go. From lawnmowers to chocolate fountain machine you may be on to something. If you don’t have the equipment, I guarantee you have clothes and clutter that you can post on sites like Letgo, Poshmark, and Facebook (yes you can sell things on FB).

Other business startups for less than $100 are e-book writing, homemade beauty products, personal trainer or chef and so much more. Remember its great to have ideas but its even better to have working ideas. Where you find people don’t have time to things, is a great place to insert the things that you plan to do. The key is to start somewhere and see the entrepreneurial magic to work. If you would like to explore your ideas more, schedule your No-Cost Consultation with one of our SiMar experts, today.

How To Deliver Customer Experience That Counts

Allison Todd — Fri, 20 Oct 2017 12:53:22 +0000

Customer experience can go from bad to worst in a blink of an eye. Do you honestly believe that you have done all that you can as a business entrepreneur in ensuring satisfaction of your customers? Many businesses promise to go the extra mile when it comes to keeping customers engaged and interested in their products, services or brand. At a closer inspection, however, many of these businesses fail due to lack of creativity and sincerity.

When planning to improve customer experience, it is high time to consider these ways:

Give away freebies. Giving away free stuffs always come on top when it comes to keeping customers happy. When giving freebies, however, it is important to consider their relevance. If you are a coffeeshop, personalized thermal mugs and coffee baskets will make great giveaways for special occasions. This strategy allows you to engage your customers and still maintain the marketing and promotional aspect of your brand.

With the continued development of the Internet and social media, offering voice or chat consult and tutorials are also topnotch ideas to deliver strong customer satisfaction. Customers want an easy way out on most everything. When assembly is necessary, they would want someone to guide them through the process. This method does not only provide solution, it also generates a personalized approach which customers will definitely appreciate.

Still on personalization, you may also want to consider customized packaging during trial period. When introducing a product in the market, it is imperative to go to your target market’s perspective. Will the buyer want a transparent bag for those 3-n-1 underwear which they can use for traveling later on? Will they prefer a free laptop bag or laptop skin? How about a design-your-own-bookmark for a book? Create a lasting bond with your customers and maintain or improve it when the trial is over.

Create an app which customers can use in their daily lives while integrating the concept of your products or services. Fitness products may want to offer an app that helps plan a wellness program for its users. This is one subtle way of promoting your fitness products without sounding too nosy. Besides, everyone has a smartphone or tablet these days making apps an excellent choice in ensuring customer satisfaction.

While creating online initiatives may be the most convenient and effective method nowadays, adding a touch of nostalgia by using the post or snail-mail will mean a lot to people. How many of you have received an actual Christmas card from your favorite downtown grocery store? Add a little touch of personalization by signing them and voila! Such a heartfelt act will never go unheeded by the receiver.

Indeed, these ways are known for their effectiveness in developing positive customer experience. The key however, lies with proper timing and the right attitude of doing things. Be reminded that customer experience is still about forging a meaningful bond between your brand and its user-followers. Commit to make your product deliver positive impacts to its users and the society as a whole—and make sure to actively seek out opportunities to optimize such benefits.

5 Ways to Integrate Giving Back to Company Culture

Allison Todd — Wed, 18 Oct 2017 14:33:36 +0000

Many entrepreneurs are now beginning to see the goldmine in building a socially-responsible business. Unlike in the not-so-distant past, today’s businesses have dipped their toes right where they are needed—philanthropy. Giving back has become a culture in many companies as they struggle to find a defining balance between making profits and showing compassion to those in need. While many companies have successfully, there are still others grappling in the dark on what possible courses of action to be done so they can positively integrate the virtue of giving back into their company culture.

To some businesses wherein “giving back” is virtually new territory, there are some ways to make such a regular habit and integrate it successfully into the company’s DNA. Here are ways how:

1. Share your company’s expertise or creative genius. Are you involved in technology and can make a usable app for people with autism, Down Syndrome, epilepsy, and so on? Can you offer financial review or accounting work for a charitable organization? Can you handle digital promotion or marketing campaign for a charitable event? Your business can offer any of these services pro bono and build connection with the community.

2. Of course, the easiest route is to give money to a philanthropic cause. Donation can create a huge impact to the operational capabilities of charitable organizations. When choosing to donate money, however, it is highly recommended to do so within the bounds of the local community. Note carefully the organizations, their causes, and their credibility before you simply sign and mail a check. These community-based organizations may be smaller and less popular than other established ones, but doing so will help you connect directly to the community where your business thrives.

3. Offer products or by-products or perhaps, services. Factories, food shops, bakeries, cafes, restaurants, and other consumable-based businesses may offer what they produce to a particular charitable organization which needs such assistance. Some doughnut companies like Krispy Kreme and Dunkin’ Donuts, for instance, have franchises which donate food items to local charitable organizations on a regular basis. Other service-oriented companies are also keen on offering part of their service packages to these charitable organizations for free. In some cases, these people raise funds by offering part of a new product’s sales proceeds to a cause.

4. Consider volunteerism. Company workers who volunteer together always find it more fulfilling and liberating to interact with one another. It was also proven that employees who do volunteer work together become more cohesive in their actions at work. Volunteering together in an act that constitutes compassion to others tend to forge a closer connection among them. This somehow create a trusting, compassionate, and longer-lasting cooperation in the workplace.

5. Some small businesses also thrive in developing the giving back culture through inspiration. These companies usually do annual activities to raise funds for a charitable organization or a cause they support. Christmas and other holiday luncheons or dinner parties are designed as fundraisers. Personal pre-loved items collected and sold in a garage sale where everyone participates and the proceeds donated to a cause.

Before picking a giving back strategy, consider rallying everyone’s opinion. Seek out suggestions and recommendations. Allowing your employees to freely say their take will not only make the efforts more fulfilling for them, it will also forge mutual respect leading to more cooperation. When done accordingly, you will be surprised at how a seemingly simple act of kindness can make your business mindset more worthwhile.

Client Relations Etiquette for Millennials

Allison Todd — Sat, 14 Oct 2017 23:16:36 +0000

Millennials love to socialize. No doubt about that. This generation of go-getters loves to connect with like-minded people in the hope of amplifying their chances at success in business. With their penchant for both social connections and success, it is only fitting that they learn the trick of the trade when dealing with clients, particularly prospective investors and vendors.

To improve their social graces and stamp good first impression, the following tips come handy.

1. Be punctual and presentable. Always arrive on time, if not ahead of time. When doing so, always come properly dressed with your presentation, proposal or what-have-you perfectly organized. It would be highly inappropriate to keep your clients waiting. If heavy traffic is expected, travel ahead of time. Go for safe fashion choices and have a backup report handy.

2. Be courteous. It is imperative to great a client or clients properly. Interpersonal skills are essential when building client relations. Extend a firm handshake. Maintain good eye contact. When meeting potential clients from a foreign country, it is also imperative that you learn certain customs and traditions to show deep respect. Japanese businessmen, for instance, bow or shake hands while bowing.

3. Be genuinely interested. Listen to a client while he or she speaks. Ask questions. Nod your head to imply approval. Smile when needed, like when a client says a joke. Genuine engagement means you listen and digest what the other party is saying or presenting. People, in general, want to feel that you are genuinely interested to what they are saying.

4. Ask questions but make sure they are relevant. You will obviously come with your own personal agenda but before that, it is essential that you ask questions based on what the client is saying. Identify first what is deemed important by the client. Strike at the main premise of their thoughts and insert your proposed solution. People need solution, but first they want to know that you are listening to them.

5. When meeting over lunch or dinner, or even over casual meet-ups at a coffeeshop or bar, simple but good etiquette must be followed. If you ask for the meeting, pick up the tab. Allow guests to choose the menu and wine or beverage. You may also do appropriate research on clients’ food preference and have a table prepared beforehand. This will show how you value their presence.

6. Always exercise courteousness to everyone. This means, you should not only be polite to the clients but also for others who may be indirectly present during the meeting. Luncheon meetings, for instance, will expose you to the presence of a waiting staff. So make sure to extend good manners to these people.

7. Choose a location that provides excellent food and service without crippling your budget. There are quite a number of restaurants, cafes and watering holes nowadays that can provide you and your clients the privacy needed for the meeting. Make necessary arrangements days prior and call at least an hour prior to the meeting to finalize everything.

8. Like a gracious host, always allow others to start. Basic eating etiquette must also be observed. Do not talk when your mouth is full or chewing with the mouth closed must be taken into mind. Of course, don’t leave a mess.

9. Always steer clear of controversial topics when making small talks. Always keep things on the level, at best, stick to business matters. It is best to ditch controversial subjects or talks centered on partisanship.

10. After the meeting, it is essential to send a confirmation email conveying your gratitude as well as to recap what was agreed upon. Bestow your gratitude for the time provided and reiterate the proposal or business matter at hand. If proposal is accepted, send thanks appropriately.

Most of these client relation etiquettes are taught in school. The main idea is: be respectful to be respected in return. If possible, keep smartphone away during the meeting. Even when silent, it can still prove to be a distraction. Focus accordingly and you will most definitely get what you need.

Ways To Rock Your Business Blog

Allison Todd — Sat, 14 Oct 2017 14:10:41 +0000

It is a known fact that millions of business websites online have different designs or theme, but approximately 82 to 90 percent of them have blogs imbedded therein. Write-ups from these blogs are then shared to their social media accounts to keep their target audience engaged as well as drive traffic into their website. That is the simplest beauty of why having a blog in your website means a lot of difference to the whole marketing and brand-building goals of a business.

Blogging is your way of connecting to your audience on a personal level. It keeps people informed and your promotional efforts to be omnipresent without you sounding like a broken record. But you need to understand that not all blogs are the same. To give you an idea, here’s a quick guide on how to write relevant and helpful blogs that will help connect your thoughts and messages to the psyche of the audience.

1. Write relevant topics. People go to your page for information or solution to their problems. If you sell insurance, write blogs that tell them what insurance to buy for each specific need, how to do it, where to go, and why they should. It is also important to point out relevant information like what causes accidents to happen, how to be prepared and other interrelated notions revolving untoward incidents—which, by the way, is still connected to insurance.

2. When writing almost the same things as everyone, it is important that you present matters in a unique way. While everyone may write about the same notes about insurance, you can add data and numbers into the equation. The Interest is a treasure trove of facts and data—and the least you can do is to create a storyline for it.

3. Be consistent. Like everything else, consistency is the key in maintain interest of a growing audience. So make sure to have a writing style guide handy. Think about keywords and key phrases, grammatical parsing, and tone of voice. There’s a reason why a lawyer’s website is more formal than that of a fashion blogger.

4. Think outside the box. When appealing to a highly diversified audience, it is imperative that you do not pigeonhole yourself into a few topics. Extend your scope to other areas but make sure to maintain the “connection”. You can talk about celebrities having their leg or voice insured—and it’s still within the realm of the insurance business. Subtle yet, the message is still there: an insurance coverage is vital.

5. If you have no time to write or have no interest whatsoever in writing, find employees to delegate the task with. Two employees contributing to the site’s blog at least on a twice to four times a week basis is enough to sustain its traffic needs. Do make sure to get the employees’ commitment when doing so. Consistency, as mentioned, is a vital aspect in business blogging.

6. Feel free also to reach out to third party business consultancy firms who offer digital content management. Allison Todd and her SiMar Inc. digital media team offer comprehensive services to handle such concerns. This allows you to focus on the core responsibilities of the business while maintaining engagement of your target market—at a reasonable cost.

7. Organize a content calendar. Brainstorm with your staff or your third party service provider. Have a central theme and ensure that all topics covered will revolve on that theme. This will guarantee rich content pouring in on a regular basis keeping your audience enthralled by the information and solution your business brings to their lives.

When trying to rock a business blog, it is always imperative to consider three things—relevance, consistency, and constancy. All write-ups must be applicable and timely to the needs of your audience. It must be done in coherent and timely manner. Best of all, commit your site to deliver the right message.

Excellent Business Startups That Always Rake In Profits

Allison Todd — Thu, 12 Oct 2017 22:38:17 +0000

There are a number of reasons why many people dream of opening their own business. Many often disdain the monotony of 9 to 5 jobs, particularly those which offer no room for professional growth. Others also find it hard to go up the corporate ladder due to nepotism and other socio-political issues rounding the business arena. It cannot be denied that many, too, dream of running their own company—one that bears their names or perhaps, the mission they are so keen in pursuing.

When thinking of starting your own business, however, one important contention is always focused on profits. Taking a good look at the business arena as a whole, there are some businesses which, up to this day, remain to be “unshakeable” of the many shenanigans brought by various factors affecting the economy. To give you an idea, here are some low-risk high-return startup business ideas to begin with:

Food Sector

People need food to sustain their health. With more than 350 million inhabitants across 50 states and around 500,000 in Atlanta alone, it is easy to deduce that the food industry has a wide market willingly waiting to be tapped anytime. From bakeries to coffeeshops, diners, brew pub, all-you-can-eat restaurants, catering services, food processing, dessert or pastry shop, food trucks, organic food shops, online grocery delivery, pizza delivery, and other food-based businesses, startup entrepreneurs have plenty of ideas to begin with.

If you want something unique but still relevant to the food industry, you may want to consider what your area needs that it doesn’t have. A feasibility study or a survey may be done. A good start is to find a local business consultancy firm who, more or else, knows the current trend in the area to ensure success.

Franchise Business

Anywhere around the globe, the business of franchising has no sign whatsoever of slowing down. From automotive to food chains to hotels and motels, education, food carts and trucks, restaurants and brewpubs, financial services, retail, oil and gas, and so on—as an entrepreneurial wannabe, the idea of investing in an established brand manifests less risk. All you need to do is find a known franchise and inject your own brand of entrepreneurship particularly in marketing and customer service, and you are definitely in for a good run.

Home Care

Another growing sector in the market is the business of home health care. From caring of elderly people and with disability to birthing and therapy, this business sector promise to be flourishing and more dynamic in the years to come. While this comes with specific compliance, rules and regulations, stiff government policies, huge responsibility and liability, many entrepreneurs have proven that people nowadays wanted services to be more personalized and more convenient.

Indeed, there are more business startup ideas out there to consider. One thing is clear though—it is not always about “making it big” but rather, more on the profit-making side that entrepreneurial wannabes tend to align their thoughts. It is a given to keep a balance between your needs and wants—and applying timely tactics and strategies to ensure your startup business is right on track. With the economy slowly getting rosy, this may just be the perfect time to be the entrepreneur that you long to be.

Social Media Manager: Do You Know What You’re Looking For?

Allison Todd — Sat, 30 Sep 2017 18:27:00 +0000

Is it time for your business to find a social media manager? Whether big or small, businesses today are becoming more dependent to social media in their awareness, marketing and customer service efforts. With millions, if not billions, of monthly active users constantly connecting with one another and add to that the aggressive technological innovations in the mobile industry, these potential targets are a tad too many for businesses to ignore.

Social media, however, is a highly volatile platform. Newcomers and non-tech business owners can easily get lost in this labyrinth. The scary thing is that– one wrong move and a business can easily find its way to the gutter. No wonder the demand for social media manager continue to rise over the years. When thinking of hiring one for the first time, it is essential to know what to look for to prevent ending up with a pseudo-guru wreaking havoc to your social presence.

To give you an idea, here are some guidelines on how to find an excellent social media manager:

Check for experience. Don’t just hand out the keys to your business social kingdom to anyone. Have the temerity to ask for his or her work portfolio. Look how he or she sends out posts or tweets on behalf of those brands. Keep in mind that this person will be representing your business to everyone– customers, partners and prospects, and the general public.

Check for strategic management concepts being espoused. Social media managers are tasked to uphold a brand’s marketing concepts and goals. See to it that he or she shows focus on meeting business objectives.

Verify how he or she build a social community before. Content management is part and parcel of every social media manager’s responsibilities. Engagement must be their cup of tea and sustainable growth must be its master. The way they interact with followers as well as bashers will help give you an idea if one is right for the job.

Consider giving a crisis scenario for a social media manager to solve. Make it an impromptu request. Keep in mind that social crises happen in real time and often, they caught businesses unaware. Through strategies given, you can easily see how he or she responds to such highly risky scenarios.

Paid social is a common strategy nowadays. This means paying ads for Facebook, Twitter or any social media channel of your choice. Knowing how they handle money spent on ads as well as what cost-effective efforts he or she initiated will give you an idea if, indeed, he or she can lift up your bottom line.

A social media manager must also be adept in measuring results. See how they analyze results to fine-tune initiatives as you move forward. Also, check how frequent and how soon they do report back on metrics of particular campaigns.

Social media managers must be considered as a business prime mover. Adequate care must be done when hiring one. If possible, go for a team as “more heads is still better than one.” Overall, look for a social media manager who can nurture your social presence and mentor you on how this volatile system works.