As the saying goes…if you’re going to do something, do it right.

This tried and true philosophy rings just as true today for any businesses entering into social media marketing.

For small businesses and entrepreneurs, it is not uncommon to find the owners and employees wearing many hats – from new business development to accounting to customer service. And now, if they don’t also dawn the social media marketing cap…they’ll be left behind.

According to Maria Veltre, Executive Vice President of Citi’s Small Business Segment…

“While social media can provide additional channels to network and help grow a business, many small businesses may not have the manpower or the time required take advantage of them.”

Social Media Marketing is more vital than ever for businesses of any size to gain exposure and compete in the marketplace. When a business attempts to undertake this type of marketing themselves, they can set themselves up for failure and summarily dismiss an impactful, powerful marketing tool.

Enter the Social Media Marketing Specialist.

Hiring a trained social media marketing professional to strategize and execute your social media for your business is a smart decision on many levels.

A Social Media Marketing Specialist will:

• Develop a strategy based on your marketing goals ensuring that you enter into the correct social platforms for your business objectives.
• Open the proper social accounts, brand them and build them out according to the set strategy.
• Provide the opportunity for subscription-based social media monitoring that would otherwise be unavailable or unaffordable and simply overwhelming to the individual business.
• Cross pollinate all of your social platforms with each other to reinforce your brand and your presence across the social universe.
• A Social Media Marketing Specialist knows the culture of each social platform, the nuances, and how to best engage on behalf of their client.
• In addition, some strategists also offer maintenance and growth plans so that small business owners can concentrate on what they do best- their business while resting assured that their social media accounts are working hard for them.  It is often overlooked that social media marketing takes a great deal of time, and without the proper time & attention, a businesses social media accounts will not succeed.
• A good SMM Specialist will also be able to provide a set of success metrics, ROI reporting and be able to optimize your social media marketing campaign based on these metrics.
• Stay on top of the ever-changing social world, applications and developments to guide their clients successfully into new and appropriate opportunities. Again, a time-consuming effort that a typical business does not allow for.
• Provide the reassurance & expertise to amplify your brand, enhance your reputation and drive traffic/increase sales.

Social media marketing, executed and measured strategically, cannot be done well by anyone and it is not free! Time (and a great deal of it) and expertise are your investments into a well-strategized, executed and measurable social media campaign.

Harp Social has the certified expertise, tools and social media acumen to take your SEO and social media marketing campaigns to the next level. Find out how we can help you use search marketing and social media more effectively for your business. Email or call 630.691.9500 today to get started today!

Diane Rayfield is an ISMA Certified Founding Member and Social Media Marketing Specialist for Harp Social.