You are a business owner, a specialist in your field and you’re doing great. You know your industry, clients and your unique selling point.  Obviously you could do better and you understand that the competition is fierce. That’s why you set up social media channels for your business. You can see the benefits of having them and well, everyone else has got them too. Social media gives you the benefit of having a free exposure. There are over 225 million online users in the world. You can reach thousands of your potential customers for free. That’s great, isn’t it?  If you compare similar exposure with a television or newspaper advert, the cost difference is astonishing. Most CEOs wouldn’t want to waste this opportunity. Therefore, having a social media presence simply became an inseparable part of every business. Now the questions is: Who should manage all these social media platforms, you or a social media agency?

What all business owners have in common? They all have to make decisions what to spend money on and where to save. Probably a lot of you thought that they can do social media themselves. It’s easy: take a random photo and click publish. Job done! In fact, many of you probably use automated programmes to make your life even easier. You post something on Instagram and then it goes everywhere.

But let me tell you a secret:

Having automated social media channels can harm your business.

Having to do social media every now and then without any strategic plan because you are simply too busy can also harm your business.

Would it be okay if I gave a few reasons why you may want to outsource it?

1. You’re not an expert.

Although you are great in your field, you are not a social media specialist. Stealing photos from Google instead of designing all the content yourself simply won’t work. Social media should be interesting and eye – catching. Certainly your company’s social media channels should be better than everyone else’s, right? In that case, why don’t you leave it to someone who has done it for years and knows exactly how to attract more clients?

2. Time.

If you are managing your company’s social media, it means that you are spending time on something that isn’t your expertise. Why don’t you focus on tasks you do best – growing your business instead? Let’s face it, social media has to be done consistently. If you outsource it to an agency, it will get done, no matter what. It won’t matter whether someone is ill or missed the train or was too busy. Customers enquire sometimes in the middle of the night. Hiring an agency gives you a benefit of having someone to speak to them immediately. They can take care of it for you so you simply won’t have to think or worry about it ever again.

3. Money.

How much would it cost to employ an experienced social media marketing expert? Although having someone in house has many benefits, it is expensive. As an employer you have to also think of a holiday pay and pension. Outsourcing your social media is simply more efficient and cost effective.

Outsourcing social media for your company may mean that you won’t have as much control over what gets posted and when. You will have to just let it go and trust that someone will do a good job. Remember that at the end of the day you are a client. A social media agency will do their best to make sure that your brand is promoted and portrayed in an interesting and eye catching way. They will connect with your clients and come up with ideas how else they can make your business stand out among others. The goal here is to impress your customers, to raise the brand awareness and to provide the best possible customer service.

Social media is of those things you can technically do yourself. The questions is… should you?