How important is it to hire a social media specialist for your social media marketing? We all know that social media can communicate with customers and give brand exposure, and social media has moved companies and customers from mere “purchasing” to “sharing and engaging.”

The importance of hiring a social media specialist may be moot and academic based on statistics alone. Seventy-one percent of online purchasers now buy based on social media referrals. 4 out of 10 social media visitors buy online after sharing a certain company’s social media content. Eighty-one percent of startup small and medium-sized businesses start their online marketing with social media even before getting their website. When hiring a social media specialist in the market, look for these “special skills” that mark them as specialists.

Social Innovator

Naturally, since what’s involved in social media, a social strategist should also be an innovator. There are no written rules and regulations for social media marketing, so usually, it is experience and trial-and-error that dictate this type of marketing. An innovator should still have a set plan for social media marketing. Being an innovator also means coming up with unique content for posting. Social media is ever-changing, so being an innovator also means being dynamic, creative, and having critical analysis. An innovator should always have total brand engagement and strengthened customer relationships as part of their special skills.

Strategy demands experience and much practice. The strategy is always to achieve what the brand sets out for and use social media. Anything less than this, and the strategy falls apart. Strategic thinking should also always be aligned with a company’s business goals and objectives.

Risk Taker

All types of marketing carry their risks, and social media special skills are not exempt from this. Social media marketing should also include risk management. A brand can be made or broken in just one post, a single tweet, or a wrong picture. Brand protection should be a top priority by addressing ALL issues, complaints, concerns, and comments as fast as yesterday and releasing additional information to strengthen the brand’s credibility. Always listen to everything your customers and followers say, no matter how trivial.

A Social Media Specialist Knows How to Use the Right Tools

Social media analytics

These aren’t ordinary numbers and statistics like those used for traditional marketing. You need solid evidence to back you up to create better content. Social media analytics means converting all this information into a marketing strategy. Many social media analytic tools are available online, and most of them are free. These tools can help you analyze what types of content you share, how many active followers are, and how many likes are human and not bots.