How to Delegate Social Media Management Like a Pro

That's why being able to delegate your social media presence is a key factor to growing your brand. By entrusting this crucial function to a skilled professional or team, you can maintain a strong social presence without sacrificing your other priorities. But if you've never delegated before, the process can seem daunting. Where do you start? How do you ensure a smooth handoff and ongoing success?

In this guide, we'll walk you through the step-by-step process of delegating your social media management, from defining your goals to finding the right partner and tools. Whether you're looking to outsource to a freelancer, agency, or in-house team member, these principles will set you up for success.

Step 1: Define Your Social Media Goals and Expectations

Before you start the delegation process, it's crucial to get clear on what you want to achieve with your social media presence. Some common social media goals include:

• Increasing brand awareness and reach
• Generating leads and sales
• Providing customer service and support
• Building a community and fostering engagement
• Establishing thought leadership in your industry

Be as specific as possible with your goals, and tie them to measurable metrics. For example, instead of just "increase followers," aim for "grow Instagram followers by 20% over the next quarter."

Next, define your expectations for your social media manager or team. This should include:

• Platforms to manage (e.g., Facebook, Instagram, X, LinkedIn, Threads)
• Posting frequency and schedule
• Types of content to create (e.g., text posts, images, videos, Stories)
• Voice, tone, and brand guidelines to follow
• Community management responsibilities (e.g., responding to comments, DMs)
• Metrics and reporting cadence

Putting your goals and expectations in writing will ensure you and your social media manager are aligned from the start.

Step 2: Choose the Right Social Media Management Tools

To set your social media manager up for success, you'll need to provide access to the right tools and platforms. These may include:

1. Social media scheduling tools: Platforms like Hootsuite, Sprout Social, or Buffer allow you to plan, create, and schedule posts in advance across multiple social networks. This helps maintain a consistent posting cadence and frees up time for other tasks.
2. Content creation tools: Depending on the types of content you plan to post, your social media manager may need access to tools for graphic design (e.g., Canva), video editing (e.g., Adobe Premiere), or copywriting (e.g., Grammarly).
3. Analytics and reporting dashboards: Tools like Hootsuite Insights, Sprout Social, or the native analytics within each social platform provide data on your posts' performance, audience demographics, and more. This allows your social media manager to track progress towards your goals and make data-driven decisions.
4. Communication and collaboration platforms: Using a tool like Slack, Microsoft Teams, or Asana keeps all your social media-related communication and files organized in one place. This is especially important if you're working with a remote or external social media manager.

Before granting access to any tools, make sure to set up the appropriate permissions and security measures, such as two-factor authentication. Provide your social media manager with any necessary training or onboarding to ensure they're comfortable with the tools.

Step 3: Find the Right Social Media Manager or Team

Now that you have your goals, expectations, and tools in place, it's time to find the right person or team to handle your social media management. You have a few options:

1. Hire a freelancer: Platforms like Upwork or Freelancer.com have a wide pool of social media professionals with various specialties and price points. This can be a good option if you have a limited budget or only need part-time support.
2. Work with an agency: Social media marketing agencies offer a more comprehensive solution, often including strategy, content creation, community management, and paid advertising. This can be a good fit if you have a large budget and want a turnkey solution.
3. Delegate to an in-house team member: If you have a marketing team or employee with social media skills, you may choose to delegate social media management internally. This can provide more brand consistency and alignment with other marketing efforts.

4. Work with a provider like Starfish: Starfish provides experienced social media managers with experience at the top agencies and brands, at a fraction of the cost of hiring someone in the US. You can get the best of both worlds, when it comes to vetted and experienced talent, within a budget.

Also check out our guide on how to hire a social media manager.

Whichever route you choose, look for a social media manager who has:

• Experience managing social media for brands in your industry
• A strong portfolio of content and results
• Excellent communication and collaboration skills
• Familiarity with the latest social media trends and best practices
• Alignment with your brand voice and values

Take time to review their work, ask for references, and conduct an interview to ensure a good fit before making a hire.

Step 4: Set a Schedule and Communication Plan

With your social media manager on board, it's important to establish clear guidelines for how you'll work together. This should include:

• A content approval process and timeline (e.g., manager submits drafts 1 week in advance for your review)
• A posting schedule and calendar (e.g., 3 posts per week on Instagram, 5 posts per week on Twitter)
• Regular check-in meetings or reports to review performance and strategy (e.g., weekly status call, monthly analytics report)
• Preferred communication channels for quick questions or updates (e.g., Slack, email)

Put your plan in writing and make sure both you and your social media manager agree to the terms. As you work together, be open to adjusting the plan based on what's working well and what could be improved.

Step 5: Monitor, Measure, and Optimize

Delegating your social media management is not a "set it and forget it" situation. To ensure ongoing success, regularly monitor your social media manager's work and provide feedback. Some key things to review:

• Alignment with brand voice and guidelines
• Quality and engagement of content
• Responsiveness to comments and messages
• Progress towards goals and metrics

Use your analytics tools to track key performance indicators like follower growth, engagement rate, click-throughs to your website, and conversions. Share this data with your social media manager and work together to identify areas for optimization, such as:

• Adjusting posting times for better reach
• Testing new content formats or topics
• Revising your bio and profile links
• Running social media ads or promotions
• Collaborating with influencers or partners

Remember, social media success is an iterative process. Be patient, stay flexible, and keep communicating with your social media manager to continuously improve your results.

Delegate Your Social Media Management with Ease

Feeling overwhelmed by the delegation process? Starfish is here to help. We specialize in connecting businesses like yours with top-tier social media managers who can take your online presence to the next level.

For as little as $3,000 per month, you can tap into the expertise of a dedicated social media professional who will handle everything from content creation to community management to analytics reporting. We take care of the hiring process and match you with a vetted expert who aligns with your brand and goals.