B2B Tips when outsourcing social media: Here’s what to do – and what you’re saving

Social media is one of the most powerful and cost-effective marketing tools around. There’s just no other way to say it. However, it’s tricky to manage even a small social media presence—especially when you’re also managing other responsibilities – or your team is already stretched for time.

The good news? You don’t have to run your own social media campaign.  

The other good news? You don’t need to hire an entire team – or an employee; instead, you can outsource social media tasks to a social media marketing specialists. 

There are many reasons to look for social media specialists.

• One reason is that social media specialists can help organizations to better understand and use social media platforms.
• Additionally, social media specialists can help organizations to develop and implement social media strategies, and to measure and assess the impact of social media on organizational goals.
• Additionally, social media specialists can provide training and support to employees on how to use social media platforms for organizational purposes
• Finally, social media specialists can help organizations to create and maintain a presence on social media platforms, and to engage with stakeholders on these platforms.

The costs vary depending on what type of service you want and how much work you want done. Some social media marketers charge hourly rates while others offer packages.

The bottom line is that outsourcing social campaigns to a dedicated team provides many benefits to both your business and your target audience.

This article covers a few key points outsourcing social media:

• Its benefits
• Employee cost vs outsourcing social media
• Things to consider before outsourcing social media marketing services

How does outsourcing social media specialist benefit your company?

Whether you decide to outsource your social media efforts completely or only certain aspects, there are plenty of reasons you should consider it.

There are several benefits to outsourcing social media:

• Focus on other digital marketing priorities instead of social media activities

It is important for businesses to focus on other marketing priorities instead of social media.

Social media is an important tool, but it should not be the only focus.

Your marketing team should focus on creating a strong overall marketing strategy that incorporates various channels (social media networks, SEO, SEM, etc.) and tactics.

By outsourcing social media management, you can free up your team to focus on other aspects of your marketing matrix.

What is a marketing matrix?

The marketing matrix includes a variety of information, including the objectives of the marketing campaign, the target audience, the channels (social media profiles being one of them) that will be used to reach the audience, the budget, and the timeline.

This information is then used to create a plan of action- including your overall content strategy – and track the results of the marketing campaign.

The marketing matrix is a valuable tool for B2B businesses of all sizes, as it can help them focus their efforts and ensure that they are getting the most out of their marketing campaigns ROI.

• Reduced labor costs

Outsourcing social media can be an effective way to reduce labor costs.

You already know that paying employees is expensive.

But if you’re not careful, you could end up paying even more in taxes, health insurance, retirement plans and other benefits.

What are costs involved when hiring an employee?

• Base salary
• Onboarding (includes training)
• Insurance (health, life, long-term disability, dental)
• Social security
• Federal and unemployment insurance
• Workers’ compensation insurance
• Background check fees
• Equipment
• Other standard overhead costs

This can quickly and easily add up and consume a large portion of a company’s operating budget.

How much does a B2B company save when outsourcing social media?

So, let us look at the cost of an employee to manage your social media vs. outsourcing social media tasks to a specialist.

As you will see below, the salary and title may not be as high, but the expenses associated with an employee are much higher, including taxes, insurance, and benefits.

Beebole created this nifty table below on how to calculate the real cost of an employee:

So, looking at the table, when hiring an employee to do social media admin for you, the base cost annually is $38,600. And then add to that other associated lists (see above list).

Outsourcing social media to manage your social media marketing campaigns to a company like ours can help your B2B company save 70% annually.

“What company doesn’t want to save money where they are already spending it in order to reallocate it to other initiatives that can further their business” said Dan Bigger of Optessa.

Businesses have to make choices, and in-house employees can be extremely costly. When hiring employees, you have to decide how much you want to spend, whereas outsourcing is cheaper in the long run.

Depending on what tasks you want to outsource; social media marketing cost and savings can vary.

For example, if you only outsource the activity of posting to social media platforms, your costs will be lower than if you outsource the entire social media marketing campaign.

• Get expert help

In social media marketing, there are a lot of factors to consider.

You need to have a strong understanding of your target audience, what platforms to use, and what kind of content to engage with.

You also need to be aware of the latest trends in social media so you can stay ahead of the curve.

And of course, you need to create compelling and engaging content that will get people talking.

Outsourcing your social media marketing can be a great way to get expert help with these.

A good social media marketing agency will have a team of experienced professionals who can help you create a social media strategy that will achieve your business goals.

They can also help you with creating and managing your content, optimizing your posts, and measuring your success.

Not all social media marketing companies can do all these or know how to do these; but those who master the craft can create incredible value for your company.

• Focus on core business competencies

As mentioned earlier, having a dedicated team working on your social media accounts can take time away from your main business activities.

Outsourcing social media allows you to focus more on your business core.

This means that your team can get back to doing what you do best–growing your business, while the social media experts take care of engaging your audience and driving conversions through social media. 

According to a 2022 B2B survey by CMI, “Regarding large companies, 61% indicated last year that they outsourced. This year, the figure was up to 75%. This suggests that in the early phase of the pandemic large companies pulled the reins back on outsourcing but are now back to the practice. In fact, more large companies are  outsourcing now than in 2019 (75% VS. 71%).”

• Increase ROI

One of the biggest reasons B2B businesses decide to outsource their social media is because they want to increase their return on investment.

They understand that by investing in social media, they will reach more potential customers and generate leads faster.

The best way to achieve this is to invest in a managed social media service provider who has experience managing social accounts for years – not the fly-by-night sort (and there are many!).

This means that they already know what works and what doesn’t, so they can save you time and money.

By outsourcing management of your social media channels, you can spend money you saved on staffing into generating new leads and converting existing ones, or to other areas of your business.

Fair Warning: Avoid being scammed

Outsourcing social media management offers opportunity for B2B businesses to gain a competitive advantage over their competitors. However, it also comes with risks.

If your B2B company decides to go down this route, make sure that you only use reputable agencies – or freelancers – and avoid getting scammed. 

This can be tricky, because there are freelancers and agencies that promise the world but don’t deliver. 

Here are a few tips when outsourcing social media marketing:

• First, look for someone who has a lot of experience. This is the most important thing, because experience is the best teacher. Look for someone who has been working in social media marketing for several years.
• Second, look for someone who is up-to-date on the latest trends. Social media is always changing, so you want someone who is keeping up with the latest changes. This will ensure that your marketing strategies stay relevant and effective.
• Third, find someone who has a proven track record. It’s very easy to say that you’ll take care of things, but you need proof. Find someone who has worked with other business-to-business clients and see if they have testimonials.
• Fourth, ask them about their pricing structure. How much does it cost per month? What is included? And what is excluded? Do they charge extra for additional features such as Facebook ads? Make sure that you know exactly what you’re paying for before signing any contracts, or handing off confidential details of your companies to someone else.
• Finally, check their references. Ask around for recommendations or read online reviews. There are plenty of websites out there where you can find reviews of different companies.

So, make sure that you research thoroughly before you sign anything!

Trusted Social Media Marketing Specialists

At Social Success Marketing, we pride ourselves on being the social media agency that puts your company’s best interest.

If our over ten years of experience serving B2B technology and manufacturers has taught us anything, it’s that a one-size-fits-all approach to marketing simply does not work.

We have the expertise and experience to make relevant social networks for your business, so you – or your team – can focus on important day-to-day tasks for business growth, without worrying about your online visibility.

We are experienced and trained in many aspects of social media marketing, including content creation, social media insights, content optimization, social media etiquette, social media advertising and more! 

Integrity, first. That is our goal when working with business customers.

In Conclusion

So there you have it – 5 reasons you should consider outsourcing social media. You now have everything you need to make the right decision for your business.

I hope you found our tips helpful and informative.

Thanks for reading, and if you enjoyed this post on outsourcing social media, please share it with your followers using the social media buttons below!