Hiring a Social Media Manager: A 2025 Step-by-Step Guide

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In today's digital landscape, a strong social media presence is crucial for business success. But managing social media effectively can be a challenge. This article provides a proven five-step system to find a great social media manager who's affordable, knowledgeable, and can help you achieve your business goals, even in the evolving world of 2025. Say goodbye to social media headaches and hello to increased engagement and brand visibility!

Key Points for Hiring a Social Media Manager in 2025

Avoid common mistakes like hiring based on price alone or failing to define your social media goals.

Identify the key traits of a successful social media manager, including attention to detail, storytelling ability, and empathy.

Explore various platforms to find talent, such as Upwork, Twitter, and even Instagram Threads.

Learn how to effectively judge a candidate's portfolio, focusing on their past results and client testimonials.

Understand the typical budget range for a social media manager and explore cost-effective solutions like Flick.

Step 1: Avoiding Common Social Media Hiring Mistakes

The 'Too Good to Be True' Trap

One of the biggest pitfalls in hiring a social media manager is falling for offers that seem too good to be true. If someone promises you the world for a ridiculously low price, be wary.

It’s almost guaranteed that they'll under-deliver or even scam you. This is especially true in 2025, where the social media landscape is increasingly sophisticated, and expert knowledge is highly valued. Always do your research, check reviews, and trust your gut. Social media success requires a strategic, long-term approach, and cheap shortcuts rarely work.

It's important to approach new social media manager candidates with caution to make sure you don't waste your time and money on someone who doesn't have the expertise needed to bring real results to your company. If a candidate for social media management sounds too good to be true, trust your instincts and find someone else.

Knowing What You Want & Setting Realistic Expectations

Before you even begin your search for a social media manager, clearly define your social media goals. What platforms do you want to be active on? Why? Are your target customers even there? How often do you want to post? What level of involvement are you willing to commit to content creation?

Without these answers, you won’t know what skills and experience to look for. It’s like trying to build a house without a blueprint.

For example, you should ask yourself:

  • What platforms do you want to be posting on?
  • Why are your customers actually there?
  • How often do you want to be posting on a weekly or monthly basis?
  • How involved do you want to be on the creation of the content for the brand or business?

Moreover, if you expect Instant results or a miracle turnaround, you're setting yourself up for disappointment. Social media growth takes time, consistency, and a well-defined strategy. Adjust your expectations based on the candidate's previous experience and performance, but remember that every business is different, and past success doesn't guarantee future outcomes. However, it may be best to find a candidate who had great results at previous jobs.

Avoiding Long-Term Contracts Prematurely

Don’t rush into a long-term agreement with a social media manager without first testing the waters.

Social media strategies require time to implement and show results, a three-to-six-month commitment may be reasonable. However, be wary of anyone pushing for a year-long contract upfront, especially if they don't have a proven track Record of success. They will likely rip you off, guaranteed. Give yourself the flexibility to adjust your strategy or find a new manager if things aren't working out.

It is important to be on the lookout and always avoid potential new hires if:

  • They don't have an overwhelming amount of previous success.
  • They require you to lock into a year-long agreement or longer.

What is Flick?

All you need to know

Flick is the in-house team that will help you save you time and build your brand on social media. They will get help with content creation, strategy, planning, and Scheduling of your posts for affordable rates. When you choose Flick, you will have a better ability to:

  • Receive a tailored social media plan, strategy, and posting schedule. This ensures you reach your goals.
  • Content Creation ensures marketers create amazing, brand-on content.
  • Every week, your posts are optimized and added to a shared calendar, ready for approval and publishing.

Pros and Cons of Hiring a Social Media Manager

👍 Pros

Increased brand awareness and visibility

Improved customer engagement and loyalty

Higher website traffic and lead generation

Streamlined social media strategy and execution

Access to expert knowledge and tools

👎 Cons

Cost of salary or freelance fees

Potential for communication challenges or misalignment with brand values

Need to invest time in training and onboarding

Risk of hiring the wrong person or agency.

Frequently Asked Questions About Social Media Manager

What does a social media manager do?
A social media manager handles a company's entire social media presence, including creating content, scheduling posts, engaging with followers, analyzing data, and developing marketing strategies. They are the voice of your brand online.
How much should I pay a social media manager?
Salaries vary widely based on experience, skills, and location. You can expect to pay anywhere from $500 to $5,000+ per month.
Is it better to hire a social media manager or use an agency?
The best option depends on your budget, needs, and level of involvement. An agency offers a full suite of services, while a social media manager provides more personalized attention and flexibility.
How do I make sure I have hired the right social media manager?
There are a multitude of tell-tale signs that will dictate if you have hired the proper social media manager and whether or not they bring the right value. If all or most of the things on this list are checked off, there is a great chance they are the hire you want. Great success at other jobs. Great portfolio of previous clients. Can think analytical thoughts.

Related Questions About Social Media Manager

Is social media marketing important for small businesses?
Social media is the cornerstone for any business that wants to see any chance of real success in the long term. It is how business’ get their name out, how they target their customer base, and more. Any brand that wants to see any success should have someone who is dedicated to social media so they can continue to engage with their customers and more. So why is social media so important for small businesses? Let’s take a look Targeting: It’s important to have great targeting when marketing, but if you can’t do that, then you won’t attract the right customers. You must identify your target audience, build campaigns that resonate with them, and see the results you need to continue growing your company. Social media allows for a variety of tools and options to help make the most out of your reach to your customers. Engagement: Social media provides a chance for businesses to engage more directly with their core customer base. With the ease of access and ability to comment and ask questions, any customer is only a few clicks away from finding out all they can about your company. Traffic: Being able to be one click away from your company makes traffic easy, but you have to be creating engaging content to make them want to get to your page. Direct website links make it easy to go directly to your online store or whatever else you want to drive traffic to.
How can a social media manager benefit your business?
A social media manager has a multitude of benefits that make them a great hire for your company. However, sometimes knowing what they do and how they benefit you is easier said than done. A social media manager can help you by doing the following: Build a Brand: One of the main reasons to get a social media manager is to build your brand. Building a consistent and engaging brand presence on social media will help increase brand recognition, customer loyalty, and your ability to attract your target audience. By working with a consistent brand, social media managers can truly grow the value and prestige of any company they work for. Create Content: Social media requires consistent and engaging content, and social media managers are typically trained to be able to create these interesting pieces. They create and curate high-quality blog posts, images, reels, and videos that help make sure you get all the things you need from the content created. Strategize Campaigns: Social media is also an entire game of strategy and careful calculation. Being able to build your strategy with a social media manager will have a great impact on any company. Whether that is SEO, ad creation, or more, a good social media manager is capable of planning and executing digital marketing campaigns that align with business goals and maximize the potential for return on investment.

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