In the fast-paced industry of social media marketing, there will be instances where your agency will need more people to help you. For example, when you land a new client needing niche expertise on social media, hiring contractors can help ensure your ongoing campaigns are correctly executed.
SMMA contractors are usually responsible for bringing your creative visions to life and executing strategies that drive results. When you find the right one, not only will they complement your strength, but they will also fill the gaps in expertise.
So, if you want to hire top contractors for your social media marketing agency but don’t know where to start, we’re here to help!
As you continue to read, we’ll share the secret to finding A-list contractors for your SMMA and discuss how you can keep them to work with you.
Summary – How to Find Contractors for SMMA
As an SMMA, you are free to work on a project independently. However, seeking the help of contractors in the SMM field can ensure good results for your clients, especially when you find the right people.
Here is a quick rundown of the things we have discussed in the article on how to hire contractors for your Social Media Marketing Agency:
- Relevant Online Platforms for Finding Contractors
- Offline Strategies for Finding Contractors
- How to Filter Good vs. Bad SMMA Contractors
- Tips for Hiring SMMA Contractors
- Managing SMMA Contractors
- Challenges in Working with SMMA Contractors
Relevant Online Platforms for Finding Contractors
Finding good contractors online can be pretty overwhelming, especially with the many available platforms. Don’t worry; we’ll share the best platforms below where you can outsource contractors.
Social media platforms (Facebook, LinkedIn)
Many Social media platforms have transformed from a space for networking to a goldmine for skilled professionals. Some of the few platforms to check out when outsourcing are:
- Facebook: There are now many pages and groups on Facebook where you can find SMM experts. It also makes outreach easier since you can talk to them directly and present your proposal in just one click. However, you should be reminded only to join well-established groups to avoid spammers.
- LinkedIn: The platform has always been a place to find the best professionals. It is a platform where you can find various Social Media Marketing managers and individuals you can contract for a project.
While looking for potential contractors, don’t forget to talk to or interview them to ensure you are both on the same page and agree that you have the same vision for a client project.
Freelancing websites (Upwork, Fiverr)
Upwork and Fiverr are good platforms to explore when hiring freelancers since they host several individuals who offer skills in different SMMA niches. Looking for contractors on these websites is easier since you can easily find their details, portfolios, and customer reviews on their profiles.
When using Upwork to hire contractors, you should maximize the use of these features:
- Filter to search for specific niches: For example, use the term “social media marketing” on the search bar, and results will easily show top-rated freelancers working in the industry.
- Use of screening questions: You can easily include relevant questions on your job posting to filter out all applications quickly.
- Payment protection: Contractors you hire on Upwork will most likely finish their job on time because they’re confident they will get paid. Meanwhile, as the employer, you also have the right to hold payment and file a dispute if they notice that a freelancer logged hours that are not within the scope of the contract.
On the other hand, if you use Fiverr, they have a highlight badge called “Fiverr’s Choice,” which means they are one of the top freelancers on the platform.
Online communities and forums
Platforms like Reddit or other specialized forums are great places to look for professionals and contractors to work with. They have spaces where professionals gather to share insights and showcase their expertise.
You can engage in these communities and identify individuals who can help you with client projects. Talk to them in other communication channels to determine their legitimacy, and at the same time, discuss how you would want them to work as a contractor for your SMMA.
Offline Strategies for Finding Contractors
Amidst the dominance of digital technology, the potency of offline strategies when looking for the perfect contractors for your SMMA is still as effective. You can use your connections to find exceptional contractors through word of mouth, referrals, or face-to-face endorsements.
Referrals from friends and colleagues
If you need to hire someone as soon as possible, looking through social media platforms or freelancing networks may require more time.
Alternatively, you can ask for recommendations from friends and colleagues in the same industry. Through referrals, you can get the most valuable leads. In fact, according to research, marketers of different industries rate referrals as their 2nd-highest source of quality leads.
In addition, working with acquaintances will be easier, especially when discussing terms and prices. Just make sure to separate your personal and work lives.
Networking events and industry conferences
Expanding your social media marketing agency network means occasionally attending networking events and industry conferences. Not only will you be able to gain more knowledge about SMM, but these events can also be a channel to outsource freelancers and contractors.
Have open conversations with people attending the events, and discuss with them your needs.
How to Filter Good vs. Bad SMMA Contractors
Do you know what you need from an SMMA contractor? Not what you want, but what you need!
Your agency must have a fixed requirement of what you want to look for in an SMMA Contractor. If not, we’ll help you know how to filter the best one among the rest.
Evaluate contractor portfolios or case studies
A good SMM Contractor should have a well-made portfolio that showcases their previous work and how they use their style, creativity, and ability to deliver results.
So, what should you look for to know if a social media portfolio is well-made? Here’s a quick cheat sheet you can use:
- Engaging Visuals: Infographics, Images, Videos, or Screenshots of Campaigns make a portfolio engaging and appealing.
- Data Analytics: Important data like engagement metrics, follower growth, and website traffic are just a few data that a good contractor would showcase to convey their expertise.
- Services Offered: Social media marketing covers a huge chunk of the industry, so a professional contractor would most likely have an area of expertise. Among a few services one can offer are:
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- Content creation
- Influencer marketing
- Ads management (Facebook Ads, Google Ads, etc.)
- Social Media SEO
Aside from a portfolio, you should also ask for a sample case study from them to evaluate how they develop effective strategies. Both their portfolio and case studies let you quickly assess the relevance of their skills to your SMMA’s needs.
Assess contractor skills and experience
Not all good social media marketing managers can be a good fit for your agency, so assessing their skills and experience is vital to know whether they are a good fit.
Aside from technical skills, consider their communication, collaboration, and adaptability proficiency. Additionally, if you have a specific client project to assign to them, check how they handle projects similar to the scope and scale of the campaign.
Conduct interviews or assessment tests
During an interview, you should discuss social media marketing and the project you will undertake with the contractor to gauge their understanding of the job. You can also create assessment tests for them to accomplish, where you can measure their skills and capabilities.
With the interview and assessment test results, you can filter the best among all the potential contractors.
Tips for Hiring SMMA Contractors
Recruiting SMMA Contractors can be tedious work, especially if you have enough work on your plate. Still, giving ample time to this is best, especially if you only want to work with the best.
To help you, here are some tips you can use when hiring SMMA contractors.
Create clear job descriptions and expectations
Having a clear job description when outsourcing contractors can help set the expectations for the workload. A detailed and precise job description benefits the contractors and enables you to attract people with the right expertise.
A clear job description should have the following:
- Detailed Duties and Responsibilities
- Required Qualifications
- Working Conditions
- Duration of Contract
Set realistic timelines and budgets
As an SMMA, hiring independent contractors will cost you additional money. We suggest you establish your timeline and budget before you proceed with the hiring.
Once you find someone fit for the job, clearly discuss the project scope, deadline, and financial parameters with them.
Establish effective communication channels
Set up efficient communication channels to contact your agency’s contractors easily. It’s essential to have regular check-ins and a seamless communication system, especially if you have started working with them already.
Make use of platforms like Slack or WhatsApp. You can also utilize project management tools like ClickUp or Trello, which you can use to onboard new people for your SMMA.
Negotiate contracts and payment terms
A good contract should outline well-defined project deliverables, milestones, and payment schedules. Once you develop one, discuss the expectations regarding revisions, additional work, and any potential challenges that might arise during the campaign.
Furthermore, the payment terms should be discussed clearly to ensure understanding. Well-known marketers are more likely to charge higher for their services but feel free to negotiate with them.
Managing SMMA Contractors
Compared to managing your agency’s employees, it’s essential to involve a strategic blend of clear communication, goal-setting, and necessary resources when managing SMMA contractors. A few things you can take note of to manage them effectively are:
- Ongoing project management and supervision: Supervising your contractors will help ensure your project unfolds seamlessly. Moreover, having clear communication, with the help of project management tools, can also help set clear goals and oversee the project for each party.
- Regular check-ins and feedback sessions: Regular check-ins and feedback sessions provide a platform for you and your contractors to share insights, discuss challenges, and receive constructive feedback. Discussing those things helps create a collaborative environment and bring out the best ideas to optimize project outcomes.
- Providing necessary resources and support: You can ensure a project’s success using necessary resources like communication channels, SMM software, and project management tools. You can also support them by enrolling them in training programs, such as what Prospecting on Demand offers.
A responsive approach to these will empower contractors to perform at their best, enhancing the overall efficiency and success of your SMMA projects.
Challenges in Working with SMMA Contractors
Investing in the right social media marketing managers could help you get massive ROI for your agency; however, you inevitably encounter a few challenges when working with them.
Time zone differences and remote work challenges
Hiring contractors or freelancers for your SMMA means you have to outsource professionals across the globe. That being said, the intricacy posed by the time zone difference and dynamics of remote work might be a challenge for you. Among the difficulties you can encounter are:
- Coordinating tasks and maintaining effective communication.
- Scheduling of team meetings.
- Lack of team bonding or social interaction.
Using and implementing agency tools like Slack or email can help bridge the geographical gaps. It would also help if you determine each contractor’s time zone and coordinate with their working hours.
Managing multiple contractors simultaneously
Juggling various projects means you also have to hire multiple contractors simultaneously. Managing them might be overwhelming since each contractor will be assigned to different projects with unique requirements, timelines, and meticulous demands for a campaign.
We recommend using project management tools to improve task assignment and tracking. It will also help keep every project and contractor more synchronous.
Maintaining quality control and consistency
SMMA Contractors are hired to contribute their expertise to the agency. Still, you should ensure their work results align with the brand image.
Maintaining a consistent project output demands a meticulous approach, so you should assign someone on your agency team to supervise your contractors.
By implementing stringent quality control measures, you will be able to provide clients with excellent output and, at the same time, mitigate the challenge of inconsistency and quality control concerns.
Conclusion
Experience is the main factor when hiring a contractor for your SMMA. Of course, you won’t hire someone that won’t give you results.
That being said, focusing on finding the best marketer in the SMM industry is essential. We’ve discussed strategies you’ll need when looking for one, so all you have to do is to implement them.
For a better idea, book a free agency assessment with us. Let Prospecting on Demand show how you can purposefully expand and grow your business!