When working with respected global brands all the way down to small teams, recurring themes consistently emerge around the management of social media teams. So here are seven things you can do:

• to empower your team

• to be a more considerate leader 

• and ultimately provide an environment which gives your content and social media teams the best chance of success

1. Don’t expect one person to do it all

There are individuals who can run social channels single handedly, but that doesn’t mean they should, or are as skilled a copywriter as they are a video editor, or know everything there is to know about paid. Respect the individual human, their strengths and avoid the social media job description meme of expecting them to do everything and anything.

An architect doesn’t also lay the foundations and fit the plumbing. 

2. Think about what ‘Always On’ actually means

In an ideal scenario, your social accounts would be active 24/7, but your staff can't be. Posting to Stories or accepting collaboration posts on a Sunday evening means they can't fully switch off. Failing to properly staff a schedule or having unrealistic expectations for when they are ‘available’ is the fastest way to burnout, job frustration, and rapid staff turnover. 

3. Provide the tools

To create and post content (or even respond to emails) supplying the tools - phone, programmes, licences etc - is a non-negotiable. It’s not enough to cover a mobile contract, as individuals should be able to leave their work ‘equipment’ along with company notifications from social accounts at home when they’re on their personal time.  

4. Everyone has an Instagram account, but…

… this doesn’t mean everyone’s feedback is valuable on every post or piece of content. Of course there should be processes and some approval lines - but make sure it isn’t to such an extent you're inhibiting your team, their creativity and ultimately their skills for which you’ve hired them. It will lead to demotivated employees, vanilla content and your social strategy turning into 'state propaganda'…

5. Feedback personally

What goes out on social is often the most public and most viewed aspect of any business. But this doesn’t mean highlighting mistakes or typos need to be shared with every employee. Everyone makes mistakes from time to time, and everyone knows who’s responsible for the channels. If something is spotted, make sure it’s picked up with them directly rather than having their error called out on a Slack thread or WhatsApp group with the entire company. 

6. Your community manager can help you more than you know

They are the frontline of your business, more often than not someone who sits within your target audience - and they’re at the sharp end of what your customers are saying about your brand. Bringing them into broader company conversations and listening to what they have to say will not only provide valuable strategic insight but it’ll pump up their tyres and confidence as a key part of your organisation. 

7. ‘How do we make this go viral?’

Never say this. You’re effectively asking in a passive aggressive way, ‘can you do your job’.

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Each individual, team and business is different, with varied KPIs and things which make them tick. Consequently, each of these resolutions should be taken as a starting point, to provoke thought leading to actions when looking at your unique circumstances given the resources you have available. 

We’ve helped numerous businesses from Red Bull to Optimum Nutrition along with individuals set up teams for success.

If you’d like to discuss any of these ideas, or find out Something About Us please get in contact.