You’ve tried doing your own social media marketing and didn’t see an increase in engagement or revenue. The next step was to hire a social media marketing expert. After giving it a few months, you have little to no return on investment.

Before you begin to think negatively about your brand’s product or service, consider this: you chose the wrong person.

That’s right. Not everyone claiming to be a social media guru has what it takes to grow your social presence. Sometimes they have little to no experience. Other times they have no experience in your industry.

Don’t give up on your business. Learn from the experience and ask the right questions when interviewing the next go-around.

Are you not seeing results after hiring a marketing expert for your social media? Keep reading for seven signs the person you hired isn’t meeting the standard.

Signs to Look Out for When Hiring a Social Media Marketing Expert

The best social media experts understand the latest trends. They live and breathe everything social media. Most importantly, they’re driven by success, both yours and theirs.

The ultimate challenge is to see your business grow from the strategies they use. It doesn’t matter if you own an online business or depend solely on brick-and-mortar sales.

When it comes to hiring a social media expert, there should be evidence of their successes. The individual or agency you’re considering hiring needs to show you they know your industry and have checked out your business.

If they’re serious about gaining your business, they should come with a game plan to turn things around. In their presentation, check for the following.

1. They Do Not Understand Your Target Audience

To build a strong marketing campaign, a social media expert understands they first need to know who they’re marketing to. An inexperienced person will not ask about your customer demographics or your competitors.

Instead, they will proceed with the assumption that one-size-fits-all. What worked for one customer will work for all. They’re also incapable of thinking outside the box in order to get a bigger picture of who your ideal client is.

2. No Industry Specialization

A person who considers himself a social media expert has drilled down to what they’re good at. Think of the jack of all trades, master of none. An expert wants to be at the top of their game.

If you go with a social media marketing agency, chances are there’s a team of individuals covering different industries. That’s how the firm markets to their clientele.

In a situation where the person is flying solo or where you hired someone within the company, there needs to be a concentration. Do they specialize in social media for contractors, restaurants, clothing boutiques, etc.?

3. Unfamiliar With Various Platforms

The next sign that your social media expert may not be an expert is a lack of knowledge when it comes to various platforms. A novice knows that each social media platform has its own audience.

If you’re being told to market on Snapchat but your business caters to 45 and older, that’s an issue.

The person you hire needs to understand how social media audiences respond to different types of advertising. Instagram users are more visual. Twitter is more conversational, and YouTube is about videos.

Facebook is best for building and growing relationships.

4. Not Creating SEO Driven Content

One qualification everyone in digital marketing needs is search engine optimization. They need the skills required to steer consumers through the sales funnel. Start by using social media to get consumers to your website.

It is more important for eCommerce sites and websites that rely on online booking.

With new innovations on social media platforms, there are more opportunities to interact with consumers. These include setting up auto-responders, running ads, and sharing blog content.

5. Lack of Imagination When Creating Content

Social media is about engaging your audience. It is also about attracting new followers. To do this, you’ll need attractive and interesting content.

The best social media experts understand the latest trends. They know about image resolution and quality videos. Your reputation is also at stake, so if you see copyrighted content being used, that’s a sign of their inexperience.

Your content needs to be original and in line with your brand’s messaging.

Mistakes in this area can hurt your image. It can also cost you financially.

6. Inexperience Running Ads

Ad dollars are wasted daily by social media people who are not on par with what advertising entails in a digital-driven era. Things like resolution and video quality play a big role.

Is the message clear and concise? Do you have a call-to-action? If you see a lot of money being spent on digital advertising but no uptick in visits to your website, that’s an issue.

It is a sign the ads are not resonating with the intended audience, or that the wrong people are being targeted.

Social media platforms like Twitter and Facebook provide users with a variety of tools to reach consumers. A social media expert is skilled in creating ads that capture audience attention.

7. Disregarding Analytics and Insights

To measure the effectiveness of social media marketing campaigns, there has to be a clear understanding of their reach. Analytical data provided by Google, social media platforms, and your website gives the best evaluation of your social media performance.

Successful marketing experts for social media are excited to share this data with you because it measures their performance. If not, it’s because there is nothing to share.

Hire the Right Team

Not every social media marketing expert is created equal. Hiring the wrong person comes with a learning curve. It should make you more in tune with your business needs and give a clearer picture of who to hire.

Whether you choose a freelancer or a marketing firm, have clear expectations.

If you’re looking for an expert to breathe life into your social media, we’re here to help. To learn more about what we can do for your business, click here.