Building a social media team is no easy feat, especially when you’re a team of one. With so many responsibilities already on your plate, developing an impactful social media strategy can feel daunting. But take heart—you’re not alone in this challenge.
Many marketers handle social media duties on top of their other roles. And those dedicated solely to social media frequently work in teams of just five people or less.
Even if your team is small, thinking about how you’ll scale your social media efforts to drive your business goals is crucial. The key is starting with those goals – whether it’s increased sales, greater brand awareness, reputation management, lead generation, recruitment, customer service, or something else.
Knowing your objectives early lets you determine the proper channels, content, campaigns, and team members you’ll need to get there. It also helps you build a roadmap for structuring your social media team for now and for the future.
With some planning and foresight, you can build the social media team you need, even if it’s just you today. This article will walk through the critical steps for developing your social media team over time – from identifying roles and models to securing buy-in and sharing your vision.
Critical Steps for Developing Your Social Media Team
The first crucial step is identifying your core business goals for social media. Are you focused on driving sales and revenue? Building brand awareness? Managing reputation? Customer service? Your goals should inform the channels, content, and campaigns you pursue.
For example, if stellar customer service is the priority, your social media goals and metrics revolve around responding to customers within a certain period. This impacts the channels you can realistically manage, the staff you need for engagement, and whether you need an internal team or agency support.
If your main goal is accelerating sales, you should focus on channels that support advertising, email capture, and promotions. That helps determine the roles you need for content development and campaign execution.
Next, look at your internal stakeholders and understand their needs. Your PR team may want to help to connect with influencers. HR may need support with social recruiting. Getting stakeholder buy-in can help make the case for additional headcount.
Consider any international social media needs as well. Do you need to manage platforms like Xing or Sina Weibo? Different languages, networks, and regulations come into play.
The most common challenge is securing buy-in across the organization. Identify an executive champion who can back your vision and plans.
Outline any roadblocks, like lack of time or staffing, and how social media could benefit from more investment. Use this to build your roadmap for growing the team over time.
With your goals and future vision defined, you can start planning roles, timelines, and resources to make your social media program a reality.
Options for Structuring Your Social Media Team
When building your team, first look at the types of roles you’ll need to support your goals. If customer service is critical, a community manager could be ideal. For creating visual assets, consider a graphic designer or videographer.
If scaling up quickly isn’t feasible, investigate agencies. They can provide cost-effective expertise and fill resource gaps. You might use an agency for content creation or community engagement.
The team structure and how it operates are also essential to consider. Analyst Altimeter outlined five standard social media team models:
- Decentralized – No single department owns social media. Responsibilities are distributed. Typical for early-stage programs.
- Centralized – A standalone team handles all social media activities.
- Hub and Spoke – One central team coordinates with others in the organization. Companies like Red Cross and Virgin use them.
- Multiple Hubs – A core team that works with smaller social media teams in business units. Seen in global companies like IBM, Microsoft, and CNN.
- Holistic – Everyone is involved in social media. Requires extensive training and trust. Used by Dell, Zappos, and Accenture.
Choose the model that aligns best with your goals and culture. This will shape your plan for building the optimal social media team.
Building Your Future Social Media Team
With your goals, roles, and team structure defined, here are steps to build your future social media team:
- Set 1–3-year business and social media goals based on stakeholder needs.
- Identify the roles you’ll need to support those goals. Consider both in-house and agency talent.
- Create a timeline for hitting your goals and scaling up the team. Be realistic.
- Secure the budget and resources you’ll need through stakeholder buy-in.
- Evangelize the plan across your organization. Get alignment through a shared vision.
- Revisit and refine the plan regularly as goals and needs evolve. Be agile.
Having a strategic plan and vision for your social media team is key, even if you’re starting small. You can build the justification and buy-in needed to grow by outlining future objectives, roles, and timelines.
Start where you are while keeping the end goal in mind. With consistent planning and advocacy, you can develop the social media team your business needs. Even if you’re a team of one now, don’t lose sight of where you want to be.
Key Takeaways to Build Your Social Media Team
Choose the Right Social Platforms
The first step is identifying 1-3 social platforms that best align with your business goals and audience. The main options are:
Research where your target audience spends time online. Then choose just a few platforms to focus on at first. It’s better to excel on one or two networks rather than spread yourself thin.
Key Takeaway: Carefully choose 1-3 social platforms to prioritize based on your goals and audience.
Set Measurable Goals
Define 2-3 concrete social media goals aligned with your overall business objectives. Common examples are:
- Increase website traffic by 30%
- Gain 5,000 new followers
- Boost engagement rate to 4%
Track key metrics like reach, shares, clicks, and conversions to measure progress. Use this data to refine your strategy.
Key Takeaway: Set specific, measurable social media goals for business needs.
Develop a Content Strategy
Create a recurring content calendar including:
- Blog posts
- Videos
- Infographics
- Live videos
- Events
Focus on valuable, engaging content that aligns with your goals. Post consistently 2-3 times per week per platform.
Key Takeaway: Plan quality content tied to your goals and post consistently.
Build Your Team
Bringing it all together, here are the key steps to build your social media team over time as a beginner:
Hire Help or Outsource
Consider hiring a social media manager, virtual assistant, or agency to help execute your strategy, especially in the initial stages.
Start Small
Structure your team in the centralized model first. This means one dedicated social media person or team handles it all.
Prioritize Customer Service
Focus on community management and engagement as a priority early on. Nail the basics first.
Create an Editorial Calendar
Use an editorial calendar to plan content across channels and assign creation duties.
Invest in Tools
Allocate budget for tools like Hootsuite, Buffer, Canva, etc. to create efficiency.
Expand Slowly
As you grow, consider expanding into a Hub-and-Spoke structure with social experts in PR, HR, and Sales departments.
Re-Evaluate Quarterly
Review your team structure and staffing needs every 3-6 months as your social presence evolves.
Key Takeaway: Start small, prioritize community management, and slowly expand your social media team.
Conclusion
Building a stellar social media team takes time, planning, and vision – but it’s doable, even if you’re starting solo. Define your core business goals and how social media can help achieve them. Outline the roles, resources, and models needed to execute your objectives.
Create a roadmap for structuring your team over time based on realistic milestones. And secure buy-in across your organization through a shared vision of future success.
With the right preparation and advocacy, you can make your ideal social media team a reality, driving greater value for your business. Don’t let current limitations stop you from planning for the team you want and need.
The key is starting with the end goal in mind and working consistently to get there. Build your social media strategy step-by-step, leveraging internal and external resources. Before you know it, you’ll have the robust, high-impact social media team you set out to create.
Building a social media team as a beginner takes time but is doable with the right strategic approach. Focus on nailing the fundamentals first. As your presence grows, re-evaluate your team’s structure and staffing regularly. You can develop the social media team your business needs with a methodical, step-by-step process.
Social Media Team Building FAQ
Q. Why is it important to have a social media team?
A. Having a dedicated social media team allows you to develop and execute a cohesive strategy across platforms. It provides the focus and resources needed to create quality content, engage your audience, and achieve your goals. The expertise of a social team is invaluable.
Q. What are the first steps in building a social media team?
A. Start by setting concrete goals tied to business objectives. Choose 1-3 platforms to focus on based on your audience. Develop a content strategy and calendar. Hire help or outsource tasks if needed. Structure your team with a centralized model first. Focus initially on community management and the fundamentals before expanding.
Q. How many people do I need on my social media team?
A. When starting out, you may only need 1-2 people dedicated to social media. Have them handle strategy, content creation, community management, ads, and reporting. Expand into a hub-and-spoke model with social experts in departments like PR, HR, and Sales as you grow. Let your goals and content workload determine team size.
Q. What tools does a social media team need?
A. Some essential tools include social media management platforms like Hootsuite, content creation tools like Canva, analytical tools like Sprout Social, automation tools like Buffer, online calendars, and collaborative software like Slack. Evaluate tools that will maximize efficiency.
Q. How much should I budget for my social media team?
A. Budget at least a few thousand monthly for part-time help or tools. The budget can range from $50k-$150k+ annually for agencies or full-time staff. Set reasonable budgets based on resources available, and be sure to track ROI.
Q. How do I get buy-in to grow our social media team?
A. Show how an expanded social media presence can drive lead generation, sales, recruiting, branding, and other organizational goals. Frame success metrics executives care about—partner with department stakeholders. Start small and demonstrate results before making a big ask.
Glossary
Social Media Platforms: The core social networks like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube, TikTok, etc.
Organic Content: Social media posts you create and share without paying to promote them.
Paid Ads: Social media ads you amplify through paying the platform.
Influencers: Popular social media accounts with a large, engaged following in a niche.
ROI: Return on investment. The metrics show the financial return from social media efforts compared to costs.
KPIs: Key performance indicators. Important metrics are used to measure progress toward social media goals. Examples are reach, engagement rate, clicks, and conversions.
Editorial Calendar: A calendar used to plan and schedule social media content in advance. Helps organize content creation.
Community Management: The process of monitoring, posting, and engaging with users on social platforms. Building relationships.
Tools: Software programs and apps designed to make social media management easier. Examples are Hootsuite, Canva, and Buffer.
Stakeholders: People within your company or organization with an interest or “stake” in social media strategy.
Hub-and-Spoke Model: A team structure with a central “hub” social media team coordinating with smaller “spoke” teams in departments.
