What to Expect When Hiring a Social Media Manager: A Step-by-Step Guide

Sandra Baucom
May 21
3 min read

Updated: May 21

Social media is no longer just a fun place to post vacation pics and food shots—it’s where today’s consumers go to connect, research, and make buying decisions. But for business owners already juggling a million responsibilities, keeping up with consistent, strategic posting can feel overwhelming.

If you’ve ever asked yourself, “What does a social media manager even do, and do I really need one?”—you’re not alone.

Let’s walk through what it actually looks like to work with a social media manager, what you can expect, and how the right help can bring your brand to life online.

Why Your Business Needs a Social Media Presence

Here’s a quick reality check from DemandSage:

73% of Americans—that’s over 250 million people—use social media.
Users spend more than 2 hours every day on various platforms.
People switch between an average of 6.8 different platforms per month.
Facebook alone boasts over 3 billion active users.

If your business isn’t showing up regularly in the feeds of potential customers, it’s likely you’re missing out on valuable brand awareness, traffic, and even sales.

Common Struggles That Lead Business Owners to Seek Help

If you’ve found yourself:

Staring at a blank screen, unsure what to post next
Posting inconsistently (or not at all)
Feeling frustrated with low engagement
Wondering if it’s even worth the effort

…it might be time to consider hiring a social media manager.

What Exactly Does a Social Media Manager Do?

A social media manager does much more than “post stuff.” Think of us as your brand’s digital ambassador—strategizing, creating, and engaging on your behalf to make your business more visible and more valuable online.

Here’s how the process typically works:

Audit & Strategy

It all starts with an in-depth look at your current online presence—your website, social media pages, and online reviews. From there, we develop a clear plan based on your goals.

Some key questions we address:

Who is your target audience?
Which platforms make the most sense for your brand?
Are we focused on building awareness, driving traffic, or generating leads—or all of the above?

Once we answer these, we’ll build a digital brand style guide and a content calendar tailored just for you.

Content Creation

This is where the fun starts. Using your strategy as a roadmap, your social media manager creates original, on-brand content that speaks to your audience’s interests, needs, and goals.

Great content isn't random. It’s balanced using tools like the 5-3-2 rule:

5 posts that offer value
3 posts that are soft-promotional or behind-the-scenes
2 posts that are fun or personal to help humanize your brand

Consistency is key—both in visuals and in voice. Over time, this helps build trust and recognition.

Daily Engagement

This is often the hidden gem of social media management.

We don’t just post and walk away. A good social media manager:

Responds to comments and questions
Engages in relevant groups
Starts and joins conversations to increase visibility and grow your following

We also keep our ears to the ground through social listening, helping you stay in tune with what your audience is saying and feeling.

Analytics & Optimization

What’s working? What’s not? A professional manager tracks key metrics like:

Engagement (likes, comments, shares)
Follower growth
Website clicks from social media
Best-performing post types and timing

Monthly reports help you see what’s happening behind the scenes. Even better? We use those insights to adjust your strategy and content for stronger results over time.

Real-World Example: RV Park Client

One of our clients—an RV park—has seen consistent growth in followers and engagement in the past couple weeks without spending a dime on ads. How? A solid content plan, steady posting, and ongoing audience interaction.

Another key component? Online Review Management. In just three weeks, proactive engagement helped build more credibility and increased visibility across platforms like Google and Facebook.