Social media can be a really powerful way to connect with and build deeper relationships with your audience – but it can be extremely time consuming. So, we asked some folks we admire to share how they manage their social profiles and whether they’ve hired professionals to help.

Colleen Smith

I currently manage my own social media platforms. I feel as if this is the best way to stay true and authentic to my followers. I have grown organically over 15k followers over the last year. It has been hard staying consistent and coming up with new and engaging content but it’s worth the results! Read more>>

Litzy Cobon

Hello thank you for having me here today and give me a platform to share my business. I do manage my own social media and create my own content. When I first started my business mid pandemic social media became everyone’s portfolio and business card, so from the start I knew I had to take advantage of the resources I had I knew it was a way to share my talent. It hasn’t been easy and even till this day I wouldn’t say my content is where I want it to be now but personally I’m a very picky person and I don’t think I could let someone else manage my pages or create my content, just because I like things to be done a certain way and if it doesn’t come out good then I can only blame myself. Read more>>

Ana DeJesus

I currently manage my own social media. The results have been amazing through Facebook especially with the groups local to my area and surrounding areas. It is a wonderful way to advertise what you do locally. Read more>>

Jackie Rodman

I manage my social media all by myself! I am both the graphic designer and marketing team in one. I design all my reels, my posts, and stories myself. It can sometimes be hard managing it all but I make it work. One tip I would give is to show your audience and clients your true most authentic self. It helps your clients get to know you better and your personality. Clients always want to see both a person and professional who is both caring, genuine and relatable. Read more>>

Mary Ralph Lawson

Social media has always been second nature for me – I organically gained my own following in high school and then started my own social media agency in college, so when Kennedy and I started Daily Drills, I was excited to make our social media accounts an exciting follow. Three years later, I am still running all of our social media accounts, with the help of an intern here and there. It just made sense for me to manage our socials, considering I have years of experience of building brands’ social media presence under my belt, and it stuck! But I truly do just enjoy it. Taking an idea in my head, bringing it to life in a photo shoot, and then sharing it with our followers is something that I’ll never get tired of. Read more>>

Julie Parker

We all do our own social media marketing (that’s exactly what it is when you’re doing it for your business). Our team is made up of people who have used social media in their current and previous roles and they know use it to share valuable information about the media, crisis communications, and about social media itself, as well as to promote the work Julie Parker Communications is doing nationwide. We have a team of former reporters, current and former police spokespeople, and current and former police chiefs. The use of social media has been integral to everybody’s job. Read more>>

BG Boyd

I run my social media accounts myself and honestly it is pretty draining and I really only do the bare minimum right now. I am a computer programmer so I was able to write a neat program to allow me to post to many of the social media platforms all at once, which was nice. That has changed though and it is harder and harder to maintain that api access. Read more>>

Teddy Baker

I’ve always managed my own social media, but it hasn’t always been easy. The hair industry has changed drastically since my debut on the scene in 2007. Word of mouth still exists, but social media has greatly impacted how clients seek out their stylists. Not going to lie, I really dragged my feet jumping on the stylist social media thing. I had just seen so many that looked the same so I honestly didn’t even have a hair page until I opened a private studio in Manhattan in 2016. Even then, I didn’t post much because I wasn’t looking for new clients. I was booked a few months out, so unless I was SUPER excited about something I was doing behind the chair no photos were being taken. I had 300 followers on Instagram and they were friends, family, & clients. Read more>>

Shana Lemon

I have hired a company to do my social media for the past several years. I haven’t had them do Instagram because I wanted that to stay personal. I chose to have someone else do it years ago because I just didn’t have time to spend on coming up with relevant posts as often as I needed to. I thought the posts had to be on topic and informational and I just wanted to take care of my clients and fellow therapists. The results have been ok, but honestly I think people want something more unique and personal. The information is great, but people don’t have time for that. They want to know what the studio looks like, how much services cost, and if they are going to vibe with the place in general. If you have the time to make your social media about your specific space and the people that make it what it is I say do it yourself. A goal of mine is to start to take it over and make it about the day to day and see what the results are! Read more>>

Carmen Gulotta

I personally manage my social media for GuloShoots. This choice aligns with my focus on authenticity, personal branding, and immediate engagement with my audience. As a solo entrepreneur, my personal brand is closely tied to my business, and managing my social media allows me to maintain an authentic voice and a genuine connection with my audience. It’s a direct channel for me to showcase not only the quality of my work but also my personal style and vision. This approach has proven successful, leading to increased engagement, a growing number of followers, and a direct impact on bookings and inquiries. Read more>>

Marie Prigent

Initially, I managed my social media to forge an authentic bond with my audience. However, I soon realized the value of specialized expertise. Thus, I turned to a communication professional. Not only did he refine the presentation and tone of my content, maintaining its genuine essence, but he also automated a significant portion of the social media workload. With his guidance in various communication aspects, I can now focus solely on my clients and my work. The outcome? An enhanced content strategy, heightened engagement, and more time devoted to what truly matters. Read more>>

Alexander Nicolazzi

I’ve been managing the social media since we launched in 2015. Not only is it fun and exciting, but I get a first-hand look at who my audiences, and what they desire. This helps me plan designs for future releases.. Read more>>

Elliott Smith

I actually run my own’ Social media platforms. I think it’s very very important as CEO/Owner, that you be front facing, and not always have people managing your social. One thing to take in mind is that you have to be organic and that’s what I do with my social media. Allowing myself to be creative and as I’m creating I may post or if I come across something as I’m driving or traveling or just hanging out with friends or I think of something I’m able to post it at that moment and I don’t have to go to agency or third party service and wait a couple of hours a few days for the post to be published. The insight on social today and being organic with your post, is it always brings more followers. These type of posts always gets the viewers or followers attention When you use video, use your reels and it not just simple posts anymore. “THINK OUT THE BOX!” Read more>>

Breanna Bartolucci

Yes, I do manage my own social media for my photography business. I find it important to have direct control over the content I share and how I engage with my audience to best represent my brand and photography style. In regards to my photography business, I’ve come to the conclusion that while social media can be a valuable tool for many, it may not be as crucial for my specific niche and goals. Here are a few reasons why: Read more>>