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.

Andrea Hopkins

Social media management is one of the most important aspects of a business’s identity. We’re in an era where you can find EVERYTHING you need on social media, from how to cook a specific dish to how to change a tire. With this in mind, it was essential for me in the beginning to do my own social media management. This gave me the opportunity to define my company’s voice, personality and overall message that I wanted out to my current and future followers. I’ve had great success so far with managing my own social media accounts. Read more>>

Chris Busone

I manage my own account. I know there is definitely an advantage to having a company manage your accounts. For me, I think I’ve had some success in growing connections and working with people specifically because of how my social media is. There’s an authenticity and insight into who I really am. Which comes at a cost, considering I’ve been flagged and shadow banned and so on a few times. Read more>>

Briana Neptune

I do manage my own social media accounts! I have learned that social media and marketing is everything! It is the key to running a successful and profitable business. I realized once I was able to be attractive and be engaging to my target audience my sales and clientele grew drastically! I learned what a lot of people like to see is consistency! So I try to stay consistent on posting content and things that are new with EBM! For anyone in the event industry or planning to be apart of it, some insight is to set your marketing apart from the overall majority! Do something different with your content that makes it more engaging or allows for people to set your event planning apart from the next. Read more>>

Ken Kilday

I have hired a team/company to manage my social media after working on myself for the first two to three years of launch. The drive to hire professionals was driven by my desire to be more intentional, consistent, and coordinated with other community involvement. I also retained some elements of my social media presence, yet few know when I’m posting versus the team – and that was always our mission. Read more>>

 Julia Allen

I manage my own social media. It is certainly a challenge sometimes, but I have never had the budget to allocate to outsourcing my content creation. As a small “solopreneur”, my income is equal to the profits of the business. The amount can change quite a lot depending on many different factors. And my standing expenses add up fast: small business insurance, website fees, materials budget, graphic design equipment, and so on. So I am my own social media manager because I don’t have to pay myself extra to get it done. I made an Instagram account in 2018 to post my art on, and at the time it was mostly friends, family, and peers who followed. I posted my first few rings on there, and it was my top-performing post at the time — I got loads of comments and DM’s from interested friends! This showed me the niche I had discovered: no one else in my life was making simple, accessible, high-quality metalwork. Once I had established my own voice on social media, I felt that I was the only one who could manage the Instagram as I grew. There is a difficult balance between posting content that my audience will enjoy and engage with and posting content that establishes me as a thought leader and showcases my knowledge and training. I feel that my face, lifestyle, and personality are as much a part of the brand as my product is. So far, the result has been largely positive. I got my first hate comment a few months ago but only found out because my followers were responding to the hater for me! I think a big thing for me was learning to enjoy running my own social media by creating content that I personally love to make. After a process video did well, I invested more time into setting up camera angles and lighting to support that kind of content. A carousel post of my customers’ hands performed well, so I put more effort into being friendly and asking to take photos when people bought rings. I think that my success and growth on Instagram have stemmed largely from my genuine passion for my niche, which is something that can be difficult to inspire in someone else. I also like to keep many doors open, including applying for social media internships and taking on side projects to create content for others — though I lack the same passion for their niches, it teaches me to be flexible and research thoroughly. My top lesson to share with other business owners is that whether you do your content creation in-house or outsource it, consistency is key. I began by posting a couple of times a month, and now I’m up to nearly every day. I also post within a few content pillars or categories so my followers get the content they expect. Taking a (free, online) course in content marketing really improved my understanding of how ideas flow and how to make use of them as well as the difference between planning content strategies and growth strategies. There is so much information out there to help you understand the process. I also always stress the importance of networking and connections in the business world because you almost certainly know-someone-who-knows-someone who creates content and fits your budget. The vast majority of fellow business owners that I’ve met are kind, supportive people who understand how difficult it is to balance business operations. I am lucky to have the same passion for business as I have for my craft, and this specialized attention to both has given me a unique position in the business world. Read more>>

Dakota Schlager

Managing my own social media accounts comes with a dance of trial and error accompanied by dedication and persistent hard work. As I work towards increasing my follower count and post engagement, the sight of minimal interactions with my content can at times be discouraging. Having to constantly keep up with trends and new platforms can be tiring but I think it’s key to reaching your target audience and growing your brand. However, I chose to run my own accounts not just to cut costs, but also because I find it enjoyable and fulfilling to be able to share my work and to see the support I do receive. Read more>>

Roxanna Faithful

When I started Copacabana Beachwear in 2016, Social Media was just starting and wasn’t really a big deal yet. It was when I decided to put a pause on my business idea and decided to pursue a master’s in Global Digital Communications which included social media. I just knew this was going to be the future of advertising. Read more>>

Lindsay Weiss

I do manage my own and have found it to be the single best source of client leads. I treat it like a job, so I’m not done for the day unless I have my content done. Here are the main things I do: Read more>>