Social media management should include five things each month: a plan for what the month's content says, filming at your business, a set number of finished pieces, publishing on an agreed schedule, and a report that connects posts to customers. Miss one and you are paying for four fifths of a job. Here is what each looks like done, and how to check your current manager against it this week.
The monthly checklist
| What you should get | What good looks like | How to check it |
|---|---|---|
| A plan | Someone looked at your market and your competitors and decided what this month is about | Ask what this month is about and why. "A mix of posts" is a shrug, so push for the reason. |
| Filming at your business | Footage shot where your customers stand, on a day booked around your week | Ask when they last filmed at your place |
| Finished pieces | A number in writing, each one cut, captioned and ready to post | Count last month's deliverables against that number |
| Publishing | They post for you, or hand over pieces ready to post, and you know which | Check posts went out on the agreed days, busy weeks included |
| A report | Reach, saves, follows, plus messages and customers traced to posts | Look for any line about customers |
How many posts a month should I get?
Start from how often you want to post. Danny's guide has three tiers; the hours behind each are in how often to post on Instagram.
| Posting pace | Posts a month (about) |
|---|---|
| 3 a week | 12 to 13 |
| 5 a week | 21 to 22 |
| 7 a week | 30 to 31 |
A quote for 8 pieces a month cannot hold you at 3 a week. A quote for 30 needs a filming plan that can feed it, because 30 finished videos do not come out of one afternoon with a phone. Launch Social delivers 10 to 12 short form videos a month on Part Time Content and 15 to 20 on Full Time Content, plus custom graphics and edited photos. Get the number in writing. Then ask what "finished" means. Cut, captioned, colour handled and ready to post is finished. A folder of raw clips for you to sort is a different product. One shoot day also feeds carousels and stills, so ask whether those count toward the number.
Do they film, or do I?
Ask this one straight out, because plenty of managers only edit and post what you send. That works if you already film every week and the footage holds up. If filming is the thing that keeps slipping, an editing-only manager slows down every time you do.
A neighbor recognizes your counter, your crew and your street. For Monday Morning, the non-alcoholic bottle shop in North Park, the shoot day is monthly and the pieces are Zane on camera, product moments and store events. Nothing in that feed could be mistaken for another shop. You do not have to be on camera yourself. If you film on your own, how to film Reels at your business covers the setup.
Who replies to comments and DMs?
You, or someone on your staff who can quote, book or check stock. A DM is usually a customer with a question, and the reply that turns it into a booking needs your prices, your calendar and your regulars in its head. An outside manager can watch the comments and flag the questions. The conversation itself comes back to you, the same day. The four-step DM flow is in how to turn Instagram followers into customers.
Put it in writing either way: who replies to comments, who answers DMs, and how fast.
What should the monthly report show?
Reach and views against last month. Saves and shares. Follows. Then the line most reports skip: which posts led to messages or customers. That line needs you too, because a customer who says "I found you on Instagram" at the counter never appears in an app. A report made only of platform numbers is a report nobody checked against the till. The numbers and the tracking sheet are in how to measure Instagram results.
What else should come with the work?
- You own everything: every post, clip and follower, and every login in your business's name.
- You know who reads your messages and how fast they reply.
- Your part is measured in hours a month.
- A minimum term with a reason behind it, and a quote that says what it covers. San Diego market prices are in social media management cost in San Diego.
What it looks like with Launch Social
2 or 4 filming days at your business, booked around your week, with the crew filming while you keep working. 10 to 20 short form videos, plus custom graphics and edited photos. A monthly performance report that counts customers as well as views. On both packages we post them on Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, YouTube Shorts and LinkedIn, and Full Time Content adds a monthly strategy call with Danny. The DMs stay with you. Details are on the social media management page.
If your current manager is missing one of the five rows, bring the checklist to the free call and we will show you what the full set looks like for your business.
Questions people ask
How much of my time does a social media manager need?
Ask for a number. With Launch Social the crew films at your business while you keep working, and the posting is done for you.
Does a social media manager run ads too?
Some do. Ask whether ads need a separate budget. Launch Social is organic only: it does not run ads and needs no ad budget.
Is 12 posts a month enough?
Twelve posts a month is 3 a week, the pace Danny suggests for anyone who can hold it on their worst week. Hold that for 90 days before adding more.
Related
- Social media management in San Diego
- Signs your social media manager is not working
- How often to post on Instagram
- Turning Instagram followers into customers
- Organic social media vs paid ads
Want this done for you? Book a free 15-minute call with Danny. We look at your account and the businesses you compete with, and you leave with a written plan for your next 90 days, whether you hire us or not.