There is no shortage of social media gurus online. Screening and identifying a strong social media consultant requires asking the right questions.

1. Figure out how long the social media strategist has been in the business. Ask questions that will give you the necessary insight into the track record of the consultant will be helpful.
2. Ask to review campaigns the social media consultant has developed in the past. Seeing the types of campaigns the social media consultant was associated with will give you a better understanding of the persons skill set.
3. Look at the following the consultant has cultivated in the various forms of social media networks.
4. See how active the consultant is in social media. The frequency of engagement is also an indicator of their effectiveness in the world of social media.
5. See if there are any campaigns that the social media strategist has developed in the niche your business works in.
6. Determine what type of key metrics will be assessed to gauge the efficacy of the campaign in place.
7. Learn how the strategist would go about handling negative feedback received from an audience.
8. Gather details on the specific growth strategy that will be implemented.
9. Ask the strategist about how current visible trends in social media can be put to use for your brand.




10. Inquire about the role social bookmarking would play in the development of the social media campaign.
11. Ask if the social media strategist provides other services beyond social media campaign management like press releases or blogging.
12. Determine whether or not there would be a window in place for which results can be accurately assessed.
13. Find out how the return of investment will be measured for all campaign activity.
14. Figure out how the anticipated campaign will complement other marketing strategies in place.
15. Instead of viewing the social media consultant in terms of quantity of followers, look at the patterns of engagement. Does the person engage the followers or do they have more of a one-way conversational style?
16. Ask what the picture of success looks like for a great campaign. You will want to get an understanding of whether or not success is quantified in numbers or other customer actions.
17. Know who would be the primary point of contact for any questions concerning the account. It is important to know if you’ll have consistent access to the point person at all times.
18. See what kind of research efforts would be done before the campaign is launched. You want to get an idea of how much of the leg work you will be responsible for during the preparation stages.
19. Requests references from previous clients.
20. Determine where forum assistance is incorporated into the regular service offerings. If so, is the forum assistance offered as a separate component from the social media campaign.

Touching on all of the questions in your attempt to hire a social media consultant will empower you to make the best possible hiring decision for your social media efforts.

*DISCLAIMER: This article is provided for entertainment and general information purposes only. The author does not guarantee the accuracy or reliability of the information contained herein, and disclaims any responsibility for its use or misuse by you or any other person or entity.

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