How to Find a Social Media Manager

Trying to manage your brand’s social media on top of everything else can feel like a losing battle, and realizing you need help is the first step. Finding the right social media manager, however, can feel just as daunting. This guide breaks down the process into clear, actionable steps to help you find, vet, and hire the perfect partner to grow your brand online.

First Things First: Define Exactly What You Need

Before you post a single job opening or reach out to a freelancer, you need a crystal-clear idea of what you’re actually looking for. A social media manager's role can range from simply scheduling posts to running six-figure ad campaigns. Getting this right from the start will save you countless hours and thousands of dollars.

Step 1: Get Specific About Your Goals

“More followers” isn’t a goal, it’s a vanity metric. What do you really want social media to do for your business? Your answer dramatically changes the type of person you need. Common goals include:

• Brand Awareness: Reaching new audiences who have never heard of you. This requires strong content creation skills focused on shareable, engaging posts and videos.
• Community Building: Fostering a loyal group of followers who trust and engage with your brand. This requires excellent communication skills and a deep focus on engagement and customer service.
• Lead Generation: Driving potential customers to a newsletter, ebook, or contact form. This requires strategic thinking, persuasive copywriting, and often experience with paid ads.
• Direct Sales: Driving traffic to your website to make purchases. This demands a strong understanding of content that converts and experience with e-commerce integrations.

Choose your top one or two goals. An expert in driving e-commerce sales through TikTok might not be the same person you’d hire to build a B2B community on LinkedIn.

Step 2: List the Day-to-Day Tasks

Based on your goals, create a checklist of the specific tasks your social media manager will be responsible for. Be realistic about what one person can handle.

• Strategy Development: Creating a high-level plan for what content to post, on which platforms, and when.
• Content Creation: This is a big one. Does it include writing captions? Designing graphics (Canva)? Filming and editing short-form video (Reels, TikToks)?
• Content Scheduling: Using tools to plan and schedule content in advance.
• Community Management: Replying to comments and DMs in a timely, on-brand manner.
• Performance Reporting: Tracking key metrics and delivering clear, easy-to-understand reports on what’s working.
• Paid Advertising: Creating, managing, and optimizing ad campaigns on platforms like Meta or LinkedIn. (This is a specialized skill - many managers focus only on organic growth).

Step 3: Decide on the Hiring Model

Now consider how this role fits into your business structure. Each model comes with its own pros, cons, and costs.

• Freelance Social Media Manager: Great for businesses that need expertise without the commitment of a full-time employee. They’re often specialists in a specific platform or industry.
  • Pros: Flexible, cost-effective, access to specialized talent.
  • Cons: May juggle multiple clients, less integrated into your company culture.
  • Cost: Typically $750 - $4,000+ per month, depending on scope.
• In-House Social Media Manager: Best for companies where social media is a core part of the marketing strategy.
  • Pros: Fully dedicated to your brand, deep product knowledge, high level of integration.
  • Cons: Higher cost (salary, benefits), requires more management.
  • Cost: A full-time salary, which varies widely by location and experience ($50k - $90k+ is a common range).
• Social Media Agency: Ideal for larger companies or those with complex needs, like multi-platform ad campaigns or a complete strategy overhaul.
  • Pros: Access to a full team of experts - strategists, copywriters, designers, ad specialists.
  • Cons: Can be very expensive, might feel less personal than a one-on-one relationship.
  • Cost: Retainers often start at $3,000 per month and can easily go beyond $10,000.

Where to Find the Right Social Media Manager

Once you know what you're looking for, you can start your search. Don't limit yourself to just one channel, great talent can be found in many corners of the internet.

For Freelancers:

• Professional Networks (LinkedIn): This is your best first stop. Post a detailed summary of what you need and ask your connections for trusted referrals. Referrals are often the highest-quality candidates.
• Freelance Marketplaces: Platforms like Upwork or Fiverr Pro can be great, but be specific in your job post and be prepared to sift through many applicants. Look for "Top Rated" or "Pro" badges.
• Boutique Matchmaking Services: Sites like MarketerHire specialize in connecting businesses with pre-vetted marketing talent. They do the initial screening for you, which can save a lot of time.

For In-House Employees:

• LinkedIn Jobs: The go-to platform for professional roles. You can get very specific with industry, experience level, and location.
• Niche Job Boards: Look for job boards specific to the marketing and creative industries. They often attract higher-quality, more relevant candidates than gigantic generalist sites.
• Your Own Social Media: If you have an engaged audience, why not post the role there? Your future best hire might already be a fan of your brand.

How to Vet and Interview Candidates Like a Pro

A polished resume doesn't always translate to great work. Your goal is to see real-world skills and strategic thinking in action. This two-part process - the interview and a paid test project - is the best way to do that.

The Interview: Go Beyond the Basics

Skip the generic questions like "What are your strengths?" Instead, ask questions that reveal their process, knowledge, and problem-solving skills.

Sample Interview Questions That Actually Tell You Something:

• "Walk me through a social media campaign you're proud of. What were the goals, what was your strategy, and what were the measurable results?" (What to listen for: Can they tie their work directly to business goals, or do they only talk about likes and followers?)
• "Take a look at our current [Platform of Your Choice] presence. What are one or two things you see that are working well, and what's the first thing you would propose changing?" (What to listen for: Do they give constructive, thoughtful feedback, or just generic praise/criticism? This shows their analytical eye.)
• "Which social media KPIs do you believe are most important for a business like ours, and why?" (What to listen for: Their answer should align with the goals you defined earlier - brand awareness, lead gen, etc. It proves they were listening.)
• "How do you stay current with all the algorithm changes and new platform features?" (What to listen for: They should mention specific blogs, newsletters, podcasts, or influencers they follow. It shows they're genuinely invested in their craft.)
• "Describe a time you had to deal with a social media crisis or an influx of negative comments. How did you handle it?" (What to listen for: Look for a calm, professional, and strategic response - not a panicked one. It's about problem-solving, not just deleting comments.)

The Secret Weapon: The Paid Test Project

This is the single most effective way to evaluate a finalist. After you’ve interviewed and narrowed your list down to one or two top candidates, propose a small, paid project. It moves the evaluation from "what they say" to "what they do." The cost (usually $150-$300) is a tiny investment that can save you from a major hiring mistake.

Example Test Projects:

• "Create a one-week content calendar for our Instagram account. Please include concepts for 3 feed posts and 4 Stories, complete with captions and visual ideas."
• "Analyze our last 30 days of performance on Facebook and create a brief 1-page report with your key takeaways and three actionable recommendations."
• "Write two different versions of a caption for this promotional video we're planning to post."

Their work on the test project will tell you everything you need to know about their creativity, strategic thinking, attention to detail, and understanding of your brand voice.

Final Thoughts

Hiring a social media manager is about finding a strategic partner, not just a pair of hands to schedule posts. By first defining your goals, asking the right questions, and evaluating their real-world skills with a test project, you can confidently find someone who will become an invaluable part of your team.

Once you bring them on board, giving them simple, reliable tools is one of the best ways to set them up for success. When we designed Postbase, we focused on building a clean, modern platform that eliminates the daily frustrations of managing social media. Features like a drag-and-drop visual planner, a unified inbox for all comments and DMs, and straightforward analytics make their job easier and give you the peace of mind that your social presence is in good, organized hands.