Interns are fairly easy to find these days, and there’s an endless supply of recent college graduates who know their way around social media. But, just because it’s easy to find an intern willing to manage your social media accounts for free (or nearly free) that doesn’t mean you should do it.
We aren’t saying interns are bad by any means, and many of them live and breathe Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. However, there’s a big difference between using social media for personal enjoyment and managing an entire brand and developing a social media marketing strategy.
Here are 5 reasons why you shouldn’t hire an intern to manage your social media accounts.
1. Interns won’t stick around forever
Internships aren’t permanent. Your intern will most likely have a start and end date, or they will move onto a full-time position at a different company, especially if you can’t or won’t offer them one. If you continuously cycle through interns, there will be no consistency with your social media accounts, and your audience will suffer.
2. Interns lack experience
Again, your intern may be a superstar with their personal Twitter account, but there’s a huge difference between tweeting for fun and tweeting to increase a brand’s awareness or drive sales. Social media requires a marketing strategy that fits with your company’s goals and other marketing efforts. There’s also the important task of defusing tense situations. All companies occasionally run into issues on social media platforms, and a more experienced marketer will have an easier time dealing with difficult customers.
3. Interns don’t fully know your brand
A new intern isn’t going to know and understand everything about your brand in a matter of days. Your social media audience wants to engage with someone who knows your brand inside and out and can easily answer questions and resolve issues. An intern can learn the in’s and out’s of your company, but it will take time.
4. There’s more to managing social media than posting occasional updates
Social media is it’s own machine, and it’s important that your social media manager understands in-depth analytics and metrics. Creative content is also important, and while interns may bring some fantastic ideas, it may take time for them to learn how to turn data into visible results.
5. Interns may lack motivation
Let’s be honest. It can be hard to find the motivation to do a great job on a project when you’re getting very little compensation. Would you expect an unpaid intern to be active on your company’s social media accounts when they aren’t at the office? Do you want someone who isn’t getting paid and lacks a personal investment in your company representing your brand in front of the whole world? There may be a few exceptional interns that go above and beyond, but it can be risky business.
In the end, everyone needs to start somewhere. Interns can be fantastic for assisting with social media platforms and they often bring a unique perspective and fresh ideas. Consider having your intern work with your social media manager, and after they’ve been with the company for a considerable amount of time, give them more responsibility. Ideally you will find an intern that you want to bring on full-time and someone that is passionate about your brand.
If you’re too busy to manage your own social media accounts or aren’t sure where to begin, Blindspot Advisors can help. Contact us today to learn more about our social media marketing services.