6 Steps to Winning a Paid Social Budget From C-Suite Skeptics

October 20, 2016

“Organic is dead.” Whether or not you agree with this statement, social media platforms unquestionably favor sponsored posts over organic posts in followers’ feeds, and it’s now more important than ever to secure a paid social media budget if you want your brand’s posts to rise above the throng. But how can PR professionals make the case for those budget dollars with the C-suite given the ever-present challenge of proving ROI on social media?

Allen Plummer, content marketing and social media strategist at Vanguard, discusses a number of steps toward making the case for a paid social media budget:

Allen Plummer, Content Marketing & Social Media Strategist, Institutional Business, Vanguard

Look for allies and supporters within your organization. Your organization’s leadership might be resistant to hiring additional social media staff, but are there other employees who are interested in social? Can you craft a team of volunteers to help with content? Writers may want to learn how to write for social media. Designers may want to create images for Twitter. If you just ask, you might be surprised.

Always be the internal cheerleader for social media. If you’re not excited about it, you can’t expect your leaders to be. You may start off as a solo voice, but that energy will grow and expand over time.

Celebrate the little wins. Social media buy-in requires regular internal communication of wins and successes, even if it’s just an influential follower or share early in your program.

Spread the social media gospel company-wide. When leaders ask “Why do we need social media?” have a consistent, two-sentence answer that you can repeat to everyone in your company. Share that story as much as possible, and it will have an effect.

Look for creative WIIFMs (“What’s in it for me?”) to build buy-in. For example, B2B professionals and sales executives benefit from a professional LinkedIn profile. Help your team develop those profiles, and you’ll offer business value beyond just posts.

Become a Center for Excellence around social media within your company. Educate and train employees, and you’ll gain buy-in. Answer questions about the social media space, even when they don’t fall within your day-to-day job.

Follow Allen: @MktrAllen