What are common mistakes made by self-employed Social Media Managers?

1 Not setting clear expectations

One of the first steps to a successful collaboration with a client is to establish clear expectations and boundaries. This includes defining the scope of work, the deliverables, the deadlines, the communication channels, and the payment terms. Without these, you risk creating confusion, misunderstanding, or conflict with your client, or overcommitting yourself and compromising your quality. To avoid this mistake, make sure you have a written contract or agreement that outlines all the details and expectations of your work, and review it with your client before you start.

3 Not measuring your results

As a self-employed social media manager, you need to prove your value and impact to your clients. This means you need to measure and report your results regularly and accurately. Without this, you risk losing your credibility, your clients, or your opportunities for growth. To avoid this mistake, you need to have a clear and agreed-upon strategy and goals for your social media campaigns, and use the appropriate metrics and tools to track and analyze your performance. You also need to create and share reports that showcase your achievements, insights, and recommendations.

4 Not staying updated and relevant

The social media landscape is constantly changing and evolving. As a self-employed social media manager, you need to stay updated and relevant with the latest trends, tools, platforms, and best practices. Without this, you risk falling behind your competitors, losing your audience, or missing out on new opportunities. To avoid this mistake, you need to dedicate some time and resources to learning and improving your skills and knowledge. You can do this by following industry experts, blogs, podcasts, courses, or webinars, or by joining online communities, forums, or groups.

5 Not networking and marketing yourself

Finally, one of the biggest mistakes made by self-employed social media managers is not networking and marketing themselves. This can limit your exposure, your referrals, or your potential clients. To avoid this mistake, you need to build and maintain a strong online presence and reputation that showcases your skills, portfolio, testimonials, and personality. You also need to network and connect with other professionals, influencers, or potential clients in your niche or industry, and promote your services and value proposition.

6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?