You know social media marketing inside and out. You’ve mastered social media campaigns and adapted to algorithm shifts, and now you’re ready for the next step: your own agency.
It’s a significant step, but one you can prepare for effectively.
In this article, you’ll find a step-by-step guide to starting a successful social media marketing agency.
You want to start a social media marketing agency, but you may not be sure where to start. This 10-step guide will help you jumpstart your agency. Let’s dive in:
Defining your niche and services is crucial for establishing your agency’s identity. Knowing exactly what you offer and who you’re serving helps you stand out in a crowded market and allows you to focus your marketing efforts more effectively.
Start by asking yourself what niche you’re passionate about and what skills you have to add value to the social media market. Then, think about what services clients need the most and what are in high demand.
For example, according to Statista, by 2026, the global social media advertising market will increase to $358 billion. In 2023, it was at $270 billion.
Imagine you have extensive experience in the pet care industry. You focus your social media marketing agency on serving pet care brands. This focus makes you an expert in a specific area rather than a generalist.
Social media marketing services you could offer as a social media agency:
You could offer one or multiple services from the list if you have the skills and resources to meet your client’s needs.
Your value proposition quickly tells potential clients why they should choose your agency over others. A strong value proposition can set you apart in a crowded market and give clients an apparent reason to work with you.
Think about what makes your agency unique. Is it your expertise in a particular niche? Your innovative approach to social media marketing strategy? Or it’s your commitment to data-driven results.
Once you’ve identified your unique angle, craft a concise statement that encapsulates this. Make it clear, compelling, and focused on the benefits to the client.
A business model outlines your goals, strategies, and the steps you’ll take to achieve them. Without a plan, you’re flying blind, making it challenging to secure clients or investors.
Here’s how to do it:
Let’s say your agency focuses on social media for local restaurants. Your business plan might include strategies for targeting restaurant owners through local SEO and community events.
You could set a milestone to secure three clients in the first quarter and aim for a 20% increase each subsequent quarter.
Your pricing model affects your income and shapes client expectations and work process. Choosing the right model can make your life easier and your business more profitable.
So, consider the projects you’ll be taking on and how you want to manage your cash flow. Then, pick a pricing structure that aligns with your business strategy and client needs.
Setting the right price for your social media services is crucial for attracting clients while ensuring you profit. Price too low, and you’ll struggle to cover costs; price too high, and you might scare off potential clients.
First, calculate your costs, including overhead, tools, and labor. Then, research what competitors are charging for similar services.
Factor in your unique value proposition to find a pricing sweet spot that’s competitive yet profitable.
An online presence is often the first point of contact between your agency and potential clients. A strong online presence can help you attract more clients, establish your brand, and showcase your expertise in the field.
First, you’ll need a solid website where you can list your services, show client testimonials, and appear as an expert in the field using a blog section.
You’ll also need to hop onto social media. Choose platforms where your potential clients are active. Then, share useful content, connect with people in the industry, and add value to online conversations.
Managing multiple clients’ social media accounts can quickly become a juggling act.
The solution?
Loomly, a social media management software.
With Loomly, you can manage all your client accounts in one place. It helps you save time, optimize your content, and improve results.
Here’s how to use Loomly to run all your client work smoothly:
Step 1: Sign up and set your first calendar details. Choose your calendar name (this can be your client’s or its brand name), time zone, and industry.
Step 2: Connect relevant social media accounts that you’d like to appear for this calendar.
Step 3: Invite collaborators, a.k.a. your social media marketing agency team and your client. Doing so allows your team to collaborate on post drafts and submit content for approval.
Step 4: Once your calendar is all set up, you can create a new post
If you need some inspiration, Loomly offers some post ideas. You can also build a new post from pre-saved custom post ideas, RSS feeds, holidays, or any other idea you have in the moment!
So, choose the day and time you’d like your post to go live and add a label so you can easily organize your posts.
Next, you’ll need to choose the social media platforms you’d like your post to publish on. You can choose as many platforms as you’d like. Don’t worry about formatting; you can adjust your post for each platform later.
Now, add your social media copy and visuals to create the post. Once you hit “Next,” you can fine-tune your content for each social media channel.
Once all set, you can edit your post, schedule it for automatic publishing, or publish it now.
Step 5: View your calendar
Your scheduled posts will appear in your calendar, giving you an overview of what’s scheduled for when.
Step 6: When you’re ready to add new clients, navigate to your dashboard. At the top left side of the dashboard, you’ll see all the calendars you have by far. Click the “Add New Calendar” button to add a new client calendar and connect their social media accounts.
Step 7: Switching between clients (or calendar views) is quick with Loomly. From your calendar view, simply choose the calendar you’d like to review from the drop-down menu at the top left corner of the page.
Picture this: You’ve got eight clients, each with multiple social media accounts. Without a tool like Loomly, you’d switch between tabs and platforms all day. With Loomly, you can see all your clients’ posts, schedules, and performance metrics in one dashboard.
A smooth onboarding process sets the tone for your relationship with a new client. It shows you’re organized, value their time, and are ready to get down to business.
Plus, it sets expectations from the get-go, so your client won’t wonder what comes next.
Here’s how to do it:
The right mix of skills ensures you can offer comprehensive services and handle multiple clients efficiently.
To build an efficient social media team, you’ll need to identify the essential roles for your agency’s services. Once you know what you need, you can start recruiting.
Here are some roles you’ll likely need.
Launching your agency is your grand entrance into the market. It’s crucial for gaining initial traction and clients.
Before going live, ensure your website, social media profiles, and team are all set.
If everything’s alright, announce your launch through a press release, social media posts, and an email campaign to your mailing list (if you have one).
And don’t forget to leverage your network for that initial boost.
Keeping an active social media presence builds credibility and showcases your expertise. To remain active, consistently post valuable content and engage with your audience in the comments section.
For example, if you’re great at video marketing, you could regularly share tips or quick how-to videos on your platforms.
A solid portfolio builds trust and shows prospective clients you can deliver results. You can do so by documenting and sharing your successes on your website and social media.
For instance, you might share a before-and-after analysis snapshot after a successful campaign.
Listening to your target audience keeps you in tune with market needs and trends. The comments section of your and your competitors’ social media is a great way to find what resonates with your audience.
You now have a step-by-step guide to navigate the complexities. But remember, the tools and strategies are just the start.
Your agency’s true value will come from understanding your client’s unique needs and exceeding their expectations. So, as you take these steps to start your agency, focus on building relationships, not just a client base.