Fractional Social Media Manager Without the High Salary

A full-time Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) can cost upwards of $174K annually. This article will guide you through hiring a fractional social media manager without the high salary, offering budget-friendly strategies while maintaining optimal results.

Table of Contents

A fractional social media manager works part time or by project. They help your business stand out on social media and save money.
These managers are pros at making good long-term plans for your company. They don’t cost as much as a full-time worker but have the same skills.
You can hire a fractional social media manager with ease. Posting a job, finding talent, teaming up, and paying them is easy to do.
Hiring this kind of expert has many benefits such as saving time, giving top content creation, needing no training and low costs.

A fractional social media manager is a professional who assumes the responsibilities of a traditional social media manager but on a part-time or contract basis, providing flexible, affordable expert services without the commitment to a full-time salary.

A fractional social media manager is a type of worker that businesses hire. This person might work part time or just do one project at a time. They plan and run the social media jobs for companies.

They also look at data to make good long-time plans. The goal is to help the business stand out more on social media. Hiring this kind of person saves money because they don’t cost as much as a full-time worker would, but they still have a lot of skills in planning and running things on social media.

What do they do?

A Fractional Social Media Manager takes care of your social media needs. They make plans to boost your online presence. Their work includes crafting posts and engaging with followers.

Also, they use good methods to improve how you appear on social media sites.

Their job also has a big part in forming marketing plans. They give businesses access to high-level skills without the high costs that come with hiring full-time staff. This makes them a great choice for mid-size companies looking to expand their reach online.

A traditional social media manager often takes care of daily tasks. They post updates, answer comments and track results. A fractional social media manager does things differently.

They focus more on big plans than the small jobs every day.

These managers give advice to help you do better online. They don’t work full-time or need a high salary like other managers might. Instead, they work part-time or on certain projects only.

This makes them a smart choice if you want expert help but can’t pay for a full time person all year round.

Hiring a Fractional Social Media Manager presents numerous benefits such as providing a cost-friendly alternative to a full-time employee, delivering expert services by seasoned professionals and offering flexibility in working hours and size of projects.

Cost-effective option

Hiring a fractional social media manager helps your company save money. This is because you only pay for the work done and not a full-time salary. You get access to top skills without high costs.

It’s an affordable way to boost your business on social platforms. Lower expenses mean more cash for other important things in your company.

Experienced professionals

Experienced professionals bring a lot to the table. They have deep knowledge and skills gained over time. Years of work in social media management make them experts. A fractional manager is no different.

These senior leaders can guide your marketing needs with ease.

Such pros know how to frame good strategies that fit your company best. They can spot changes in trends faster because of their vast experience. This helps them keep your brand ahead in the game always.

As they have worked on many projects, they know what works and what does not.

Flexibility in terms of hours and projects

You get a lot of freedom with a fractional social media manager. They work when you need them to. This can be as many hours or as few hours as you want. They are also open to working on different projects at the same time.

Their job is made up of chunks that fit your needs and schedule. With this kind of setup, you don’t have to worry about pesky office hours or long-term jobs. Getting help with marketing becomes simple and stress-free.

Discover the straightforward process of hiring a fractional social media manager, from posting your job to attracting talent and simplifying payment options.

Posting a job

To hire a fractional social media manager, you need to post a job. Write down what you want in clear words. Explain the skills you need and the tasks the person will do. Also include how much time they should spend on work each week.

Do this carefully because it can shape who sends in their resume for your job offer. A good written job post can help find people with skills in SEO, social media marketing and paid ads without paying too high of a price.

Attracting talent

Getting the right talent is key. You need a social media manager who knows their stuff. They should be good at making posts and sharing content. This person will help your company get seen online.

But finding this kind of talent can be hard. The pool of skilled people may not be big in your area. In such cases, hiring a part-time social media manager could be a solution. They offer flexible recruitment services and cost less than full-time workers.

The job post should grab attention too. It must show that your business values skill and experience more than the time spent in an office chair.

You also want to make it clear that your firm respects work-life balance, especially if you seek seasoned pros for the role they are able to handle other tasks as well.

Payment options should be simple to attract top skills as well. A fair pay for hours worked can draw in the best talent possible even from limited choices available out there.

Collaboration process

The process of teaming up with a fractional social media manager is key. It starts when you talk about your needs and goals. You will share your brand story too. This helps to make sure they understand what you want.

The next step includes refining plans and strategies together as a team. Regular meetings are important for updates and progress checks. Tools like Skype, Slack, or Google Meet can help in this work from the home era.

Over time, the partnership grows stronger which makes your social media shine more bright.

Simplified payment options

Paying a fractional social media manager is easy. You don’t have to worry about the big costs like full-time salaries and benefits. These managers work on contract. You just pay for the hours they work or the projects they do.

For your Instagram ad campaigns, you may spend $200 at first. Then, professional management fees can be around $450 to $850 per month. With this done, you will get great ads but won’t have a huge bill to pay.

How to Choose the Right Fractional CMO

Choosing the right fractional CMO involves identifying your specific business needs, considering industry experience of potential hires, ensuring they have enough time availability to meet your requirements, and fitting within your budget constraints.

Identifying your specific needs

You must first know what your business needs. Do you have marketing problems? Is there a gap in your current efforts? A fractional CMO can point out these issues. They can also help make a plan to fix them.

Think about what you want for your business. This could be new ideas, more online fans, or better brand talks. The right social media manager will have experience meeting these needs.

It is important to find someone who fits well with your budget and has time for you.

Considering industry experience

You should think about industry experience when choosing a fractional CMO. They come with top marketing know-how. This skill helps in creating good plans for your business to grow.

Small firms without lots of cash can still get this high-industry learning but at lower costs. A full-time CMO might cost too much money for such companies. So, hiring a fractional CMO saves you time and money while giving proven industry insight that boosts the company’s growth.

Time availability

In hiring a fractional chief marketing officer (CMO), time availability plays a big part. You need to know the hours they can work for you. A good CMO can offer flexible time commitment depending on your business needs.

They could be available for a few hours per week, or even on a monthly basis. This is great when you have specific projects that need attention. It’s also important that the CMO has enough time to learn about and engage with your customers.

This way, they can solve any marketing problems you may face.

Budget constraints

Money can be tight in business. You need a Fractional CMO but you don’t have the money for a full-time one. Don’t worry. A Fractional Social Media Manager is here to help without costing too much.

This pick fits into your budget and gives high-quality work. These experts can do top-tier marketing tasks even with less cash on hand. They are a big win for firms that need to watch their money closely.

Hiring a fractional social media manager offers businesses a range of advantages, including expert content creation that engages audiences, eliminating the need for in-depth training as they come equipped with specialized skills, saving crucial business hours by handling social media campaigns effectively and efficiently, and offering cost effective solutions to manage your online presence without compromising on quality.

Expertise in content creation

A fractional social media manager is skilled in making content. They have the know-how to build great content for your business. They can make videos, write blogs, and craft posts that people will love.

This person knows what works best on each social platform. You don’t need to worry about training them. Their expertise means they can start creating top notch content right away.

No need for training

You get to skip training with a fractional social media manager. They come ready with all the skills. This means they know how to make content and plan posts. That is great news for your business. You save time and money that you would spend on training them.

With an expert, you can start work right away on your social media strategy.

Time-saving

Having a fractional social media manager saves you time. They are experts in managing the online world. This means they get things done fast. They know how to post, when to post, and what to post.

Your team can use this free time on other tasks that need doing. In this way, the work of your company becomes smoother and faster with less effort from your side.

Cost-effective

Hiring a fractional social media manager is truly cost-effective. It offers quality service but costs less than a full-time worker’s pay. This approach gives you top marketing talent without breaking the bank.

You only need to pay for what you use, which means that every dollar counts.

You get to work with experienced pros at an affordable price. They come in when you need their skills and leave once the job is done. No money is wasted on idle time or effort spent on tasks outside of their field of expertise.

So, this option proves to be very budget-friendly for your company.

High-growth phases, expanding into new markets, or dealing with vacancy in the role of Chief Marketing Officer may necessitate the hire of a Fractional Social Media Manager. Discover more details about such scenarios and how to strategically navigate them with a fractional social media manager.

During high-growth phases

High-growth phases are exciting times for any business. There is a lot to do and so little time. This may be the best time to hire a fractional social media manager. They can help manage marketing tasks without needing full-time pay or benefits.

You get top-level advice at less cost in these key growth times. What’s more, they offer scalable marketing solutions that grow with your business needs. That way, you keep pace with new changes and trends in the market too.

Filling empty CMO seats

Many firms face a gap in their team when they do not have a Chief Marketing Officer (CMO). A full-time CMO might cost too much. But, you need an expert to lead your marketing efforts.

Here is where a fractional social media manager can help. They fill these empty seats without making you pay as high as for a full-time CMO. With the knowledge and skills of long years of work, they drive your company’s growth fast and smart.

Growing your business calls for the right people. A fractional social media manager can be that person. They have skills to boost your digital reach fast. Your brand gets well known on social platforms without you hiring a full-time employee.

By using a part-time expert, your internet presence grows big, fast and cost-effective. You pay less but gain more online followers. More online love means more customers come to you. As they bring their unique marketing tactics, scaling digital marketing efforts becomes easy yet impactful.

Expanding into new markets

Going into new markets is a big step. A fractional social media manager can help with this move. They know the market well. They use their skills to make sure the brand gets seen by more people in these areas.

With personalized strategies, they target the audience that suits your business best. This leads to solid business growth and stronger brand awareness. Their deep knowledge helps create a clear plan for digital ads and social media marketing in new places.

Tackling time-bound projects

A Fractional Social Media Manager is a great help for short-term tasks. They are perfect for big jobs like website redesigns, brand refreshes, and campaign overhauls. These workers come in, do the job fast, and move onto the next thing.

This way, deadlines are met without any delay or extra cost to your company. With their skill set, they can create a top-notch social media strategy for time based projects quickly.

How Fractional Marketing is Changing the Industry

The emergence of fractional marketing is revolutionizing the industry, bringing forth a spectrum of specialists over generalists, and creating value driven impacts with advantages such as cost efficiency and flexibility.

Rise of specialists or generalists

A big change is happening in the marketing world. Rather than having one person know a little about all marketing areas, we now see specialists for each part. For example, you will find people who are experts only in social media or just content creation.

Fractional marketing plays a big role in this change. With fractional teams, businesses can bring on board these experts without breaking their budget. So, even small companies get top-notch help from people with specific skills in digital and targeted marketing.

Advantages of working with a fractional marketing team

A fractional marketing team saves you money. You don’t pay full-time salaries or benefits. Your company gets a full plan for digital and traditional marketing. You won’t need a full-time CMO.

A fractional marketing team can help your existing staff get better. They bring extra skill in copywriting, SEO, content marketing, and web development. They guide your team with smart ideas and knowledge but at less cost to you.

Rise of the fractional CMO

More businesses seek out fractional CMOs today. These are top-tier leaders who offer great skills in marketing but cost less than a full-time hire. They handle tasks such as shaping content plans and managing social media channels.

They help firms to save money, as you only pay for the work they do. This type of role is popular among mid-sized companies that want good marketing leadership without heavy costs.

Many find this option best for making their business grow faster and stronger. It gives them access to high-level expertise without needing a full team on hand all the time.

Steps for Hiring a Fractional Marketing Team

First, clearly define your goals to understand what you expect from the fractional marketing team. Then determine the tactics and channels that are most likely to deliver results for your business.

After setting specific objectives for each channel, decide on the level of expertise required from the marketer – whether you need a beginner, intermediate or expert. The final step involves determining your budget and outlining a hiring process that aligns with it; this includes deciding on fair compensation for services provided and settling on an efficient tracking system for tasks completed by this fractional marketing team.

Defining your goals

Setting clear goals is the first step in hiring a Fractional Marketing Team. Goals tell what you want your part-time marketing experts to do for your business. These can be things like growing sales, reaching more people, or making your brand known.

Once the goals are set, you must choose how they will reach these goals. This could mean using social media sites, blogs, or email lists to communicate with potential customers. The Fractional Marketing Team needs to know specific targets for each channel chosen.

For instance, if social media is used as a channel, then there should be a set number of new followers aimed per week.

This process forms an important part of organizational objectives and marketing team alignment strategies used by fractional marketers across industries.

Determining tactics and channels to test

First, you need to find what works best for your business. You do this by testing tactics and channels. For example, you can use social media sites like Facebook or Instagram. Email could be a good way too.

This choice depends on where your customers spend their time most often. The goal is to put your message in front of them quickly and easily. If one strategy doesn’t work well, try another one. With outsourced marketing like a fractional team, it’s not hard to switch things up until you get it right. Don’t worry about cost as it is low with such teams giving you more room to test different ways out.

Creating specific goals for each channel

Each social media channel needs a clear goal. This helps guide your marketing efforts. You should know what you want to get from each platform. Goals could be getting more likes, shares or followers.

Or it may be about sales and leads. Make sure each goal can be measured in numbers. This way, you can see if the work gives good results.

Deciding on the level of marketer needed

You have to pick the right marketer for your needs. This is a big step in hiring a fractional marketing team. Think about what you need help with. Some marketers are good at brand or social media work, others excel at email marketing.

A company should aim for top-tier marketing skills but not break the bank. Hiring a Fractional CMO can give access to this high-level talent without the big cost of full-time hire.

It’s also key that they fit your budget and know how to reach your goals.

Determining budget and hiring process

First, set a budget for your new hire. Your budget will guide the hiring process. Be clear on what you can pay before you start looking for candidates. If a limited budget is an issue, consider affordable marketing experts or cost-effective marketing solutions like outsourced marketing teams.

Next, create a job post to attract talent using flexible hiring options. You want to grab the attention of part-time marketing consultants and on-demand marketing professionals. Make sure your job post speaks about immediate marketing support needs and possible long-term roles too. This step will help you get the right kind of people applying for your fractional social media manager position as early as possible in the process.

Several companies have recognized the benefits of hiring a fractional social media manager, especially during uncertain economic times. Whether it’s managing the fluctuating demands during seasonal shifts, launching new products effectively, trying out fresh marketing channels or supporting recently funded startups in getting their foot off the ground, fractional expertise can prove to be incredibly valuable and efficient.

Overcoming unknowns in the economy

Hiring a fractional social media manager is wise in unsure times. The economy can change fast. This may upset your plans and hurt your profits. A part-time social media pro offers help here.

They cost less than full-time staff but bring skill and knowledge to handle these ups and downs. By sharing great content, they keep people interested in your brand even during tough times.

So, you stay strong no matter what happens in the market.

Assisting with seasonality

Getting a fractional social media manager can help during busy times. These are experts who know how to handle seasonal marketing changes. They will take care of your brand when it gets really active on social media.

You don’t need to worry about the ups and downs in your marketing tasks anymore. It’s like having a chief officer, but only for the time you need one. This way, every season becomes smooth sailing for your business online.

Product launches

Product launches need a good social media manager. A Fractional Social Media Manager can do this job well. They are not as costly but still get the work done right. Their skills and know-how make them great at creating buzz for new products.

These experts use smart ways to reach your target audience on different platforms. From Facebook to Instagram, they have it covered. Their goal is to spark interest in your brand and the new product line you’re rolling out.

They save you time and stress so you can focus on other parts of your business.

Testing new marketing channels

Hiring a fractional social media manager can help in testing new marketing channels. They know the best way to run ads, post content, and engage with users. They can see what works well on new spaces like TikTok or Instagram Reels.

This helps your brand stand out more online. Also, they won’t cost as much money as a full-time employee would do. It’s an affordable way to try these methods without great risk or high costs.

Recently funded startups

Recently funded startups can make smart use of their resources by hiring a fractional social media manager. This step lets them gain top talent without paying a full-time salary. A fractional hire brings skillful guidance to the business, helping it grow while keeping costs low.

The long-term work makes these managers more useful than short-time workers. So, bringing in a part-time product launch expert helps save money and gives better results than bringing on one full-time worker for everything.

In this way, smaller tech companies can stand tall next to bigger competitors but keep spending low at the same time.

The average salary for a social media manager in the United States is around $51,000 according to recent research. However, salaries can vary widely depending on factors like education, experience, location, and the size of the company.

Most social media manager jobs require at least a bachelor’s degree in a related area like marketing, communications, or public relations. However, more experience and certifications can increase your earning potential in this career path. According to Sprout Social’s 2022 index, social media managers with 5-9 years of experience earn an average base salary of $76,500.

There are excellent opportunities to earn more money as you advance your career. Social media managers at the director level make an average base salary of $122,500. Location also impacts salaries. Social media managers make $68,000 on average in San Francisco compared to $48,000 in St. Louis.

Social media managers have many potential career paths to explore within different companies and organizations. Some common next steps include content marketing manager, social media director, community manager, and marketing analytics manager. Focusing on honing skills in social media content creation, analytics, paid social advertising, and communications can open up new paths.

Overall, social media managers are paid fairly well compared to similar careers. Experience level and continued education in areas like analytics, search marketing, and new social channels can lead to higher salaries and new opportunities over time. The job market is growing rapidly as more companies rely on social media for marketing and customer engagement.

A fractional social media manager is a part-time expert who manages your business’s social media channels without demanding the salary of a full-time employee.

By hiring a fractional social media manager, you only pay for the time or tasks needed, not for a full-time salary.

Yes, even though they work part time, professional Fractional Social Media Managers provide high quality services based on their expertise and experience.

Yes, you can set specific goals and targets to ensure that your Fractional Social Media Manager focuses on what really matters to your business.

Absolutely. A skilled Fractional Social Media Manager can handle multiple accounts efficiently while saving your company’s resources.

Now you know, getting a social media manager does not have to be costly. With a fractional social media manager, you get an expert on a budget. You will save money and time while your business gains more from online buzz.

This is the smart way to shine on social platforms.

Hiring a fractional social media manager is a smart and budget-friendly way for companies to manage their online presence. These experienced professionals work on a part-time or project basis, providing high-level expertise without requiring a full-time salary and benefits.

Key benefits of fractional social media managers highlighted in this guide include cost-efficiency, access to seasoned talent, flexibility in hours, and ability to scale marketing efforts up or down as needed. They can assist with high-growth phases, seasonal demands, product launches, expansion into new markets, and more.

The process of finding and collaborating with a fractional social media manager is straightforward. After identifying your goals and ideal skills, post a clear job description outlining the role. Consider industry experience, time availability, and budget when evaluating candidates. Effective collaboration, clear expectations, and simplified payment structures are important.

With the rise of marketing specialization, fractional teams allow access to social media, content creation, SEO, and other experts. This new model is changing the face of modern marketing. For SMBs and startups, bringing in fractional marketing talent provides huge value and ROI.

In summary, a fractional social media manager delivers maximum marketing impact for minimum spend. Their specialized abilities allow companies to effectively build their brand and engage with audiences across channels. It’s an agile, scalable solution for the digital age.

Image Credit: Lenetstan / 123RF.com (Licensed). Photo Illustration: Doctor Marketing, MD™.

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Marty Stewart

Chief Strategy Officer (CSO), Chief Marketing Officer (CMO), Founder at Doctor Marketing, MD™

Marty Stewart is the Founder and Chief Strategy Officer (CSO) of Doctor Marketing, MD™ as well as other multiple company brands. Marty’s ability to transform words into over $54+ million in revenue places him at the forefront of content creation and content marketing innovation. He is recognized for his meticulous data and results-driven visionary approach that blends strategic written content and copywriting that ranks on Page #1 of Google. These accomplishments highlight Marty's unparalleled expertise in the content creation, content marketing and content distribution space, cementing his status as a Thought Leader in modern online marketing strategies.

Doctor Marketing, MD™ is a leading content creation, distribution and marketing agency. The firm works with Top Doctors and Surgeons, Healthcare Companies, Medical Professionals, Private Practices, Medical Groups and Clinics, Hospitals, Executives, and Leaders in the Healthcare Industry and specialty Medical sectors. Doctor Marketing, MD™ has built a world-class content writing team of award-winning writers, SEOs, copywriters, wordsmiths, and ghostwriters. They’ve perfected a proprietary content assembly line process, and further specialize in large-scale content production through well-crafted blog posts, articles, and medical content pieces that attract new patients.

Key Takeaways of Social Media Manager Salary

Defining the Role of a Fractional Social Media Manager

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