Managing Expectation Levels for Social Media

Today we’re going to dive into the mastery of hugging the right balance between managing client expectations and achieving maintainable success!

Handling client expectations surrounding social media is essential for building trust, ensuring client satisfaction, and achieving long-term success. It allows for a more informed and collaborative approach to social media marketing, resulting in better outcomes for both the client and the agency.

We love a good hug, let’s go!

Especially surrounding social media, setting proper expectations is crucial for several reasons:

1. Realistic Goals: Setting realistic goals and expectations helps clients understand what can be achieved through social media marketing. This prevents them from expecting immediate viral success or unrealistic levels of engagement. By managing expectations, you can create achievable objectives that align with the client's business objectives. 

**Psst… we have a whole blog post dedicated to setting SMART goals!**

2. Avoiding Disappointment: Clients who have unrealistic expectations may become disappointed if they don't see immediate or extraordinary results. This disappointment can lead to dissatisfaction with your services and harm your client relationships.

This is one of the most important facets to the success of your client relationship. Unhappy wife = unhappy life! Honesty and transparency are key here, so don’t be afraid to pull your clients back down to Earth when their expectations start to take their feet off the ground. In a world where success is built off of consistency and continued efforts, client retention is MEGA important…which is why you, as a social media manager, should prioritize attainable client goals and harmonious relationships. 

3. Transparency and Trust: Being upfront about what can and cannot be accomplished through social media builds trust with your clients. It shows that you are honest about the potential outcomes, which can strengthen the client-agency relationship.

T as in Troy? No, T as in Transparency, Trust, Teamwork, Thoughtfulness, Tact, Timeliness…shall I keep going?

4. Resource Allocation: Managing expectations helps clients understand the time, effort, and resources required for successful social media campaigns. It allows them to allocate their budget and resources more effectively.

As social media managers, it is not lost on us that not everyone understands our job or role. Because of this ~gray area~, transparency in resource allocation and effort distribution is KEY to helping your client understand exactly what they are getting from your partnership. This also gives your client more clarity regarding investment.

5. Long-Term Success: Social media marketing is an ongoing process that requires consistent effort and strategic planning. By managing expectations, clients are more likely to stay committed to their social media strategy for the long term, understanding that results may take time to materialize.

Say it with me once more…happy wife = happy life! Consistency in social media really is the biggest facet of success, we’ve spoken on this point several times now. And in order to maintain that consistency, your client relationship needs to be as smooth and transparent as possible. By setting predictions based on experience and fact…FROM THE START…you have a much higher chance at keeping your client happy in the long game. 

6. Data-Driven Decisions: Setting clear expectations also helps in establishing key performance indicators (KPIs) and success metrics. With defined goals, it becomes easier to analyze the effectiveness of the social media campaigns and make data-driven decisions for improvement.

Check out our SMART goals blog post for more information about these types of expectations, or read up on our ROI post to see how we break down these social media metrics each step of the way to analyze KPIs.

7. Reputation Management: In some cases, social media campaigns may receive negative feedback or face unexpected challenges. By managing client expectations, you can prepare them for potential scenarios and devise appropriate strategies to handle any negative publicity.

8. Budget Optimization: Clients with unrealistic expectations may be more willing to overspend on social media campaigns, hoping for quick results. Managing expectations helps set a reasonable budget that aligns with the expected outcomes, preventing unnecessary expenditures.

Investing in social media is hardly ever going to elicit an immediate return. We know that’s a hard pill to swallow, which is why we always advocate for budget transparency and do our best to clue clients in on cost efficiency. 

Stay tuned for an upcoming post about AD spending and results!

9. Education and Awareness: Clients who understand the complexities and nuances of social media marketing are more likely to value your expertise and advice. By managing expectations, you can educate clients about the opportunities and limitations of different platforms and tactics.

We feel like a broken record everytime we call social media an “evolving landscape”... but it’s true. And due to its changing nature, it is quite common that a client has incorrect information about what works. Instead of preaching or assuming the client understands, managers should be keen on explaining their tactics, and illustrating their strategies in a way that is both informative and digestible. With a new platform popping up once every two weeks, and a new algorithm taking our feeds by storm, opportunities and limitations should never be hidden from your clients. Instead, encourage them to step foot into new social strategies while staying wary of restrictions imposed by differing tactics and platforms. 

By setting realistic and achievable goals, establishing transparent communication, and providing a clear understanding of the challenges and opportunities, businesses and agencies like ours can build stronger and more trusting relationships with their clients. Acknowledging the limitations and uncertainties of social media platforms allows for better resource allocation and data-driven decision-making.

Remember, managing client expectations is not about promising the moon but guiding them toward sustainable growth and long-term success. 

By embracing this approach, both clients and social media professionals can embark on a collaborative journey that leads to meaningful connections, increased brand awareness, and ultimately, a thriving digital presence. As the landscape continues to evolve (sorry…had to), adapting and managing expectations with creativity and innovation will remain the key to unlocking the true potential of social media marketing.

XO, TJ Team