You know you need help with social media. You are tired. You post when you have time, which is not often.

So you ask: who should I get?

In Tanzania, there are different types of people who can manage your social media. Each one works in a different way. Each one is good for a different business.

Here are the 5 main types, and how to choose.

1. The friend, cousin or student helper

Who they are: Someone close to you who knows social media, or a student who wants to learn.

Good for: A very small business that is just starting, with a small budget.

Watch out for: This person may have other work, school or exams. They may disappear when they get busy. There may also be no clear agreement about what they will do. Write it down, even for a friend.

2. The freelance social media manager

Who they are: A person who works for themselves and manages pages for a few businesses at the same time.

Good for: A small or growing business that wants steady posting from one skilled person.

Watch out for: One person cannot do everything. If they get sick or take on too many clients, your page may slow down. Ask how many clients they handle.

3. The in-house employee

Who they are: A person you hire to work only for your business, in your office or from home.

Good for: A bigger business that has a lot to post and reply to every day.

Watch out for: You pay a salary every month, even when work is slow. You also need to train them and manage them. One person may not be good at photos, video, ads and replies all together.

4. The social media agency

Who they are: A company with a team. One person plans, one creates, one handles ads, one replies to messages.

Good for: A business that wants a full service and does not want to manage many people.

Watch out for: An agency may cost more than a single person. Choose one that explains clearly what you get, and shows you real results, not only likes. This is what we do at Optiza Digital with our Social Media Management service. We are one choice among many, so compare before you decide.

5. The specialist

Who they are: A person who does only one part of social media very well. For example:

• A content creator: photos and videos. See our Content Creation service.
• A graphic designer: posters and designs for your posts.
• A community manager: answers comments and messages.
• An ads specialist: runs paid ads. See our Meta Ads Management service.

Good for: A business that already has a manager, but needs more skill in one area.

Watch out for: You may need to join the work of several specialists together. Someone must plan the whole thing.

Quick way to choose

• Starting out, tiny budget: a helper or a freelancer
• Growing, want steady posting: a freelancer or an agency
• Busy every day, lots of messages: an in-house person, or an agency with a community manager
• Good page, but ads are weak: an ads specialist

The best manager is not the cheapest or the most famous. It is the one who fits your business and keeps their promises.

6 questions to ask before you hire anyone

1. Can I see 3 samples of your work?
2. What will you post, and how often?
3. Who will reply to my customers, and how fast?
4. How will you show me the results every month?
5. Will you work with me as an admin on my page, so I always own my account? Do not give anyone your password. Read How to Protect Your Facebook and Instagram Accounts From Hackers.
6. What is written in our agreement?

Red flags

• They promise a lot of sales or followers in a few days. Nobody can promise this.
• They want to buy followers for you. Read How to Spot Fake Followers on Instagram.
• They cannot show any samples.
• They ask for your password instead of admin access.
• They never explain what they are doing.

Want to Do It Yourself First?

You can also learn to manage your page. Our Social Media Training teaches you step by step, and you can decide later if you want to hire help.

Want Help Choosing?

Not sure which type fits your business? Visit our Mwenge office, or book a paid consultation from TZS 150,000 for 2 hours. We do not offer free consultations by phone call, WhatsApp, or DM.

Read Next

• How to Post Consistently on Instagram in Tanzania When You Are Running a Small Business Alone
• Why Customers Leave Your Page Without Buying (And a Simple Fix)
• How to Write a Short Business Message That Gets a Reply

P.S. Before you hire anyone, write down what you want in 3 lines. Then you can judge every manager against your own goal.