If you've hired a social media manager or marketing agency, you might be wondering whether you're still allowed to post on your own pages. It's a surprisingly hot topic among social media professionals, and I will preface all of this by saying that I don't think there's one right answer.
So I'm going to share how we handle it at Kinroot, and maybe by the end of this post you'll have formed your own opinion.
I'm specifically talking about when a business or organization hires someone to create, post and manage content on their socials. That usually comes with a strategy customized to the business, and deliverables spelled out in a scope of work.
Why some social media managers say no:
From a marketing professional's perspective, I totally get it. A social media manager spends tons of time and energy sprucing up your profile, getting to know your brand, building a content plan, and scheduling the perfect mix of posts. It's so much more work than most people realize, and it's usually light years better than what was happening before.
Your feed also becomes a portfolio of their work. Your engagement, followers and overall look are the deliverable, so they reflect the manager's skill and effort. I'll admit it: I used to cringe when a client posted a pixelated meme or an AI graphic that wasn't sized properly, five minutes after one of my scheduled posts went out. In my head, it looked like the Temu version of what I'd made.
And when results don't meet expectations, the manager usually takes the blame, even when midnight posting by the client played a part.
So the thinking goes, "If they're paying me for this, they should just let me do my job." There's definitely some truth to that.
Why I think you should be allowed to post:
When you started your Instagram, you probably had big hopes. You'd build a booming online community, everyone would be blown away by your wit, and business would pick up right away.
Then one of two things happened: you got served a big fat piece of humble pie, OR you actually pulled it off and realized how much time and energy it takes to keep up.
Either way, if you built your business or organization from the ground up, your social media can feel like an extension of yourself. You may have accepted that you need help, but that doesn't automatically mean you're ready to be completely hands off. Sometimes things also come up that need to be posted right away. Unless your social media manager works in-house or offers 24/7 coverage, it often makes more sense for you to post those yourself.
At the end of the day, your social media accounts are your business assets. You're paying for a scope of work, and how you use your own pages is your call.
How we handle at Kinroot:
I've been in both camps, and I understand the pros and cons of each on a visceral level because I've lived all of it.
Twelve-plus years into this work, I've landed pretty firmly on the side of letting clients post.
Our services are priced and designed for small to medium-sized businesses and organizations that have a marketing budget, but not quite enough for an in-house team or premium-level management. We recommend posting at least 3x/week on each platform, and our Lite plan covers 2x/week per platform. That makes it a great fit for business owners who want some relief without giving up full control.
I secretly love it when our services are paired with in-house employees, because they have access to the day-to-day gems that I don't. We end up with a well-rounded feed where my posts blend in with theirs, and nobody realizes that two-thirds of the posts are hired out.
Making it Work Together
A few simple habits keep everyone on the same page:
A shared content calendar. You can see what we have scheduled and when, so your posts land in the gaps instead of on top of ours.
A quick heads-up. If something timely comes up, a short text or email lets us shift the schedule if needed.
A little breathing room. Give your post a few hours (ideally a full day) of space from a scheduled one so each has a fair chance to perform.
Every Post Doesn’t Need to Be a Banger
Sometimes clients post cringey stuff, and that's okay. When it comes to social media, we're not going for perfection. Sometimes the cringe actually performs better than the polish. It's the Wild Wild West out here, you guys. Social media is an ever-shifting landscape, and anyone who claims to have it all figured out is probably trying to sell you a course.
The main reason to hire a social media manager is to get the task off your plate, show up online more consistently, elevate what you're already doing, and grow an online community grounded in trust, loyalty, and having a laugh together every once in a while.
That's always our goal, and sometimes it's a joint effort.
If you want help showing up consistently without handing over the keys completely, book a free 20-minute consultation and let's talk about what that could look like for your business.
