If you’re considering social media support, you may be overwhelmed by the options and titles available to you. Choosing the wrong kind of support could create tension, or you could encounter misconstrued expectations.
In addition to this, most businesses struggle to maintain a consistent, credible social media presence. Sporadic posting, low engagement, and a lack of strategy are common when specialist support is not utilised. This equals invisibility to clients.
Finding the right social media services for your business doesn’t have to be complicated. This guide aims to inform your decision on the best support for your company so you can make the right call for your business from day one.
Your guide to Social Media Services: What each role means
Social Media Management
The role of Social Media Manager has changed drastically since roles started to appear in the mid-2010s. Now mostly a freelance position, SMMs carry out the bulk of the scheduling, strategy, and posting work involved in maintaining a consistent social media presence.
Often, Social Media Managers don’t create content themselves – they can, however, create the posting calendars that will carry your business to online growth. While you take the photos and videos, they can edit them, create the captions and on-screen copy that will best engage your audience, and schedule the posts so you don’t have to.
Social Media Manager responsibilities and skills:
- Managing posting schedules
- Creating a content calendar
- Writing captions
- Preparing copy for Instagram Stories
- Advising on social media strategy
For financial services and B2B firms, an SMM is particularly valuable for maintaining a consistent, professional presence on LinkedIn and other key platforms without requiring your team to spend hours each week on content.
What they typically don’t do is shoot or produce original photo and video content. That’s a separate role (see below).
Content Creation
Creating photo and video content to upload to your social accounts can be a daunting task.
How do you ensure that it aligns with your brand guidelines?
Does it capture your unique voice?
A Content Creator prepares the content that will be posted on your account. They can either work remotely or visit your site to film videos, conduct interviews or shoot stills. They will edit all of your content so that it is in keeping with current trends as well as the vision you have for your business’ page.
Content Writers are another kind of creator who can create blogs or copy for your website, product listings, and any other type of text that appears in your campaigns. If you want to improve your website SEO, contact us here.
This role is usually a production role when compared to the strategic insight of a Social Media Manager, but experienced Content Creators may offer useful advice on the best path for your platform strategy.
Content creator responsibilities and skills:
- Shoots photo and video content
- Edits videos and writes captions
- Writes copy for captions and social media posts
- Can create long-form written content like blogs or product descriptions
If your strategy relies heavily on LinkedIn articles, industry commentary, or SEO-optimised blog content, a dedicated Content Writer can be a high-value addition to your support setup.
Community Management
Community Manager is a relatively new role in the social media world. Now that businesses and creators are realising that social media is not just a one-way broadcast, many are searching for support with fostering and maintaining a loyal community or client base.
Interacting with comments, responding to DMs in your brand’s voice, supporting group chats or contributing to forums are all responsibilities of a Community Manager. They ensure that you are not only publishing content into the world but also interacting with your audience and sparking meaningful conversation within communities.
Community Manager responsibilities and skills:
- Interact with comments
- Answer DMs and online queries
- Support group chats
- Contribute to related forums
For regulated industries like financial services, a good Community Manager will also understand the boundaries around what can and can’t be said publicly, keeping your business compliant while still being human and responsive.
Channel-specific Support
Some social media professionals can provide full support for one or two specific platforms. If you’re seeking one hire or freelancer to take ownership of your LinkedIn page or TikTok Shop, this could be the best choice.
Channel-specific support can provide full strategy, content creation, community management, and consultancy for whichever channel is your top priority.
Channel-specific support responsibilities:
- Full account management of one or two specific platforms (Eg. LinkedIn, Instagram, TikTok, Facebook)
- Strategic planning and campaign implementation
- Community Management, Content Creation, and Social Media Management combined
This model works particularly well for B2B firms investing heavily in LinkedIn, where nuanced, industry-specific content requires specialist attention. For more information about B2B social media techniques, read our article on company pages here.
Social Strategy
If you want a deeper dive into your strategy on social media, a Social Media or Content Strategist could provide the best results.
They are experienced social media professionals who will audit your current channels, research competitors, and get to know your market in order to provide you with the best possible strategy for your online presence.
Social Strategists don’t create the content, but they can advise you on your next steps to transforming your social media campaigns.
Social Media Strategist responsibilities and skills:
- Social Media strategy
- Consultancy
- Channel audit and competitor research
If you’ve been posting consistently but seeing no traction, a strategy engagement is often the smartest starting point. It gives you a foundation that makes every other social media investment more effective.
Which Social Media services does your business need?
Here’s a simple starting point:
You need Social Media Management if: You have content but no one to manage the calendar, captions, or scheduling.
You need Community Management if: You’re getting engagement but don’t have time to respond, or you want to proactively build relationships with your audience.
You need Content Creation if: Your channels are quiet because you don’t have the time or skills to produce quality content.
You need Channel-specific Support if: You want to dominate one platform before spreading your budget thinly across others.
You need a Social Media Strategist if: You’re not sure what’s working, what isn’t, or where to focus next.
How do I identify the gaps?
Many businesses, especially in financial services and B2B industries, benefit from a combination of two or three of these services working together. The key is starting with a clear picture of where your gaps are.
At MSP Reach, we provide tailored social media support for financial services firms and B2B companies that are serious about growth. Whether you need a full-service package or support with one specific area, we’ll help you identify exactly what your business needs. Contact us here.
Frequently Asked Questions About Social Media Support
How much does social media support cost for a B2B or financial services company?
Costs vary significantly depending on the type and scope of support you need. A freelance Social Media Manager handling scheduling and captions might start from £500–£800 per month, while a full-service package covering strategy, content creation, and community management can range from £1,500 to £3,500+ per month. For financial services firms with compliance requirements, it’s worth factoring in the cost of a specialist who understands your regulatory environment.
Do I need to be on every social media platform?
No. Trying to be everywhere at once is one of the most common mistakes B2B businesses make. For most financial services and professional services firms, LinkedIn delivers the strongest return. Depending on your target audience, Instagram or even YouTube may also be relevant. A Social Media Strategist can audit your current channels and recommend where your time and budget will have the most impact before you commit to anything.
How long does it take to see results from social media services?
Organic social media is a long game. Most businesses start to see meaningful engagement and follower growth within three to six months of consistent, strategic activity, but the compounding effect builds significantly over time.
Can a social media agency work within financial services compliance requirements?
Yes, but not every agency is equipped to do so. When evaluating social media support providers, ask specifically about their experience with FCA-regulated businesses or financial promotions. A specialist agency will have processes in place for content sign-off, disclaimer inclusion, and avoiding anything that could be construed as financial advice. This is non-negotiable for firms operating in regulated sectors.
What’s the difference between a Social Media Manager and a Social Media Strategist?
A Social Media Manager handles the day-to-day execution: scheduling, captions, calendars, and keeping your channels active. A Social Media Strategist works at a higher level, auditing your current performance, researching competitors, and building the roadmap that guides all of that activity. Many businesses benefit from both: a strategist to set the direction and a manager to deliver it consistently. If you’re starting from scratch, strategy first is almost always the smarter move.