Fazley RabbiA social media manager plans and creates content, posts it, replies to comments and messages, and often runs paid ads, so that your pages bring in enquiries and orders rather than just likes. Whether you hire a staff member, a freelancer or an agency, the decision comes down to three things: who will actually do the work, who owns your accounts, and how results will be reported. Ask about those before you talk about price.
What the job usually covers
"Social media management" means different things to different people, so first write down which of these you need:
- Planning: a monthly content calendar tied to your products, offers and seasons.
- Content: photos, short videos, graphics and captions in Bangla, English or both.
- Community: replying to comments and messages, and passing serious complaints to you.
- Paid ads: setting up campaigns, testing creatives and managing the budget.
- Reporting: a regular summary of what was done and what it led to.
Many small businesses in Bangladesh need more help with messages than with posts. If most of your orders arrive through Messenger or WhatsApp, decide early whether the manager answers buyers or only creates content. A slow reply loses a sale faster than a weak post does.
In-house, freelancer or agency
| In-house staff | Freelancer | Agency | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Knows your business | Best, over time | Depends on their effort | Depends on the account manager |
| Range of skills | One person's skills | One person's skills | Designer, writer and ad specialist |
| Speed of reply to buyers | Fast, same office | Varies | Often slower unless agreed |
| Risk if they leave | Knowledge walks out | Knowledge walks out | Usually covered by the team |
| Management needed from you | High | Medium | Medium |
There is no single right answer. A clothing shop in Rajshahi that gets many inbox orders a day might want an in-house person for messages and a freelancer for design. An exporter that posts a few times a month might be better served by an agency that also handles LinkedIn.
Questions to ask before you hire
- Who will do the work day to day? At an agency, the person in the pitch meeting is often not the one writing your posts. Ask to meet that person.
- How do you plan content? A good answer mentions your customers, your products and a calendar, not just "daily posts".
- How will approvals work? Agree who signs off on posts, offers and replies to complaints, and how quickly.
- Who owns the page and the ad account? The answer should be: your business. They are given access; you keep ownership.
- Is the ad budget separate from your fee? Ask how they report spending and whether you pay the platform directly.
- What will you report, and how often? Look for numbers tied to your goals, such as messages, leads, orders and cost per order, not only reach and likes.
- How do you handle a negative comment or a crisis? You want a calm process, not deleting everything.
- Can I see pages you manage now? Look at real pages and judge consistency over several months, not one good post. If possible, speak to someone at one of those businesses.
- What happens when the contract ends? All files, designs, logins and ad data should stay with you.
Red flags
- A promise of a fixed number of followers, sales or "viral" posts.
- Asking for your personal Facebook password instead of being given access through your business account.
- Buying followers or likes, or using engagement groups to inflate numbers.
- Reports full of reach and impressions with no link to enquiries or sales.
- The same template designs they use for every other business.
- Running your ads from their own ad account, so you lose the history if you part ways.
What to expect in the first three months
The first month is mostly setup: understanding your customers, fixing your page details, building a content calendar, connecting tracking, and agreeing how messages are handled. Expect to spend some of your own time answering questions and sending product information.
In the second month, content and ads settle into a rhythm and the first tests run. By the third month there should be enough data to see which kinds of content and which ads bring real enquiries. If nothing has been learned after a fair trial, not merely "no sales yet" but no clear lessons either, it is time for a frank conversation.
Your side of the deal matters too. A manager cannot sell products they do not understand, and cannot post on time if approvals take a week. Give them product details, prices, stock updates and quick feedback.
A short checklist before you sign
- Write down which tasks you are handing over and which you will keep.
- Make sure your business owns the page, the ad account and any pixel or tracking set-up.
- Agree on a monthly report with three or four numbers that matter to you.
- Set an approval process and an expected response time for messages.
- Start with a trial period, then review it together.
If you want a planned approach to social media and ads management, or a second opinion on a proposal you have received, you can get in touch. Two related reads: keeping a content calendar a small team can follow, and what to do if an ad account gets restricted.