How to Build a Social Media Team in 6 Steps (Agency Guide)

Building a social media team? Here’s everything you need to know, from identifying the right team members to managing them effectively.

Whether you’re launching a marketing agency or scaling an existing one, having the right social media team is super important.

Clients expect expert-level strategy, creative content, and measurable results—so trying to manage everything alone (or with a small, overworked team) can quickly lead to burnout and missed opportunities.

But how do you build a social media team that delivers consistently, while staying profitable? Do you hire full-time specialists, outsource to freelancers, or mix both? And what roles are essential for handling strategy, content creation, paid media, and reporting?

In this guide, you’ll learn:

• The key roles every social media agency needs to succeed
• The pros and cons of hiring in-house vs. outsourcing
• The best tools and workflows for seamless collaboration

Let’s start!

Step 1: Define Your Needs

Before hiring anyone, take a step back and assess what your agency actually needs. 

Every marketing agency operates differently—some focus heavily on organic content, while others specialize in paid media or influencer collaborations. The size and structure of your social media team should align with the services you provide.

Start by asking these questions:

What platforms do you manage for clients (Instagram, LinkedIn, TikTok, etc.)?

Do you offer full-service social media management or just specific services (e.g., content creation, paid ads, analytics)?

How many clients do you handle, and how complex are their campaigns?

If your agency manages multiple clients and accounts with unique content needs, you’ll likely need specialists in different areas—like a content creator, a strategist, and an analytics expert.

If you focus on a specific niche (such as B2B LinkedIn marketing or e-commerce paid ads), you might need fewer roles but deeper expertise in those areas.

Step 2: Identify Key Roles in a Social Media Team

Once you’ve defined your needs, it’s time to outline the essential roles. The structure depends on your agency’s size and services, but most teams include:

• Social media manager: Oversees strategy, execution, and client communication.
• Content creator (graphic designer and video editor): Produces visuals and videos.
• Copywriter: Crafts engaging captions, ad copy, and blog content.
• Paid media specialist: Manages social media ads and campaign budgets.
• Project manager: Keeps projects organized and ensures deadlines are met.
• Analytics and reporting specialist: Tracks performance and provides data-driven insights.

Smaller agencies may combine roles (e.g., a social media manager who also writes copy), while larger agencies tend to have dedicated specialists.

Step 3: Decide Between In-House vs. Outsourced Social Media Teams

Now that you know which roles you need, the next step is deciding whether to hire in-house, outsource, or use a hybrid model. Each option has pros and cons:

• In-house team: Full control, stronger brand alignment, and easier collaboration, but requires higher investment in salaries and resources.
• Outsourcing (freelancers and contractors): Cost-effective and scalable, with access to specialized talent. However, you’ll have less direct oversight and may face communication challenges.
• Hybrid model: A mix of in-house leadership (strategy and client relations) with outsourced execution (content creation, paid ads). This balances control and flexibility while keeping costs manageable.

Also, to make an informed decision, you should compare the financial implications of each approach. Below is a table outlining average in-house salaries and freelance rates for key social media roles:

Role	Average annual in-house salary	Average freelance rates
Social media manager	$62,123	$50–$90 per hour
Copywriter	$67,409	$25–$120 per hour
Paid media specialist	$63,169	$30–$100 per hour
Project manager	$91,723	$30–$120 per hour

*Average in-house salary figures were obtained from Indeed, while freelance rates were sourced from various platforms such as Upwork, HubStaff, and AllThingsFreelanceWriting. These salary figures are specific to the U.S. and may vary depending on location, industry, and level of experience.

Ultimately, the right choice depends on your budget, workload, and long-term goals. Many agencies start lean with freelancers before gradually building an in-house team.

Step 4: Hire the Right Social Media Talent

Once you’ve decided on your team structure, the next step is finding the right people to fill key roles.

1. Write Clear Job Descriptions

Whether you’re hiring an in-house specialist or a freelancer, you need a clear job description. Define the role’s responsibilities, required skills, and performance expectations. A well-written job post attracts the right candidates and weeds out unqualified applicants. Get it right, and you’ll save yourself a lot of time and frustration.

2. Use Social Media Platforms and Job Boards to Post Your Job Ad

If you’re a small agency, posting on your website won’t get that many eyes on your job. The best place to promote open positions is on social media or job boards.

So, go ahead and post your openings on LinkedIn and industry-specific job boards like ProBlogger to reach experienced professionals. Consider using Upwork or Fiverr for freelance hires.

3. Assess Skills and Cultural Fit

When interviewing candidates, don’t just focus on their resume—see how they think and adapt in real-time. Ask them to walk you through a recent campaign they’ve worked on: What was the goal? What went right? What would they do differently?

To gauge cultural fit, pay attention to their communication style, problem-solving approach, and ability to collaborate across teams. Social media is fast-paced, so look for candidates who think strategically, stay on top of trends, and can pivot quickly without losing sight of brand voice and objectives.

Step 5: Establish Workflows and Collaboration Tools

Once you have the right team in place, the next step is ensuring everything runs smoothly. To make that happen, you need a well-structured workflow and the right tools to keep deadlines on track, maintain brand consistency, and ensure clients are satisfied with the campaigns you create.

Standardize Your Content Workflow

Define a clear process for content creation, approval, and publishing. Typically, this looks like:

Ideation → Brainstorming post ideas based on trends, strategy, and client goals.
Content creation → Copywriters and designers craft engaging posts.
Approval process → Account managers and clients review and approve content.
Scheduling and publishing → Posts go live via your scheduling tool.
Engagement and monitoring → Community managers track performance and interact with the audience.

Use the Right Collaboration Tools

Apart from having a well-structured workflow, managing multiple clients and campaigns requires the right tools to stay organized. Gain is designed specifically for agencies, combining effortless social media management with automated approvals, dedicated client workspaces, and seamless content scheduling.

With Gain, you don’t have to chase clients for feedback. Our tool follows up automatically and tracks every change request, making collaboration smooth and efficient.

Other agency tools that you should consider adding to your arsenal include:

• Calendly for client meetings
• Basecamp for project management
• SEMRush for content optimization
• Canva for visual asset creation.

Step 6: Manage and Scale Your Team Effectively

As soon as your agency takes off, staying on top of team management will become even more important.

As you onboard more clients, roles will need to be clearly defined. While smaller teams often wear multiple hats, scaling requires specialization. Make sure responsibilities are well-distributed across content creation, strategy, paid media, analytics, and client communication to avoid bottlenecks and inefficiencies.

And don’t forget to keep a pulse on your team’s well-being. Growth is great, but burnout isn’t.

Related Read: 7 Ways to Tackle Creative Burnout in Your Agency

Keep an eye on workloads, check in regularly, and make sure no one is overworked. A strong, happy team delivers the best results—and that’s what keeps clients coming back.

FAQs

The Final Word

Growing an agency is exciting—until your team is drowning in content calendars, approval emails, and last-minute client changes. The truth is, social media work doesn’t have to feel like an endless to-do list. With the right workflows and tools that take the busywork off your plate, you can scale your agency without burning out your team.

Gain helps you automate content approvals, centralize content, and keep everything moving without the stress. Try it for free and see how much smoother things can run.