Social media is also something your company should seriously consider outsourcing. Why? While there are plenty of good reasons, consider the following:

• Social media takes time. Too many people think all it requires is randomly posting to Facebook or Twitter a few times a day. The truth is, proactive social media campaigns require attention and planning. And yes, the actual posting and tweeting of messages takes time, as well. To assume that someone at your company (or even worse, a committee of people at your company) can handle the social media function is foolhardy. Keep in mind – once you start a social media program, it requires time. You must be prepared to allot this time to be successful.
• Social media require strategy. It's not just about posting what a great day you had, as you might in a personal account. There is a subtle mix of messages between company and consumer. Striking the right balance between overt sales and information/education, for example, requires forethought and experience. Just sitting someone from HR down in front of a screen and expecting them to tweet about how great your products are, for example, isn't going to cut it.
• Social media requires experience. As mentioned above, strategic social media for companies requires more than posting about what a great weekend you had. Typical social media companies have multiple clients and know what works and what doesn't with most consumers. You need someone that understands the nature of business communication in general and the specifics of social media communication. There's a strategy behind all the posting and tweeting. Social media is not necessarily done best by a hip-looking college intern. Experience and savvy count just as much as youth.

These are just a few reasons why you should consider outsourcing your social media strategy. Keeping social media in-house, while tempting, typically will not yield results for your company. Recognizing this limitation and reaching out to skilled professionals with social media experience and savvy is a wise investment of your marketing dollars.