Identifying the right need
Start by identifying the bottleneck. Is your content not getting enough views, or is your audience not engaging when they do see it? If reach is the issue, a social media manager is not always the best fix. They have limited time and cannot out-post a machine. If engagement is the issue, you need a human to build the connection. Be honest about what problem you are solving before you commit to a salary.
What is a managed content network?
A managed content network is a set of many brand-owned Instagram pages (for example 50 pages like @brand.daily or @brand.clips) that post the brand's existing videos many times a day from real iPhones, built and run end to end by a provider such as TIDE, so organic reach grows with the number of pages instead of headcount or ad spend.
Managing the risk of scale
When you use a managed network, you are moving away from manual, high-touch management into high-volume automation. This requires different monitoring. You must watch for brand safety issues and be prepared for potential account bans, which are common when running many automated pages. A provider like TIDE will manage the replacement of these accounts. Your role is to ensure the content being distributed remains high quality and true to the brand voice.
Strategic resource allocation
As a CMO, you must maximize your budget. A new hire requires space in your budget for years. A managed network can be scaled up or down as your needs change. If you can achieve your reach goals with a service, you keep your budget flexible. This allows you to pivot your strategy if the market shifts, which is a major advantage for any baby brand in a competitive category.
Choose the hire for engagement, and a managed network for scale; never sacrifice one for the other without a clear strategic goal.
See your network before you hire.
Tell us what your baby and kids products brand already makes and how you get customers today. We'll show you a real network running live and tell you honestly whether it fits. It costs about the same as one marketing hire.
Follow-up questions
What if I already have a small team?
If your team is already stretched, do not add another layer of management. Use a service to support them rather than adding a new hire.
How does this affect my pipeline?
A network should act as a top-of-funnel engine. It drives awareness that your existing team can then convert into customers.
What is the best way to start?
Start by auditing your current video assets. If you have great content that isn't getting views, start testing with a managed network.