Ninjaneer Media vs hiring a social media freelancer

What a good freelancer brings

A freelancer is a person. They can visit, ask questions, spot a good story in a conversation and adapt when something changes. They can shoot photos or video, handle a comment thread and bring ideas you had not considered.

For a business that wants a creative partner, or needs original photography and video, that human touch is hard to replace.

Freelancers can also help with strategy: what to post, when, and how your page fits your wider marketing. Some will manage paid advertising as well, which is a separate skill from everyday posting.

What to check before hiring one

Freelancers vary widely, so it pays to ask the same few questions of anyone. Who owns the accounts and the content? What happens if they go on holiday or stop working with you? How do you approve posts before they go out?

Ask to see how they work, not only past examples, and make sure the agreement is clear in writing. A short written summary of what is included each week avoids misunderstandings later.

Ask how they handle sensitive jobs, such as customer privacy and regulated trade wording. A good freelancer will check with you before posting, not after, and will be happy to put the process in writing.

• Who owns the accounts and the content?
• How do I approve each post?
• What happens if they are unavailable?
• How do I end the arrangement?

Where Ninjaneer Media is different

Ninjaneer Media is software, not a person. In the invite-only beta you upload photos and business details, and it drafts posts. You review them in a swipe feed and choose Schedule, Delete or comment a change. Approved posts wait in a queue at the posting times you pick.

It works from what you give it and it is always available, but it does not visit your site, take photos or talk with your customers. Its drafts are a starting point that you approve or change.

It also works differently from a person: it is a tool you open each week rather than someone you brief. If you like handing over a brief and getting things back finished, a person may suit you better.

Limits to be upfront about

Live posting to Facebook, Instagram, Threads and Google Business is built but switches on after the beta, so during the beta nothing leaves the queue. Ads management and reports are planned, not available yet.

A freelancer who already manages your accounts can usually do those things now. If you need them today, factor that in.

We would rather you know this now than discover it later. If you want both drafting and live posting working today, a person or a live scheduling product may suit you better until the beta ends.

Control and involvement

With a freelancer you usually hand over a measure of control and trust them to represent you. That can be a relief or a worry depending on the person.

With Ninjaneer Media you stay in the loop on every post. That suits owners who want to keep a firm hand, though it also means you need to spend a few minutes reviewing drafts each week.

Think about how you like to communicate too. Some owners enjoy a regular call with a person, while others prefer to handle everything on their phone in their own time.

Where each fits

A freelancer fits a business that wants creative direction, original content and someone to handle the day-to-day conversation. Ninjaneer Media fits a business that has its own job photos, wants to approve each post and prefers a lighter, more structured routine.

You could also use both: a freelancer for the occasional bigger shoot, and drafts for the everyday posts.

Many businesses switch between the two over time as their needs change, so treat the first choice as a step and not a lifelong commitment. Whatever you choose, keep your own copies of your best photos and your login details, so you are never stuck.