Last updated: October 2026 · By Kelly Noble Mirabella, Fractional Social Media Director and Founder of Stellar Media Marketing (Aurora, CO)
Quick answer: Ask 10 questions before you sign: who does the work, how many finished pieces you get monthly, who answers DMs and comments, what reporting looks like, contract length and exit terms, who owns the accounts, Aurora knowledge, results for similar businesses, AI use, and what they need from you. Vague answers on ownership and staffing are the biggest red flags.
I've been on both sides of this table for 18 years, and I'll show you what a good answer and a bad answer sound like for each one, including how I'd answer them myself.
Why is vetting a social media manager so hard?
Vetting is hard because the price range is enormous and the job titles mean nothing. Upwork lists typical freelance social media manager rates of $14 to $35 an hour, while the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics puts the May 2025 median pay for public relations specialists, the category that handles social media questions and concerns, at $74,750 a year. Somewhere in that spread is a person who can actually grow your business. These questions help you find them.
What are the 10 questions to ask before you sign?
Here are the 10 questions, in the order I'd ask them on a first video call.
1. Who will actually do the work on my account?
The person who sells you is often not the person who serves you.
- Good answer: A name, and it's the person you're talking to or someone you'll meet before signing. I do it all myself: strategy, content, posting, and reporting.
- Red flag: "Our team" with no names. That's how accounts end up with the newest hire, which I cover in Why Did My Marketing Agency Hand My Account to a Junior Staffer?
2. How many finished pieces of content do I get each month?
"Posting three times a week" can mean anything from a custom video to a recycled quote graphic.
- Good answer: A specific count of finished, published pieces. My Essentials package is about 12 finished pieces a month plus weekly Google Business Profile posts.
- Red flag: "As much as needed" or a count that quietly includes stories and reshares.
3. Who answers DMs and comments, and how fast?
Your inbox is where followers become customers. BrightLocal's 2026 Local Consumer Review Survey found 80% of consumers are likely to use a business that responds to all its reviews, and 50% are less likely to choose one with generic, templated replies.
- Good answer: Community management is included, with a clear response window and a plan for questions only you can answer.
- Red flag: Community management is "extra," or nobody can tell you who checks the inbox on weekends.
4. What does your monthly report look like?
Ask to see a real one with the client's name blacked out.
- Good answer: A short report tied to business outcomes (calls, form fills, DMs, reviews) with a plain-English note on what changes next month.
- Red flag: Forty pages of screenshots and follower counts, with no recommendation.
5. How long is the contract, and how do I get out?
Length isn't the problem. Unclear exit terms are.
- Good answer: A stated term, a stated notice period, and a clean handoff. My packages carry a 12-month commitment because social compounds, and it's in writing before you sign.
- Red flag: Auto-renewals buried in fine print, or cancellation fees that aren't disclosed on the call.
6. Who owns the accounts, logins, and content?
You should. Every page, ad account, photo, and caption.
- Good answer: You own everything, and they get access through partner or admin permissions they can't use to lock you out.
- Red flag: They created your pages under their own login, or they "license" your content back to you.
7. What do you know about doing business in Aurora?
Aurora is big and spread out, and local content only works when it's specific.
- Good answer: They can name what your customers actually do here, like Fall-O-Ween and the Holiday Hometown Parade and Tree Lighting at Southlands, skating at The Pond, the shops along The Gardens on Havana, or ICE! at Gaylord Rockies.
- Red flag: "We work with businesses everywhere," followed by a Denver skyline stock photo.
8. What results have you gotten for businesses like mine?
Ask for specifics, with dates.
- Good answer: Real numbers from a real client. For one custom pool builder, TikTok views doubled to 36,000 and engagement grew 507.6% in the 90 days from June 19 to September 16, 2026.
- Red flag: Huge follower growth they can't explain. The FTC's final rule on fake reviews and testimonials bans buying or selling fake followers and views and fake or AI-generated reviews. WilmerHale notes it took effect October 21, 2024, with civil penalties of up to $51,744 per violation for knowing violators. Your business carries that risk, not the vendor.
9. How do you use AI?
Everyone uses it now. The question is where.
- Good answer: AI speeds up research, drafts, and scheduling, and a human edits everything in your voice before it posts. I co-wrote AI Chatbots for Dummies, and I still won't let AI reply to an upset customer.
- Red flag: "It's all automated," or they won't say. More in What to Automate on Social Media With AI.
10. What do you need from me?
A good manager tells you this up front, so nobody is surprised in month two.
- Good answer: A specific list. My clients provide raw photos and video, answer questions only they can answer, and approve the monthly plan.
- Red flag: "Nothing, we handle it all." Then your content sounds like everyone else's.
"The best question you can ask is who is actually going to be in your account on a Tuesday afternoon. One client came to me from an agency, saved $5,000 a month, and got more specialized work, because the person they talked to was the person doing the work." Kelly Noble Mirabella, Fractional Social Media Director and Founder, Stellar Media Marketing
How should you compare the answers side by side?
Score each candidate the same way and the right choice usually becomes obvious.
- Named person doing the work: yes or no.
- Finished pieces per month: a written number.
- DMs and comments: included, with a response window.
- Reporting: a sample you've actually seen.
- Term and exit: both written down.
- Account ownership: yours, in writing.
- Aurora knowledge: specific places and events, not a skyline.
- Results: dated numbers from a similar business.
- AI: a human edits everything.
- Your role: a clear, short list.
If a candidate misses on questions 1 or 6, stop there. Those two cause the most damage later.
What happens after you sign with the right person?
The right hire spends the first month learning your business, not posting blind. I walk through that timeline in Social Media Management in Aurora, CO: What Happens in the First 90 Days? It's also why most of my clients stay two years or more. Social media compounds when the same person keeps building on what worked.
Want to ask me all 10 questions?
Please do. I'm a Fractional Social Media Director in Aurora's Southlands area, and I'd rather you vet me hard than sign and regret it. Essentials packages start at $1,200 a month, and Denver-area clients get special pricing on content days and packages.
Book a video call, see how I work with Aurora businesses, or browse all services.
Related reading: Should You Hire a Local or Remote Social Media Manager? and Social Media Manager vs. Social Media Director.
Frequently asked questions
How much should a social media manager cost in Aurora?
Freelancers on Upwork typically charge $14 to $35 an hour, while experienced managers and fractional directors usually work on monthly retainers. My Essentials package starts at $1,200 a month and fractional director engagements start at $1,500.
Should I sign a 12-month social media contract?
A 12-month term is reasonable if the deliverables, exit terms, and account ownership are in writing. Social media results compound, so shorter terms often end right before the work pays off.
Is it a red flag if a social media manager uses AI?
No. It's a red flag if they can't explain where they use it. AI should speed up drafts and research, and a human should edit everything and handle sensitive replies.
Who should own my business's social media accounts?
You should, always. Your manager should work through partner or admin access, and you should be able to remove them without losing a single page, post, or photo.
Can I ask a social media manager for references?
Yes, and you should. Ask to speak with a current client in a similar industry, and ask how long they've worked together.
Changelog: October 2026, first published.