Let’s be real: if you’re not online these days, it’s like you’re invisible. It’s okay to keep things private, but if you want your business to do well, it’s crucial to be active on social media. Treat it like your storefront.
It’s often the first thing potential customers see besides your website, so make sure it leaves a positive impression! Social media managers are the team members you need to build and keep up a good image for your company in the community.
A Social Media Manager’s Typical Day
If you believe social media managers spend their entire day scrolling through Facebook for fun, think again. They do scroll through many posts, but it’s part of their job to stay updated on trends and gather inspiration from unexpected sources.
1. Defining the Communication Strategy
In the field of marketing, it’s common knowledge that you can’t freely express yourself without a plan. A clear strategy is set up, providing rules for all kinds of content like tone, customer responses, and visual design.
These guidelines help stay on track when sending messages. While every employee has their own personality, they should express it while staying within the brand’s strategy rules when talking to customers.
2. Setting Goals
Before you share anything, it’s important to understand your goals. Are you aiming for more followers or going through a rebrand? Your posts should align with these goals, helping you stay focused on your marketing strategy when experimenting. While not an everyday task, it impacts daily decisions and operations.
3. Keeping Up With New Trends
The social media industry moves really fast because it’s always affected by everyone, even those without internet. People can record non-internet users, and these videos can become popular, creating memes and trends.
Social platforms regularly bring in new ways to share content, so social media managers need to stay informed about formats, rules, and news.
4. Creating Engaging Content
Having a product and being on social media isn’t sufficient. Social media managers must strive to be more interesting and engaging than others, which is challenging.
People are fed up with ads, so managers must think creatively and communicate uniquely. Trends change quickly, and it’s essential to use various formats to stay ahead.
5. Scheduling
Social media managers have a lot to do in a day. They make images, text, videos, and polls. But that’s not all. They also have to decide when and where to post things.
Not all social media sites are the same. It doesn’t make sense to post at night if you’re selling something locally. Some sites need more posts, and some don’t need as many.
6. Measuring and Adjusting
After posting, the work isn’t finished. Social media managers need to regularly check how well their posts are doing. This helps figure out what’s effective and what’s not. Trying different posting schedules will also show in the data.
Average salary
Statistics say that the average salary for social media managers moves around $50,000 per year in the US (Glassdoor $49,140, Payscale $52,901). This doesn’t include bonuses that could be rewarded upon completing a thriving marketing campaign or a successful quartal/year.
| PayScale | Glassdoor | |
|---|---|---|
| Social Media Manager | $52,901 | $49,140 |
Becoming a Social Media Manager: Get Started
Can anybody be a social media manager? Yes, but some individuals will excel more than others in this role.
The platforms we use now are all less than 15 years old, and they constantly change. This makes it hard to set firm rules for success. Schools and mentors struggle to keep up because by the time a book or course is ready, the trends and formats have already changed. Still, there are many online courses that can teach you the basics of using social platforms effectively.
Here are the most popular ones:
• Coursera
• Future Learn
• Udemy
• Hubspot Academy
• edX
They’re a great starting point if you have zero experience running an account. We’d also advise you to open a profile that you’ll use for practice. It’s the fastest way to apply what you’ve learned and break the ice when it comes to creating and posting content. In time, you’ll perfect your skills and have something to show when applying for your first job as a social media manager.
Your First Job as a Social Media Manager
Similar to project managers, many social media managers find themselves in the role unintentionally. In most companies, the task of managing social media falls on employees who either have the time to handle it or are already enthusiastic about social platforms.
In some marketing teams, interns or junior writers often handle social media responsibilities and specialize in that area. However, this differs for large international companies heavily dependent on public engagement for profits. These companies hire experienced professionals and have dedicated media teams to support them. As a beginner, it might be challenging to secure a position there, but you could potentially shadow a seasoned professional, gaining insights that formal courses may not provide.
Joining social media communities like Facebook groups and LinkedIn is a great way to land your first job in the social media field. Small companies and startups often turn to these platforms when they realize they need someone to handle their public image on a part-time basis. Don’t hesitate to offer your services, be transparent about your experience, and share examples of your work.
Consider reaching out to friends or acquaintances who create handmade crafts. They might appreciate assistance with tasks like photographing, publishing their products, and managing orders. This hands-on experience will provide valuable learning opportunities as you grow alongside their business.
A Social Media Manager’s Career Path
We mentioned earlier that anyone can become a social media manager, but some people are just naturally better at it. Since it’s a relatively new industry, professionals from different backgrounds can switch careers and become social media managers at any time, even if their expertise is in something like dentistry.
The usual career path, though, often starts in marketing. You might start as a content writer, influencer, or video editor and eventually become a social media manager or go the other way around. Social media managers have many responsibilities and need to master various skills, so it’s their choice to decide what they prefer and specialize in.
Tools
In a social media manager’s toolkit, there’s software for making and planning posts, plus tracking their success. It’s like a basic set for those stepping into the social network scene. The prices are reasonable, letting you test them out and choose the best software based on ease of use and cost.
For big companies with a solid social media presence, knowing how to use the tools they’ve bought is important. Familiarize yourself with the basics of the most popular apps.
Hiring a Social Media Manager
If you’re wondering whether your company needs social media, the answer is always yes. Even local shops can thrive globally by using social platforms effectively.
Now, the question is, do you need a dedicated person for this? We suggest having someone focused solely on social media, even if it’s part-time. Social platforms need constant attention, and multitasking might lead to scattered focus.
Look for someone well-informed, who enjoys online interactions and working with images/videos. The ideal social media manager is open to trying new things, exploring fresh engagement approaches, and embraces a bit of risk. Ensure they’re tech-savvy and passionate about the latest network trends.
Experience is a plus, but limit the insistence to 2-3 years; industry changes quickly. Someone with no experience might outperform an experienced manager with curiosity and proactivity driving their success.