How does someone become a social media manager? What skills and personalities contribute? Is the role glamorous and rewarding? I often get asked these questions. In the age of instant connection, social media managers are often the silent orchestra conductors behind the scenes.
Social media managers curate content which is an aspect I love about the role. We cultivate and manage communities in LinkedIn and elsewhere. I often present campaign results, new platform updates in team meetings and mentor new starters. However, the role has a lot more to it.
How do you become a social media manager?
The path to social media management is as creative and dynamic as the field itself! Formal education in marketing, communications, or a related field can provide a strong foundation. But the key is to cultivate your social media expertise. Actively manage your own channels, experiment with different content formats, and stay on top of the latest trends. When I interview people I always request to look at their public social media accounts or work done with other companies.
With dedication and a passion for the ever-evolving social media landscape, you too could become the driving force behind a successful social media campaign.
Consider internships or freelance opportunities to gain practical experience. Finally, build a portfolio showcasing your successes (no matter how big or small) and how you’ve grown a brand’s online presence. With dedication and a passion for the ever-evolving social media landscape, you too can become the driving force behind a successful campaign. My big tip is to document everything you do as success and failure are all opportunities to learn and develop.
Here is an Instagram reel that I love created by Neil Patel that explains how to approach interviews for social media manager jobs. TAKE NOTE!
Questions remain about what exactly goes into a typical day for social media manager. Let’s see if I can dispel some common misconceptions with a light hearted spin…
A typical day for a Social media manager
Morning…
8:00 AM: Coffee in hand, deciphering the secret viral juice hidden within the latest trending competitor social media posts. #CompetitiveAnalysis
I look at my top 5 dashboards linked to running campaigns to see how they are progressing, then set up alerts to automate updates to key stakeholders.
9:00 AM: Craft social media posts that perfectly capture the brand’s voice. I like working with good writers and incorporate AI tools to accelerate. Watch out for requests to add the latest meme and trending hashtag when they have nothing to do with the content. – This can be the fuel to an unwanted crisis #HowHardCanItBe
10:00 AM: – Community management was one of my first tasks. Learning about people is essential. There is good and bad like replying to angry customer comments on the company channel posts that have nothing to do with the issue. #HowToGetBrandsToRespond
11:00 AM: Great when posts go viral even when they are B2B related. Watch out for odd results. Always deep dive to learn more. 10,000 reposts from a rogue Kardashian fan account doesn’t actually translate to B2B sales. #EducateTheHigherUps
12:00 PM: Lunch break! (Spent negotiating a brand partnership with a pigeon who keeps photobombing the great view outside the office window. #Annoying)
Afternoon…
1:00 PM: Sometimes your activity is spent internally with colleagues. Like launching employee advocacy programs and tracking its contribution to campaign ROI.
2:00 PM: I have standards, there are things I will not do or encourage. Many years ago I met someone thinking over buying 10,000 engagements and followers. #SocialResultsFast Using fake accounts is NEVER clever!
3:00 PM: Trouble shoot the social listening report that has 100x more results than normal. Someone added a keyword. They did not notice that it appears in millions of social media posts with nothing to do with the topic. #SocialMediaListeningIsNotEasy
4:00 PM: Onboard the new intern. Explain that the social media is not just making TikTok memes. #WeLookLikeWeHaveCoolJobs. I am very serious with giving interns a reality check. Making them accustomed to the real world of social media in today’s modern office situations.
5:00 PM: Leave the office while checking the mobile every 2 minutes because of #FOMO. A crisis might erupt at any moment. #SocialMediaNeverSleeps
In summary a typical day can cover a lot of tasks. My approach since I started in this role in 2009 is to plan for half the hours in a day and the other half will be dictated by urgent requests and recurring tasks.
Key takeaways
- Social media managers are often strategists, data analysts, the creative minds constantly innovating to keep the brand relevant and engaging. A major part of high performing social media teams.
- Translating business goals into social media tactics that win is key and highly rewarding. Fostering brand loyalty and driving conversions over time too.
- With dedication and a passion for the ever-evolving social media landscape, you too could become the driving force behind a successful social media campaign. Many of the young people I mentored have progressed to work in social media.
Next time you scroll through your feed, remember, there’s a dedicated social media manager behind it. Working tirelessly to make that brand experience informative, interactive, and successful.
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Clive, a social media managers job is never done. The notifications keep on coming all hours of the day or night that must be responded to. And now there are more graphics and videos to be made for all of the platforms with stories and reel features to name a few.
I’m staring to think it may be easier to work in SEO, as I do both for myself. I do manage social for several clients and is never-ending like housework. You made excellent points especially on the social listening report. (Been there, done that!)
Yes Lisa, Over the 15 years I have found the role expanding so much. In the last few years I added video editing and filming to the long list but I love doing those. My problem is that I love the role and have to manage to say no. Time management is now more important than it ever was.