Social Media Manager
Job Description:Social media managers monitor and update an organisation's social media channels.
Job Category:What you will do:
You’ll monitor and upload content to sites like:
- Facebook and Twitter
- Instagram and Pinterest
- YouTube and TikTok
Your day-to-day duties may include:
- updating social media sites
- writing blogs, articles and posts
- responding to social media posts and developing discussions
- checking online for company mentions and customer feedback
- searching for interesting posts, news and articles to attract site visitors
- overseeing competitions and campaigns promoting your company
- taking part in conferences and group chat relevant to your industry or company
- educating other staff on social media use
- promoting social media use within your company
- developing strategies to increase your audience
- using social media tools like Hootsuite, TweetDeck or Buffer to manage multiple sites
- using web tracking tools like Google Analytics, Social Report or Bitly
Skills:
You’ll need:
- knowledge of media production and communication
- to be able to use a computer and the main software packages confidently
As well as:
- to be thorough and pay attention to detail
- the ability to sell products and services
- the ability to work well with others (teamwork skills)
- the ability to use your initiative (ambition/drive)
- thinking and reasoning skills
- business management & organisational skills
- excellent verbal & written communication skills
- excellent IT skills
- creativity and graphic design skills
Entry Requirements:
To become a Social Media Manager, you’ll need a combination of skills and knowledge in marketing, communications, and digital media. While there are no specific subjects required for this role, here are some subjects that can help you build a strong foundation:
- English: Strong writing and communication skills are crucial for creating engaging and effective social media content.
- Business Studies: Understanding marketing principles, consumer behaviour, and business operations can be valuable when developing social media marketing strategies.
- Information and Communication Technology (ICT): Knowledge of digital tools, software, and social media platforms is essential for managing and analyzing social media campaigns.
- Media Studies: This subject can provide insights into media production, communication theories, and the impact of media on society.
- Mathematics: While not directly related to social media, basic math skills can be useful when analyzing data and metrics related to social media performance.
- Art and Design: Some creativity and design skills can be beneficial when creating visually appealing social media content.
Post School
There are no set requirements but some employers may expect you to have a degree. Relevant subjects include:
- advertising
- media and communications
- digital marketing
- journalism
- public relations
- business management
You could get into this job without a degree if you have the skills and experience in areas like marketing, advertising or PR.
You can do college courses in social media and business.
You could also start as an assistant manager and work your way up.
You’ll usually need some knowledge and experience of social media. To get experience you could:
- manage your own social media profiles
- volunteer to manage social media for a charitable organisation
- ask to get involved in social media sites of the company you already work for
You’ll need excellent IT skills as you’ll be using social media software and tools. You’ll also need knowledge of search engine optimisation (SEO) methods and ‘key’ or ‘searched for’ words to drive more users to your social media site.
Experience of graphic design and digital editing software can help. You can use these skills to make your social media posts better by adding videos, photos and infographics.
You could get into this job through a creative and digital media apprenticeship.
Working Hours and Environment:
You’ll usually work normal office hours, 9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday. You may need to work evenings and weekends when working on a campaign or with deadlines.
If you’re freelance, you may work longer hours depending on the needs of your clients and the amount of work you take on.
You’ll be based in an office and spend a lot of time working on a computer. You may also attend meetings and make presentations about your work to clients or colleagues.
Career Path & Progression:
With experience, you could move into managing social media for larger companies or progress to a senior or head social media manager job.