Social media management is not about simply posting trending videos and photos. It’s also not about knowing which social media platform is trending now. Managers need to know fundamental marketing skills and transfer those core traits onto social media. Any good manager must be a highly adept marketer.
In the world of marketing, social media is king. Approximately 93% of marketers use Facebook in their marketing mix. Let’s go into what it takes to be a great social manager.
Learn Core Marketing Skills
Knowledge of social media alone is not enough to develop your skills as a manager. Not everyone who spends their days on Facebook or Twitter necessarily has what it takes to transfer those experiences into the professional realm.
Did you know that 58.4% of the world’s population uses social media? Without those core marketing skills, you’ll never be able to cut through the noise.
Some of the core skills include:
- Brand Marketing – Companies need to craft their brand’s story through visuals and compelling storytelling to build relationships and manipulate perception.
- Analytics – Data is everything in the modern world of social media. It’s all part of the extensive data landscape, worth $190 billion at the end of 2019. Knowing how to measure and interpret data is crucial.
- Reporting – Can you report your results to stakeholders effectively? Reporting helps create goals, forecasts, and defines the line between success and failure.
- Communication – You are the voice of the organization. You also need to be the voice that works with shareholders to create and adapt strategies.
- Writing – Good storytelling remains key to success. Copywriting skills are a must for constructing evocative and persuasive copy.
- Project Management – Do you know how to organize your time appropriately? Planning ahead and juggling multiple tasks is a massive part of being a good manager on social media.
- Design – Some basic graphic design skills can accelerate how long it takes to build impressive, eye-catching images. You don’t need to be an expert, but some basic skills will help.
- Customer Services – Communicating with your clients and people who interact with your client’s social media feed requires exceptional customer service skills. You must be able to pivot to meet new needs and challenges.
Developing these core marketing skills is not a static process. To be an excellent social media manager, you must constantly sharpen your skills.
Close those Skill Gaps
Developing a few skills will help you in your business, but clients want to see managers who are always on the lookout for new trends. Dedicating yourself to closing those skill gaps and overcoming competitors in your sector is a big plus for anyone looking to get hired.
Upskilling doesn’t require a college degree. There are a plethora of free courses online to help you on your way.
Learn Social Media Platforms
Not all social media channels were designed for every situation. While platforms like Facebook can apply to most demographics, Instagram, Tik Tok, LinkedIn, and Pinterest must be used correctly to get the most out of them.
Study how the competition uses social media platforms and what nets them the best possible results. Familiarizing yourself with the tools of the trade is the first step to establishing yourself as a successful manager.
Acquire Relevant Work Experience
Social media management is not a theoretical field. You learn by doing. Clients want to see that you have had success in the past with building and developing social media accounts.
In the beginning, you will either need to take an internship or choose a small business/nonprofit to get those first projects under your belt. Don’t be afraid to take on work as a volunteer at this stage. Gaining those work experience projects is an investment in your business’s future profitability.
Online certifications are another avenue if you cannot afford to take unpaid work. Although they lack the same practical proof, you can also combine them by creating your own social media presence and building it up from scratch.
The goal is to consistently grow your following and engagement figures over a few months.
Build Your Portfolio
Within social media management, prospective clients will want to see your portfolio. It doesn’t matter if you’re working in-house for a social media agency or freelance.
A good portfolio highlights the work you’ve carried out and its impact. Your portfolio can consist of anything from the evidence of a viral post to how you grew a local business’s social media following in six months.
Your portfolio of clients should be featured on a website you control. All freelancers need a website they can connect through. It’s your online business card.
Start Marketing Yourself to Clients
After establishing your skills, garnering experience, and building your portfolio, you can market yourself. Whether you are working freelance or searching for a salaried position in the world of social media, you need to brand yourself as a social media manager effectively so that others can put their trust in you.
Remember that social media management is an incredibly competitive field. It will take time for businesses to put their faith in you.
Avenues for marketing yourself include:
- Handing out business cards
- Attending business conventions
- Creating an account on Upwork
- Applying through open job postings
The most important aspect of securing a job is demonstrating a willingness to succeed and an enthusiasm for the job. Technical skills are one thing, but attitude is quite another. Demonstrate the right attitude, and many clients will hire you even if you’re new to the industry.
Conclusion
Entering the world of social media management is a highly lucrative field to jump into. However, it’s also increasingly competitive, and clients are becoming pickier than ever before. Building the foundations and generating customers requires patience, tenacity, and thinking outside the box.
