The social media industry is booming. We’re all spending more time online and people around the world are flocking to popular social networking services for entertainment and connection.
If you have an eye for a great Instagram picture or a love for learning about TikTok trends, then a career in social media management may be for you.
However, before you hop on the next big trend, it’s important to understand the basics of social media management.
Be an Avid User
Social trends move fast. It’s easy to look out of touch by using last month’s sounds or outdated hashtags in your posts. Being behind the times isn’t just a digital faux pas — it will cost your clients money as outdated posts won’t perform as well as posts that are relevant to today’s users.
Get familiar with trends on different platforms. Facebook is the world’s most popular social network. Yet, trends that go viral on Facebook look very different from those which catch the algorithm’s attention on platforms like YouTube. Learning about the major trends on each platform can keep you ahead of the curve and ensure you are always delivering fresh, relevant content.
Try posting more experimental content in your free time. When you land a job, it can be hard to find time for passion projects. Yet, passion projects are usually the ones that look best on your portfolio. So, while waiting to hear back from interviews, try to post as much high-quality content as possible and see which posts gather the best reach and engagement.
Understand Your Role
As a social media manager, your job is about more than posting content that you like. The role of a social media manager is to build a clear strategy, put it into action, and assess the result on behalf of a business or individual. You’ll also be responsible for improving key performance indicators (KPIs) like:
- Impressions
- Follower Count
- Likes
- Link Clicks
- Engagement Rate
Improving these KPIs requires you to have a clear understanding of the tools available to you. You cannot simply post content as and when you feel like it. Instead, you need to have a clear content calendar and should schedule most posts in advance to improve reach and engagement.
As a social media manager, you need to constantly improve your own skill set to meet new trends. Fortunately, major digital marketing agencies like Hootsuite and HubSpot offer free and paid workshops to help you receive accreditation that will help you understand and use data.
Be Data Driven
Social media management is a data-driven career. Utilizing key data will give you a better indication of your reach and engagement; this will improve your ability to produce content that connects with your followers.
Each social media platform has its own analytics page. Facebook and Instagram are connected via their parent company, Meta, meaning you can easily combine your insights to produce cross-platform content that inspires users into action.
Other social media networks, like TikTok, also have analytics you can access via their apps. Before you get stuck into the data, try to set yourself some clear goals and KPIs. For example, if you’re finding that your Youtube videos have a low watch time, consider crafting content that draws users in and convinces them to watch more of your digital content.
While data is important to your overall strategy, be sure to check in with your employer from time to time. You may find that the best-performing posts don’t align with their overall brand vision. Ultimately, the client is always right. Be savvy when making suggestions that don’t align with branding and always incorporate the brand specifications before posting online.
Professionalize Your Offering
Social media management is an increasingly competitive field to break into. However, most folks who are interested in social media management are relatively young and new to professional life. You can get one up on the competition by professionalizing your offering and putting forward a more mature persona.
Start by crafting your own site. This should act as a portfolio for your work and should display an array of skills and previous experience. If you don’t have previous experience, fill your website with speculative designs and posts based on imaginary clients.
When you interview, replace your everyday attire with interview outfits. Effective interview outfits usually align with the company dress code and should be comfortable yet professional. Try your clothes on a few days before the interview to avoid disaster and keep them neat so you put forward a composed appearance on the day of the interview.
Conclusion
A career in social media management can be lucrative and exciting. You’ll learn about all the upcoming trends and help create well-known brand identities. Get started by receiving accreditations and completing online workshops. Once you understand the basics, you’ll be able to help businesses grow their social presence and create content that inspires.
