How To Become a Social Media Manager

Social media management is a relatively new career path which has materialized from the needs of businesses to produce professional, creative content and marketing material on social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. Individuals fulfilling this job role will create, schedule, analyze, and engage with content across various social media, often with the help of management software tools. It is common for this job role to occur both in-house and be outsourced to remote digital freelancers.

The primary role of a social media manager is to engage with the client’s target audience and monitor and engage with comments and feedback in order to generate leads and sales. While there is an administrative element to this line of work, it is mostly seen as a creative role.

Create Your Own Social Media Accounts

If you’re looking to become a social media manager but are struggling to find the appropriate work experience, focus on creating your own social media accounts. Whether they are personal accounts about your day-to-day life or concentrate on a particular topic, it is important to see them as part of your CV. You’ll have a much better chance of getting the job of your dreams if the accounts you’ve created are thriving.

If you’re looking to get into a particular industry such as travel, health, fitness, or fashion, it is wise to focus your own accounts on that topic. As most accounts take time to build up and grow, set up your accounts at least six months before applying for a new job role and your online community should be thriving when you apply for new positions.

Hone in Your Photography Skills

Great imagery is the key to successful social media accounts; it has a crucial role in creating brand identity, increasing engagement, and connecting with a wider audience online. It is advantageous if you have access to a DSLR camera for capturing your own snaps as quality takes precedence over quantity here; however, most smartphones have a good enough camera these days and shouldn’t hold you back.

Create a cohesive feed that flows well online and makes images as eye-catching as possible. They say a picture is worth a thousand words, so use this to your advantage when communicating content to your audience.

Get Creative with Your Copywriting

A business’s social media accounts are essential advertising platforms that allow them to promote and market their products or services for free. Pairing images with creative copy is an essential skill of a social media manager so hone in your writing on your personal accounts first.

Remember to keep it short and sweet and link to larger articles online. Your target audience will be scrolling through many accounts, so you need to get the point across quickly. Platforms such as Twitter limit the number of characters in a tweet so you’ll need to be a savvy wordsmith online.

Understand the Various Platforms

All social media platforms were not created equal and have many different traits to take advantage of. Study the characteristics of each and understand how the features can benefit your own accounts. Instagram and Pinterest are visually driven, whereas Twitter focuses more on the written word. Learn about how hashtags can spread your message and create a greater community online.

Expand your knowledge into paid advertising on social media and familiarize yourself with management tools such as Hootsuite. Many businesses will ask if you have experience here so it will be a massive advantage to your career if you can confidently say yes.

Manage Your Time and Finances

If you’ve decided to become self-employed, you’ll need to get your paperwork and finances in order before you start work. Register your change of employment with the government and decide how much you are going to charge for your services. Detail your rates to clients and try to be negotiable and competitive where possible. Create a free invoice and bill your clients in a professional way.

Find Your Clients

When you’re satisfied with your expertise and feel ready to approach new clients, it’s time to market yourself to various businesses. Make sure your CV is up-to-date and contact as many people as possible online.  Create a LinkedIn account if you don’t already and don’t forget the power of word of mouth. If you’ve completed a job successful for a client ask if they’d be happy to recommend you online, it’s a great way to build a solid reputation in the industry.