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Writer's pictureKorey Hehn

Popular Careers in Social Media

Information in this blog post was obtained from The Hootsuite Blog, The Hubspot Blog, and Sprout Social Blog.


Popular Careers in Social Media
Illustration Courtesy of Wix Media

For 55% of consumers, an experience with a brand begins on social media. Research shows that careers in social media are growing significantly faster than other job categories. If you’re interested in a career in social media marketing, there are and will continue to be many opportunities for you! Whether you aspire to work for yourself and be a one-man-band who works with small brands, or you dream of working on a team at Google, Pixar, or Sony, there is a role out there that is right for you.


Here's a look at a few of the most popular roles in social media marketing today:


Social Media Manager

The social media manager is the “swiss army knife” of a social media team. They might lead a team, or work by themselves. They are experts on the brand, and coordinate the creation, posting, and analysis of all social media content. Social media managers are skilled in communication and copywriting. They think outside the box, but are organized and efficient. They often have some knowledge or experience in traditional and digital marketing. They have a working understanding of analytics, and they are willing and able to stay agile and pivot quickly when needed. Whether they work alone or lead a team, social media managers are responsible for the marketing strategy, execution, and analysis elements of the social media department.


Content Creator

Content creators, although they definitely need to know the brand like the back of their hand, are able to flex their creative muscles more regularly than the social media manager. The content creator is responsible for creating all original content that gets posted on a brand's social media. They have GREAT writing skills. They know how to communicate with different audiences. They have an eye for design. In fact, photography and/or design are often part of their job description. If the social media manager strategizes the content, the content creator takes that strategy and makes it a reality. They’re a valuable asset to every social media team.


Data Analyst

Think you need to know Photoshop or have a degree in graphic design to work in social media? Think again! The social data analyst is a major contributor to the success of any social media post, campaign, and strategy. A social media data analyst constantly monitors a brand's data and performance and then translates that information into actionable strategies and suggestions. They have a mind for numbers. They understand how to create and interpret KPIs. They understand the “why” behind the “what” of social performance. They provide invaluable input and suggestions in a crisis and can explain why a campaign or a post performs well. Great social data analysts are social media experts because they analyze the performance of not only their brand but other great brands as well.


Community Manager

A social media community manager is responsible for finding, engaging with, and growing the following and engagement of a brand’s social media. They search out potential followers and comment on their posts. They reply to anyone who tags their brand. They might perform some customer service tasks as they answer questions that drop into their brand’s DMs. They listen to and advocate for their brand’s audience, and provide vital input as they communicate the human interactions that they have every day with the rest of the social media team. Social community managers are masters at short-form written communication. They know how to communicate with different demographics on different platforms. They stay up to date on trends and current news so that they can join and contribute to conversations. They literally spend their day scrolling social media, but their job is by NO MEANS a waste of time. They make brands feel human to their customers and followers.


Conclusion

There are more careers on social media teams than the four listed above, but those are some of the core, most necessary positions for any company that wants to use social media in its day-to-day marketing strategy. And, as we know, integrating social media into your marketing strategy is more of a requirement than an option for most brands today.


As you continue your journey of growing as a social media marketer, make sure you check out the SMMU blog often. We are constantly posting tips and tricks and strategies on how to build your brand, increase your knowledge, and gain experience in social media (like in this post by my colleague Trinity). Work hard, have fun, and don’t forget to stay curious. Good luck!


Resources

Chen, J. (2020, January 6). Social Media Manager v.s Community Manager: What's the Difference? Sprout Social https://sproutsocial.com/insights/social-media-vs-community-manager/


Cover, L. (2020, October 30). Bring it In: How to Build An All-Star Social Media Team. Sprout Social. https://sproutsocial.com/insights/social-media-team/


Cox, L. K. (2022, March 10). The 8 Types of Social Media Community Managers (+ Job Descriptions). HubSpot. https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/best-social-media-manager-job-description


Kim, K. (2021, February 1). 9 Predictions for Social Media Marketers in 2021 and Beyond. Sprout Social. https://sproutsocial.com/insights/future-of-social-media-marketers-2021/


Newberry, C. (2017, July 17). Land Your Dream Job in Social Media: Resume Template, Tips, and Resources. Hootsuite. https://blog.hootsuite.com/how-to-get-a-job-in-social-media/


Samuels, R. (2021, March 26). 9 Skills Every Social Media Manager Must Have. Sprout Social. https://sproutsocial.com/insights/social-media-skills/


Sprout Social. (N.D.). The Future of Social Media: New Data for 2021 & Beyond. Sprout Social https://sproutsocial.com/insights/data/harris-insights-report/

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