In one way or another, almost every business in the world is involved in social media. They have realised the amazing opportunities and value that social media marketing presents and they are hiring professional social media managers to effectively manage and utilise their social media presence.
So you’ve decided to hire a Social Media Manager
Social media managers are responsible for developing and implementing marketing strategies for a business’s social media sites, but hiring a social media manger can be quite daunting. In a previous post here, we wrote about choosing the right social media manager for your business.
Once you have hired your best candidate, you’ll need a Social Media Manager Job Description to set goals and track progress.
Social Media Manager Job Description
A Social Media Manager will manage your company image in a cohesive way to achieve your marketing goals. You should expect them to be up-to-date with the latest digital technologies and social media trends. They should have excellent communication skills and be able to express your company’s views creatively.
Entry requirements
There are no set requirements but some employers may expect qualifications in relevant subjects including:
- Advertising
- Media and communications
- Digital marketing
- Public relations
- Business management
Skills and experience in areas like marketing, advertising or PR are preferred.
- They will need knowledge and experience of social media.
- They’ll need excellent IT skills as they’ll be using social media software and tools.
- They will also need knowledge of search engine optimisation (SEO) methods and ‘keywords’ to drive more users to your social media accounts.
- Experience of graphic design and digital editing software. They will use these skills to make your social media posts better by adding videos, photos and infographics.
Skills required
They will need:
- An eye for detail and the ability to work accurately
- The ability to multitask
- The ability to deliver creative content
- Presentation skills
- An analytical approach to data
- Excellent copywriting skills
- Proven work experience as a Social media manager
- Hands on experience in content management
- Solid knowledge of SEO, keyword research and Google Analytics
- Knowledge of online marketing channels
- Excellent communication skills
Responsibilities
The responsibilities of a Social Media Manager will include: performing research on current benchmark trends and audience preferences: Designing and implementing social media strategy to align with business goals: Setting specific objectives and reporting on ROI: Monitoring and uploading content to sites like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube. Communicate with followers, respond to queries and monitor customer reviews: Suggest and implement new features to develop brand awareness: Stay up-to-date with current technologies and trends in social media, design tools and applications.
Their day-to-day duties may include:
- Updating social media sites
- Creating, editing, publishing and sharing engaging content
- 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
- Promoting social media use within your company
- Developing strategies to increase your audience
- Using social media tools like Hootsuite, or Buffer to manage multiple sites
- Using web tracking tools like Google Analytics
Salary
- Starter social media manager’s salary are likely to be around £23,000.
- Experienced social media managers typically earn between £25,000 and £40,000.
- Highly experienced social media mangers salaries can go up to £75,000, or more.
- Freelance rates vary depending on experience, but typically range from £20 to £40 per hour.
Working hours and environment
A Social Media Manager will usually work normal office hours of 9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday. However, some companies require longer hours than others. Long hours and evening and weekend work is common when working on campaigns or with deadlines.
If they are freelance, they may work longer hours depending on the needs of their clients and the amount of work they are prepared to take on. Full-time work is common, although part-time work and contract work is available.
The majority of Social Media Managers work remotely but they can also be office based. They spend a lot of time working on a computer. A Social Media Manager may also attend meetings and make presentations about your work to clients or colleagues.
Final Thoughts
Nowadays, social media managers are more than just managers. They are: writers: designers: photographers: publicists: stylists: community managers and so much more. A Social Media Manager will be the voice of your company, so it’s in your best interests to hire the best one and track their progress.
While a social media manager might not be proficient in every single area mentioned above, being good at a few of them would make them a great social media manager and a valuable asset to your company.
What other skills do you think is important for a social media manager to have?