Social media manager need to be equipped with a diverse set of skills to excel in their careers. These skills include content strategy and planning, data analytics and insights, graphic design, community management, communication, project management, and more.
As we approach 2024, the role of a social media manager has become more integral to the success of businesses in the digital age.
The emerging new technologies in social media management have made it necessary for social media managers to have most of the skills mentioned.
In this article, we will explore the top 20 skills for social media managers that they must have in 2024.
Social media managers who can navigate these challenges calmly and confidently will protect and drive marketing objectives.
What is a Social Media Manager
A social media manager is a professional who handles a brand’s presence on social media platforms. They are responsible for planning, creating, and publishing content that aligns with the brand’s identity, as well as analyzing and reporting on its performance.
To become a social media manager, one can start by building skills and experience, earning a certification, or advancing in their current job.
Social media managers should also embrace lifelong learning and adapt to the ever-evolving digital landscape to stay ahead of the competition.
What is the Role of a Social Media Manager
The role of a social media manager involves developing and implementing social media strategies, managing social media channels, creating engaging content, analyzing usage data, building client relationships, and facilitating customer service.
Social media managers are responsible for monitoring, executing, filtering, and measuring the social media presence of a product, brand, corporation, or individual.
To become a social media manager, you must possess a diverse skill set, including communication, writing, creativity, customer service, visual design, planning, problem-solving, copywriting, leadership, adaptability, technical aptitude, and passion.
Social media managers who can navigate these challenges calmly and confidently will protect and even drive marketing objectives for the organization they represent.
20 Skills of a Social Media Manager
The role of a social media manager is multifaceted, requiring a diverse range of skills to effectively manage a brand’s social media presence.
Core Social Media Management Skills
These core skills are essential for effective social media management, as they enable social media managers to develop and implement successful social media strategies.
Some of the following skills include;
1. Strategic Planning
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Strategic planning is a crucial skill for social media managers, enabling you to develop and implement successful social media strategies that align with the brand’s objectives and your target audience.
As a social media manager, you must be able to set clear goals, identify the target audience, and create a content plan that resonates with the audience.
You must also be able to analyze usage data to measure the success of social media campaigns and identify areas for improvement. Therefore, strategic planning is the backbone of a successful social media strategy.
Some of the skills involved are:
1. Goal Setting
Defining clear and measurable objectives for social media efforts.
2. Audience Analysis
You have to understand your target audience so that you can tailor your content and engagement strategies properly.
3. Competitor Research
Analyze your competitors for you to be able to identify opportunities and areas for differentiation.
4. Platform Selection
Choosing the right social media platforms that align with your business goals should be one of the important parts of your strategy planning because it allows you to keep in touch with your audience.
5. Content Calendar Creation
Developing a structured plan for content creation and posting schedules will allow you to maintain a consistent and organized online presence.
By mastering strategic planning skills, a social media manager can ensure that a brand’s social media presence is well-managed and successful in achieving its objectives.
2. Research
Research is a crucial aspect of writing, as it helps individuals gather information, develop ideas, and support their arguments.
Social media managers must research to understand their target audience, identify the best social media platforms to use, and develop effective content strategies.
You must also stay updated on the latest social media trends, algorithms, and best practices to ensure your content remains relevant and engaging.
Research can also help you identify new opportunities for growth and improvement, such as new platforms to explore or new content formats to try.
By staying informed and conducting thorough research, social media managers can make data-driven decisions and optimize their social media efforts for maximum impact.
3. Content Creation and Curation
As a social media manager, content creation and curation is a crucial skill that involves generating engaging and relevant content that resonates with your target audience and drives interactions.
You must be adept at crafting compelling copy, utilizing diverse content formats, and repurposing, reposting, and recycling content to maintain a consistent brand presence across various platforms.
You should also be familiar with popular social media management tools, such as Zoho Social, Buffer, Hootsuite, SocialPilot, and Sprout Social, which can help streamline content creation and scheduling processes.
By mastering content creation and curation skills, you can effectively engage your audience, build brand loyalty, and contribute to the success of the brand’s social media initiatives.
Some of the tips for content creation and curation include defining your content strategy, creating original text and video content, performing research on current benchmark trends and audience preferences, and identifying opportunities to increase brand exposure.
4. Audience Engagement
As a social media manager, you should know that audience engagement is a crucial skill that involves fostering digital relationships, gathering prospects, and assembling them into a community of engaged audiences who share problems, thought processes, and capabilities.
Some tips for audience engagement that you follow:
1. Listen carefully to your audience’s needs and preferences, and tailor your content accordingly.
2. Respond promptly to comments and messages, showing genuine interest in your followers.
3. Encourage user-generated content, such as testimonials or photos, to build trust and showcase your brand’s impact.
4. Host live Q&A sessions, webinars, or events to facilitate interaction and foster a sense of community.
5. Collaborate with influencers or partners to expand your reach and engage with new audiences.
Use social media management tools to monitor conversations and analyze engagement data, allowing you to make data-driven decisions and improve your audience engagement strategies. Identifying and collaborating with influencers to expand reach.
So be authentic and consistent in your communication, demonstrate genuine care for your audience, and maintain a consistent brand voice across platforms.
5. Analytics and Data Interpretation
Social media analytics is the collection and analysis of performance data that can help you measure the success of your social media strategy. It includes tracking your metrics like engagement, reach, likes, and many more across all your social channels.
Social media analytics is also essential for proving return on investment (ROI) and making informed business decisions. It involves gathering and analyzing data points from social media networks to inform your social media strategy.
Despite its importance, true social media analytics solutions remain heavily underutilized, with many businesses relying solely on native tools that provide shallow performance metrics.
Social media analytics tools, such as Hootsuite Analytics, provide historical data and actionable insights to help you grow faster.
By analyzing multiple social media metrics, you can derive actionable insights that help you make informed decisions and improve your social media strategy.
6. Advertising and Boosting
Advertising and boosting are also essential for social media managers to reach a wider audience and drive specific actions.
Social media advertising involves creating and managing ad campaigns on various social media platforms, such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn.
Social media boosting, on the other hand, involves promoting existing posts to a wider audience. Both advertising and boosting require knowledge of paid advertising on social media, budgeting, ad campaign management, A/B testing strategies, and understanding ad performance metrics.
Social media managers can use innovative campaign ideas, such as creating a referral program, connecting with influencers, holding a contest or giveaway, or partnering with another brand, to enhance their advertising and boost efforts.
Social media managers can prove the return on investment (ROI) of their social media advertising and boosting efforts by looking at some metrics, identifying trends, and making data-driven decisions to enhance their brand’s online presence and engagement.
Technical skills
Technical skills encompass specialized knowledge and expertise required to perform specific tasks and utilize particular tools and programs in various fields. They are often considered hard skills and typically necessitate specific education and training to acquire. Examples of technical skills include
7. Platform Proficiency
Platform proficiency is a crucial technical skill you should possess as a social media manager, as it involves a deep understanding of various social media platforms and their unique features. It enables you to create and implement effective strategies for each platform.
You must also be familiar with the ins and outs of popular platforms, such as Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn, and be able to adapt their content and engagement strategies accordingly.
Mastering platform proficiency as a social media manager can ensure your brand’s social media presence is consistent and well-managed across different platforms.
8. Graphic Design Skill
Graphic design skills are one of the most important skills for social media managers in this century. It enables you to create visually compelling and on-brand content.
Proficiency in any of these design tools such as Adobe Photoshop, Canva, or Adobe Illustrator will be beneficial for creating engaging graphics and images tailored to each platform’s specifications.
These skills allow you to craft eye-catching posts, infographics, and other visual content that resonates with your audience.
Additionally, an understanding of design principles, color theory, and typography is crucial for maintaining a cohesive and professional brand image across social media platforms.
By possessing strong graphic design skills, you can effectively communicate your brand’s message and captivate their audience through visually appealing content.
9. Video Editing
Video editing skills are essential for creating engaging and effective content for social media platforms.
Whether showcasing products, sharing stories, or educating the audience, the ability to edit videos is crucial as a social media manager.
Some of the popular video editing tools include Adobe Premiere Pro, Final Cut Pro, and mobile apps like InShot and Capcut are beneficial for creating and optimizing video content for various social media channels that you manage.
You can do some of the following like selecting and editing footage, adding special effects or graphics, optimizing video dimensions and file sizes for specific platforms, and adding captions or subtitles.
Social media manager who creates visually appealing and informative videos that resonate with their audience will ultimately enhance the brand’s online presence and engagement.
10. SEO Experience
SEO knowledge is a vital technical skill for social media managers, as it enables you to optimize content for search engines and increase the visibility of their brand’s social media posts.
You should also understand how to implement basic SEO best practices easily. By doing this, you will be able to improve your organic search results, drive more traffic to the brand’s social media profiles, and ultimately enhance the brand exposure and engagement.
Search engine optimization (SEO) is crucial for content visibility and it involves:
1. Keyword Research
Conducting keyword research can help you to understand your target audience, identify the best social media platforms to use, and develop effective content strategies.
2. Content Optimization
Crafting your social media content with SEO best practices in mind, ensuring your posts stand out and resonate effectively.
3. Link Building
You have to strategically incorporate links in your content to boost traffic and elevate visibility. By doing this properly, It will help you to maximize the impact of your posts.
4. Analyzing SEO Metrics
You should track your SEO performance by adjusting your strategies based on data available to enhance the overall effectiveness.”
5. Seo tools
Proficiency in SEO tools such as Google Analytics, Google Search Console, or SEMrush can help you to track and analyze keyword performance, identify trends, and make data-driven decisions to improve their social media strategy.
Communication Skills
Effective communication lies at the heart of successful social media management. This section delves into crucial communication skills that empower a social media manager to connect with the audience and navigate diverse scenarios.
11. Writing and Editing
Content writing and editing are fundamental skills for social media managers. It enables you to create compelling and error-free content that resonates with your audience.
It is essential to write concise, engaging, and grammatically correct copy tailored to each platform. You can utilize online platforms like Grammarly to check your grammar and punctuation errors during the writing process.
Additionally, understanding the company’s tone and voice is crucial for maintaining consistency.
Editing at the speed of social media requires mastering fast-paced video editing techniques, such as employing quick cuts, dynamic transitions, and creative text animations.
By improving writing and editing skills, social media managers can effectively communicate their brand’s message and captivate their audience through visually appealing and informative content.
12. Brand Voice Alignment
Brand voice alignment is crucial for social media managers, as it ensures that the brand’s unique personality and tone are consistently conveyed across all platforms.
You have to maintain a consistent brand voice for you to create content that resonates with the target audience, builds brand loyalty, and enhances the brand’s online presence.
To achieve brand voice alignment, social media managers should:
1. Understand the brand’s core values, mission, and target audience, which will help them develop a brand voice that reflects these aspects.
2. Create a brand voice guide, outlining key characteristics and guidelines for maintaining a consistent brand voice across all platforms.
3. Train employees and stakeholders on the brand voice, ensuring that everyone is aware of and adheres to the guidelines.
4. Analyze and monitor the brand’s social media performance, making adjustments to the brand voice as needed to ensure optimal results.
5. Stay updated on industry trends and best practices for brand voice development and maintenance.
You can create a cohesive and engaging brand presence that resonates with the target audience and drives results by aligning the brand voice across social media platforms.
13. Customer service skills
These are vital skills for social media managers to possess. You will serve as the face of the company, responding to inquiries and providing exceptional support.
This involves having conversational skills and empathy to engage effectively with the community and provide remarkable customer service experiences.
You must also possess strong written and verbal communication skills to address customer concerns professionally and promptly.
By excelling in customer service, social media managers can enhance brand reputation and build lasting relationships with their audience.
14. Community Building
Community building is a crucial aspect of social media management. It involves fostering digital relationships, gathering prospects, and assembling them into a community of engaged audiences who share problems, thought processes, and capabilities.
To build a thriving community, social media managers should:
1. Listen carefully to their audience’s needs and preferences
2. Tailoring your content and engagement strategies accordingly.
3. Respond promptly to comments and messages, showing genuine interest in their followers and fostering a sense of community.
4. Encourage user-generated content, such as testimonials or photos, to build trust and showcase the brand’s impact.5.
5. Host live Q&A sessions, webinars, or events to facilitate interaction and foster a sense of belonging and community spirit.
6. Collaborate with influencers or partners to expand their reach and engage with new audiences.
Being good at building community online, you can effectively engage your audience, build brand loyalty, and contribute to the success of the brand’s social media initiatives.
Adaptability and Creativity
In the fast-evolving world of social media, adaptability, and creativity are indispensable traits. As a social media manager, you have to be proactive to stay ahead by embracing change and unleashing innovative ideas.
15. Trends
Staying updated with trends is a crucial skill for social media managers, as it enables you to anticipate changes and adapt your strategies accordingly.
By being aware of the latest developments in their industry, social media managers can identify new opportunities, build valuable relationships, and position themselves as thought leaders and influencers.
To stay updated with trends, social media managers should:
1. Dedicate time to learn and follow up on industry news and blogs
2. Attending industry events
3. Participating in online forums, and connecting with other professionals in their industry.
4. Subscribe to relevant newsletters to get up to date information
5. Follow industry leaders and influencers on social media,
6. Set up Google Alerts on popular topics and use tools like Feedly, Ahrefs, and BuzzSumo to keep up with trending content.
16. Innovative Campaign Ideas
Innovative campaign ideas are essential for social media managers to create engaging and memorable content that resonates with their audience.
You have to be able to think outside the box and implement unique strategies to capture your audience’s attention and drive engagement.
Some examples of innovative campaign ideas include:
1. Creating a referral program that rewards users for referring friends and family to the brand.
2. Collaborating with influencers to promote the brand’s products or services, leveraging their reach and influence.
3. Organizing photo contests or challenges, encouraging users to share their experiences and creativity.
4. Hosting charity or fundraising events, showcasing the brand’s commitment to social causes, and fostering a sense of community.
5. Develop interactive content, such as quizzes or polls, that invite users to engage with the brand and learn more about themselves.
By implementing innovative campaign ideas, social media managers can create a unique and engaging content strategy. It set their brand apart from the competition and drives results.
17. Problem Solving
Problem-solving is a crucial skill for social media managers, as it enables you to identify and overcome challenges that arise from your audience, competitors, platforms, and goals.
As a social media manager, you must be able to define problems clearly and accurately, research and analyze potential solutions, and implement and monitor the chosen solution.
You should also be able to learn from the experiences and continuously improve your problem-solving skills. You can also identify new opportunities, build valuable relationships, and position yourself as a thought leader and influencer.
When you master problem-solving skills, social media manager can effectively manage their brand’s social media presence, anticipate changes, and adapt their strategies accordingly.
Time Management and Organization
Efficient time management and organizational skills are paramount for social media managers. you have to come up with strategies on how to maximize productivity, maintain order, and consistently deliver quality results.
18. Scheduling and planning
Scheduling and planning are vital aspects of social media management, involving the strategic organization and timing of content publication across various platforms.
You must be proficient in utilizing various tools and platforms to effectively manage and grow your clients’ online presence.
Social media scheduling tools, such as Hootsuite, Planable, and Agorapulse, enable managers to plan and schedule posts, ensuring consistent and efficient workflows.
These tools also offer features like analytics, competitor analysis, and customer management, allowing for comprehensive content planning and optimization.
Additionally, the customizability of these tools allows for tailored scheduling, automation, and integration, providing flexibility to adapt to the unique needs of each brand’s social media strategy.
By utilizing social media scheduling tools, managers can streamline their posting process, gain insights, and monitor performance. It helps them to maximize their online impact and achieve their marketing goals.
19. Consistent Monitoring
Consistent monitoring is a vital practice for social media managers. It involves regular or real-time observation of customer conversations, industry trends, and brand mentions across various platforms.
It is recommended to monitor social media platforms regularly to stay updated on customer conversations, industry trends, and brand mentions.
Social media monitoring tools provide benefits such as real-time tracking, sentiment analysis, competitor analysis, and customizable reports.
Monitoring covers a wide range of platforms, including popular ones like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube, and Pinterest depending on the platform of the brand. We also have forums, blogs, review sites, and other online platforms where discussions about the brand or industry occur.
20. Continuous Learning
Continuous learning in social media management is essential for staying ahead of the competition and adapting to the ever-evolving digital landscape.
By actively pursuing new information and updating skills, social media managers can maintain a strong foundation for success in the digital business endeavor.
Some ways to embrace continuous learning in social media management include:
- Enroll in online courses, certifications, and training programs to build expertise in specific social media marketing areas, such as content creation, analytics, or advertising.
- Gaining real-world experience by working in a reputable organization or agency, learning from collaboration with colleagues, and working on various tasks.
- Identifying areas of weakness and focusing on improving those skills, becoming a T-shaped marketer with expertise in multiple social media marketing disciplines.
By embracing continuous learning, social media managers can stay informed about the latest trends, tools, and strategies. It also ensures their social media presence remains relevant and effective in driving business goals.
FAQs
A good social media manager possesses a combination of technical expertise, creativity, and interpersonal skills. They have a deep understanding of social media platforms, stay updated on industry trends, and are able to adapt their strategies accordingly. T
hey are excellent communicators, able to connect with their audience and foster a strong online community. They also have strong analytical skills, using data-driven insights to optimize their social media efforts and achieve better results.
What skills do I start learning to transition from Social Media Manager to Digital Manager?
Transitioning from a Social Media Manager to a Digital Manager role requires a broader set of skills. As the Digital Manager is responsible for managing various digital marketing channels, including social media, email, and web. To make this transition, you should focus on:
- Expand your knowledge of digital marketing tactics, such as search engine optimization (SEO), pay-per-click (PPC) advertising, and email marketing.
- Developing a strong understanding of web design and user experience, as you will be responsible for managing and optimizing the company’s website.
- Enhancing your analytical skills, learning to analyze data from various digital marketing channels and make data-driven decisions to optimize performance.
- Improving your project management and team leadership skills, as you will be overseeing multiple digital marketing initiatives and managing a team of specialists.
- Staying updated on industry trends and best practices, attending relevant workshops, webinars, and conferences, and participating in online forums to stay ahead of the curve
To wrap it up
Mastering these skills is crucial for social media success. Keep learning, adapting, and being creative. Stay ahead and make a lasting impact on your brand’s online presence.
And with our 90% practical course on social media management, it becomes easy peasy for you to become a social media manager. Where you get to learn all that it takes to deliver efficiently and earn conveniently as a social media manager.
More Resources
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