How To Become A Social Media Manager in 5 Steps

Do you wonder how you can become a social media manager? Or have you tried to understand the responsibilities and duties of a social media manager and you still can’t figure it?

For you, you might be tired of your regular job and you want something exciting and challenging like being a social media manager, but you don’t know how to start or you are worried you might not fit in.

You are in the right place because, in this article, I will be sharing with you

1. The definition of social media
2. The responsibilities and duties of a social media manager
3. The importance of having a social media manager for a business
4. And finally, how to become a social media manager

Another thing that you may be running through your mind is that how can you be a social media manager without experience. Yes, you can be a social media manager without experience, but you must be willing to gather the experience required to become a good social media manager.

In our 90% practical digital marketing course, you will learn what you need to know to be a social media manager alongside other digital marketing strategies that will be useful for you to grow your career as well.

Social media management goes beyond just posting infographics, written content, and videos, it has to do with putting plans and strategies in place to achieve the goals you desire. Every business and organization has goals they want to achieve and what they also intend to achieve with social media marketing.

Ready to know who is a social media manager and how to become one? Then, let’s get started.

What is digital marketing?

Digital marketing is a form of marketing that is done across the internet using gadgets like mobile phones and desktop computers. It has to do with putting strategies in place to sell a product or service online. Social media is one of the strategies that you can use to achieve this. The other strategies include content marketing, email marketing, social media advertising, and SEO.

As much as these strategies can be independent, they still depend on one another to survive. For example, to be successful at email marketing, you need to have good knowledge about content marketing because of the content that would be on your newsletters. There are also some underlying skills needed for each one of them and if you can master one, you can work with another with that knowledge.

As I said earlier, social media is one of the strategies in digital marketing that can be used to grow a business. I will explain more in the other paragraphs of this article.

To fully understand your role as a social media manager, you must know what is social media marketing, and this is what I will be sharing in the next paragraph.

What is social media marketing?

Social media marketing is the process of creating and sharing content with your target audience across social media platforms to market your products and the services you offer. It also comes along with the goal of increasing engagement, getting more traffic, and of course, converting them to paying customers.

Social media marketing goes beyond waking up one morning, putting thoughts into writing, making them into content, and sharing. 

It Involves Setting Goals

What do you want to achieve with the content you want to share on social media? Do you want engagements, increased traffic, and conversion or do you want everything? If you can identify what you want to achieve, you will be able to properly structure your content to help you achieve the goal you want to achieve.

This image above is an example of a social media post with engagement and silently for traffic and conversion. A user can see this post and be curious to know more about the products or services they offer and decide to become a customer.

Your goal helps you figure out which social media platforms are best for promoting your products. It also helps you know what type of content will connect with people and encourage them to do what you want. Your social media goal is like the foundation for all your plans and how you organize all that concerns it.

I want you to see this video on the importance of social media for business owners and see why your role is important to these people.

What is social media management?

Social media management is the process of managing the online presence of a brand across social media platforms like Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, etc.

It’s about connecting with your audience, using tools to make it easier, and engaging with users for a strong online presence.

It also involves engaging and interacting with internet users across social media platforms. And of course, there are tools and services that you can use to achieve this.

A social media manager is an individual who does social media management. You are responsible for everything that has to do with managing the social media visibility of a brand.

What does a social media manager do?

A social media manager is responsible for overseeing a company’s interactions with the public through social media platforms by implementing content strategies, analyzing engagement data, identifying trends, and planning digital campaigns to build a brand community online.

Their duties include creating engaging social media content, owning the social media content calendar, developing strategies to increase engagement and reach, engaging with the online community, and staying up to date with industry trends and new features across platforms

Responsibilities of a social media manager

1. Create and develop engaging and intelligent social media strategies.
2. Plan and curate content for all social media platforms.
3. Manage new campaigns that promote your organization and brand
4. Responding to comments and engaging in conversations and discussions with your followers.
5. Do audience research
6. Track, analyze and report performance on social media platforms using tools like Google Analytics, Facebook Insight, etc.
7. Create targets to increase brand awareness and increase customer engagement
8. plan and manage a budget for social media activities
9. Build and maintain a solid online presence for the brand.
10. Oversee and monitor customer service through social media platforms

These responsibilities are not limited to what is listed above. One thing with this social media manager’s role is that you can decide to go into full-time employment or be a freelancer getting gigs from brands and corporate organizations.

For full-time employment, your salary range will differ in regard to the budget of an organization or brand. Both opportunities have their disadvantages and advantages. It is up to you to pick what you think might work for you.

I’m sure you’re wondering how you can become a social media manager, right? I have the right thing for you. But before I go on, I want you to watch this video of one of our students who registered for our 90% practical digital marketing course.

Why become a social media manager?

Becoming a social media manager offers a dynamic career path filled with opportunities for creative expression, impactful engagement with audiences, continuous learning, data-driven decision-making, and flexible work arrangements.

As a social media manager, individuals can unleash their creativity through diverse content strategies, build strong community connections, stay abreast of industry trends, refine strategies based on data insights, and enjoy the flexibility of remote work.

This role not only allows for personal and professional growth but also provides a platform to make a tangible impact on brands, organizations, and online communities through strategic social media management.

How to become a social media manager

1. Set a goal for yourself

To become a social media manager, might mean you dropping whatever career you have or dropping what you studied in any tertiary institution. And so, to get the best out of your new career, you should have a goal you intend to achieve.

You don’t want to spend your time running around in circles and being able to achieve your dream. When you have a goal, you can track your activities, monitor how they are bringing you closer to what you want, and measure your progress.

2. Get the skill and knowledge

After you must have established the goal of what you intend to achieve, you need to acquire the skills and knowledge you need.

Becoming a social media manager goes beyond just writing some sentences and posting pictures on your social media profiles. Just like I explained at the beginning of this article, it involves identifying what strategies will work best for the brand you will be working with.

These strategies are adaptable to any niche, but customization is key. Don’t solely rely on online content for impactful results as a social media manager.

This is why in our 90% practical digital marketing course, you will learn how you can become a social media manager alongside other digital marketing strategies that will not only position you for good employment opportunities but also give you an edge in the industry.

Access support from our expert coach, join a community of fellow marketers and earn a globally recognized digital marketing certificate.

3. Practice

Acquiring skills is insufficient without practical application; without the “how,” applying knowledge becomes a stumbling block to success. Implementation fuels mastery. In our 90% practical digital marketing course, you will also get the chance to implement your knowledge with a live project.

You will get the chance to see how it works and how you can replicate it with other projects.

Another way you can practice is to volunteer your skills to get more experience. This is not advisable when you haven’t practised on your own, you don’t want to experiment with what you don’t know with other people’s business.

This other person can be your family members, your friends or neighbours, or brands you admire online. Bear in mind that you have to be able to convince them that you have these skills and knowledge which is important for you to have previous experience as you would get from our 90% practical digital marketing course.

4. Build your portfolio

Your portfolio is evidence that you have the skills and you have something to show for it. For a role as strategic as social media management, it is germane and important for you to have one.

It is a digital skill and there is no way for them to verify that you have the skills or you can get results with the skills. Your portfolio is your selling point.

If you’re wondering how you can build your portfolio as a social media manager? register for our 90% practical digital marketing course where you will be able to build your portfolio with the live projects you will have access to when you register.

5. Start earning

Your major goal for learning how to become a social media manager is to earn an income, you can now proceed with making money with the knowledge you have gathered. Here are some examples of how to make money as a social media manager.

Fiverr is one place where you can get freelance jobs as a social media manager if you don’t want full-time employment, there are other platforms like Upwork, Toptal, and others.

Social media manager skills

The essential skills for a social media manager, as highlighted in the provided sources, include:

1. Communication: Effective communication skills are crucial for conveying ideas to various stakeholders internally and externally.

2. Writing: Strong writing skills are necessary for creating engaging content across different social media platforms.

3. Creativity: Social media managers need to be creative in developing content strategies and engaging with audiences.

4. Efficiency and Project Management: The ability to manage tasks efficiently and handle projects effectively is essential for successful social media management.

5. Copywriting: Proficiency in copywriting is important for crafting compelling and engaging social media posts.

6. Design (Graphics and Videos): Skills in graphic design and video creation are valuable for producing visually appealing content.

Conclusion

In this article, I shared the relevance of social media in a technologically advanced world like ours, I also talked about who is a social media manager, how to become one well as the responsibilities and roles attached to the job position.

Our 90% practical digital marketing course was designed for you to acquire the skill and knowledge you need to execute your duties as a social media manager. You can register here.

FAQs

What qualifications do you need to be a social media manager?

To become a social media manager, you typically need a bachelor’s degree in marketing, public relations, or a related field, along with relevant work experience gained through internships, junior-level positions, or personal projects. Social media managers must possess skills in verbal and written communication, data analytics, time management, and a deep understanding of social media platforms and trends. Additionally, having a strong portfolio showcasing work samples, client testimonials, and proficiency in social media management tools like Hootsuite and Google Analytics is essential for aspiring social media managers.

Do I need a marketing degree to become a social media manager?

While a marketing degree can be beneficial for a career in social media management, it is not always a strict requirement. Many social media professionals start with diverse backgrounds and gain experience through internships, customer service roles, or self-learning. The journey to becoming a social media manager can vary, with some professionals earning a social media master’s degree, while others enter the field through different paths, creating more opportunities for those interested in social media marketing careers.

What other social media jobs are there?

• Social Media Specialist
• Social Community Manager
• Influencer Marketing Specialist
• Content Writer
• Digital Marketer
• Social Media Consultant

These roles offer different responsibilities and opportunities for professionals looking to specialize in specific areas within social media marketing.

Is social media marketing a good career path?

Social media marketing offers a promising career path with a world of opportunities for professionals in the field. The demand for experienced social media talent is high, with more than half of marketers facing challenges in finding skilled professionals. Social media careers have evolved significantly, with professionals now in line for C-suite roles, showcasing the growth and potential within the industry.

More Resources

10 Social Media Marketing Books to Read in 2024

How to Use Social Media for Business Growth

Top 12 Social Media Networking App In 2023

How To Become A Social Media Manager in 5 Steps