Are you always the first person to jump on a new social media trend? Do you like to think creatively and strategically about social media content?
If so, have you also found yourself wondering how to become a social media manager?
Social media is basically a must in the communications and marketing industry, and companies are constantly seeking social media managers to strategically interact with their consumers online.
As the profession is growing, the average salary for a social media manager in the U.S. is $53,690, according to Glassdoor.
If you’re interested in learning how to be a social media manager, you’re in the right place.
Begin Building Your Personal Social Media Presence
If you want a company to entrust you with their social media channels, you should be able to prove that you have the skills to successfully manage a digital presence.
Be mindful of the visual aesthetic of the images and videos you post and take care to use proper grammar, diction, and punctuation.
Maintaining a consistent brand voice across your personal social media accounts will give you a leg up when you begin applying for social media manager positions.
Additionally, be sure you are up to date on the most current social media platforms.
At a minimum, be able to speak knowledgeably about the following:
- Facebook,
- Twitter,
- Instagram,
- TikTok,
- YouTube, and
- Pinterest.
Once you build your personal social media presence, you can begin offering your skills to organizations and companies.
Create a Portfolio of Branded Social Media Work
A great place to start to get experience running social media for a brand is by volunteering. Maybe there’s a local coffee shop that you frequent or your friend is launching a small business.
Offering to manage a smaller social media account will allow you to gain experience in planning, creating, and executing social media content and strategy. You will be able to speak to your learnings when applying for a paid social media manager position.
Consider Earning a Bachelor’s Degree in Communications (But Know That You Don’t Have To)
A bachelor’s degree in marketing or communications gives you a strong basis in consumer fundamentals.
You learn how to:
- Write for mass communications and search engine optimization (SEO);
- Identify and target specific audiences; and
- Manage social media scheduling software.
However, while a communications degree is helpful, it is absolutely not required to become a social media manager.
Most social media marketer positions require a bachelor’s degree, but your area of study isn’t necessarily important as long as you can show you have the right skills.
If you don’t have a communications degree and want to develop some communications skills before applying to become a social media manager, the Stratford Career Institute’s social media strategist course can teach you strategies to
- Create likeable social media content,
- Be strategically competitive, and
- Be an effective social media marketer.
Stratford Career Institute can give you the introductory training you need to speak confidently about your social media management skills.
Follow Brands Whose Social Media Strategy You Admire
A common interview question when applying for social media positions is: What social media brands do you admire?
Having an answer to this question and being able to speak to why you admire that brand will help you stand out as someone who is serious about social media.
In addition to getting ahead in job interviews, following strong social media brands will help you become a more influential social media strategist.
If you see a campaign or piece of content that you like, note it and begin thinking of ways you can incorporate the tactic into your overall strategy.
Apply For Social Media Manager Positions at Companies That You Identify With
When working in social media, it is important that you are passionate about the content you are creating.
As a social media manager, you will be attending events and creating content around your company. If you aren’t invested in the product or service, it will show in your social media execution.
Find companies whose mission, product, and people inspire you.
Apply for jobs at those companies, and let the social media skills that you’ve previously developed shine during your application period. Then, once hired, apply all your knowledge and learning to create fresh and influential social media content.
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Loading...Become a Social Media Manager!
Take a look at Stratford Career Institute’s social media strategist course today to see if it is the right program for you.