Although originally designed as a way to interact with family and friends, social media has evolved into something that stretches infinitely further than that. In today’s competitive world, any business without a social media presence (whether it be Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or a combination of these) is two steps behind the rest. This is where a social media manager is needed to make the most of the exciting marketing opportunities offered by this valuable new field.
THE ROLE OF A SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGER
Social media managers are responsible for leading an organisation’s social media strategy. Here is a step-by-step guide to what we are be tasked with as a social media manager:
1 – We develop a strategy and set goals for increasing brand awareness and engagement. Our goals could include the number of people we are aiming to reach or the level of engagement we want to achieve with our clients over social media.
2 – We Set up and manage the social media channels we have identified as being relevant to the business.
3 – Plan your content. There is really no limit to our creativity here. Social media is all about being short, fun and interesting, and we always add visual elements such as photos, videos or competition announcements. We Keep it varied so the target market does not lose interest. Interactive content such as polls or a call for comments can also help increase client engagement.
4 – Start a conversation! Communication with clients is a central cog in the effectiveness of social media. We respond promptly to social media posts and develop interesting discussions around topics related – either directly or indirectly – to the brand.
5 – Use social media to build other platforms. Most effective marketing campaigns rely on more than one platform to deliver their messages. Social media can be used to direct people to their website or blog, to alert us to any notable events your company has planned, or to publicise an article published in a magazine or newspaper.
6 – Develop a response plan for social media hiccups. We all know the damage that a controversial or biased post can cause. We devise a plan and put it in place to respond to any social media incidents that may harm the business.
A BRIEF TYPICAL DAY FOR A SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGER
A workday for a social media manager includes much more than simply posting tweets and Facebook updates. There will not normally be a rigid daily schedule to follow, as can often be out of the office meeting relevant stakeholders, attending events, or taking photographs. The work environment is usually exciting and constantly changing.
When the alarm goes off in the morning, we will usually reach straight for the cell phone to see how much attention posts have attracted overnight.
In the office, the first posts of the day will be uploaded. There will generally be a meeting with the social media or marketing team, where new ideas will be brainstormed, data analysed, and strategies discussed.
Some time is usually set aside for researching current trends and hot topics. We l also be keeping an eye on your competitors’ social media pages to stay ahead of the curve.
As mentioned previously, the content we post is fresh and varied. Sometimes we may also be required to attend events where we to “go live”, as well as take photographs and record videos that can be uploaded to the company’s social media platforms.
Throughout the day, we are monitoring data with tools like Facebook Insights and Instagram Analytics. This gives us idea of the number of views your posts are getting, the number of new followers you are attracting and how well you are engaging with your audience.
Other ongoing responsibilities include responding to audience queries, meeting with clients, managing your social media team and reporting on progress to department heads.
WHAT COMPANIES LOOK FOR IN A SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGER
- Desired characteristics of a social media manager include:
- Excellent organisational skills
- Ability to be spontaneous and to come up with innovative ideas
- Solid researching skills: on social media itself, new trends and current affairs
- Ability to adapt to the changing nature of social media
- Knowledge of how to analyse and gain insights from social media analytics data
- Excellent communication skills to interact with team members and clients
SOME POINTS TO REMEMBER ABOUT SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGEMENT
Social media management is a field which has emerged hand-in-hand with rapid technological development. The digital age is moving at such a speed that new technologies become obsolete much quicker than ever before
We are prepared to evolve your skills along with the brisk pace of growth in technology. .
For now, demand for social media managers is on a healthy growth spurt. Social media is most certainly here to stay for a good while longer, and companies will continue to use this powerful tool for the foreseeable future.
IT IS IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER THAT PEOPLE BUY PEOPLE … AND THAT IS WHY OUR CLIENTS COME TO US AND STAY WITH US.
