What Is A Social Media Manager?

A Social Media Management role incorporates all things Social Media, as you would expect. However, there is a lot more to Social Media than meets the eye. A Social Media Manager is responsible for mapping out a digital strategy for their company or clients, which will need to be parallel to the overall marketing strategy – which is ultimately formed based on any business needs and goals.

A Social Media Manager will then need to plan how the strategy will be implemented, including what Social Media platforms will be utilised, the content and frequency of posts and how results will be recorded. A Social Media strategy should be made up of clear goals based on what the company needs. These could be to drive traffic to the website, to increase customer loyalty and satisfaction through engagement or to reach a conquest audience.

If there is marketing budget available, Social Media Advertising could be included within the strategy, which adds another element to the role of the Social Media Manager. They will be responsible for monitoring budgets, results and managing the Ads day by day.

There are additional elements to managing Social Media such as Social Listening and engaging with customers across all platforms. The more Social Media platforms a business is utilising, the greater their opportunity for reach and exposure but also the greater the workload. It’s also important to be super responsive on Social Media to the latest trends and make sure you’re sharing the most relevant and topical content.

All Social Media activity will need to be frequently reviewed to understand what content each platforms’ audience is responding to and, finally, the strategy will then need to be adapted to ensure as great of a return as possible. No element of Social Media is ‘plug and play’ which means managing it most certainly is a full-time job.

What Skills Does A Social Media Manager Need?

To be successful it’s essential to be super on the ball and organised. Managing several platforms, each with different features, formats and character limits – not to mention different potential audiences – will mean organisational skills are vital.

It’s also critical that they understand the business branding and its tone of voice. A Social Media Manager is the digital voice of the business, so being able to chat directly to existing and potential customers using the right tone and terminology is key.

Although you may have graphic designers, whether they are in-house or outsourced, it would also help if your Social Media Manager had a creative flair. Creativity will help when planning content in a range of formats such as product photography, videos and GIFs. Instagram Stories also open the door to some fun and creative content.

Social Media is a fast-paced industry, so being flexible and able to adapt as and when needed, will help keep your content #ontrend. Planning and scheduling content will help ease the workload day-to-day but this shouldn’t stop a Social Media Manager from shifting direction when it’s required.

Should I Invest In A Social Media Manager?

Investing in a Social Media Manager could be done one of two ways. Firstly by outsourcing your Social Media needs to a freelancer or agency or, secondly by employing an in-house manager. There are pros and cons to both options.   

In-House SM Manager 

There are always additional costs when you employ a member of staff over outsourcing, such as extra office space and the overheads that come with it, plus pension contributions. However, by working in-house, your Social Media Manager will be able to live and breathe your business and understand each aspect with first-hand experience.

You may find an in-house manager works closely with other departments such as finance and sales as they likely see them day-to-day.

Outsourced Social Media Manager

Outsourcing your Social Media Management can seem less of a commitment as you can control the length of your contract. However, it would be better to put a strong focus and commitment on all Social Media activity as it’s an important extension of your branding and therefore, business. In some cases, your Social Media presence is the first exposure potential customers have from you – whether you realise it or not!

Outsourcing your Social Media means putting your trust in a professional. A freelancer or agency may not live and breathe your business, but they certainly will Social Media and will likely be in the loop of all the latest best practices and trends.

To conclude, no matter which option you ultimately decide, yes you absolutely should invest in a Social Media Manager.