From Reshare To Revenue: Social Media Management 101

A late 21st century concept, social media has seen an uncharted boom over the past few years and has now penetrated every sphere of life. Although varied in their forms and function, social media platforms such as Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat and LinkedIn serve the same purpose: of displaying something to the world. Therefore, alongside acting as a personal archive of expression for individuals, these platforms bring visibility to various organisations – helping them to expose, promote, and potentially sell their work.

This is where a social media manager comes in. A social media manager acts as the agent between these platforms and the organisation that wants to carve out a space from themselves on these platforms. This role has become extremely significant over time since most businesses desire a social media presence. To pursue a career in social media management and marketing, you need to obtain a relevant degree in the disciplines of Mass Media, Communication, or Creative Arts; be adept at using all social media platforms as well as develop strong communication and critical thinking skills.

What does a social media manager do?

While the job may appear “simple” on paper, the job description of a social media manager transcends beyond just posting on Instagram. Social media managers are responsible for creating and strengthening a brand’s presence on various platforms. They are tasked with curating marketing campaigns, brand promotions, and other creatives to accelerate brand growth and garner a wide audience.

A social media manager will formulate a digital marketing strategy or work closely with digital marketers to build a comprehensive brand guideline. They are also responsible for analysing and measuring social media trends, audience responses, and strategising on the basis of customer behavior, ratings, and metrics.

What skills does a social media manager need?

• Extensive knowledge of all major social media platforms: Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, Snapchat, YouTube, Tumblr, Telegram, and much more.
  
• Creativity: Social media managers have to generate new creative ideas for brands on a daily basis. They need to fuel and refine their creative thinking skills to be able to attract audiences with fresh and innovative ideas.
  
• Research: Social media managers must stay up-to-date with the ever-changing trends of digital platforms. Therefore, research forms an integral part of their job description. They have to utilise several tools and resources to analyse how their brand is performing and accordingly change their strategy.
  
• Copywriting: Social media managers may not have to work with long-form writing but writing captions for social media posts requires basic copywriting skills. The success of a social media post depends on the quality of the copy. Therefore, a social media manager must have a way with words, so that they can come up with fresh and quirky captions.
  
• Search Engine Optimization or SEO: This is the practice of using the right and most relevant words in creating your content so that your brand ‘ranks’ higher on any given search engine. A social media manager must have expertise over SEO so that they can integrate SEO-rich language on their posts and attract a wider audience.

If you are an active consumer and observer of social media, you will be aware of the value it holds in 2022. Social media has become the space for shaping public opinion and orchestrating widespread reaction. Iit also serves as a medium of creating change. Since social media is indispensable in today’s time – a career in the field is the most-sought after option for the youth.