With the rapid changes in social media, social media managers (SMMs) have had to adapt and enhance their skills in order to stay relevant and be prepared for the future. This is due to factors such as the fragmentation of social networks, dynamic search engine optimization (SEO) developments, the continuous growth of content trends, the emergence of new technologies, and other complexities within the field.
How have social media manager skills evolved
To be a social media manager, one must possess the abilities of a marketer, strategist, copywriter, and customer service representative, excelling in each role. Being able to handle these various responsibilities necessitates agility and proficiency in acquiring new skills, which are increasingly important with each passing day.
A report from LinkedIn reveals that the average change in social media manager skills requirements in the US has been 24.9% since 2015.
The top new skills mentioned include social media outreach, social strategy, social media communications, and platform expertise such as Instagram. Additional important skills include project management and utilizing artificial intelligence (AI) technologies to conduct detailed audience research for the creation of data-driven social strategies.
If you want to improve your skills for upcoming years, particularly 2023 and beyond, make sure to watch the video provided. The video showcases the essential skills to focus on, such as AI and data storytelling.
1. Communication
I believe that among all social media skills, effective communication skills are the most significant. Social media managers need to effectively communicate ideas to various stakeholders, ranging from writing concise messages to creating social listening analysis for leadership.
Considering the extensive range of internal and external audiences that SMMs regularly collaborate with, encompassing teams such as the legal and creative departments as well as followers and social platform partners, communication skills become increasingly essential.
There are two important factors to consider in this situation.
- When communicating externally on social media, ensure you’re consistent. For example, employ a consistent brand voice when communicating with followers on social media. This holds true whether you’re publishing a planned post, dropping what you’re doing to hop on a trending topic or handling a customer complaint. You also need to be consistent in your communication with external stakeholders such as creators or influencers. Clearly define expectations and campaign goals, and how you’ll collaborate with them.
- When communicating internally, articulate your ideas and plans to decision-makers and cross-functional partners. This could be about your social media strategy, content distribution plan or the revenue impact you expect from a campaign.
2. Writing
Social media managers need to possess exceptional copywriting skills in order to represent and amplify their brand’s voice effectively on social platforms. They should be adept at crafting brief, impactful copy that engages their target audience, ranging from clever and attention-grabbing ad content to timely commentary.
No matter which social networks you utilize, proficient writers possess the ability to adapt their writing style to suit various audiences and platforms. For instance, despite having the option to employ up to 2,200 characters in your Instagram captions, statistics indicate that the optimal length falls within the range of 1-50 characters for maximum engagement.
In addition to fostering engaging content and conversations, writing is a crucial skill in the realm of social media as it contributes to the development of one’s professional standing. Communicating effectively through reports, emails, and presentations is instrumental in ensuring that one’s ideas leave a lasting impact.
If you need assistance in generating ideas or finding inspiration, feel free to utilize AI-based content tools and other helpful apps. When using these tools to produce content, it is important to possess editing skills in order to review and proofread the material. This ensures that the content aligns with your expectations and brand voice.
3. Creativity
– In the saturated social media space, brands face difficulties in distinguishing themselves from others. Therefore, it is crucial to produce content that is exciting, valuable, and relevant. Creativity is required to accomplish this.
- Plan innovative social media ideas
- Produce visually appealing multimedia content
- Consider every aesthetic detail of a social post, from images to links to copy formatting
- Lead productive brainstorms that bring out teammates’ best ideas
- Hone and expand your brand’s voice and persona
Even for experienced social media managers, it can feel overwhelming to incorporate creativity into multiple projects. However, technology can be incredibly helpful in this situation. Various AI-driven apps for design and copy offer support as your creative companion, helping you initiate the creative process.
Having a sense of humor and the ability to improvise in any given situation go hand in hand with being creative.
4. Efficiency and project management
Project management is a necessary skill for social media managers as it involves conceptualizing campaigns, managing distribution strategies, leading and executing plans from start to finish. Developing proficiency in project management can also lead to future opportunities for leadership in social media.
One of the many available time and project management tools is a social media calendar like the one in Sprout, which can be extremely useful in managing various social tasks. It enables you to efficiently manage campaigns, ensure all collaborators are on the same page, track progress with different filters, and more.
5. Marketing strategy
Social media sits at the crossroads of marketing, customer experience, and sales. Additionally, it serves as a valuable source of business intelligence.
After analyzing The Sprout Social Index™ 2022, it was found that social teams consider “proving ROI” to be the third most significant obstacle in developing their strategies. By integrating marketing expertise with social intelligence, this hurdle can be overcome, resulting in a data-driven and customer-centric marketing strategy that is more likely to succeed.
In order to generate a significant impact on business, it is crucial to combine traditional and digital marketing methods when developing a social strategy. This may involve recording the ways in which social initiatives coincide with other techniques like email nurturing, paid campaigns, corporate events, webinars, and others.
6. Research
Social media managers must continuously stay informed about the dynamic field of social and digital media. This encompasses being aware of the latest measurement/analytics tools, keeping track of industry and global trends, and monitoring the activities of competitors, sometimes on a daily basis.
Great Social Media Managers use tools such as Google Alerts, Feedly, Ahrefs, and BuzzSumo to stay updated on popular topics and trending content. They also find value in the Twitter Trends sidebar and the TikTok ‘Discover’ tab. Hashtag research is another helpful method for identifying relevant topics to engage with.
7. Customer service
Research conducted by Khoros reveals that approximately 50% of consumers who interact with brands on social media are contacting them specifically regarding customer care issues.
The graphic demonstrates that engagement varies across different platforms. Despite this, many users find social media to be the most convenient and prompt means of receiving a brand’s response. Hence, Social Media Managers should monitor all channels diligently.
Customers frequently turn to social media for assistance or to express satisfaction or dissatisfaction with their experience, especially with the availability of platforms like WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger. Consequently, if no one is available to respond, even during evenings and weekends, this could negatively impact their perception of the brand.
8. SEO knowledge
SEO, which stands for Search Engine Optimization, has become a vital aspect of content marketing and social media in marketing circles.
A significant influence on your social media content can be achieved through SEO. This knowledge is crucial for a competent Social Media Manager who aims to incorporate SEO principles into their written content for social networks. By incorporating SEO into your overall strategy, you can attract a larger audience interested in your products or services, thereby increasing the potential customer base.
9. Data analytics
If you are dedicating time and effort to increase awareness and engagement on social media platforms, it is important to determine if your efforts are effective. This is where data becomes essential. By analyzing your social media data, you can obtain valuable insights not only on the individual platforms but also on the content you are sharing. Some questions that can be answered through data analysis include:
- What social media platforms are driving engagement?
- Which content formats work best i.e. video, memes, images?
- What type of posts drive engagement i.e. polls, how-to videos?
- Are there times and days that you see spikes or drops in engagement?
- Are there any channels that you should increase or decrease activity on?
In addition to the analytics feature provided by each social network and GA4, several useful tools are available to track data, measure social media post metrics, perform competitive analysis, and engage in social listening. Notable examples include SparkToro, BuzzSumo, and Hootsuite.
10. Social media expertise
It may appear evident, yet it is crucial for a Social Media Manager to possess excellent social media skills! While these abilities can be acquired gradually by conducting research and conducting experiments, if you aspire to work at a prominent company, you must have several years of experience.
The knowledge required to surpass your competitors includes:
- Knowing what type of content works best on what platform
- Understanding the different days and times and days that work best on each platform
- Understanding how to optimize platform-specific content
- Knowledge of social media analytics and performance
- Ability to engage an audience using the best free audience listening tools
11. Budgeting
A Social Media Manager must possess the understanding of effectively planning and managing a budget for both organic and paid media across various social networks. It is crucial to allocate funds for specific items such as:
- Content creation – Do you need to budget for a freelancer or external content creator?
- Influencers – If you’re using influencers, have you put aside a budget for sponsorship or the cost of the partnership?
- Paid media – You will need to allocate spending for paid media across networks depending on your audience and engagement levels
- Software and tools – Budget for any tools or software for data analysis or social listening
Your budget should be regularly reviewed and analyzed to ensure that your funds are allocated to the activities that will assist in achieving your KPIs, whether it is generating leads or increasing brand awareness.
12. Adaptability
Flexibility is crucial in every marketing position, particularly in social media management. The rapid pace of the social media landscape requires constant adaptation. Merely scheduling posts is insufficient; one must also be willing to explore novel features, make adjustments based on trends, and continuously analyze the performance of posts through testing and analytics.
Once you have the analytics, it is important to have the flexibility to experiment and make adjustments to optimize your social media. A/B testing, which involves creating posts using various formats and visuals, can swiftly identify the most effective images and copy for your company, as well as those that are less successful.
