The social media landscape has changed dramatically since we started using Facebook in the mid-2000s.
Nowadays, companies rely heavily on social media platforms to connect with their customers and build communities around their brands.
As a result, many people are getting involved in social media marketing as new opportunities arise and career paths develop. But it can be hard to know where to start.
What steps should I take to start my career in social media? Is it possible to become a professional social media marketer without prior experience or a college degree?
I will answer these questions and more in my social media job guide.
How to start
As with most career paths, it gets easier once you know what you’re doing.
The first step is to identify, research, and use the platforms you want to learn more about. If you are already comfortable and have a profile with certain platforms, such as Facebook or Twitter, you should already have a knowledge base.
Once you have the basics down, you should also consider building your understanding of other platforms such as LinkedIn, Pinterest, TikTok, and Instagram.
The best way to start social media marketing is to build your audience on your profiles. It is the best place for trial and error. And it will help articulate the platforms you actually want to work on in your career.
Once you understand the different platforms, you can start developing your social media skill set.
Basic skills
Over the years, companies have relied on social networking to gain insight into consumer psychology and gauge public opinion.
This enabled them to spot trends or changes before they happen. But what skills do you need to identify these trends or create engaging social media posts?
1. Copyright
Now I’m not talking about copyright or intellectual property rights. I’m talking about crafting compelling copy to market a brand, product or service.
Even if you don’t have a background in writing, you can still develop the skills to become an effective copywriter. Pay attention to ads and social media posts today.
Who gets it right, and which brands are clearly missing the mark? You can start practicing copywriting simply by editing the branding copy that is missing the tag.
While copywriting is a career in itself, it is important to practice and master the art of social media copy.
2. Research and analysis
Whether you’re researching a brand and its competitors to gain ground or finding the right time to post, being a good researcher will save you time and help with your social media marketing.
You will also need to be able to interpret Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for different brands. This is usually based on platform insights or other software used to analyze social media performance.
Understanding and using the ideas provided by social media platforms and programs are essential skills in this career path. And things change quickly online, and it’s no different for social media, so becoming a great researcher and analyst is a rewarding path.
3. Understand the personality and tone of the brand
If you work as a freelance social media manager or with a marketing agency, you will need to be able to understand the brand guide.
These guides typically include the brand tone, colors, fonts, and target market persona.
Surprisingly, not all brands have this, and sometimes, you’ll need help creating a company brand directory.
Understanding and using a brand guide will help you maintain the right tone and personality when addressing customers and create social media copy for brands.
4. Creative development
You will need to develop a creative perspective that incorporates brand identity when producing videos and graphics for brand posts. Additionally, staying within brand colors and font types can help create unity across posts.
Now, you don’t need to be an expert graphic designer to create social media posts. There are many free platforms out there, such as Canva and Adobe Express, that can help you create professional and unique social media posts.
5. Customer Service
If you go the social media manager route, you are also likely to monitor the comments and direct messages of a brand’s social media accounts.
Customer service generally requires critical thinking and problem-solving, which you’ll also need in this career field.
In addition, it will be important to be polite, respond quickly and accurately, and know who to address your questions if you cannot answer them yourself.
Recommended education
There are many ways to educate yourself about social media marketing, from getting a bachelor’s degree in social media management, internships and getting some work experience, online courses, and countless free online resources.
If you’re completely new to the field and serious about learning about social media management, earn a bachelor’s degree in marketing or social media management. Courses in these programs can lay the foundation for understanding the business world and prepare you with the skills you need to practice and excel in this field.
If you’re not completely sold on the career field or simply want to expand your knowledge, you can attend a seminar or course on social media management or a specific skill.
For example, let’s say you want to get better at copywriting. Try the Comprehensive Copywriting Academy (CCA) or Copy Posse.
You will greatly benefit from learning more about copywriting and branding from the CCA course.
Online courses like these usually also allow you to join online communities, such as private Facebook groups. These groups can help provide feedback about courses, answer questions, and even help you get a job.
You can also read online resources such as ours on social media strategy and social media advertising. There are many excellent and free articles, tools, and e-books that can help you stay current on social media trends and learn more about specific skills and strategies.
Available roles in the social and career path to follow
Today, social media plays an important role in advertising, customer service, and brand management. Social media marketers play a vital role in helping companies expand and grow.
Many career paths are available, from freelance social media manager to social media strategist. Here are some career paths you may want to consider:
Social media strategist
The Social Media Strategist will assist in developing the branding strategy for each online social media platform.
They will help identify and track key performance indicators to ensure your social media strategy stays on track. This can include monitoring upcoming followers, likes, shares, mentions, and comments across posts.
This role is likely to work with different teams within the brand to create a cohesive and accurate brand portal. They will also need to understand search engine optimization (SEO) and how to incorporate it into your social media strategy.
On average, social media strategists make from anywhere $46,000 to $73,000.
Social Communication Manager
A social media manager needs to know how to create content for different social networks like Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok. The social media manager must also understand how to improve each platform and use analytical tools to measure performance.
In addition, the Social Media Manager must be able to communicate effectively with both internal and external audiences.
As mentioned earlier, you will also need to use your customer service skills to respond to comments and direct messages on each platform.
Your income may vary depending on whether you work as a freelancer or work for an agency, but salaries usually range from $42,000 to $66,000.
Social media influencer
People who create content using social networking sites like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Snapchat are social media influencers or simply influencers. Many companies hire them to promote their brand or products through photos, tweets, posts, videos, blogs, and more.
In addition, they usually pay influencers to post content on their behalf because they want to reach their target audiences.
This can be a unique and lucrative career path. Like being a freelance social media manager, being an influencer gives you the autonomy to create your own career path and only work with brands that align with your values.
Depending on your following and the brands you work with, a social media influencer could make among them $41,000 to $69,000.
Social media consultant
A brand may hire a social media consultant if they need someone to evaluate their current strategy or social media profiles.
Sometimes getting a fresh set of eyes and an unbiased perspective can help take a brand’s social media presence to the next level. They can also help brands set goals and evaluate the SEO of their platforms.
Social media consultants usually do something in between $50,000 to $82,000.
The final takeaway
Social media has changed our world, from how we interact with our friends, family, and followers to how brands market their products and services.
Career opportunities in social media are only expanding. You can navigate different career paths if you practice the skills mentioned in this article and stay on top of social media trends.
More resources:
- Top 7 SEO Certifications: Are They Worth It?
- Top 10 Skills Every Successful Social Media Manager Must Have
- How to Dominate Social Media Marketing: A Complete Strategy Guide
Featured image: 13_Phunkod / Shutterstock
