Skills Every Social Media Manager Needs
There’s more to managing a social media account than uploading artwork or posting a funny video- especially if it’s in-house or for a digital agency. As a social media manager, you aren’t just responsible for posting stuff on relevant social media platforms. You also have to be:
- A marketer, as you filter through suitable platforms and plot out your content accordingly.
- A copy-writer, as you prep suitable scripts and type copy for content.
- An analyst, as you monitor engagement and track responses to content which has been posted.
- A customer service expert, as you respond to feedback from stakeholders and the general public to the content posted.
Need we go on?
Social media constantly evolves and develops to release new platforms and features- and social media managers need to make sure that they're on top of their game! Some key skills every Social Media Manager needs include:
Communication Skills: At its heart, social media (and all its platforms) have a specific purpose: communication. As such, it’s important to have strong communication skills. It also helps to be flexible- you need to be able to go from posting on a trending topic to helping a grumpy customer sort out their complaints in the blink of an eye. Communication is also useful in-office; making it easier to develop and plan an effective social media strategy which your team is aware of!
Writing: The core of social media communication, be it video, image or audio, always comes back to the written word. From captions to script to text copy, nothing can be done without writing- so having storng writing skills is important. More than that, you also need to be able to tailor your writing for different audience groups- all while making sure they remain engaged with your content!
Creative Thinking: It goes without saying that creativity and creative thinking are your biggest assets in this line of work- especially in a field where standing out is crucial. Creative thinking skills help you:
- Develop unique marketing campaigns
- Hone and develop their brand’s persona
- Create visually appealing multimedia content
- Lead productive brainstorms in contributing to new ideas
All of which are vital to the constant production of fun, relevant content!
Organisation: Of course, there’s no point in planning out a campaign if it’s not executed properly. You need strong organisational skills to make sure that any campaign or posts planned are executed in a timely manner- in line with the goal of your campaign.
More than that, you need to make sure that you plan and prioritise campaigns and tasks accordingly to avoid feeling overwhelmed by your workload (Psst- a to-do list or a social media calendar are handy tools for that!)
Being Alert & Adaptable: When managing your company’s social media accounts, you will also need to be aware of the latest trends and events on the social media-scape. The ability to react and respond quickly to new trends or developments also helps you respond decisively no matter the situation.
A flexible long-term strategy also gives you more opportunities to pivot or rework your campaigns according to the latest trends. Keep a back-up plan handy (and maybe a back-up for your back-up plan) so that you're prepared for multiple scenarios- keeping you calm and ready at all times.
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