In 2004 when Facebook launched itself onto the internet, a social media manager (SMM) wasn’t even a blip on the job market’s radar. Meanwhile, type the words ‘social media manager’ into Indeed today, and 37,553 jobs currently appear. “A decade ago, the role of a social media manager might not have even existed. Today, however, almost every company is involved in social media one way or another” (Lua, 2019).
Over the last decade, social media has evolved from one media platform to currently 17+ platforms with 300 million or more monthly active users (Datareportal, n.d.). With the growth of social media platforms usage and the wide array of platforms to choose from, it is no wonder that companies are interested in social media managers now more than ever. “Social media, like digital, is now an integral part of all marketing and branding, and as such needs to be embedded in any business or marketing strategy development” (Page, 2020).
As social media platforms have evolved over the years, so has the role of a social media manager. Initially, a company most likely hired an intern or an entry-level employee to be a ‘social media manager’ that merely monitored social pages and created posts. In today’s society, the roles of social media managers have significantly evolved. SMMs often have extensive knowledge and experience and are tasked with being the voice of a brand and delivering a cohesive experience for customers across all media platforms. That doesn’t even mention the role of understanding and implementing complex data and trends, in addition to SEO, paid media, and more. Social media managers have had to evolve with the complex digital media world to maintain relevancy.
The depth of skills needed to be a successful social media manager has evolved as well. Knowing effective copywriting and photo editing are no longer the minimum requirements. Buffer’s article discusses several key qualities a successful social media manager must obtain, which include:
- The fundamental skill of effective copywriting.
- Creative visuals and design. This includes videography, graphics, and photography.
- Exceptional public speaking.
- Customer service-driven.
- Understanding of behavioral psychology.
- Analytical thinker.
- Booker-keeper. (Lua, 2019)
Brito elaborates on these skillsets in his article, Evolution of the Social Media Manager Role & The Path to CMO, by saying that SMMs must learn the skill of writing effective headlines and be successful copywriters, SMMs must be. creative, have knowledge in paid media, and understand data-driven storytelling, (Britopian, n.d.)
All in all, an ideal social media manager is an individual made up of multiple skillsets found in all types of industries. One must effectively analyze data while being a great writer and communicator, customer service-driven, exceptional at public speaking, and understands how to properly budget with ROIs in mind.
Personally, I would say that the job of social media manager has evolved into a very particular role, and it requires much skill and devotion from an individual. From a certain perspective, I could say that this could create a negative experience. Not only are industries looking for a very particular person, but these particular people are also stressed with learning and obtaining a multifaced skill set that is often found in completely separate industries. “You can’t think about social media in a silo anymore…a social media manager has to bridge the gaps and discover new efficiencies so that each department in a company can communicate with consumers and other businesses” (Weissman, 2013). On the other hand, this evolution is a positive one. Social media managers are transforming from reactive to proactive, “social media is no longer a one-to-many form of communication. It is becoming a one-to-one channel to reach new customers…” (SocialMediaGids, n.d.).
