Is content marketing a cost-effective strategy?

Digital content marketing is typically 60% cheaper than traditional methods like print ads or direct mail. However, actual costs and returns vary based on industry, market, and scale. We can help calculate your content marketing ROI for a clear picture of your investment's impact.

What role does social media play in supporting content marketing efforts?

Social media is like a big stage for content marketing. It's where your audience hangs out, so you can put your content right in front of them where they're most likely to see it.

Is content marketing suitable for businesses of all sizes, or is it primarily for large national brands?

Content marketing isn't just for big brands—it's for everyone. Small businesses can use it too, focusing on topics that matter to their local or regional audience to make their content more relevant and effective.

9 Skills You Need to Become a Great Social Media Manager

The role of social media in the expansion of businesses has sparked a rise in the demand for social media managers. And it’s comprehensible.

Given that establishing a strong social media presence demands excellence across various stages, the job of a social media manager is as diverse as it is essential.

A social media manager is a versatile professional who handles numerous responsibilities. Due to the variety of tasks involved, the skills required to be an effective social media manager are extensive.

Table of Contents

What About Social Media Manager

A Social Media Manager is responsible for overseeing, implementing, filtering, and evaluating the social media presence of a product, brand, corporation, or individual.

This role is often regarded as the ‘voice of the company’ and may also be referred to as a ‘Social Media Strategist’ or ‘Digital Marketing Manager’.

What Are the Responsibilities of a Social Media Manager?

Social Media Managers develop and sustain brand promotions, company information, and marketing campaigns across various social media platforms.

They are adept at identifying the most important social media metrics to monitor and utilizing tools to engage with questions and comments in line with the company’s voice and guidelines. Social Media Managers work daily to generate new content, continually innovating to introduce new ideas and formats, and assessing the performance of those ideas.

They may report to a Social Media Director (in larger organizations) or the Head of Content or Brand and collaborate with other creative teams such as marketing and public relations, as well as the sales department, to drive lead generation campaigns that convert into revenue. A key part of the role is to stay updated on new trends and company and industry news.

As a highly sought-after position, Social Media Manager roles typically require a bachelor’s degree in marketing, public relations, or a related field.

The role is dynamic and multifaceted, involving numerous tasks throughout the day. Some of the responsibilities a Social Media Manager might have include:

1. Produce content for various platforms

The content you create for Facebook won’t necessarily work on TikTok. Evaluate which types of content will work best for each platform based on trending topics and analyze what your competitors are posting, such as videos, GIFs, infographics, blogs, etc.

2. Track social analytics

Evaluate which campaigns are performing well (or not) across different channels to ensure that your time and resources are invested in the most effective channels and targeted at the right audience.

3. Develop a social media strategy

You might need to design a campaign from the ground up to promote a sale or a new product.

4. Assess and demonstrate ROI

Establish clear, measurable goals for a new campaign across relevant channels and generate a report to monitor performance. Utilize a social media campaign calculator to achieve your objectives cost-effectively.

5. Plan and schedule posts

Each platform has an ‘optimal’ time for posting content (for example, Instagram users are often most active on Wednesday mornings!). Scheduling posts in advance helps manage workloads and ensures that content goes live even when you’re not available.

6. Find and share relevant curated content

Some of your social media posts should highlight current events or developments that are important to your audience. Conduct research and share third-party content that will engage your followers.

7. Interact with your audience

The goal of your social media presence is to foster engagement. Respond to comments and address customer inquiries, effectively using your social media platforms as a customer service tool.

8. Update and manage your content calendar

In a rapidly evolving environment, it’s essential to plan your content. Fill out your social media calendar for days or even weeks in advance to stay organized and on schedule.

9 Skills You Need to Become a Great Social Media Manager

1. Writing Skills for Social Media Managers

Social media managers engage in a lot of writing, sometimes crafting more than a dozen posts each day. Moreover, each social network requires a slightly different writing style.

For instance, LinkedIn demands a more professional tone, while Facebook can be lighter and more fun. Knowledge of SEO copywriting is also very beneficial. (More on this later!)

You must be able to create messages that are easily understood by your audience and foster a positive sentiment. Through their writing, Social Media Managers should enhance their brand and become the ‘voice’ of the company.

Some key types of writing include:

Crafting short and impactful headlines
Writing engaging introductions
Creating video and image captions
Structuring text for easy reading (as consumers tend to skim and scan, using subtitles, bullet points, and numbering is essential)

2. Research Skills for Social Media Managers

Social media managers need to stay current with the constantly evolving world of social and digital media. This includes keeping up with new measurement and analytics tools, industry and global trends, and monitoring competitors’ activities, often on a daily basis.

Effective Social Media Managers set up Google Alerts on popular topics and use tools like Feedly, Ahrefs, and BuzzSumo to stay informed about trending content.

3. Customer Service

According to research by Khoros, about half of consumers who interact with brands on social media are seeking customer care.

Engagement varies across platforms. For many users, social media is the quickest way to get a response, so Social Media Managers should be attentive across channels.

User Intent on Social Media Platforms

Customers often use social media for help with questions or to share their experiences, especially on WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger. If no one responds (even during nights and weekends), it can hurt the brand’s reputation.

Here are some key statistics from Hootsuite on social media customer service:

49% of companies see social customer service as part of the marketing team’s role.
Over half of people in a Facebook IQ survey said they are more likely to buy from a company that offers chat-based customer service.
Messaging channels reduce customer interaction costs by 60%.
50% of consumers say a quick response to their customer-service questions affects their decision to purchase.
40% of consumers expect a response within an hour on social media, while 79% expect one within 24 hours.

4. Understanding SEO

Search Engine Optimization, often called SEO, is essential for content marketing and social media.

SEO can greatly improve your social media content. A good Social Media Manager knows this and integrates SEO into writing posts for social platforms. By incorporating SEO into your strategy, you can attract a bigger audience interested in your products or services, leading to more potential customers.

When considering how to integrate SEO and social media, reflect on:

Do you know how social media exposure boosts search engine rankings?
Can you differentiate between long-tail and short-tail keywords for SEO? Check out this infographic on the 5 steps of keyword research.
How will you share your blog content on social media?
Do you know what type of content helps with SEO?
Do you understand how bringing traffic to your website increases revenue?

5. Creativity & Design

While much of your social media content will be text, creating engaging visuals is also key (Instagram). The right image, video, or gif can be widely shared, so understanding how to make eye-catching content for each platform is crucial.

Having design skills helps you create appealing graphics for your posts. Tools like Know Your Meme can keep you updated on trending memes (if they suit your brand).

Video is also a big part of social media. Since millions of videos are uploaded daily, being creative with your video content can make a difference. On platforms like Instagram and TikTok, high-quality visuals are essential. Use storytelling to connect with your audience and clearly convey your brand message.

6. Data Analysis

To ensure your social media efforts are effective, you need to track and analyze your performance. Data helps you understand:

Which platforms generate the most engagement.
Which content types perform best (e.g., videos, memes).
What post formats drive engagement (e.g., polls, tutorials).
The best times and days for high engagement.
Which channels may need more or less focus.

Use analytics tools like SparkToro, BuzzSumo, and Hootsuite to monitor metrics, perform competitive analysis, and track social conversations.

7. Social Media Skills and Knowledge

A Social Media Manager must excel in social media techniques and strategies. While these skills can develop with time and practice, having several years of experience is often necessary for roles at larger organizations.

Key areas of expertise include:

Identifying effective content types for each platform
Knowing the optimal posting times and days for each platform
Optimizing content specifically for each platform
Understanding social media analytics and performance metrics
Using free tools to engage and listen to your audience

The ‘2023 Content Benchmarks Report’ graphic illustrates the most engaging content types that help achieve social media goals.

8. Budget Management for Social Media

A Social Media Manager needs to effectively plan and manage a budget for both organic and paid media efforts. Key budget areas include:

Content Creation: Budget for freelancers or external content creators.
Influencers: Allocate funds for influencer partnerships and sponsorships.
Paid Media: Set aside money for ads based on audience and engagement needs.
Software and Tools: Budget for tools and software for data analysis and social listening.

Regularly review and adjust your budget to ensure it aligns with your goals and KPIs, whether for generating leads or increasing brand awareness.

9. Flexibility

In social media management, flexibility is key due to the fast-paced nature of the field. Beyond scheduling posts, you must:

Embrace New Features: Quickly adapt to new tools and updates on social platforms.
Adjust Based on Trends: Modify your strategy according to emerging trends and analytics.
Conduct A/B Testing: Test different post variations to find what works best for your audience.

Use resources like the A/B Testing Toolkit and Video to optimize your posts and stay ahead in the dynamic social media landscape.

These are just a few examples of tasks you may need to handle. However, each day can bring new challenges, so staying organized with your content calendar and social campaigns is essential for achieving online success.

FAQ’s

1. What qualities set apart an effective social media manager?

Successful social media managers excel by building connections, effectively using monitoring and listening tools, and aligning insights with the brand’s goals. They understand that engaging on social media goes beyond just tracking metrics.

2. How can you develop hard skills?

Enroll in Courses: Take online or in-person classes offered by universities, training programs, or specialized platforms.
Practice Regularly: Develop your skills through hands-on practice and real-world applications.
Gain Experience: Apply your skills in practical settings, such as internships or job roles, to build proficiency and confidence.

3. What are the responsibilities of a social media manager?

Social media managers typically handle creating strategies to grow follower numbers, running social campaigns, generating content, analyzing performance data, and coordinating with company stakeholders.

4. Is social media management classified as a hard skill?

Social media management involves specific technical abilities, such as creating engaging posts, writing compelling captions, designing visuals, and analyzing performance metrics.