Top Skills that Every Social Media Manager Should Have

Over a decade ago, the role of a social media manager was not even a career or a job. In simple words, it didn’t exist! Facebook was a new entrant to the arena of social media and was a preferred means for people to connect with their friends. The phrase social media marketing wasn’t there in the lexicon. Fast forward a decade, and it is a compulsion for every business to have a social media manager.

Nowadays, more than 85% of a brand’s loyal customers are active on various social media platforms. Hence it is imperative for a social media manager to tap into the potential of leading social media platforms. Like any other marketing and sales job, a social media manager needs to be proficient in a versatile collection of attributes.

These skills and traits would permit them to recognize chances and convert leads into loyal customers. The below list highlights the essential characteristics that any good social media manager needs to excel in their career.

Communication

At its core, social media is a communication platform. Hence, as a social media manager, it is imperative to possess strong communication skills that can fit any platform, character count, or audience. Always remember that he is the voice of his/her brand.

Hence, you should be adept at handling disgruntled customer complaints and trending topics at the same time. And consider the fact that you are not only communicating in writing. You are also using GIFs, emojis, and stickers! Even the headlines should be catchy and noticeable.

Design

Well, you don’t have to be a master designer to be a successful social media manager. However, you should have a strong understanding of the design and the tenacity to create visual content that can capture the attention of your followers. As per a recent survey, articles, and blogs that contain images after every 150-200 words are more popular among readers.

Moreover, images also increase the readability score of the content you have shared on social media platforms. People remember approximately 70% of a message when it is paired with a relevant picture. In other words, you should be able to whip up visual content that can influence your audiences quickly.

Creativity

As a social media manager, you should be creative in discovering new opportunities so that you can act on them outside the traditional norms of marketing. Well, it is not necessary to be a creative genius to harness the potential of social media platforms.

However, you should possess an innovative approach to social media that would assist you with the creation of flawless and attention-grabbing content. Every day brings a new trending topic on social media platforms. Creativity would help them to stay on top of these growing trends and capitalize on them.

Fostering connections

Being inherently social is one of the core tenets of social media marketing. In other words, building digital relationships is still seen as a core responsibility of a responsible social media manager. There is no denying the fact that more than 64% of consumers want brands to connect with them on major social media platforms.

In the realm of social media, there are lots of opportunities on which a social media manager should emphasize. It is usual for different managers to have various styles. However, they should be comfortable to experiment with multiple strategies to foster and maintain digital relationships with audiences.

Agility

It is a commonly observed fact that the digital landscape scurries, and even the best worked out plans can quickly become obsolete. A social media manager should have the ability to pivot and leverage a new trend quickly. Being agile and flexible in your approach will decisively help you to respond to a frustrated customer.

Agility pays off when the context is about long term strategies. Strategies based on social media platforms should be dynamic and flexible to take into account consumer preferences, which changes from time to time. You should be open to change when you are marketing your brand’s voice to the audiences. Learning from data and keeping a tab on customer feedback can all make you a more agile social media manager.

Top-notch Organization

You cannot be a successful social media manager without managing your time wisely. Efficiency and organization are the two essential skills of a social media manager. To be precise, the role of a social media manager encompasses various aspects.

As a social media manager, not only do you have to strategize campaigns, but you have to lead and execute these tactics from start to end. And to do all these tasks at a large-scale, a competent social media manager uses a variety of tools and policies.

Writing skills

There exist many skills that can help get your message disseminated on social media platforms. But when the context is about the core of communication, you cannot ignore your writing skills. Social media managers who have already carved a niche for themselves are brilliant copywriters. With their writing skills, they can enhance their brand’s voice on social media platforms.

From witty social posts to engaging copies, you should be adept in writing concisely that elicits emotion from your followers. Skilled writers also know how to adapt their writing style as per the platform. In simple words, he should be able to articulate with clear written words.

Community Management

Take a close peek at the brands with a substantial social media following and you will notice that they have one thing in common: community. It is worthwhile here to note that social media marketing emphasizes on building connections and building an online community is the first step towards it.

And if you already excel at all of these skills as mentioned above, remember that you still have a lot of work to do. Social media is a career path for lifelong learning. Hence, it is imperative to hone your skills from time to time for a rewarding career.