Social media manager job description

As a social media manager, you’re involved with devising a social media strategy for organisations and creating engaging content. You also track social media analytics like number of followers and number of likes. You use this data to hone your strategy to see what content works best for your audience.As a social media manager, you’re involved with devising a social media strategy for organisations and creating engaging content. You also track social media analytics like number of followers and number of likes. You use this data to hone your strategy to see what content works best for your audience.

Tasks and responsibilities for a social media manager

What does a social media manager do? Key tasks include:

Deciding how a brand will strategically use social media. For example, deciding what platforms to use, what time to post, and what voice and style of content will be posted.
Producing text, images, videos, gifs, or other social media content to post.
Moderating and answering comments to protect your organisation's reputation and further engage with followers.
Tracking engagement through analytics. This could involve tracking increases in followers over time, number of likes and comments each post gets, and how often specific hashtags are used.
Using paid and targeted advertising to ensure your message is reaching your intended audience.
Understanding changes in each social media platform to ensure your organisation is using it to best effect.
Investigating new and emerging social media platforms and how your organisation can use them.
Designing marketing campaigns. The type of campaign you might develop depends on the brands and organisations you represent. For example, a social media manager for a nonprofit might develop a campaign to help people learn about a specific issue. If you work for a clothing company, your campaign could be to get a demographic of people to purchase items in an online sale.

How to become a social media manager

Study

Although no specific formal qualifications are required to work with social media, it is common to hold a tertiary degree in the information media and telecommunications industry. A degree in communications or marketing will give you a great background to hit the ground running. Although, any qualification that involves honing your communication skills will provide a valuable background for this job. Social media-specific qualifications will give you opportunities to get hands-on work experience, but you can also apply for relevant internships as a student.
Gain experience

You’ll need to be able to show prospective employers that you know how to grow and maintain an online presence for yourself or for others. You can demonstrate your abilities by volunteering to run the social media pages of a charity, or by moderating your own Facebook group or page, or growing your own following on any social media platform.

Pathway options

There are plenty of pathways towards becoming a social media manager. And plenty of higher-level options for experienced social media managers.

Junior

Social media assistant

Most common qualification: Diploma of Social Media Marketing (10904NAT)
Social media coordinator

Most common qualification: Diploma of Social Media Marketing (10904NAT)

Mid

Social media manager

Most common qualification: Diploma of Social Media Marketing (10904NAT)
Content marketing manager

Most common qualification: Bachelor of Applied Business (Marketing)

Senior

Brand marketing manager

Most common qualification: Bachelor of Applied Business (Marketing)

Degrees relevant to future social media managers are available throughout Australia. Delivery can be on-campus or online courses, or a mix of both. Courses cost different amounts depending on the area of study and whether you are eligible for Commonwealth government support.

Certificate IV in Marketing and Communication (BSB40820)

Study method Online

This course will teach you to understand consumer behaviour as you prepare solid marketing strategies, plans, and presentations. It’ll help you hone in on your soft skills. It’s a great, general background for jobs in marketing or public relations as well as social media specifically. This qualification can typically be completed in under 6 months full-time (or part-time equivalent).

Diploma of Social Media Marketing (10904NAT)

Study method Online

This course is more specifically focused on social media. It will focus on how to use the major social media platforms (usually the “big 5” social media channels: Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube, plus social media management platforms like Hootsuite). The course will show you:

How to develop a social media marketing strategy
How to make effective marketing content
How to use paid advertising to optimise engagement
How to convert views into sales

This qualification typically takes 12 months of full-time study (or part-time equivalent).

Bachelor of Applied Business (Marketing)

Studying a marketing course at a bachelor degree level will mix theory with practice over a longer, more general degree. This degree will help you develop both business and marketing soft skills, such as effective communication and working well with others. It will also help you develop effective technical skills in: