Did you know that social media job vacancies have proliferated at a blistering rate of 1,357% since 2010? That’s huge! And reasonably so because
a career in social/digital media has transformed the way people socialize, network and stay in touch. We’ve seen large social networks like MySpace and Friendster come and go, and others like Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn completely transform and redefine online trends.
One thing is clear: social media is now necessary for global commerce, and 2015 onwards will be the catalyst for vital social media marketing positions. If you argue that social media is merely a hobby pursued by people who are bored to death, think again. If the latest trends are anything to go by, we believe that these areas will survive the emergence and dissipation of networks, tools, and philosophies. So, if you have an interest in making it to a different career, look at these areas to withstand the test of time!
Advertising: Social advertising requires an understanding of social behaviour that goes way beyond re-targeting platforms. In order to survive emerging networks will need to find innovative social ad solutions, and becoming an expert in the placement, optimization, and reporting of social ads will be the motto, going forward.
Service: The impact of social media on customer service cannot be ignored. We already know how powerful customer feedback on a social platform is. Be it Flipkart or Amazon, their reputation is always at stake when a customer complains on social media! Hence, companies are investing in one-on-one communication with their customers.
Data: The surge in social and digital media has led to an immense pool of data flowing freely. Social Media, hence is considered data-rich & insight poor. How to use this data for profitable purposes is something that companies will take up in the near future. As such, there will be an entirely new job sector built on understanding the data of social media.
Content: You are not akin to the brand wars on social streams. This is the best place to get noticed and create a brand presence. But how do you ensure that companies/brands are not being a nuisance on people’s social space? Great content is about being valuable to consumers. That means either informing them, entertaining them, saving them money inspiring them, or simply knowing what they want in what medium. And if you understand all this, you could carve out a niche career for yourself in Social media! All you need to do is understand the content, how it works differently on every network and execute it flawlessly
So, what are the job options in social media?
Search Engine Optimization (SEO) Specialist
The purpose of any company to be on social media is to be visible to potential and current customers. An SEO specialist’s job is to boost website rankings with relevant search results. Their primary function is to analyse websites, test different marketing techniques and create new quality content. SEO specialists also use social media websites to market new content.
Educational qualification: A bachelor’s degree and at least 1 – 3 years of web experience. Knowledge in HTML, CSS and blogging will be a plus.
Social Media Strategist
For any business to succeed, it is imperative that they develop an interactive business-customer relationship. A Social Media Strategist works on creating public profiles for companies, allowing them to freely interact with customers on social media sites through services and products. Simply put, their job is to enhance marketing by humanizing a company through its online social interactions.
Educational Qualification: A bachelor’s degree and two years of previous work experience in social media marketing.
Online Community Manager
This profile is a liaison between a company and an online community like social networks, email groups etc. The main goal of an Online Community Manager is to use online communities to increase brand loyalty and web traffic to maximize the company’s social media marketing strategy through analytical, creative and business-oriented skills.
Educational qualification: A bachelor’s degree plus two years within a business setting and experience with Photoshop, video editing and website development.
Social Media Marketing Manager
For every commercial social media marketing strategy & activity, you need a supervisor to oversee the design and execution. A Social Media Marketing Manager does exactly that. The manager analyzes the best marketing tactics for each social site and decides content that has to be adapted to maximize its effects. A Social Manager also delegates the goals and expectations for the rest of the online marketing team.
Educational qualification: A bachelor’s degree (an MBA is sometimes preferred), a minimum of five years of digital marketing experience, excellent verbal/written communication skills and a solid understanding of social media platforms.
Social Media Coordinator
The coordinator writes unique content and takes photos and videos for social media accounts they administer. The position involves frequent social media post updates (hours on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Google+, Pinterest, etc.) and the use of social media analysis tools.
Educational qualification: A college degree is not essential, but strong written/verbal skills, proficient blogging and knowledge of social media platforms and video editing are all necessities of the position.
In brief, any career around social & digital marketing media revolves around Social Media Strategic Planning, Compliance and Governance Issues in Social Media, Social Media Marketing, Project and Campaign Management, Community Management & Research and Analytics. To truly succeed in this field, you need to be fun, quirky, full of revolutionary ideas and at the top of your game, knowledge-wise. So if you think you’ve got it in you, get social!
