8 skills every social media manager needs

Social media management requires tons of different skills, lots of time and an abundance of creativity. And for many businesses, incredible social content is the key to their success. That’s why hiring a great social media manager is essential.

There’s a lot more to social media management than meets the eye. Below, we’re covering some of the basic skills every social media manager needs to possess. 

8 skills every social media manager should develop:

1. Photography

While there are tons of ways to acquire social media photos, many brands want social media managers with photography chops. Anyone can capture a quick photo on their smartphone, but a good photographer knows all the tricks for getting on-brand, appealing and impactful shots.

And we all know how important visual content is for social media. MDG Advertising reports that “images on Facebook receive 20 per cent more engagement than videos and 352 per cent more engagement than links”.

2. Videography

Much like photography, videography is a skill that takes years to truly develop. From lighting, to directing, to editing footage, creating video content can be a full-time job on its own.

Luckily, TikTok-style videos are currently super popular, so creating fun video content isn’t as costly as it used to be. But platforms like Instagram are looking for 4-7 videos (“Reels”, in Instagram speak) each week. Now that is no small feat.

3. Research

In order to post a high volume of quality content, research is involved at every turn. Between keeping up with Instagram trends, investigating high-quality hashtags and fact-checking their posts, social media managers spend a lot of time researching. It’s an essential part of the job!

4. Copywriting

There isn’t an exact formula for writing great social media captions – which means managers have to get creative, experiment and measure their results. In just a few sentences, content creators need to:

• Engage their target audience
• Stay on-brand
• Deliver their key messages
• Throw in a call-to-action (usually)

And they have to do all that while avoiding grammar mistakes and typos!

5. Data analytics

Analyzing metrics is one of the most important parts of the job. After all, social media provides tons of insights into your audience’s behaviour, likes, dislikes and needs. Why not make the most of it?

The trick is to focus on the data that actually matters, and not get sidetracked by vanity metrics. On top of all that, social media algorithms are finicky, which only makes interpreting metrics even more challenging.

6. Community management

Once your social media content is finally scheduled and posted, someone’s got to keep an eye on the comments. This requires responding to questions, dealing with trolls and providing customer service.

Plus, community managers know how to start conversations – they’re always on the hunt for relevant posts to leave comments on. After all, what’s community management without actively engaging with others?

7. Graphic design 

Social media pros have to keep their eyes on tons of details – especially when it comes to graphic design. While some businesses outsource these tasks to professional designers, many rely on their social media managers to get the job done. Photoshop skills are often a job requirement, but tools like Canva make it easier (and often cheaper) to create DIY graphics.

8. Strategy

The best social media managers aren’t just coming up with content on the spot. They play the long game, and always have a strategy in mind.

Your social content should align with your business’ overarching goals. Whether you’re promoting a cause, improving investor relations, or selling products/services, find opportunities to integrate your social strategy into your business strategy. Selecting strong KPIs is one thing; developing a plan to actually achieve those KPIs is another challenge entirely.

Are these skill requirements making your head spin? If your organization needs help managing all the responsibilities that come with a great social media strategy, get in touch with us!