Social Media Manager: Courses, Skills & Career Outlook

Everyone would deem it wise to agree with the fact that since the inception of the internet and technology in our lives, the term social media has become a household name. Being one of the most popular types of mass media, it has enriched, endorsed and popularised the team ‘global village’ as it has connected people across the world both socially and virtually. Apart from being used as a medium of exchanging ideas, emotions and conducting discourse, it also acts as a platform for international marketing, brand promotion, professional networking and scores of other related activities. But who is responsible for handling activities at such a large scale? A Social Media Manager! So, if you want to kickstart a career in Digital Marketing in this role, then here is a blog that will help you understand the process on how to become a Social Media Manager, the role of such professionals, and the required skills

Who is a Social Media Manager?

With the advancement in technology, social media platforms are no longer confined to virtual textual messaging or exchanging of ideas only, but have become more of an endorsement platform where you can do promotion of your product because of its global reach. The same is the case with a Social Media Manager where he is tasked with promoting business creatively through platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc, so as to increase the traffic organically and optimize brand awareness. And the best way to do this is to take the assistance of an SEO consultant!

Role of a Social Media Manager 

Social Media Manager is the main face when it comes to the endorsement of a brand, irrespective of the type of industry involved. There are a number of companies that offer lucrative salaries to such professionals based on expertise, creative thinking ability, and academic qualifications. Let’s now go through the prime responsibilities of a Social Media Manager: 

• Execution of visual design strategy and goal setting
• Formulation and implementation of promotional strategies 
• Developing Brand identity and working on its endorsement 
• Handling SEO related work 
• Integrating all marketing channels 
• Identifying target customers and managing content accordingly
• Staying up-to-date with the latest trends on social media

How to Become a Social Media Manager?

There are a plethora of Digital Marketing jobs for freshers as well as for trained professionals across companies. Unlike other work profiles, as a Social Media Manager, you not only need to be inquisitively minded but should also have exceptional analytical skills so as to help the company grow. Good hold on SEO techniques and marketing skills plays a pivotal role to make you contribute to the success story of the organization! Here is a step by step guide on how to become a Social Media Manager: 

Step 1: Obtain a Degree

The very first step on how to become a Social Media Manager is to pursue an undergraduate course in New Media/ Bachelor of Mass Communication/Public Relations/other relevant disciplines. Though graduating in related fields can be beneficial but you can also start a career in this profile upon completing some other courses too. 

Step 2: Gain Work Experience

Even though the course curriculum of most of the universities include an internship project, working with an agency after graduation can be of great help! You can further enhance your knowledge of the field by enrolling in a Masters in Journalism/Masters in Advertising or pursuing other Digital Advertising courses. 

Step 3: Make your Presence on Social Media Platforms

This would be your prime step in order to carve a niche as a Social Media Manager. You need to create your account on all various platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and understand the concept of blogging, search engine optimization, graphics, and other technical aspects. It will make you understand how to be familiar with the marketing landscape on a broader scale. 

Step 4: Find Clients

Clients are your prime face and target for success. For instance, if your organization works in the education sector, you need to identify and select the age group which you want to target. Once identified, you can formulate plans and distribute content accordingly. 

Step 5: Build a Strong Grasp on Marketing Skills

Getting a lucrative job as a Social Media Manager and enjoying a lavish lifestyle needs your firm command on marketing and career skills. This includes a good command on SEO(Search engine optimization), copywriting, google analytics, customization of the Facebook application, youtube and twitter headers, email marketing, etc. Apart from this, you also need to have excellent time management, negotiation, and money management skills.

Top Universities Abroad

Since social media has gained tremendous popularity, universities across the world now offer a range of courses in the field of social media and digital marketing. Enlisted are some of the educational institutes from where you can pursue a related course:  

Name of the University	QS World University 2023
Duke University	#50
University of Plymouth	#651-700
Swinburne University	#296
DePaul University	–
Algonquin College	–
Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich	#59
University of South Wales	#45
University of Groningen	#145

Top Colleges in India

When it comes to becoming a social media manager, there is no one designated course. You study related courses such as SEO, SEM, content marketing, digital marketing etc. Here is a list of top colleges in India that offered the related courses:

1. YMCA Delhi
2. Hansraj College
3. Indian Institute of Technology
4. Institute of Management Technology
5. Jain University
6. KC College of Management Studies
7. NMIMS
8. Indian Institute of Digital Education

Popular Courses

Wondering what you should study to become a social media manager? Check out the list of popular courses you can pursue:

Name of the Course	Name of the University
MS in Marketing Science	Columbia Business School, United States
MSc in Strategic Marketing	Imperial College Business School, United Kingdom
MSc in Marketing	HEC Paris, France
MSc in Marketing Management	ESADE, Spain
MSc in Marketing and Creativity	ESCP, France
MSc Marketing	Manchester(Alliance), United Kingdom
MSc in Digital Innovation	UCD Michael Smurfit Graduate Business School, Ireland
MSc in Strategic Marketing	Cranfield, United Kingdom
MSc Marketing	Trinity Business School, Ireland
MSc Marketing Management	Erasmus (RSM), Netherlands

Skills

Social Media Manager means multitasking everything at once at ease. While you develop many skills while working there are some skills that are added plus on. Check out the skills you should have to become a social media manager:

1. Communication Skills
2. Creative Writing
3. Time Management
4. Out-of-the-Box Thinking
5. Building Connections

Salary

Being a social media manager means you have one of the trendiest jobs with good pay. You can earn from Rs. 500000- 100000 on an average per annum. To give you a clearer view here is the salary structure from payscale:

FAQs

The world of the internet and technology is changing rapidly and its expansion is pervasive.  Understanding marketing strategies, staying updated with the latest trends and enrolling in a program that imparts relevant knowledge is pivotal to kickstarting your career as a Social Media Manager. Take the assistance of Leverage Edu, a one-stop solution where a dedicated team of mentors will guide you through thick and thin and help you get admitted to your dream university. Click here to book a 30-minute free career counseling session!