9 Top Social Media Careers for This Decade

Social Media Career
No one knew that social media careers would be the rave of the moment around two decades ago. The services of social media professionals are now in high demand in every sector. These savvy individuals help brands establish strong connections with their target audience and build solid communities.

The opportunities in this field are mind-blowing. Besides, you can choose to work remotely or embrace a hybrid work model. The following lucrative social media jobs will be relevant in this decade and beyond.

1. Brand manager

A brand manager role isn’t limited to social media. They partner with other creatives to enhance every touch point across social media, websites, and other platforms. They often focus on improving customer satisfaction, which can improve brand loyalty.

As a brand manager, you must ensure that each team member adheres to the brand's posting schedule and guidelines. It’s also your responsibility to design the brand guidelines for all channels.

2. Social media specialist

Social media specialists have a wide range of responsibilities. For instance, they help business owners launch organic and paid marketing campaigns across multiple channels. More so, they can analyze data to know what works.

These professionals monitor performance and submit reports to decision-makers. They are skilled at creating ad copy and designing social media strategies. Apart from that, they will interact with the target audience via comments and direct messages.

It’s essential to follow your brand’s style guide when publishing content on social media platforms.

3. Social media content creator

Social content creators are tech-savvy individuals who craft and distribute content on different platforms. The content creators of this era create more video content than other formats. This is because visual content is powerful for driving engagement.

You will be representing your brand if you choose this career. You can start creating content with your smartphone. There are tons of mobile apps at your disposal. Another thing is that you must develop a keen interest in the latest trends.

This career is for you if you’re not afraid to step into the spotlight.

4. Social media manager

The core role of a social media manager is to oversee a brand's virtual presence just as its title implies. You’ll also come up with tactics to keep your audience engaged.

Social media managers usually collaborate with marketers, designers, and other creatives. As a manager, you will report directly to decision-makers or your superior if you work with a digital marketing agency.

You must adhere to the marketing strategy and style guide designed by the strategists. Get ready to craft content and adapt it for various platforms. It’s your responsibility to check each piece of content before publishing it.

5. Social media analyst

The role of a social media analyst revolves around data. They study both past and current campaigns before offering suggestions on how to tweak the strategy.

These result-oriented professionals know how to share reports with their superiors or employers clearly and concisely. They will ensure that their brand gets better ROI on ad spend.

6. Influencer marketer

Brands of all sizes often approach influencers to endorse their products and services. A social media influencer will leverage his massive following and audience trust.

Microinfluencing has gained widespread popularity lately. You can take this route if you don’t have millions of followers yet. Influencers must have community-building skills, focus on their personal brand, and maintain a good reputation. Although you have the freedom to work in any industry, it’s ideal to choose your niche.

7. Social media strategist

Brands need professionals to develop and execute solid social media marketing plans. Strategists help businesses design foolproof strategies while considering their overall goals and audience pain points.

Your responsibilities include creating style guides to maintain uniform brand identity across all platforms. You will also create fresh content, repurpose existing content, monitor analytics, and use the results to improve your strategy.

Social media strategists are familiar with scheduling and publishing tools. They can easily identify the best platforms to leverage for better reach too. Asides from developing strategies, they manage different types of social media campaigns and oversee engagement. A social media strategist must manage other team members and ensure they follow the scheduling guidelines.

8. Community manager

Community managers have experience, and in-depth knowledge of managing online communities and providing a great user experience. They brainstorm contest ideas and other tactics to boost engagement.

They have mastered the art of social listening. Their solid communication skills help them build a responsive community. Community managers protect their brand’s reputation by following the brand’s guidelines and crisis management strategy.

Bear in mind that you must set clear boundaries and have a plan in place for handling trolls online. This will go a long way to protect your mental health.

9. Social media consultant

Social media consultants offer their services to enhance social media strategies. Their core role is similar to that of a social media strategist. However, the major difference is that consultant work is based on contract. This is why most of them are freelancers.

They usually work for new brands and entrepreneurs that are ready to move their business to the next level. More so, they will share suggestions about the brand's style guide to achieving a cohesive image. They can also share actionable insights for driving engagement.

Be intentional about expanding your knowledge base if you want to have a successful social media career. Endeavor to acquire the following skills too:

• Proficiency in social media management tools
• Copy writing
• Graphic design
• Creativity
• Data analysis
• Customer service
• Project management
• Communication

The social media landscape is quite an interesting one as new trends and concepts constantly emerge. You don’t even need to be a pro marketer to get started. Your level of experience, role, and the type of client you work for will determine your salary. It’s imperative to develop a portfolio and resume that showcase your expertise before searching for gigs on social media job platforms. Accepting unpaid or low-paying gigs isn’t a bad idea. Taking this approach will help you get hands-on experience, build your portfolio, and collect testimonials.