In an era deeply marked by digital transformation, it is common for people to turn to the Internet when they require a product/service or simply to meet their needs. This, coupled with the great boom of social networks as the ideal means to boost brand visibility, increase traffic to their website and increase their income, has generated the need for companies to have a strong presence on the Internet to guarantee the permanence of your business.
However, given the enormous number of companies on the Internet which pursue the same objectives of advancing towards the growth of their business, it is essential that brands focus their efforts on developing powerful digital marketing strategies, and one of the best ways to achieve it is through a social media manager.
A social media management is a professional task done by a social media manager specialized in marketing through digital media, capable of planning, managing and defining powerful strategies for different social media, considering the needs of the target audience and aligning himself with the objectives of the company. Now, when talking about the social media manager, it is almost impossible to put aside the community manager precisely because they are professional profiles in high demand and whose functions are often confused by many.
Taking into account the hierarchy levels within an organization, the social media manager is at a higher level than the community manager, since the latter is in charge of planning and designing the strategy, while the community manager is the one who executes the necessary actions to ensure compliance with the objectives set by the social media manager. In other words, it can be said that the social media manager defines the appropriate social network to carry out the promotion of the brand’s products or services, while the community manager is the one in charge of making the publications in said social network obtaining at the same time a feedback with potential customers.
Although the social media manager does not have direct interaction with customers, it represents a key element in the digital marketing of the brand because it contributes significantly to the increase in the number of followers of the company. It should also be added that the social media manager works hand in hand with the community manager since the latter is the one who transmits information about the needs of customers with the brand and for his part, the social media manager based on his exhaustive knowledge About marketing strategies plan those that best suit the needs of customers.
Functions of the social media manager
Some who is responsible for social media management has very diverse functions which depend to a great extent on the brand for which they work and cover aspects both inside and outside the company such as:
- Plan a powerful digital marketing strategy that contributes to the objectives pursued by the brand or company. This function is of great importance, and it is what characterizes a social media manager. Before carrying out this task, it is essential that the social media manager has a thorough knowledge of the brand’s target audience or audience; This implies knowing their needs, their tastes, including their complaints.
Additionally, and based on the information handled about the target audience, the social media manager must know which are the appropriate social media in which there is a greater amount of target audience so that the community manager executes the defined strategy and a greater reach of the publications is achieved. In other words, the social media manager is directly responsible for what is behind the content, so when planning the strategy, it is in line with the objectives and identity of the brand so that later the community manager transmits the essence of the company.
- Maintain constant communication and under supervision of the community manager so that the defined strategy can be properly executed without departing from the company’s objectives. This is the reason why in many cases the profiles of the social media manager and the community manager are considered similar. The social media manager dictates the necessary guidelines to the community manager so that he can carry out the relevant actions in the best way, he must also ensure that positive results are obtained when implementing the strategy. In many cases, the social media manager uses key performance indicators (KPIs) to verify that the return on investment is correct.
- Stay updated on trends and developments in the field of digital marketing of the company. It is essential that the social media manager always stay one step ahead with respect to innovations. Due to the fact that the world of digital marketing is very changing, and new technologies or tools are emerging rapidly that contribute to the visibility of brands, the social media manager must know and take advantage of everything that adds competitive advantage to the brand. In addition, it must be up-to-date with the contents that generate the greatest acquisition of potential customers, analyze data from external and internal sources to favor the management of social media and rethink strategies.
- Analyze the competition. In many respects, competitor analysis is an important tool, especially if the market your company is targeting is highly competitive. The social media manager has the ability to identify, recognize and manage information from those companies included within the competitive environment. He takes into account his strengths, even weaknesses, to keep the company he represents at the forefront and to make decisions related to how to act in the face of unforeseen scenarios that may arise and affect the company.
- Give answers to the problems that may arise from the implementation of the defined strategy. A social media manager is also characterized by his ability to resolve conflicts that may put at risk the good image and perception of the brand derived from the strategy implemented in social media. The social media manager is able to draw up a contingency plan that allows him to deal in the best way with any unfavorable situation, such as loss of trust on the part of the clients with the company, criticism or negative comments towards the company. especially when they come from influential people, among others. Although it is the community manager who executes the response plan, the social media manager must lead each of the decisions that are carried out to maintain the good reputation of the brand.
Skills of a social media manager
Among the skills that every social media manager must have to guarantee the success of digital marketing strategies are:
- Strategic vision. A social media manager must see a little beyond what is in front of him. You must have the ability to perceive where the company is heading and design strategies based on tools, resources, data analysis, possible innovations and everything that can influence your plan to carry out actions that contribute to the achievement of the company’s objectives .
- Be creative. This innate quality of the social media manager, together with his extensive knowledge in social networks, allows the company to stand out from its competitors through its marketing strategy. Creativity is that flow of energy that gives you new and better ideas when planning.
- Analytical skills. As mentioned above, a function of the social media manager is the analysis of data from different sources, so they must have this ability to interpret the data well and modify or rethink the strategy based on these analyzes.
- Communicative skills. Effective communication between the social media manager and the community manager is essential to enhance their relationship and favor the implementation of the strategy with customers. Therefore, the social media manager must know how to transmit each of the metrics that he defines.
- Ability to make decisions. Although it seems obvious, the social media manager must have a well-developed ability to choose alternative solutions to certain problems that may arise, even under pressure or in a short period of time.
Advantages offered by a social media management service to companies
Having a strong presence in social media not only implies creating a website but also effectively managing marketing strategies. Unfortunately, some business owners ignore this, so they have poor profiles on different networks that convey a sense of abandonment to potential customers and drive them to move to competitor sites. In this sense, hiring a social media manager gives the company the possibility of increasing its sales, among other benefits, among which are:
- Better performance of the community manager when guided by a strategy with well-defined objectives.
- Increase traffic and loyalty of potential customers.
- Good monitoring of social networks, at all times and with updated and quality content.
- Strategies with greater impact and relevance since the audience is well defined and segmented.
- The risk of a bad reputation for the company or unfavorable situations is minimized.
Final thoughts
In short, a social media manager is a professional who brings together extraordinary qualities that contribute to the success of companies in social networks. His strategic vision, his extensive knowledge of the world of digital marketing, his communication skills, among others, undoubtedly allow brands to increase their income, consolidate their presence in the networks and gain greater visibility through the social media manager.
Here at Social Insight we offer the best social media management service in Ireland. We are a social media agency that is passionate about building lifelong relationships on a foundation that starts with your marketing and social media management. So get in touch us with us today and elevate your business to its maximum potential.
