Social media is an integral part of any business’s marketing strategy. Through social media, companies can communicate with their customers, promote their products and learn about their audience.  Because of this, there is an increasing demand for social media staff.

How can you get started as a social media professional and what do you need to know?

Finding an entry-level social media job isn’t all that difficult. A quick search of job boards and websites will provide many social media marketing jobs to choose from. Here are some of the most common social media roles and tips for getting started.

1. Marketing Intern

According to Indeed, a Marketing Intern assists the marketing department in their advertising and promotional efforts. Their main duties include completing clerical and administrative duties, building social media campaigns and preparing materials and presentations. The salary for a marketing intern is an average of $15.08  per hour.

To be a marketing intern a degree is helpful but not essential. It does look good on a resume to list specific skills, any social media courses that have been taken or bootcamp. This can help increase your chances of getting an internship.

Marketing Intern skills and qualifications:

• Knowledge of marketing strategies
• Strong verbal and written communication skills
• Proficiency with word processing, spreadsheet and presentation software
• Organization and time management skills
• Familiarity with social media platforms

2. Social Media Specialist

As a social media specialist, you manage and promote a brand’s presence on social media platforms. Content creation may also be part of the specialist’s responsibilities, or they may work with a creative team. Social media specialists are also responsible for ensuring the content appeals to their target audience and drives revenue. Anyone looking to further their career beyond a specialist role can look for a career as a social media manager at an agency or company.

According to Glassdoor, the average salary for a social media specialist in the United States is $46,972. The difference between Social Media Specialists and Social Media Managers is that in larger companies with more developed social media teams, Social Media Specialists have more of a focus on day-to-day operations than Social Media Managers.

Social Media Specialist skills and qualifications:

• Great time management and planning
• An awareness of the latest social media trends
• Understanding of data and analytics
• Deep knowledge of social media platforms
• Desire to learn new tools and processes

3. Social Media Coordinator

Social media coordinators are responsible for creating, managing, and updating a company’s social media accounts. They also monitor performance of each account and coordinate with other team members to ensure they stay on top of content creation and posting.

According to Payscale, the average base salary for a social media coordinator is $42,827 per year.

Social Media Coordinator skills and qualifications:

• Excellent writing skills
• Social media awareness
• Strong planning and organization skills
• Basic understanding of marketing, advertising and communications

To be a social media coordinator a bachelor’s degree in marketing, communications or a related field is usual required. You should also have experience working with various social media platforms. From here you have the potential to become a social media manager or director. As a social media director, you would be responsible for overseeing your clients’ social media efforts and managing the company’s accounts.

Category: Advanced Tactics, Social Media Marketing 101