Hire Social Media Managers
Hiring social media managers has become increasingly crucial for businesses in recent years, as social media platforms have gained significant popularity and have become integral to marketing and communication strategies. Here are some key points to consider when hiring social media managers with the help of a Social Media Recruitment Agency.
Technical Skills to Look When you Hire a Social Media Manager
The technical skills you might seek in your ideal social media manager may vary wildly depending on your organisation, industry, company size, etc. For instance, small businesses may hire a single marketer to manage their social media accounts, working alongside a digital marketing manager, while a social media manager working at a creative agency may manage an entire department. Generally speaking, there are some tech skills considered essential for someone in a social media management role:
Your new hire should have a strong understanding of major social media platforms, such as:
- TikTok
- Twitter/X
- YouTube
- Snapchat
Social media managers should also understand which channels are most appropriate for your brand. Look for experience in managing communities and optimising accounts on these platforms.
Your successful applicant should be familiar with CMS platforms such as WorPress, Drupal, Joomla, Magento, Wix or Shopify. Professionals in this field will likely have experience in just one of the above, which they use to publish and manage content on various social media accounts.
Proficiency in using social media management tools. Hootsuite, Buffer, Sprout Social, Tailwind, Later and Agorapulse are the names of some of the platforms helping digital marketing professionals schedule, analyse, and manage social media posts across multiple channels. If an individual has experience in one multichannel tool, they are likely to pick up another very quickly if it differs from the one already used within your organisation.
Your successful applicant should also be familiar with CMS platforms such as WordPress, Drupal, Joomla, Magento, Wix or Shopify. Professionals in this field will likely have experience in just one of the above, which they use to publish and manage content with the Content Managers.
Experience with social media analytics tools is vital. Each platform has its own analytics tool, and there are many third-party apps. Social media professionals should understand how to track metrics, analyse and interpret data, and use insights to improve social media strategies. Besides, analytics tools such as GA4 (Google Analytics) enable social media professionals to measure website traffic, conversions, and user behaviour driven by their brand’s social media campaigns.
Good working knowledge of social media advertising platforms, such as Meta Ads Manager, Twitter Ads, LinkedIn Advertising, or Instagram Ads, is essential to running successful paid social ads. Hiring managers should look for experience in creating and optimising social ad campaigns, targeting specific audiences, budgeting and measuring their performance.
While social media managers aren’t graphic designers, social media professionals are often expected to be fluent in graphic design tools like Adobe Photoshop or Canva. Familiarity with video editing tools such as CapCut, Adobe Premiere Pro or iMovie may also be helpful if your organisation requires them to create and edit video content for social media.
Understanding search engine optimisation (SEO) principles and knowledge of keyword research tools like Google Keyword Planner, SEMrush or Ahrefs is helpful for social media professionals, even in companies that employ an SEO manager. SEO knowledge will help create social content that performs better in search results.
Experience with social listening tools such as Brandwatch, Hootsuite Insights, or Mention to monitor brand mentions, track industry trends, and gather insights on audience sentiment.
Knowledge of email marketing platforms like Mailchimp, Zoho, Drip, ConvertKit, MailerLite, GetResponse, Campaigner or HubSpot will allow social media professionals to integrate email campaigns with social media to drive engagement. However, some companies prefer to separate the responsibilities of an email marketing manager as it is a specialist role.
Soft Skills To Look For In Social Media Managers
Assessing the below soft skills alongside their technical competencies will help hiring managers identify the best qualified social media professionals to manage the diverse responsibilities of the role.
Effective communication is at the core of social media management. The ability to convey messages clearly and engage with your audience is essential for building brand awareness, managing customer interactions, and driving engagement.
The person you hire should be able to think creatively, develop unique content ideas, and create visually appealing graphics to help your brand stand out from the noise and capture your audience’s attention.
Social media trends and algorithms constantly change, so an adaptable mindset is a must to work in social media marketing. Ideally, the new hire will be open to new platforms, techniques, and strategies and readily adjust their strategy to stay relevant and meet the evolving audience’s liking.
Analytical skills are crucial for understanding social media metrics, identifying audience behaviour patterns, and making data-driven decisions. Social media managers must be able to analyse KPIs and use data to tweak their strategies and achieve the desired outcomes.
Social media is often a direct channel for customer interactions, making strong customer service skills essential. The ability to empathise, provide timely responses, and effectively address customer inquiries or issues contributes to positive brand experiences and customer satisfaction.
Social media managers often work closely with stakeholders and other teams, such as marketing, PR, design, or customer service. Effective cross-team collaboration enhances message alignment and cohesive brand representation across multi-channel marketing.
From technical issues to customer complaints, social media managers may encounter many challenges. Solid problem-solving skills will enable them to identify and address issues swiftly and effectively, minimising the impact on your brand’s reputation.
Do Social Media Managers Need A Degree?
While a degree in marketing can be beneficial, it is not necessary for social media managers. Practical experience, skills, and demonstrated competence are often more important. Many of today’s most successful social media managers have grown their expertise through hands-on experience, self-study, and staying up-to-date with industry trends.
Employers should, therefore, prioritise skills, experience, and ability to deliver results. Individuals may prove their suitability for your role with evidence from their own social media channels, practical experience, industry certifications, and track record of successful social media campaigns. Ultimately, a combination of relevant skills, experience, creativity, and a strong understanding of social media platforms and trends is more valuable than having a degree.
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Start Attracting Top Social Media Talent
Partnering with a specialist social media recruitment agency can help you secure the best talent to manage your social media strategy. Here is how we can help you stand out in a competitive market:
Being specialists in our field, we know the digital landscape and understand the specific roles, skills, and qualifications you need. We stay updated with emerging trends, technologies, and best practices, so we can identify top talent and assess their fit for your needs.
We have an extensive network of professionals within the digital industry, including social media managers. Tapping into this database of qualified candidates gives you access to a pool of passive job seekers who may not be actively searching for opportunities but could be a perfect fit for your role. Opening up your business to a broader talent pool lets you connect with more potential candidates quicker.
We handle the time-consuming tasks of candidate sourcing, screening, and shortlisting so you can get on with your job. By leveraging our networks, online platforms, and other recruitment tools, we quickly identify suitable candidates, assess their qualifications, and conduct initial interviews. Our rigorous vetting process ensures you only see the most qualified candidates, saving your hiring managers significant time and effort.
Time is of the essence when hiring social media managers because their world moves so fast. We can help streamline your hiring process by coordinating interviews, managing candidate communications, and facilitating feedback. Choosing us to act as your liaison ensures a smooth and efficient process that reduces delays in communication and improves the candidate experience. In turn, you reduce the risk of losing top candidates to your competitors.
We have our finger on the pulse of the latest hiring market knowledge and can provide expert insights into salary ranges and compensation packages in the digital industry. We can guide you in structuring attractive offers that align with market trends, ensuring you remain competitive in attracting and securing top talent.
Most relationships we have forged with our clients are well-established, long-term partnerships. Developing relationships over time enables us to deeply understand our client’s culture, values, and hiring needs. This puts us in an excellent position to tailor our service to your company’s unique requirements and quickly pinpoint the talent you need.
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Emma Berwick, Adria Solutions
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