There was hardly any consciousness about social media “skills” a decade ago because there was hardly any need for them. But move forward to today and there’s a career that deals in managing social media strategies because of the boom the industry has experienced.
Pew Research Centre has revealed that more than one-half of adults now use more than one social media account. A Hootsuite report also stated that there were approximately 3.03 billion active social media users in q3 of 2017.
Businesses are now employing individuals who are social mediasavvy to handle their affairs in the field and help them grow their presence online.
But you’ll find that merely being knowledgeable about social media alone does not cut it when it comes to having what it takes to grow a business through these platforms.
There are essential skills that every social media manager must have to enable them help businesses grow. So here are those top skills:
- Writing skills
Words matter. Having the ability to string exciting words together is a basic requirement if you are looking to be successful as a social media marketer. Managers of social media pageshave to master the art and science of coming up with engaging headlines; the technique of writing introductions that can keep readers hooked; and the ability to structure texts for simple reading online.
- Creative mindset
Social media marketing does not just involve cold hard, clinical tactics. As a social media manager, you should be willing to push your limits and go for innovative strategies that will touch the mind of your readers and spark interest. Tell them exciting things they never heard and be on top of new stories that make the headlines in your niche. The use of creative visual content and occasional humor will always keep your readers interested.
- Pragmatic research and planning
Make sure the data and ‘fun’ facts you provide check out and are from credible sources. While you want to you’d want to first to break new trends to your audience, it’ll be wise to make sure you’re saying the right thing, as your reputation as a social media manager and the reputation of the business you’re promoting will be on the line.
You’ll also need to keep your focus on the big picture when you research. Don’t just break any news or share facts for the sake of it. Make sure these data fit into a general plan and contribute to your social media campaign.
- Understanding visual and video marketing
People enjoy watching things. Stacking up just texts will do your social media campaign less good. Mixing things up can keep your readers hooked and even increase your followers. Exciting images and videos can attract shares which will boost your online presence and followership. More than 500 million people watch videos on social media every day and people remember 65% of messages when they come with a visual presentation.
This means you have to develop the skill of creating visual messages and videos for your social media advertising campaigns and pages that can pique the interests of users.
Conclusion
Learn to embody these skills and you’ll find that the business you’re handling will be moving from milestone to milestone even as social media trends continue to shift by the second. If you’re looking to hire a manager, ensure they have a skillset that are made up of these abilities.
