‘Social media marketing’ is a term that you may have heard mentioned in relation to a business or to someone’s job. It’s not surprising. Social media is as important as ever for buyers and consumers engaging with one another and for companies to build their brand.
But what really is social media marketing? And why are people talking about it?
What is social media?
Before delving into social media marketing, it is first important to understand what social media is.
Wikipedia describes social media as: “… interactive technologies that facilitate the creation, sharing and aggregation of content, ideas, interests, and other forms of expression through virtual communities and networks.” So, by its own definition, Wikipedia is a social media platform!
In short, social media refers to forms of media that involve interactive participation. They are a type of online platform that lets people interact with other people, and companies, on a (relatively) equal standing.
The benefits of social media
So why do we, as marketers, care?
- They have created two-way conversations in the marketplace.
- Consumers now have an equal, or louder, voice compared to brands.
- Companies can connect directly with their end user.
- Use of social media has increased transparency and accountability for companies.
- It’s now easier for smaller businesses to make themselves known.
This means organisations of all types and stripes want to be part of these conversations,. They want to connect with their customers or end users and have some influence on what people are saying. That’s where social media marketing (and marketers) come in…
What is social media marketing?
Social media marketing is the engagement with social media communities and networks by an company. The goal is to connect with current and potential customers (or other relevant groups). This allows marketing teams to meet goals such as revenue, brand awareness, engagement, and relevance perceptions – for the overall benefit of the business.
In non-academic terms, it’s getting out onto social media platform and getting in on the conversations people are having on there. Some people, and organisations, are better at it than others. The ones that do best tend to be the ones who respect others, aim to be relevant, and look for two-way interactions.
Social media marketing is the front line of company to customer (or other interested people) interaction. The skill set is a little different to that needed by some other marketing specialisations.
Looking across those various sub-sets, social media marketers have a lot in common with people practicing both content marketing and public relations, as well as customer service, product, and brand marketing.
Social media marketing tips with Byron Johnson [video]
Every post can be an ad, every comment can be market research and every like can be an opportunity to engage with your users.
In this video, City Lit business and technology tutor Byron Johnson-Brown breaks down social media marketing and shares valuable strategies and tips to elevate your online presence.
The role of a social media marketer
Responsibilities: What do social media marketers do?
Social media marketers are responsible for the creation or sourcing of content that is:
- relevant to the business and its goals,
- of interest to the target audience in the context of the chosen channel/platform,
- formatted in a way that suits the chosen channel/platform.
They then need to post this content at a moment when its most likely to reach and engage with the people it’s for. Then they must measure its effectiveness via metrics such as reach and engagement. It's also important to respond to any comments on the posts, or posts from other people who mention the organisation. It’s a pretty busy role, that may need out-of-hours attention, and a level of diplomatic skill normally found in the corridors of the UN.
One of the key features of an effective social media strategy is consistency. Posting and community engagement, needs to be constant, consistent, and of good quality.
Sometimes a social media marketer will boost their organic posts with paid activity. This is a way to reach more people and will monitor and measure those results as well. These paid campaigns can be very effective but can also run the risk of interrupting people with irrelevant content. Which, of course, annoys them, and potentially does more harm than good.
Many social media marketers also manage influencer marketing activities as part of their roles. They connect with high profile, high engagement people on social media and arrange sponsorship or partnership campaigns. This can often reach otherwise hard-to-connect-with groups.
Skills, Qualifications & Experience: How do I become a social media marketer?
There are two basic methods of building knowledge, and proof of competence, to open the door to a social media marketing role.
One is practical experience. For example, managing your personal social media presence in a way that builds profile and engagement with a clear target market. Another way of doing this is with a community group, charity, or similar organisation. You could provide free help in building their profile and impact while building evidence of capability.
The other is formal qualifications, through a higher learning institution (such as City Lit) or industry body. These courses provide grounding in the discipline. They also explain underlying theory behind key practices that may not be so obvious for a novice.
One of the best features of City Lit qualifications, such as the Certificate in Social Media Marketing (Level 3), is the combination of formal instruction with highly practical exercises. This gives students a solid base of theory and study and great opportunities to provide evidence of their abilities.
These two areas are also practices a social media marketer needs to maintain throughout their career. The area is constantly evolving. New platforms, changing trends and updated technology regularly upends the landscape. It’s part of what makes it a such fun, exciting and high-energy discipline.
Salary: How much do social media marketers make?
An entry level role for a social media marketer would be around the £25,000-£30,000 range. This would involve hands-on content creation, post scheduling and community management work.
Social media marketers with a bit more experience, will look to earn around £35,000-£43,000 per year. These roles may include additional responsibilities, such as developing social media strategies, managing budgets or analysing performance.
At the top level, where a social media marketer is leading a team, they could be looking to earn £65,000-£78,000 per annum. This includes delivering campaigns with real business impact (informed by at least 5 years’ experience and current analytics insights). This role may also involve setting strategy within the wider context of the business’s needs.
Employers: What job opportunities are available in a social media career?
Social media marketers are needed in companies across all industries, in a range of business sizes. They are also a key service team within many marketing and advertising agencies.
Working in smaller organisation, there may only be one person looking after social media marketing. The role will cover all elements of the practice, from researching content, to post and audience management, to analysis and strategic input.
Larger teams will tend to have specialist roles. This provides opportunity to focus on a particular area of interest. These areas include: community management, analytics, strategy, or content creation, or on a specific brand, geographic region, or target audience. It’s up to the individual marketer to find what suits them best.
To hear more about a career in social media and digital marketing, we spoke to Director of PR, Marketing & Communications at City Lit, Gordon Chi. He spoke about getting a Level 3 Qualification in Marketing and the skills needed to be a successful social media manager.
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