A Social Media Manager is someone who runs a brand’s accounts on social media—Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn. They act as the ‘voice of the brand’ on social media by conveying the brand’s message and interacting with the audience. This involves implementing the social media strategy, developing and posting content, responding to comments, and monitoring the brand’s social media metrics.
Similar Job TItles:
Social Media Strategist, Social Media Specialist, Social Media Intern, Social Media Consultant, Social Media Evaluator
What Does a Social Media Manager Do?
A Social Media Manager creates and implements a social media marketing plan and handles all of the branded content on various social platforms.
Here’s a list of activities a Social Media Manager typically performs:
- Creates a social media marketing strategy
- Develops the brand’s identity
- Participates in the creative process
- Schedules posts
- Develops social promotion strategies
- Interacts with the audience
- Monitors the metrics
Creating a Social Media Marketing Strategy
A Social Media Manager, together with other experts in the company, brainstorms and develops the entire social media marketing strategy. This involves everything from defining the goals and the posting schedule to determining what content copywriters and designers will need to create.
Apart from putting together an overall strategy for social media, this expert also plans out individual campaigns, such as seasonal ones—Halloween, Black Friday, Easter—and promotional campaigns for a specific service, product, or category.
Developing the Brand’s Identity
Consistency is key when it comes to branding. A Social Media Manager must fully understand the wants and needs of the brand’s target audience and develop the brand’s identity and voice accordingly.
They must ensure that both the brand’s posts and the replies on social media are in line with the existing brand image. This includes everything from the choice of colors for visual designs to the choice of words and the tone the brand is using when addressing fans, followers, and customers.
Participating in the Creative Process
As someone who defines the brand’s goals on social media and develops the brand’s identity, a Social Media Manager should work closely with the design and copywriting team to ensure the quality of the deliverables.
Here, a Social Media Manager takes on the role of a QA (Quality Assurance). Before posting anything on social media, they need to ensure that both the design and the copy align with the brand’s messaging.
Scheduling Posts
Social Media Managers also handle the logistics of posting on different social platforms. They are responsible for creating a social media content calendar and making sure all the deliverables are completed and posted at the right time.
This may also involve researching the best times to post on different social media channels, monitoring the engagement levels, and refining the strategy.
Developing Social Promotion Strategies
Apart from social media content strategies, Social Media Managers also handle paid promotions on the platforms. They gather the data and provide valuable insights regarding paid advertising, as well as help develop and run paid campaigns.
Social Media Managers may also search for and contact influencers if the brand wants to leverage influencer marketing. This can involve putting together emails and negotiating the price with the influencers.
Interacting With the Audience
As the voice of the brand, social media managers handle all of the communication with the audience on social media. They reply to tweets and comments, answer the audience’s questions, respond to inquiries, and monitor reviews.
Monitoring the Metrics
Social Media Managers must be familiar with social analytics and keep track of all the relevant metrics, such as:
- Likes, comments, retweets
- Brand mentions
- Post engagements
- Conversions
- Post reach
- Click-through rates
Roles a Social Media Manager Typically Collaborates With
Depending on the structure of the company, a Social Media Manager can work closely with a number of different roles. Here are the most common ones:
| Roles Social Media Managers Collaborate With | ||
| Community Manager | Marketing Manager | SEO Specialist |
| Graphic Designer | Copywriter | Creative Director |
| Marketing Analyst | Brand Manager | Market Research Analyst |
Social Media Manager Salary
The average annual salary for a Social Media Manager in the United States is around $50,000.
Depending on the experience, the skillset, and the company, a Social Media Manager’s annual salary can range between $35,000 and $78,000.
What Is the Social Media Manager Pay Difference by Location?
Here is how an average annual Social Media Manager salary differs in major U.S. cities:
| City | Average Annual Salary |
| San Francisco, CA | $61,975 |
| Seattle, WA | $54,211 |
| Denver, CO | $50,140 |
| Austin, TX | $48,762 |
| Washington, DC | $55,193 |
| Milwaukee, WI | $49,069 |
| Boston, MA | $55,862 |
| New York, NY | $59,645 |
What Is the Social Media Manager Pay Difference by Experience?
The level of experience also impacts a Social Media Manager’s salary. Here’s a table of average Social Media Manager salaries by experience level:
| Years of Experience | Average Annual Salary |
| < 1 | $40,000 |
| 1–4 | $49,000 |
| 5–9 | $61,000 |
| 10–19 | $67,000 |
| 20+ | $59,000 |
Social Media Manager Job Description Template
[Company Name] is looking for a talented, experienced, and creative Social Media Manager to join our team and help us grow through social media.
As a Social Media Manager at [Company], you will be responsible for developing and implementing a content strategy and managing our brand’s [a list of relevant social media platforms] profiles.
You’ll be working alongside our [insert departments—e.g., Sales, Marketing, Design] team, with the goal of increasing brand awareness, boosting audience engagement, and driving sales and conversions. You should have strong communication and leadership skills, as well as an eye for detail.
Social Media Manager Responsibilities
- Develop, manage, and oversee the company’s social media strategy
- Create a detailed content calendar
- Schedule social media posts
- Work with the copywriting and design teams to ensure the content aligns with the brand’s image
- QA all the deliverables before posting
- Attend and host educational workshops
- Interact with the audience on all social media channels
- Create a strong network by engaging influencers and industry professionals
- Monitor user engagement and measure the effectiveness of every individual campaign
- Keep track of relevant metrics and provide constructive feedback to improve the company’s social media presence
Social Media Manager Requirements
- 1–3 years of experience as a Social Media Manager (or 3+ years of experience in a similar role)
- Bachelor’s degree in Marketing or another relevant field
- Thorough understanding of Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest, and other social media
- Basic understanding of SEO
- Solid understanding of social media KPIs
- Great communication and interpersonal skills
- Attention to detail
- The ability to work in a team environment
- Excellent organizational and time management skills
- Experience in doing audience research and creating buyer personas