The Value of a Social Media Manager: Behind The Scenes

Ever wondered what a Social Media Manager does all day? Spoiler alert: it’s way more than just posting selfies and cute cat pics. Here’s a quick rundown of the hustle behind those polished feeds...

Content Ideas and Creation

Coming up with fresh content ideas is the heartbeat of our job. We brainstorm cool concepts that match your brand’s vibe and stay on top of trends to keep things relevant. This alone can take much more time than people realize. That's only the first step though. In some cases, SMMs double as part-time graphic designers too.

Once the idea is formed, creating eye-catching images, infographics, and animations is up next. And let's not forget video editing! With TikTok and reels ruling the game, video content is essential. Social Media Managers edit clips, add effects, text, platform-approved music, and polish videos to perfection. Sometimes we're even behind/on the camera!

Research: Knowing the Game

A lot of time goes into researching the target audience, competitors, and industry trends to help us create those content ideas in the first place. It’s all about making smart, data-driven decisions that will benefit your brand and resonate with your audience. Wonder how we know what posts work? We run analytics too, measuring engagement, audience activity, reach, and overall platform performance.

Hashtags, Keywords, and SEO

Crafting a great caption is a skill that's needed as well. Social Media Managers write engaging, on-brand copy that grabs attention and encourages interaction. To boost visibility and assist with those captions, we dive into hashtag, SEO, and keyword research. Understanding algorithms and what’s trending helps get the content seen by the right people - so we spend a decent amount of time finding the perfect fit for each post.

Social Listening: Ears to the Ground

Social Media Managers monitor conversations about their brand and industry as well. How else can we stay up to date on what's trending, what's being said, and what we should talk about as your brand?

Community and Relationship Management

Engaging with followers, replying to comments, and building a community is key. No one wants to follow a page or brand who ignores them, so keeping up with all those conversations and messages is a must - and can sometimes feel as though we're Customer Service reps. For those working with clients, managing expectations and keeping communication clear with them is another piece of the puzzle.

Platform Juggling

Handling multiple social media platforms means tailoring content for each one. We also manage comments, likes, shares, tags, messages and questions on each platform. It’s a balancing act that requires serious organization skills.

Ongoing Education

Social media is constantly evolving. Managers keep learning through webinars, blogs, and courses to stay ahead of trends and algorithm changes. A lot of time goes into researching all those updates and changes - which can seem like a daily occurrence on some platforms!

The Real Deal

Being a Social Media Manager is more than just throwing up a post every day. It’s a blend of creativity, strategy, and constant learning. And it’s a lot of work. The next time you look at what a Social Media Manager is charging, just remember how much time and effort goes into each post - time and effort that you can spend on your business, while we handle the rest.

Until Next Time,

Digital Pulse Consulting