4 Essential Skills Every Social Media Marketer Should Have
by Lucy Templeman
Social media networking has become one of the most popular marketing strategies worldwide. This has caused a projected increase in social media usage, from 3.6 billion users in 2020 to 4.41 billion users in 2025. Apart from this, internet users spend an average of 144 minutes daily solely on social media. The sheer number of users means that having a robust social media marketing strategy will allow you to connect with more people, increase brand awareness, and boost leads.
But to successfully create and carry out a social media marketing plan, you need to be aware of the latest trends. There are many ways to achieve this, ranging from short courses online to researching the curriculum of relevant degrees. A bachelor’s in communication concentrates on branding and digital marketing, focusing on the key skills needed to navigate the dynamic landscape of social media. This will include technical know-how in skills, such as web design, digital writing, and social media campaign management. You can then use this knowledge to do your own research. For those looking for a foundation in social media marketing, here some of the key ones:
Content curation
It’s certainly important that brands release original content, from contests to videos, to keep followers engaged. But it can get difficult to create a steady flow of your own content. As such, content curation is an important skill that involves finding content that will appeal to your audience, and knowing when and how to present it to them. However, you should provide context as to why you’re sharing a particular piece of content since this also gives you a chance to include your own take on it, demonstrating your brand’s values. Apart from creating your own posts, you can also hinge on user-generated content, which are created by people about your brand. This presents your brand from a customer’s perspective, and curating this type of content presents your brand in a more genuine and trustworthy way. As a result of this, potential customers may want to try your product or service. Remember to credit the user and also introduce what product or service they’re showing in their content.
Relationship building
For your brand to effectively connect with more people and boost leads, you need to build relationships with your followers. This is because people have a higher chance of choosing your brand over competitors, and increasing their spending on your products if they feel connected to your brand. A simple way to build connections is to like and reply to comments. Answer questions you come across in your comment section or social media account’s inbox. When you see constructive criticism or complaints, it’s better to acknowledge them than hide them, or worse, ignore them altogether. This will show that your brand really wants a positive experience for all their customers rather than just appealing to those who already enjoy the brand in the first place.
Agility
The social media landscape is very dynamic — a tweet has an average lifespan of 20 minutes, while memes can last up to four months. This means that you’ll need to be quick to adjust your social media marketing plans in order for your brand to stay up-to-date. For instance, the popular platform TikTok is a relatively new social media player, but the virality of its contents make it one of the most appealing apps for businesses. One idea you can use to promote your brand on TikTok is to engage in challenges or use trending music in your posts. This can increase the chances of TikTok’s algorithm prioritizing your account. To check if something is still trending, you can look at the “Discover” tab.
Analytical thinking
You can find out how effective your campaigns are through social media metrics. Engagement metrics — which include likes, comments, shares, and clicks — show how many accounts interact with your content, as well as how often they do so. ROI metrics, which are referrals and conversions, on the other hand, are connected to major business goals. This is because referrals show how users land on your brand’s site, while conversions indicate the times when users make a purchase from the site. To help you track these metrics, you can utilize tools like Sprout Social and HubSpot. They allow you to easily compare results across multiple platforms since they present data in simple reports and graphs. Knowing these metrics can help you make informed decisions when creating or tweaking your social media marketing strategy.