How To Get Started With A Social Media Marketing Career Today!
In our Social Media Pro Facebook Group ‘Social Media Managers‘, we get many questions related to all things social media management. If you are a regular reader of this blog, you already know that many of the topics we write about on this blog are FAQs from that particular group which, by the way, now has over 27,000 members!
While many people who join our community are already in the social media management field and looking for answers to specific questions, others join to learn the ropes.
They come in without any experience, looking to gain knowledge and learn from those who are ‘in the trenches'.
In this article, we will discuss
- skills needed to start a career in social media management
- steps to take to get started in your social media management career
- best-practices and personal advice if you desire a career in social media marketing
Learn The Skills You Need For Your Social Media Marketing Career
In a previous article, we touched on skills needed to get started with a social media marketing career.
These skills include but are not limited to
- copywriting
- math
- creativity
- communication
- organization
- sales
- strategic and analytical thinking
How do these skills help your social media marketing career?
Whether you are hired for an in-house position as a social media manager, you are hired by an agency to run multiple accounts or if you are starting out as a freelancer or if you are ready to start your own social media management agency; you will need all of these skills to scale and grow!
Certain social media management tasks can be outsourced, of course, but you need a basic understanding of each of these in order to know what to outsource.
Ways Social Media Managers Start Their Social Media Marketing Career
There are two trains of thought on how to get started with a social media marketing career. It is a much-debated topic in our industry and frankly, there is no right or wrong answer
You can either get started on your own by taking online courses and diving in, or you can go to school and pursue a marketing degree, combining a degree with an internship to get you started.
After that initial choice, everyone's path is different!
Make no mistake. Whichever path you choose and take, you will need both theoretical as well as practical knowledge.
Best Advice To Jumpstart Your Social Media Marketing Career Right Now
? Take Action
Social media marketers are do-ers. We are in the trenches of marketing; active online, all hours of the days. If you want to have a successful career in social media marketing, you have to take action. Deadlines will be important to your clients; time-sensitive materials and campaigns are the order of the day.
? Keep Learning
Never stop reading and learning. Stay up-to-date on the latest software, hardware, and strategies for social media and digital marketing. Looks for trends and read up on new platforms and new technology.
? Attend Conferences
Connect with your fellow marketers by attending conferences in-person. Whether you make it to some of the biggest conferences or attend smaller, closer-to-home conferences, use the time to meet and greet as well as learn.
? Network Consistently
Network among your peers. Get to know people who specialize in something you don't know enough about. Look for opportunities to outsource and/or collaborate with these new connections. Make it a goal to meet online people in person and connect with local professionals online, bringing the two worlds together.
? Build Your Portfolio
Build on your own portfolio, even when working in-house. You never know how and when an opportunity might present itself to work independently. Your portfolio also will help you land a promotion or a new job. Don't forget to update your LinkedIn profile often, and ask for recommendations.
? Test New Strategies
If you are learning new strategies for advertising, planning, campaign and more, test, test, test. No matter what someone tells you and explains to you how to do something, you will want to test it for yourself and your client(s). In social media, not one-size-fits-all.
? Join a MasterMind
To grow your business, to expand your knowledge, and to become a leader in your field, join a mastermind group. Great benefits will be had from surrounding yourself with motivated business professionals – in many more ways than you can imagine.
? Set Goals
Without goals, you'll never make it to the finish line. You can't measure what you don't define. Set goals for yourself in your career and lay out the steps you need to take to get to those goals.
Get started with your social media marketing career!
Do these two things right now:
- Check out our course offerings at social media pro
- Join our Social Media Managers Facebook group
I am a Certified Social Media Manager, Strategist, International Keynote Speaker, Organic Specialist and Agile marketer! Blogging is my creative outlet. Running, hiking and skiing are how I recharge. You'll recognize me on stage and online by my always present orange glasses, a nod to my Dutch heritage.
