Social media marketing is popular these days because of the penetrative ability it has acquired in the masses. Consumers of almost all categories have accessibility to social media because of the affordable internet services and developing data connectivity in addition to the growing know-how and awareness to operate the digital medium and internet. A social media manager is a multi-tasker. The person holding this position is seen to be doing marketing products and services, strategising ideas, engaging in copywriting and designing, analysing the growth and progress and also executing customer service. In nutshell, a social media manager is an all-in-all of the entire processes of the business. 

Now, let’s get to know the necessary nine skills which make a successful social media manager.

Adaptability 

Adaptability is the prior requisite factor when it comes to managing someone else’s social media profile. It is important because the personality, opinions and tastes of the owner of the profile should be inherent in it for reflecting the brand voice appropriately. Hence, a social media manager should be able to keep aside personal interests and views to incorporate the ideas of the profile owner. 

Communication

Social media exists for communication, directly and indirectly. It is the platform where the social media manager has to interact a lot directly with the consumers and clients. It is also the medium to communicate with the masses indirectly the brand’s services, ideas, products and legacy. Hence, a social media manager should be comfortable with handling messages and calls. In a nutshell, a social media manager should be good at communication skills to handle clients appropriately.

Creativity

Survival in social media relies on how unique your content is and uniqueness births from creativity. A social media manager should be creative and must be able to analyse the ongoing trends to drive the thoughts into a different track to produce unique content. As creative and unique the content is, people will be more interested and the opposite happens in the situation and vice versa. Clients’ interests determine the business growth and lead to profits.

Efficiency

Efficiency means to say that, to manage a social media strategy, the social media manager should have the ability to manage his/her time efficiently. Efficient time management lets them organise the events, posts and everything as per the strategy devised. Hence, efficiency is the key to managing the social media profile in the best possible way. Therefore, it is important to work on time management, strategizing and planning to be a good social media manager.

Marketing 

The intention of running a social media profile for a company is to market its products or services. Hence, the ultimate goal of a social media manager is to maximise the business which is possible through efficient marketing. Hence, marketing is an indispensable duty to be performed and a skill to be possessed by every social media manager. Despite having any other skills, if the person lacks good marketing skills, he then proves unfit for the role of a social media manager.

Customer Care

Customer Care covers a spectrum of provisions from addressing the grievances of customers and redressal to keeping an eye out for opportunities in understanding customer traits and tastes. This requires interpersonal skills and a lot of patience.

It involves direct communication with the customers to develop strategies like Google forms to be filled up by the potential customers by circulating through different ways to draw awareness about consumer interests. It also requires communication internally with different departments in the consumers’ grievances redressal procedures.

Making Connections

The core idea of the creation of a social media profile is to establish the presence of the brand and thus to make connections with people. Strategising different methods to achieve developing more connections, especially with potential customers and employers is an important duty the social media manager has to function. Increasing the connections and the number of followers or subscribers widen the reach of the brand presence among the people leading to better business.

Copywriting

Written communication has a personalised vibe and hence occupies the heart of communication. Apart from knowing how to reach the message to more people at the right time and space, making it convincing is also the goal of a social media manager. Written communication becomes more effective and more convincing because it provides a sense of being individually purposed. 

Data Analysis

Analysing the process, progress and results are important to determine the next steps and whether to make changes for better growth. Hence, keep an eye on the impressions on social media and act accordingly. This is also a very important task to be performed by the social media manager and hence the person should be having good analysing skills. Better analysis leads to wise decision-making and appropriate actions generating positive outcomes. 

A social media manager is a hugely responsible position unlike the popular notion that it is an easy job. However, one who is interested in handling social media platforms has a knack for dealing with customers through their communication skills and patience and has all the above-mentioned skills can become one for sure. Also, a social media manager should be one who can learn more about the clients besides handling the duties and technicalities on the platform like how the clients appear, how they talk, handle things, their tone of voice, their branding and their taste in people.