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Read time 5 minutes

Published On Dec 2, 2024

A social media manager is a type of advertising and marketing manager who specializes in content for social media platforms. Most types of organizations find it beneficial to maintain an active presence on various social media platforms to support their mission and objectives. Depending on the organization, those objectives might include increasing sales, fundraising for a cause or raising awareness about an issue.

The potential reach of social media is quite significant in today’s connected global society. It’s estimated that there will be 5.17 billion social media users in 2024 — more than in previous years.¹ While many users are on these platforms for personal reasons, the marketing potential is considerable. In 2023, organizations in the U.S. spent $72.3 billion on social media advertising.² Social media managers are responsible for implementing these campaigns.

$72.3 billion

Social media advertising expenditure in the U.S. in 2023²

Before exploring how to become a social media manager, it’s helpful to take a closer look at the question, What does a social media manager do? These professionals manage content on various social media channels and may perform a variety of duties on a daily basis, depending on who they work for and what type of social media channels they run. Some duties of a social media manager may include:³

Strategy development

Develop marketing strategies designed to accomplish the organization’s goals through social media efforts.

Monitor engagement

Review the organization’s profiles, observing responses and engaging with followers and commenters.

Reporting

Report campaign status to stakeholders at their organization.

Campaign and content production

Create, produce and implement social media campaigns, including content creation and uploading materials to social media channels.

Results analysis

Analyze data to assess the results of social media campaigns.

Supervise staff

Supervise a team of social media specialists.

The day-to-day routine of a social media manager can vary, depending on the size, type and needs of their organization. Some may have a hands-on role with tasks like content creation, while those at larger companies may supervise staff members who produce content. Those in this role may collaborate closely across departments to ensure their campaigns align with the overall direction and needs of the organization.

If you are curious about learning how to become a social media manager, it’s important to know that there isn’t one universal career pathway. Rather, professionals come to the role with a variety of backgrounds. In this field, education and experience requirements can vary by employer. In general, however, social media manager education requirements for this role may include the following.

High School Diploma

The first step in pursuing a career as a social media manager is to complete your high school education in preparation for college.⁴ Consult with your school counselor about adding more humanities courses that focus on reading and writing. Additionally, classes in communications, business communications, marketing, graphic design, photography, videography and various business competencies can be beneficial. Seek after-school enrichment opportunities to practice your communication skills, such as writing for the school newspaper or joining the debate club.

College Degree

Advertising and marketing managers, like social media managers, typically need to have a bachelor’s degree.⁴ Relevant degrees include those in advertising, graphic design, photography, videography, communications, social media and marketing. However, other degrees with a writing-intensive curriculum may also be acceptable, such as journalism. Some schools may offer a degree program specifically in social media.⁵

Internships

Completing one or more internships during college or after graduation can be beneficial. A relevant internship can provide you with hands-on experience that may help you become a more competitive job applicant.⁴

Entry-Level Roles

While the job of a social media manager is not typically an entry-level one, it’s usually necessary to gain some work experience before advancing to a managerial position. Look for entry-level jobs in the advertising and marketing field, including positions as a content creation specialist, social media assistant, or in other areas such as market research analysis, sales and public relations.⁴

Professional Certifications

Professional certifications can help you enhance your resume, even though they might not be necessary to begin a career in social media marketing. Some certifications you might want to consider include social marketing, digital marketing, advanced digital marketing certification, digital social media certification, Blueprint certification or Adobe certification.⁶

Now that you’re familiar with the education requirements, you can begin working your way along the career pathway. If you’re still not quite sure whether this career might be the right choice for you, consider looking for job shadowing opportunities.

A social media degree may also explore various topics in marketing but will generally be more narrowly focused on digital advertising, content creation, and marketing through social media platforms.

Topics vary by degree program but may include the following:

Elements of design
Video for social media
Social media copywriting
Digital community engagement
Social data analytics
Social campaigns

GCU Recommends These Degree Programs for Social Media Managers

Marketing and advertising degree programs, including social media degrees, are generally designed to teach students how to develop strong design skills, as social media campaigns generally include multimedia elements like pictures and video.³

If you’re excited about opportunities in social media management, you may wish to consider the following degree programs:

Bachelor’s Programs

Other Programs

Graduate Certificate of Completion in Communication

Social media managers rely upon a combination of technical and interpersonal skills to lead their teams and promote their organizations online. Many of these skills are taught in relevant degree programs, but they can also be further developed through work experience.

Some of the key skills that can benefit social media professionals include:^3,4

Effective Communication
Interpersonal skills
Organization
Creativity
Decision-making

Analytical reasoning
Design competencies
Technical competence with social media
Writing and editing
Data analytics

Median Annual Wage

$157,620

Median annual wage for marketing managers as of May 2023⁷

While the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) does not include specific information on social media managers, a similar career, marketing manager, offers relevant insight. According to the BLS, the median annual wage for marketing managers is $157,620 as of May 2023 — the lowest 10% earned less than $79,600 and the highest 10% earned more than $239,200.⁷

Projected Job Growth

Estimated job growth for marketing managers from 2023 to 2033⁸

The advertising and marketing field as a whole is experiencing faster-than-average job growth. The BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook estimates job growth for all types of marketing managers to increase by 8% from 2023 to 2033, accounting for an estimated addition of 31,700 jobs to the field.⁸

After meeting the typical education requirements and obtaining some work experience, aspiring social media managers may apply for positions at a range of organizations. These can include:⁹

Advertising and marketing agencies

Agency professionals may work on managing multiple brands.

Self-employed

Many professionals in social media are freelancers with their own businesses.

Companies and organizations

Finance, insurance, trade and manufacturing firms often hire digital marketing professionals to promote their brands online.

After gaining on-the-job experience, social media professionals may decide to pursue further career progression. The opportunities available largely depend on the employer but can include opportunities to direct the company’s digital media and marketing efforts. These professionals are charged with overseeing a team of writers and designers who handle the creative processes for social media campaigns, including fundraising managers and public relations managers.

Alternatively, managers might also apply to project management specialist or market research director positions. Other options might include more executive or corporate roles, including chief marketing officer and senior management consultant.¹⁰

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¹Oberlo. (n.d.). How Many People Use Social Media in 2024? Retrieved June 13, 2024.

²Dixon, S. J. (2024, May 16). Social Media – Statistics & Facts. Statista. Retrieved June 13, 2024.

³Coursera Staff. (2024, April 3). What’s a Social Media Manager? And How to Become One. Coursera. Retrieved June 14, 2024.

⁴U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2024, April 17). How to Become an Advertising, Promotions, or Marketing Manager. Occupational Outlook Handbook. Retrieved June 14, 2024.

⁵U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2024, April 27). Advertising, Promotions, and Marketing Managers. Occupational Outlook Handbook. Retrieved June 12, 2024.

⁶ Indeed Editorial Team. (2022, June 24). 9 Social Media Marketing Certifications To Boost Your Career. Indeed. Retrieved June 14, 2024.

⁷The earnings referenced were reported by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), Marketing Managers as of May 2023, retrieved on Nov. 21, 2024. Due to COVID-19, data from 2020 to 2023 may be atypical compared to prior years. BLS calculates the median using salaries of workers nationwide with varying levels of education and experience. It does not reflect the earnings of GCU graduates as marketing managers, nor does it reflect the earnings of workers in one city or region of the country or a typical entry-level salary. Median income is the statistical midpoint for the range of salaries in a specific occupation. It represents what you would earn if you were paid more money than half the workers in an occupation, and less than half the workers in an occupation. It may give you a basis to estimate what you might earn at some point if you enter this career. Grand Canyon University can make no guarantees on individual graduates’ salaries. Your employability will be determined by numerous factors over which GCU has no control, such as the employer the graduate chooses to apply to, the graduate’s experience level, individual characteristics, skills, etc. against a pool of candidates.

⁸COVID-19 has adversely affected the global economy and data from 2020 to 2023 may be atypical compared to prior years. Accordingly, data shown is effective September 2024, which can be found here: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook, Marketing Managers, retrieved on Nov. 21, 2024.

⁹ U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2024, April 17). Advertising, Promotions, and Marketing Managers: Work Environment. Occupational Outlook Handbook. Retrieved June 14, 2024.

¹⁰ Indeed Editorial Team. (2024, April 18). 14 Social Media Marketing Jobs with Management Responsibilities. Indeed. Retrieved June 14, 2024.

Approved and verified accurate by the digital design director of the College of Arts and Media on Nov. 7, 2024.

How To Become a Social Media Manager

What Is a Social Media Manager?

What Does a Social Media Manager Do?