The Social Media Manager (SMM) is an essential lever for the effectiveness of a company's digital marketing. The mass advent of social networks and their popularity accentuate its indispensability .
Currently, a business that wants to be successful must ensure a presence on social networks and social media . This effectively allows it to gain greater visibility and increase its customer base thanks to the commitment of its subscribers. Consequently, the Social Media Manager (SMM) allows the company to fully ensure its e-reputation.
What is a Social Media Manager?
SMM: a newly known profession
The Social Media Manager (SMM) is a very recent profession which emerged with social networks such as Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, etc. The person responsible for this function therefore has the main mission of a company's digital communications policy
Thus, it is up to the SMM to develop and apply a marketing strategy adapted to the company on social media, produce good content, conduct data analysis, etc. In other words, the SMM is responsible for the image and reputation of the company , as well as the quality of its services and products on the internet and on social networks.
Is there a difference between Social Media Manager (SMM) and Community Manager (CM)?
There is a nuance between Social Media Manager (SMM) and Community Manager (CM). Indeed, if the SMM company 's digital communication policy , the CM executes and implements this policy. The latter is then in direct contact with the subscribers (or followers) in order to build strong links with the community. He is seen as the company's ambassador.
Social Media Manager and Community Manager are then two complementary professions . However, in smaller companies, SMM and CM positions tend to be filled by a single person .
The importance of SMM within a company
The Social Media Manager can then be considered as a parallel to the profession of the public relations . He is the guarantor of the company's image , but this time, on social media.
The missions and responsibilities of the Social Media Manager
The Social Media Manager covers several missions and responsibilities. However, they can be summarized in three points.
Define a relevant social media strategy
First of all, the SMM must define different strategies (marketing and editorial) in order to improve the image, reputation, and visibility of the company on the internet and on networks. To do this, he must collaborate with the company's marketing department.
The first step will then be to identify the targets and their needs . Then will follow the selection of networks and social media on which the company will be found (YouTube, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Facebook, Twitter, etc.). Finally, it must constantly analyze the company's position on these platforms, in order to adapt its strategies to the evolution of the Social Web.
Implement the action plan
The Social Media Manager is responsible for the company's activities in the digital world . Therefore, it must firstly publish relevant and useful content by using different methods such as newsjacking or storytelling . The latter must in fact encourage subscribers to become potential customers and retain them.
It is also up to the SMM to imagine and organize the company's communication and advertising campaigns This aims to promote as much as possible the services and products offered by the latter.
Thus, the SMM will optimize SEO using techniques such as Social Media Optimization (SMO) . As for advertisements, the SMM must master the networks' advertising platforms, such as Tik Tok business, Facebook Ads, Twitter Ads, etc.
Monitor the progress of actions executed
After these steps, the Social Media Manager must ensure that the actions taken have a positive impact on the digital community . To carry out this work, he must analyze and monitor performance with specialized tools. To do this, it has tools like Google Analytics .
These data analyzes are imperative, because they make it possible to measure the engagement of Internet users and to establish reports on the content published. They will also guide future SMM actions and strategies to better impact customers and their needs.
What training to become a Social Media Manager?
The job of the Social Media Manager is far from simple. It is complex and above all very busy. Obviously, the SMM must master Social Media . Furthermore, he must also be good in the field of marketing and communication. Therefore, following training is necessary to become a good SMM.
Many companies recruit graduates of business or marketing schools , and graduates in communications or journalism . The SMM position is accessible from a bac+3, but it is recommended to obtain a bac+5.
In addition to diplomas, companies such as Orange especially favor people with personal experiences over social networks.
“No matter the training, even if it is an engineering school, you must be interested in current events and acquire your own experience of social networks. »
Amandine Dalmasso, social media manager at Orange
With this comes the personal skills that recruiters find essential: SEO skills, interpersonal skills, leadership, copywriting , etc.
Clearly, the Social Media Manager is, these days, one of the essential drivers for the development of a company. He actively participates in the promotion of the latter's services and products. In conclusion, SMM largely contributes to the development of the digital marketing , and optimizes its growth by ensuring its e-reputation.
