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 acquire greater visibility and increase its customer base thanks to the commitment of its subscribers. Therefore, 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 that has emerged with social networks such as Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, etc. The main mission of the person in charge of this function is therefore to design and manage a company’s digital communication 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 social networks.
Is there a difference between Social Media Manager (SMM) and Community Manager (CM)?
There is a difference between Social Media Manager (SMM) and Community Manager (CM). Indeed, if the SMM decides on a company’s digital communication policy, the CM executes and implements this policy. The latter is then in direct contact with 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 small firms, MMS and CM positions tend to be filled by one person.
The importance of MMS within a company
The Social Media Manager can then be considered as a parallel to the job of the public relations representative. 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. Nevertheless, they can be summarised 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 the networks. To do this, he must collaborate with the marketing department of the company.
The first step will be to identify the targets and their needs. Then, the selection of networks and social media on which the company will find itself (YouTube, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Facebook, Twitter, etc.) will follow. Finally, he 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. Thus, he must first publish relevant and useful content using different methods such as newsjacking or storytelling. The latter must actually 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 is intended to promote as much as possible the services and products offered by the latter.
Thus, SMM will optimize referencing by techniques such as Social Media Optimization (SMO). As for advertising, the SMM must master the advertising platforms of networks, such as Tik Tok business, Facebook Ads, Twitter Ads, etc.
Monitor the progress of the actions carried out
After these steps, the Social Media Manager must ensure that the actions carried out have a positive impact on the digital community. To do this work, he must analyze and track performance with specialized tools. To do this, it has at its disposal tools like Google Analytics.
These data analyses are imperative because they make it possible to measure the engagement of Internet users and to establish assessments on the content published. They will also guide the future actions and strategies of the SMM 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 loaded. Of course, the SMM must master the Social Media. In addition, he must also be gifted 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 communication 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 mainly favor people with personal experiences over social networks.
« Regardless of the training, even if it’s an engineering school, you have to be interested in current events and gain your own experience with social networks. »
Amandine Dalmasso, social media manager at Orange
With this come personal skills that recruiters find indispensable: SEO skills, interpersonal skills, leadership, copywriting , etc.
Clearly, the Social Media Manager is, nowadays, one of the essential drivers for the development of a company. It actively participates in the promotion of the latter’s services and products. In conclusion, SMM contributes greatly to the development of the company’s digital marketing , and optimizes its growth by ensuring its e-reputation.
