With Social Media Week in full effect in major cities across the globe—from Lagos, Nigeria to New York City to Paris—many professionals and entrepreneurs have turned their attention to a popular vehicle that’s not only driving consumer and audience interest but career advancement and job opportunities as well.
You might see the boom in social media jobs and want in. Hey, it’s just updating Facebook and Twitter—something you could do in your sleep—right? Wrong.
Social media professionals do more than that, having experience in marketing and advertising strategy, data statistics, trend analysis and content management. So, don’t just think you can tweet your way into a cool job making your own hours and working from anywhere. It takes real work and know-how.
If you have skills in audience engagement, digital media, marketing and strategizing, a career in the social media industry might be perfect for you. Here a few top jobs to consider:
1. Social Media Strategist
You’re in charge of the whole game–planning what strategic moves to make next, deciding on which platforms to grow communities, and giving your stamp of approval to the content your team shares online.
A knack for leadership and communication are key, but it’s your innovative thinking that will set you apart. The rest of the internet is competing for your clients’ eyes–how will you make your company stand out?
Average salary: $23,000 — $86,000
2. Content Curator
Rohit Bahargava, author of Manifesto for the Content Curator, summed up this position best: “Someone whose job it is not to create more content, but to make sense of all the content that others are creating.â€
It’s your role to scour the web and bring back viral videos, articles, infographics and images to feed your company’s social platforms. Some products will be created in-house, but no matter where it comes from, you look for content that’s contagious.
Average salary: $23,000 — $86,000
3. Social Media Analyst
If you write a great blog post, and nobody reads it, is it still a great blog post? You track the numbers and establish metrics to determine which social media campaigns are flopping or flying high. Your quantitative brain sees the big picture as you advise your team on their next move–all based on the numbers.
Average salary: $33,000 — $96,000