The Day-to-Day as a Social Media Strategist
Social Media Strategists design social media blueprints to achieve a client’s or company’s marketing targets. They also create content and manage client or company accounts. They can find jobs remotely, in-house, part-time, full-time, and even freelance. The opportunities are virtually endless for this role with jobs at agencies, tech companies, retailers, restaurants, hospital networks, nonprofits, and more. Some Social Media Strategists work alone, especially if they are freelance, but many work on a team with other digital marketers.
A Social Media Strategist can be found analyzing and tracking your account and competitors accounts, responding to social interactions and increasing community engagement, scheduling posts, creating and executing hashtag strategies, testing and measuring new strategies, tracking trends, collaborating with teammates, creating reports for clients, creating graphics and videos, adapting content for multiple platforms, outreach for amplification, monitoring key performance indicators (KPIs), and occasionally meeting with clients.
What Skills Should Social Media Strategists Have?
Social Media Strategists must be good communicators and collaborators. On most projects, they will need to communicate with writers and designers who are creating the copy and graphics for the majority of the posts and they’ll need to be able to work with the marketing and product teams within their client’s or company’s staff. They will also need to be able to demonstrate their results to their client or company. Plus, Social Media Strategists will be engaging with their company or client’s followers and customers through social media and must be able to do so personally and professionally.
Social Media Strategists must be able to analyze and track key performance indicators within their own efforts and their competitors. Passionately following trends and new developments in social media, their industry, and their competitors will be a key foundation for an adaptable social media effort.
Social Media Strategists should be stellar planners. They’ll be architecting strategies for hashtags, growth, engagement, brand story, customer journeys, and more to be successful in this role. They’ll most likely be managing multiple accounts across multiple social media platforms and should have a preferred social media management tool but also be familiar with any tools they may need to use for a specific client or employer. They must be proficient at social media marketing (SMM), Google Analytics, and Google Ads. They should have a solid understanding of digital marketing best practices.
Learn the Skills You Need to Become a Social Media Strategist
-
Digital Marketing
Digital marketing utilizes the internet and web based digital platforms to promote products or services. This includes the use of digital advertisements, social media, brand identities, and more.
-
Google Analytics
Google Analytics measures your advertising return on investment while tracking your video, Flash, social networking, and applications. Google Analytics works by tracking website activity through a block of JavaScript code that the web developer, designer, or website owner, embeds within pages on a website.
-
Social Media Marketing
Social media marketing is the practice of using social media platforms to connect with your target audience or end-user. Social media marketing aims to build brand awareness and loyalty, increase sales, convert leads, and drive website traffic. Social media management can be done through content creation, keyword and target audience research, and the use of social media management platforms like Buffer and Hootsuite.
-
Google Ads
Google Ads is the new name for Google AdWords. It is an online advertising service that allows advertisers to pay for the display of brief advertisements, video content, listings, and calls to action within the Google Display Network (GDN) to web users. You'll see Google ads on the GDN which includes Google Search, YouTube, and over 2 million other sites.
Social Media Strategist Salaries
A Social Media Strategist in the United States makes, on average, $60,544 annually, according to Indeed.com.
Salaries for Social Media Strategists vary by region within the the United States. Listed below are some Social Media Strategist salaries for specific areas with the United States compared with the average national salary:
Learn more about Social Media Strategist salaries
- U.S. Average $60K source n/a
-
Vancouver
$93K
source
+54.57%
-
Victoria
$67K
source
+10.69%
-
New York City
$66K
source
+9.22%
-
San Francisco, CA
$65K
source
+8.09%
-
San Jose, CA
$62K
source
+2.85%
-
Washington, D.C.
$62K
source
+2.53%
-
Boston, MA
$61K
source
+1.12%
-
Montreal
$60K
source
+0.48%
-
Oakland, CA
$60K
source
+0.19%
- U.S. Average $60K source n/a
-
Seattle, WA
$60K
source
-0.56%
-
Stamford, CT
$59K
source
-1.17%
-
Los Angeles, CA
$58K
source
-2.87%
-
Hartford, CT
$58K
source
-3.88%
-
Chicago, IL
$58K
source
-3.9%
-
Orange County, CA
$58K
source
-4.02%
-
Edmonton
$57K
source
-4.52%
-
New York
$57K
source
-5.21%
-
San Diego, CA
$57K
source
-5.28%
-
Long Island, NY
$57K
source
-5.32%
-
Sacramento, CA
$57K
source
-5.38%
-
Denver, CO
$57K
source
-5.72%
-
Alexandria, VA
$57K
source
-5.81%
-
Minneapolis, MN
$56K
source
-6.32%
-
Philadelphia, PA
$56K
source
-6.51%
-
Atlanta, GA
$56K
source
-6.9%
-
Baltimore, MD
$56K
source
-7.24%
-
New Jersey
$56K
source
-7.26%
-
Fairfax, VA
$55K
source
-7.6%
-
Dallas, TX
$55K
source
-7.7%
-
Portland, OR
$55K
source
-7.9%
-
Connecticut
$55K
source
-7.95%
-
Detroit, MI
$55K
source
-8.08%
-
Austin, TX
$55K
source
-8.22%
-
Albany, NY
$55K
source
-8.99%
-
Virginia
$55K
source
-9%
-
New Haven, CT
$54K
source
-9.16%
-
Houston, TX
$54K
source
-9.58%
-
Charlotte, NC
$54K
source
-9.59%
-
Phoenix, AZ
$54K
source
-9.65%
-
Richmond, VA
$54K
source
-9.77%
-
Raleigh, NC
$54K
source
-10.23%
-
St. Louis, MO
$54K
source
-10.66%
-
Des Moines, IA
$53K
source
-11.05%
-
Milwaukee, WI
$53K
source
-11.23%
-
Worcester, MA
$53K
source
-11.33%
-
Pittsburgh, PA
$53K
source
-11.35%
-
Columbus, OH
$53K
source
-11.35%
-
Nashville, TN
$53K
source
-11.4%
-
United States
$53K
source
-11.42%
-
San Bernardino, CA
$53K
source
-11.43%
-
Riverside, CA
$53K
source
-11.81%
-
Cleveland, OH
$53K
source
-11.96%
-
Madison, WI
$53K
source
-12.02%
-
Tampa, FL
$53K
source
-12.07%
-
Bakersfield, CA
$53K
source
-12.15%
-
Miami, FL
$53K
source
-12.2%
-
Cincinnati, OH
$53K
source
-12.22%
-
Kansas City, MO
$53K
source
-12.23%
-
Fresno, CA
$53K
source
-12.25%
-
Salt Lake City, UT
$53K
source
-12.4%
-
Buffalo, NY
$52K
source
-12.69%
-
Indianapolis, IN
$52K
source
-12.73%
-
Las Vegas, NV
$52K
source
-12.83%
-
Honolulu, HI
$52K
source
-13.01%
-
New Orleans, LA
$52K
source
-13.17%
-
Memphis, TN
$52K
source
-13.65%
-
Birmingham, AL
$52K
source
-13.65%
-
Orlando, FL
$52K
source
-13.87%
-
San Antonio, TX
$52K
source
-13.88%
-
Syracuse, NY
$51K
source
-14.63%
-
Florida
$51K
source
-14.76%
-
Omaha, NE
$51K
source
-14.77%
-
Jacksonville, FL
$51K
source
-14.93%
-
Oklahoma City, OK
$51K
source
-15.05%
-
Albuquerque, NM
$51K
source
-15.16%
-
Rochester, NY
$51K
source
-15.16%
-
Dayton, OH
$51K
source
-15.6%
-
Columbia, SC
$51K
source
-15.73%
-
Louisville, KY
$50K
source
-15.81%
-
Tucson, AZ
$50K
source
-16.14%
-
Virginia Beach, VA
$50K
source
-16.67%
-
Greensboro, NC
$50K
source
-16.7%
-
Inland Empire, CA
$50K
source
-16.74%
-
Little Rock, AR
$50K
source
-16.83%
-
Baton Rouge, LA
$50K
source
-16.88%
-
Grand Rapids, MI
$50K
source
-16.96%
-
Greenville, SC
$50K
source
-17.24%
-
Tulsa, OK
$49K
source
-18.07%
-
Sarasota, FL
$49K
source
-18.43%
-
Knoxville, TN
$48K
source
-19.37%
-
El Paso, TX
$47K
source
-21.14%
-
Calgary
$45K
source
-24.45%
-
Calgary
$45K
source
-24.45%
-
McAllen, TX
$44K
source
-26.54%
-
Ottawa
$44K
source
-27.31%
-
San Juan
$43K
source
-28.82%
-
Toronto
$41K
source
-31.07%
-
Quebec City, QC
$39K
source
-35.33%
-
Winnipeg
$36K
source
-39.65%
Typical Qualifications to Become a Social Media Strategist
Many employers and recruiters prefer for their Social Media Strategists to have a bachelor’s degree in marketing, communications, or a related field. It is possible, however, to land a Social Media Strategist position without a degree as long as they have proof of prior successful social media clients or projects. Social Media Strategists are expected to have some prior experience with demonstrated, quantitative proof.
Searching for Social Media Strategist Jobs
There are many opportunities for Social Media Strategists, especially if they choose to freelance or consult. There are also plenty of in-house positions for Social Media Strategists including part-time, full-time, and remote options. Freelancing and consulting will likely lead to a higher pay-grade for this position, but will also have a steep learning curve and will mean juggling multiple social media accounts and brands. Working in-house will allow a Social Media Strategist to focus on just one company or a few subsidiary brands. A happy-medium between those two options is working for an agency. Agency-employed Social Media Strategists usually work with two or three clients.
Social Media Strategists can find in-house, full-time, and part-time jobs on these sites:
- Hubstaff
- Authentic Jobs
- Simply Hired
- Udacity
- Glassdoor
- Super Social Club
- Jobvite
- Ziprecruiter
- Idealist
- The Muse
- Workable
Social Media Strategists can find remote, freelance, and consulting gigs on these sites:
Tips to Become a Social Media Strategist
The most common path to a Social Media Strategist career begins with earning a bachelor’s degree in communications or marketing, doing an internship at a marketing firm or within a company’s marketing department, and move into an entry-level position at a marketing firm after graduation. While this is a common path, it is not the only path. If you have no degree and no experience, you can get into social media strategy by educating yourself through online courses, building a portfolio and building your own online presence.
To build your portfolio, volunteer your services to a nonprofit or small business or practice by building your own online presence. Make sure to include the data behind all of the work that you do, an explanation of your strategies, and the outcomes. Publishing a case study for each client or friend that you help will show future employers or recruiters that you are talented enough to do the job! Your online presence should include a search engine ranking website and blog, at least two social media platforms with high engagement, and a portfolio.
While you’re building your online presence, be sure to spend some of your time networking. Whether those efforts are direct messaging other social media and digital marketing professionals on your favorite social media platform to start a conversation, connecting with potential employers and recruiters on LinkedIn, or attending workshops, networking will definitely pay off in the long run. Try asking for an informational interview or coffee date with a Social Media Strategist. They probably have plenty of tips for you, connections to possibly find you a job, or at least shared experiences to make you feel better about your journey. You may even find a mentor out there!
What Job Titles Would a Social Media Strategist Hold?
Social Media Strategist is a well-defined position and is a role that has similar responsibilities at almost every company. Thus, there is not much diversity in job titles.
Social Media Strategists can look for these job titles:
- Social Media Strategist
- Junior Social Media Strategist
- Associate Social Media Strategist
- Social Media Strategist – Intern
Related Careers
Social Media Strategists can use their analytical and creative skills in other marketing roles like Digital Analyst, Digital Marketer, or Digital Strategist positions. They would essentially use similar skills and tactics but for broader marketing and strategy projects. A Social Media Strategist could upskill to one of these broader digital marketing positions with a higher-level understanding of marketing and business best practices, adding some digital marketing tools to their skillset, and focusing on pivoting within an industry they already specialize in.
If they’d prefer to stick to using their analytical and strategy skills with less content creation, a Social Media Strategist might find satisfaction in a Web Optimization Specialist role. A Web Optimization Specialist works to analyze a website or web app and make a strategy to optimize it for advertising, SEO, users, and more. They’ll use analytical tools and strategic planning methods in a way that is very similar to a Social Media Strategist but with a focus on a website or platform instead of content marketing campaigns.
To take a step even further back from content marketing, a Social Media Strategist could employ their analytical skills and strategy to work as a Paid Search Manager or Search Manager. As a Search Manager or Paid Search Manager, they would create and execute marketing campaigns and search engine optimization efforts in ways that are organic or paid, adjusting as they go based on data indicators. Depending on their employer, Social Media Strategists can find higher salaries in any of these positions or by switching to contract-based work.
Salary Comparison to Social Media Strategist
-
Paid Search Manager
$80K
+33.02%
-
Digital Analyst
$76K
+26.13%
-
Search Manager
$74K
+23.6%
-
Web Optimization Specialist
$73K
+22.03%
-
Marketing Manager
$67K
+10.76%
-
Digital Strategist
$63K
+5%
-
Digital Marketer
$62K
+2.94%
- Social Media Strategist $60K n/a
-
Social Media Strategist
Social Media Strategists design social media blueprints to achieve a client's or company's marketing targets. They also create content and manage client or company accounts.
Learn about becoming a Social Media Strategist -
Social Media Strategist
Social Media Strategists design social media blueprints to achieve a client's or company's marketing targets. They also create content and manage client or company accounts.
Learn about becoming a Social Media Strategist -
Social Media Strategist
Social Media Strategists design social media blueprints to achieve a client's or company's marketing targets. They also create content and manage client or company accounts.
Learn about becoming a Social Media Strategist -
Social Media Strategist
Social Media Strategists design social media blueprints to achieve a client's or company's marketing targets. They also create content and manage client or company accounts.
Learn about becoming a Social Media Strategist -
Social Media Strategist
Social Media Strategists design social media blueprints to achieve a client's or company's marketing targets. They also create content and manage client or company accounts.
Learn about becoming a Social Media Strategist -
Social Media Strategist
Social Media Strategists design social media blueprints to achieve a client's or company's marketing targets. They also create content and manage client or company accounts.
Learn about becoming a Social Media Strategist -
Social Media Strategist
Social Media Strategists design social media blueprints to achieve a client's or company's marketing targets. They also create content and manage client or company accounts.
Learn about becoming a Social Media Strategist