‘Social Media Manager’ is One of the Most Popular Jobs in the US. It's a Lot Harder than it Sounds
“Social media manager” is one of the most highly-sought positions out there.
Since 2013, the number of professionals who use the title on LinkedIn has doubled, according to a company spokeswoman. In the last decade, job postings looking for people who can fill these roles has spiked more than 1,000%.
Whether it’s UNICEF, Target or Harvard Law School, an active social media presence is expected of public-facing entities. Businesses of all stripes hire individuals to speak on the internet on their behalf, which, in a time of COVID-19, has become the only safe place to “gather” in large groups.
But you’d never know the importance of the role based on the status of the job. Or the pay.
“Everyone is on social these days, so lots of people think they know exactly what makes for a good post,” says Jake Banas, social media manager at Futurism, a media company focused on science and technology news. “But the role is much more complicated."
We’re quick to dismiss social media and its self-obsessed silliness, dedication to memes and eschewal of capital letters. The truth is, a social media manager is a copywriter, photographer, graphic designer, video editor, media analyst, data analyst and customer service rep, sometimes all in one day.
It’s a long day, too.
