If I had £1 for every time someone asked me what a Social Media Manager (SMM) does, I’d be rich. Friends and family not understanding is one thing. But then I noticed a rise in prospective clients also asking me: ‘What does a Social Media Manager actually do?’. I knew then that I had to write a post to break it down.

The most annoying response I’ve had when telling someone that I am a Social Media Manager :

“So you’re a content creator then?”

ARGH!

No, I’m not.

But at the same time, I am. 

While content creation is part of my job, it’s just one piece of a bigger puzzle. Managing social media means juggling multiple responsibilities that go beyond just making posts.

Us Social Media Managers love to wear multiple hats as you’ll see below!

If you’re looking for some kind of definition – I would start here:

A Social Media Manager is responsible for managing the online presence of companies or businesses across social media platforms. 

Here’s a breakdown of what this looks like in a bit more detail in my world (this may look slightly different for other SMMs):

Content Creation

I’m responsible for designing graphics, pulling reels together, adding captions and music to reels, creating copy (the words that go into the caption) and scheduling posts. If graphics aren’t so important for a particular post, I will choose an appropriate image from a stock of photos my clients usually supply me with. Where there are no or few relevant photos – I often arrange to go and take some pics myself (this is something I do because I love photography. Taking photos isn’t a normal requirement for an SMM).

Community Engagement

Community engagement is a key part of building relationships online. Some clients prefer to handle this themselves, especially when it involves in-depth ‘expert’ responses. I’m here to support you with likes, comments, and general engagement to keep your audience engaged.

Social Media ‘Strategy’

Social media ‘strategy’ can sound intimidating, but all it really means is creating a plan. This involves us working together to identify your target audience, selecting the best platforms, and planning content around your goals.

Analytics & Reporting

Whilst some SMMs will run monthly reports for their clients to see how their posts are performing, most of mine ask for an end-of-year audit instead. When taking on a new client, I usually suggest they hire me to run a Social Media Audit before taking me on as their SMM. This gives me a chance to go behind the scenes and do a deep dive into what is and isn’t working on their social media. It also gives me a chance to compare their follower demographics with their target audience.

This also gives me and the client a chance to get to know each other before they commit to taking me on as their SMM. I include an end-of-year Social Media Audit for clients who take me on as their SMM, at no extra cost. The only downside to running the reports annually, is some social media platforms are now only letting you review the content from the last 90 days. But you can still get a general feel for what is and isn’t working.

Trend Analysis 

The marmite of SMM’s lives. People either love keeping up with the latest trends or they hate it. I think all SMMs probably developed new grey hairs earlier this year dealing with a potential US TikTok ban and ALL the Instagram updates. Staying on top of social media trends is essential to keep your content fresh. Whether it’s platform changes or new trends, I monitor what’s happening so you don’t have to. If something looks promising, I’ll suggest experimenting, but we’ll also be cautious about jumping into every trend too quickly.

To Conclude…

So, there we have it. Hopefully that’s given you a bit more of an insight into what Social Media Managers do.

I would love to hear your thoughts on this. Have any of the responsibilities of an SMM surprised you? 

If you’re curious about how I can help your business, let’s chat!