What Does a Social Media Consultant Do?

Social media consultants help businesses and organizations develop and implement social media strategies. They may work with clients to create content, manage their social media accounts, and monitor the effectiveness of their efforts.

Social media consultants often specialize in a particular area of social media—for example, they might focus on Facebook or Twitter exclusively. This allows them to become experts in that platform’s features and functionality, which helps them provide better advice and services to their clients.

Social Media Consultant Job Duties

Social media consultants typically have a wide range of responsibilities, which can include:

• Developing social media marketing strategies based on client needs and objectives
• Monitoring social media channels for opportunities to engage with potential customers
• Editing photos to be used in social media posts
• Using analytics software to track performance of social media campaigns and make adjustments where necessary
• Creating and managing social media accounts for businesses or organizations
• Writing blog posts, articles, or other content for websites or blogs
• Monitoring website traffic statistics to determine the effectiveness of social media efforts
• Developing brand awareness through social media channels such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat, and Pinterest
• Developing creative concepts for social media campaigns using graphic design software such as Adobe Illustrator or Photoshop

Social Media Consultant Salary & Outlook

Social media consultants’ salaries vary depending on their level of education, years of experience, and the size and industry of their employer. They may also earn additional income through commissions or bonuses.

• Median Annual Salary: $52,500 ($25.24/hour)
• Top 10% Annual Salary: $122,000 ($58.65/hour)

The employment of social media consultants is expected to grow much faster than average over the next decade.

Social media platforms, such as Facebook and Twitter, are becoming increasingly popular among businesses. As a result, demand for social media consultants will increase as companies seek help in managing their social media presence.

Social Media Consultant Job Requirements

A social media consultant typically needs to have the following qualifications:

Education: Social media consultants typically need a bachelor’s degree in a field such as communications, marketing or English. Some employers prefer to hire candidates who have a master’s degree in social media or a related field.

Training & Experience: Social media consultants typically receive on-the-job training from their employers. This training may include learning the company’s social media platforms, how to use the company’s content management system and how to manage the company’s social media accounts.

Certifications & Licenses: While certifications are not usually required for social media consultant roles, they can be useful for candidates applying for jobs and for experienced consultants seeking to expand their skills and advance their careers.

Social Media Consultant Skills

Social media consultants need the following skills in order to be successful:

Analytical skills: Analytical skills are the ability to review data and make informed decisions based on the information you have. Social media consultants use analytical skills to determine what social media platforms are most effective for their clients and what types of content are most engaging.

Communication skills: Social media consultants often communicate with clients, colleagues and other stakeholders. Effective communication skills can help you convey ideas, answer questions and resolve issues. You can use communication skills in almost every aspect of your job, including during the initial sales process, when you’re providing updates to clients and when you’re answering questions from colleagues.

Creativity: Social media consultants use creativity to develop engaging content for their clients. They also use creativity to develop strategies for their clients to use social media. For example, they might suggest a unique way for their client to interact with their audience on social media.

Research skills: Social media consultants need to be able to research topics and information for their clients. This can include finding the best platforms to use, the best times to post and what types of content to share. You can use your research skills to help your clients grow their social media accounts.

Time management: Managing your time well is important for social media consultants because they often have many tasks to complete in a day. For example, they might need to create a social media post, analyze the performance of the post and create a new post based on the results of the first post. They might also need to check in with clients regularly to see how their social media strategy is progressing.

Social Media Consultant Work Environment

Social media consultants are usually self-employed and work from home. They may also travel to meet with clients or attend conferences. Because they often set their own hours, they may work long hours to meet deadlines or take on additional projects. They may also work evenings and weekends to stay up-to-date on the latest social media trends. Social media consultants need to have excellent written and verbal communication skills, as well as strong organizational and time-management skills. They also need to be proficient in the use of social media platforms and tools.

Social Media Consultant Trends

Here are three trends influencing how social media consultants work. Social media consultants will need to stay up-to-date on these developments to keep their skills relevant and maintain a competitive advantage in the workplace.

The Need for More Technical Skills

As social media becomes more and more popular, the need for social media consultants with technical skills will continue to grow.

Social media consultants are in high demand because they can help businesses understand how to use social media to reach new customers and connect with current ones. In order to be successful in this field, consultants will need to have a strong understanding of both social media platforms and technology. This includes things like coding, web development, and marketing.

More Focus on Influencer Marketing

The trend of influencer marketing is growing rapidly as businesses realize the power of word-of-mouth advertising. By partnering with influential bloggers, vloggers, and social media stars, businesses can reach a large audience quickly and effectively.

Social media consultants can capitalize on this trend by becoming experts in influencer marketing. They can do this by developing relationships with influencers and understanding how to create campaigns that resonate with their audiences.

A Greater Emphasis on Employee Engagement

Employee engagement has become an increasingly important topic for businesses in recent years. As social media has become more prevalent, it has become easier for employees to disengage from work and spend their time on other activities.

This trend is leading businesses to focus on employee engagement strategies, such as providing opportunities for employees to connect with each other outside of work or offering rewards for completing certain tasks. Social media consultants can help businesses implement these strategies by creating social media campaigns that encourage engagement.

How to Become a Social Media Consultant

A social media consultant career path can be a great way to use your skills in marketing, communications, and digital technology. As a social media consultant, you’ll work with businesses to develop and execute their social media strategies. This could include creating and managing company profiles on social networks, developing content for those profiles, and planning and executing campaigns.

To become a social media consultant, it’s important to have strong communication and marketing skills, as well as an understanding of the latest trends in digital technology. You should also be familiar with the major social networks and how they can be used for business purposes.

Advancement Prospects

As a social media consultant, you will have the opportunity to work with a variety of clients in different industries. You will help them create and implement social media strategies that will help them achieve their business goals. As you gain experience, you will be able to take on more responsibility and may eventually be promoted to a senior consultant or manager position.

In order to advance your career, it is important to keep up with the latest social media trends and best practices. You should also consider getting certified in social media marketing. There are a number of different certification programs available, and having a certification will show potential clients that you are serious about your work.

Social Media Consultant Job Description Example

Are you a whiz with social media? Do you have a knack for connecting with people and building relationships? If you answered yes to both, then we’d love to hear from you!

We’re looking for a social media consultant to join our team and help us take our social media presence to the next level. In this role, you will be responsible for developing and executing social media strategies that align with our business goals. You will also be responsible for creating and curating content, engaging with our followers, and growing our social media following.

If you’re a strategic thinker with a passion for social media, then we want to hear from you!

Duties & Responsibilities

• Understand client’s business, brand, and objectives to develop social media strategies that align with business goals
• Research and stay up-to-date on latest social media trends, best practices, and technologies
• Create and manage editorial calendar for all social media channels
• Write compelling copy for social media posts that engages target audience and drives conversions
• Design engaging visuals (e.g. images, infographics, videos) to accompany social media content
• Monitor social media channels for mentions of client’s brand and relevant keywords, and engage in conversations accordingly
• Generate weekly and monthly reports on social media metrics, such as followers, engagement, reach, etc.
• Analyze social media data to identify opportunities for growth and optimization
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams, such as marketing, sales, customer service, etc. to ensure alignment between social media efforts and other business initiatives
• Manage social media advertising campaigns and track results
• Provide training and guidance to clients on social media best practices
• Stay abreast of latest changes in all major social media platforms (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, Snapchat, etc.)

Required Skills and Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in marketing, communications, or related field
• 3-5 years professional experience in social media, marketing, or a related field
• Exceptional writing, editing, and proofreading skills
• Creativity and innovative thinking
• Strategic planning and project management skills
• Ability to work independently and with a team

Preferred Skills and Qualifications

• Experience with social media analytics tools, such as Hootsuite Insights, Google Analytics, etc.
• Working knowledge of Photoshop, InDesign, and other design software
• Basic HTML and CSS skills
• Familiarity with content management systems, such as WordPress
• SEO experience