Social Media Strategist: Job Description, Income & Salary, & How To Become

In this day and age, social media has become a crucial tool for businesses to build their online presence.

Success follows these digitally-conscious companies.

Evidently, 97% of Fortune 500 companies use the digital tool.

With that in mind, it’s easy to see why social media strategist jobs are on the rise.

Before diving into the details of a social media strategist’s role, let’s understand some basics.

What is a Social Media Strategist?

As the role’s name suggests, a social media strategist is in charge of a client’s social media profile(s).

Most brands require an online presence to establish more reachability for their target consumers.

That’s where social media strategists come in and manage a brand’s digital platform to achieve better marketability.

Also known as:

A social media strategist can carry other names but essentially have the same roles.

Some of these titles include:

• Social Media Specialist
• Social Media Coordinator
• Social Media Analyst

What Does a Social Media Strategist Do?

Social media strategists usually keep their plates full with a long list of responsibilities.

As a strategist, you’re expected to create a company’s social media plan, create high-quality content, and team up with the marketing team to enhance the brand’s product launches.

In addition to this, social media strategists build profitable networks with influencers and other industry professionals online.

n top of that, the role involves lots of monitoring over the client’s social media pages for mentions, customer feedback, and inquiries.

That being said, as a social media strategist, you need to stay one step ahead of competitor pages. For this reason, a competitor’s analysis can come in handy.

Speaking of staying one step ahead, social media strategists need to also be aware of current trends online. This, in turn, will help achieve a better connection with the online community.

Work Opportunities in the Social Media Strategist Industry

A social media coordinating role can lead you to several opportunities in the digital industry.

Whether you’re interested in working within a company or a specialized firm, you can climb up the ladder after lots of exposure in the field.

Social Media Strategist Job Description

In terms of job responsibilities, social media strategists need to

• Oversee a company’s social media profiles and be on the lookout for mentions and consumer responses.
• Create a marketable social media plan that adheres to specified Key Performance Indicators (KPIs).
• Collaborate with the marketing team to create relevant and high-quality content.
• Create digital campaigns for product launches.
• Monitor social media analytics to measure performance based on specified objectives.
• Stay updated on current social media trends to maintain relevancy.
• Create a competitor’s analysis to target the client’s unique strengths.
• Set down budgetary requirements for digital projects.

Where Can a Social Media Strategist Work?

The social media job market is plentiful with career opportunities. These paths can lead you to become a:

• Content Strategist
• Media Supervisor
• Digital Marketer

The good news is that social media strategist roles are versatile.

They can work in several industries or companies.

For instance, they can find opportunities in marketing agencies, start-up businesses, e-commerce organizations, and more.

When working in a marketing firm, they’re likely employed as an account manager.

Meanwhile, if working in a company, the strategists are seen more as internal experts in the company’s marketing sector.

What It’s Like to Be a Social Media Strategist

A social media strategist job is one that requires wearing several hats.

That being so, let’s get into the lifestyle of the role.

Is Being a Social Media Strategist Hard?

I remember working in the field and juggling several tasks as an in-house expert.

I had to manage the company’s profile, copywrite content, create a plan, and analyze projections.

All in all, I’d say it was one of the most difficult roles I’ve dealt with.

Is a Social Media Strategist’s Job Stressful?

With the job involving heaps of tasks, it can be stressful for several people.

In my years of working in the social media industry, maintaining a creative outlook can take a toll on your stress levels.

Plus, if you’re working in-house, you need to be ready to receive critical feedback.

In these instances, your superiors can sometimes reject your work.

Having said that, you’ll want to have lots of drive and willingness to learn from mistakes to avoid overstressing in this role.

Common Social Media Strategist Work Day

Now, we’ll discuss the day-to-day lifestyle of a social media strategist.

Social Media Strategist Tasks & Duties

After arriving to work, your first task will involve checking the brand’s profiles and responding to any queries or reviews from customers.

Plus, you’ll be checking for any mentions.

Once that’s complete, you’ll be revising the social media plan and working on any pending campaigns with the marketing team.

Afterward, you may then need to create the content for upcoming posts and publish revised work.

Up next is tracking your social media’s performance through specialized analytics and devising improvements.

In this case, you’ll likely be in a meeting with the social media and marketing team.

Social Media Strategist Work Hours & Schedule

Working hours for social media specialists tend to range between 35 to 40 hours per week.

When it comes to a schedule, it mainly depends on your employer.

For instance, you can work a classic nine-to-five.

Nonetheless, you may need to be working around the clock during evenings and weekends to monitor social media profiles.

Social Media Strategist Dress Code

You can’t go wrong with business casual in a social media professional setting.

This is especially critical during team meetings and networking with influencers and other professionals.

Does This Career Field Embrace Work/Life Balance?

In terms of work/life balance, this mainly goes back to the work environment of the company you’re working with.

Nevertheless, you can achieve this balance independently by only working within company hours and setting realistic expectations.

Additionally, taking a break is mandatory. Otherwise, overworking will only lead to sub-par results that you’ll ultimately feel unsatisfied with.

Social Media Strategist Salary and Income

After identifying the role’s opportunities and lifestyle, it’s time to look at the job’s income.

The US national mean average is around $58,260.

This means that if the social media specialist role advertised offers more than that, it could be considered good money.

Fortunately, most roles above entry level offer a higher salary than the national average.

On average, a social media specialist can make around $41,000 to $65,000 per year.

Apart from that, the salary can depend on several factors such as place of employment and years of experience.

For instance, three years of experience can garner over $62,000, while entry-level positions gain a yearly $48,000 to $53,0000.

Overview of the Social Media Strategist Industry

The social media strategist industry offers prospects of growth ranging from becoming a social media manager, trainer, or even a director.

The industry continues to grow as social media has encapsulated over 4.48 billion global users.

Social Media Strategist Field: Career Progression

Upon entrance into the social media field, you’ll likely begin in an entry-level position, such as an intern.

You’ll then progress to an individual contributor, whether a specialist, coordinator, or trainer.

Afterward, a promotion can lead you to become a social media manager.

With more years of experience gathered, you might then earn a Director of Social Media title.

Finally, the top of the industry chain is the Vice-President of Social Media followed by the Chief Marketing Officer.

Is a Social Media Strategist a Good Career?

A social media strategist job is a good career for those looking to continuously challenge themselves and express their creativity through content.

The job is also highly rewarding, especially if you’re a social media buff and enjoy interacting with customers and influencers.

The future of social media strategy is showing signs of advancement and growth for at least the next five years.

The predicted job growth rate of media specialists is around 8% from the years 2021 to 2031.

Demand for Social Media Strategists

With social media use continuously rising, the demand for social media strategists exponentially follows suit.

Most businesses nowadays always employ social media assistance.

A profile is easy enough to create, but consistently engaging target consumers with attention-grabbing content requires professional help.

• Social media strategists can generate impressive results with social commerce revenue skyrocketing at %724 billion.
• On top of that, the expected growth rate from 2022 to 2030 may reach up to a promising 30.8%.

Jobs Related to Social Media Strategist

If you’re interested in other related positions, here are some below that might spark your interest.

• Copywriter: This role involves creating engaging written content for a company’s marketing plans and social media platforms.
• Communications Manager: Similar to social media specialists, communication managers are responsible for media relations, both external and internal.
• Media Researcher: As a researcher, you’ll be tasked to prepare social media plans and record a company’s social media performance.

Requirements, Skills, and Education Required for Social Media Strategists

Not anyone can handle a social media strategist role. Here’s what it takes.

Who Should Consider a Social Media Strategist Career Path?

You could consider this role if you’re looking for an entrance into the media, communications, and marketing sectors.

Who Should NOT Consider a Social Media Strategist Career Path?

I wouldn’t recommend this job to those with several personal commitments. Since the career is tasking, you may find it difficult to manage your time well.

Is It Hard to Become a Social Media Strategist?

With my previous experience as a social media specialist, I’d say the role was challenging.

It needed lots of energy and research.

The difficulty mainly stems from the multi-faceted nature of the job as well.

What Do I Need to Become a Social Media Strategist?

Luckily, the requirements to become a social media strategist are attainable, for the most part.

Check out more details below.

Requirements for Becoming a Social Media Strategist

To become a successful social media strategist, you need to have the ability to create impressionable content.

Essentially, this means having a wide knowledge of social media platforms.

This can help in achieving your KPIs, social SEO targets, and web traffic goals.

What Skills Does a Social Media Strategist Need?

Social media strategists need to be:

• Creative writers
• Collaborators
• Organized
• Versatile
• Fast-learners
• Multi-taskers
• Excellent researchers
• Well-versed in customer relations

What Education Does a Social Media Strategist Need?

A bachelor’s degree in a relevant field is usually required for social media strategists.

Can You Become a Social Media Strategist Without a Degree?

Yes, you can.

Nevertheless, you may need to compensate for the lack of a degree with some professional expertise.

You can gain it hands-on or through relevant online courses.

What Experience Does a Social Media Strategist Need?

Most job requirements may ask for approximately three to five years of experience to become a social media strategist.

Social Media Strategist Education & Schooling

With growing job prospects, you’ll likely find multiple education and schooling options to become a social media strategist.

What is Taught in a Social Media Strategist Course?

• Social media advertisement strategies
• How to create a social media plan
• Monitoring and response strategies in social media
• Building customer relations through social media
• Expanding a brand’s reach and exposure on social media

How Long Does a Social Media Strategist Course Take?

Since there’s a myriad of social media strategist course options to explore, you’ll find several completion time options.

Some can take as short as 6 hours, while more advanced choices can go for 20 hours.

Meanwhile, other courses can take 13 to 18 hours to complete.

Social Media Strategist Education Options and Degree Programs

Getting a degree will increase your chances of getting callbacks for social media specialist positions.

Bachelor’s Degree

The best bachelor’s degree programs I’d recommend to enroll in major in areas such as

• Journalism
• Marketing
• Business
• Communications
• Media Studies
• Public Relations
• Advertising

Master’s Degree

If you’re willing to go the extra mile, a master’s degree can earn you a higher position in the social media industry such as a manager or director.

Here are some relevant options.

• Digital Marketing
• Social Media and Society
• Digital Communication and Social Media
• International New Media Journalism
• Community Manager and Social Media

Schools for Social Media Strategists

If you’re looking for university recommendations, here are some highly-rated choices.

• Northwestern University
• Pennsylvania State University
• Harper College
• St. Phillip’s College

Steps to Become a Social Media Strategist

Check out our steps below to enter the world of a social media strategist.

1. Obtain an educational standard such as a bachelor’s degree.
2. Apply for an intern position.
3. Build your expertise through industry-relevant courses and certifications.
4. Consider building your own platform.
5. Develop a portfolio.
6. Apply for a social media strategist position.

Frequently Asked Questions

Wrapping Up

A social media strategist career can widen your horizons in the digital industry.

With high career growth projections and prospectus, you can obtain job security.

Having said that, social media strategists work to create an ideal social media image for their clients.

This image can determine the company’s social commerce revenue.

Overall, a successful strategist will gain wide reachability, build meaningful customer relations, and consistently post captivating content.

Once gaining more expertise, you can progress your career towards becoming a manager, director, and finally officer.