Social media is very different today than it was ten years ago, when people logged on to Facebook to poke their friends and share photos with their families. Businesses are now a large part of the social media landscape, and people are engaging with them on these platforms.
Facebook estimates that over fifty million small businesses engage with customers through Facebook Pages—and those businesses need successful social media marketers who can make an impact and run effective marketing campaigns on any social platform.
So what are some traits these people share? Check out the list below to see if you have what it takes to be a stellar social media marketer.
1. Passionate about the Topic and Social Media
A key part of working in social media is having a passion for interactive marketing. This passion goes well beyond taking beautiful photos and using the right hashtags on Instagram. When you work for a brand you love, your enthusiasm shows in your social media posts, and the message resonates more deeply with customers.
Successful social media marketers love to write, and more than that, they love to tell a story. When they tell the story authentically, people feel something ignite within them. When you merge that love of storytelling with the passion for social media, you present a strong brand message and genuine online persona.
2. Responsive, Friendly, and Patient
Taking time to interact with and reply to followers frequently and consistently can build a truly social community. The more your customers communicate publicly about your company, the more exposure your brand has across social media channels, and you need to be where your customers are.
Being responsive means to listen first, then act. When your customers talk (or comment), they’re sharing valuable insights about your products, your company, and your customer service. If you only pay attention to notifications, you’re missing out on valuable information about your business.
When you’re patient and focus on common trends or online messages, it’s easier to extract the important details that will help you improve. For instance, after listening to and helping a frustrated customer online, business procedures can be adjusted to avoid similar issues in the future, and consumers end up happier because they feel heard.
3. Creative and Detail Oriented
Working in a creative capacity can be exciting. Your head swirls with ideas for new marketing campaigns, visuals, and blog posts. But a truly successful social media marketer knows when it’s time to dream and when it’s time to get to work. Creating and implementing social media calendars and managing various projects are crucial job requirements.
Each social media platform has different guidelines for posting, advertising, monetizing, and capturing leads. Successful social media marketers focus on the platforms that are important to and convert for the brand. They don’t spread themselves too thin or get hyperfocused on the platforms that aren’t as impactful for their businesses because they go where they’re clearly making a difference.
Social media marketers need to style, take, and edit photographs; create and edit videos; write and edit articles; and manage brand voice and positioning. Each social media channel has varied requirements. Honing in on the details and crafting creative posts can help you and your brand succeed on social media. If your skills aren’t developed in these areas, consider taking classes to improve your talents.
4. Analytical and Data Focused
Marketers can use dozens of tools to review data derived from their online posts and customer engagement. Having a love for numbers and analytics will be a key to your success in this career.
Almost anyone can read a report, but it takes an expert to see beyond the numbers and plug into the customer’s mind and behavior, then apply those findings to social media content.
Exporting the numbers you see and being curious about the whys behind the numbers helps you run more effective experiments in your marketing campaigns. Why is one campaign working better than another? Why do certain images garner more clicks and conversions? Developing conclusions from the data presented to you, running experiments to confirm your instincts, and applying those findings to future campaigns shows you’re a social media rock star.
5. Up to Date
Social media is constantly evolving. With regular updates to social apps, new app development continuing at a rapid pace, and technology always changing the game, you must keep track of what’s new and what’s trending to stay ahead in your industry.
The growing trend of smart devices and software makes it even easier to identify customer trends and quickly learn how your audience behaves. Developing technology also enhances your job as a marketer, so stay up to date on those advances.
Blocking out a specific amount of time each day to catch up on the latest trending hashtags and consume content keeps you informed, and your posting strategy can then reflect that knowledge. This small time commitment can positively impact on your social media campaigns as you move forward.
Keep this trending information organized by creating streams on Twitter with popular hashtags, follow influencers in your industry, use Google Alerts to monitor popular terms and competitors, and subscribe to popular blogs for the latest about digital marketing dos and don’ts.
6. Journalistic
The recent content marketing boom has created a lot of competition for an audience. As a social media marketer, you’re required to craft high-quality content consistently and make it engaging at the same time. To write something that hasn’t already been done 100 times, embrace your inner journalist.
For example, you could pick up the phone and arrange an interview rather than relying solely on Google for information. Going straight to the source—industry experts, influencers, etc.—allows you to get a firsthand account of the goings-on in the industry and write fresher articles.
7. Collaborative
Once you listen to the customer and extract valuable data, collaborate with other teams in your organization. Address and resolve customer service issues, work with sales and design departments to move new campaigns forward, and connect with other businesses or influencers on social media to help partner and audience growth.
8. Efficient
Your job requires you to provide your followers with valuable information through engaging posts across all your social media channels. The more popular your brand becomes, the more you’ll need to be in many places at once.
Automated software allows you to schedule your posts to so there’s always a new update on your account—even when you’re too busy to post. The secret to automating successfully is to stay engaged with your content. Whenever a scheduled post goes live, make sure you’re still available to respond to comments or share insights quickly.
9. Funny
Humor can help a company stand out on social media and appear more human. Posting with a bit of wit can keep conversations positive or turn boring content into entertaining pieces.
Businesses that sprinkle some humor into their posts are seen as more approachable and personable and customers often trust those businesses more. When you use humor in your posts, remember to keep it fun, informational, and appropriate for all readers.
10. Early to Rise
What’s the first thing you do when you wake up? More than likely, you check your phone. According to a recent survey, 46% of Americans say they check their phones before they do anything else in the morning.
By waking up early, you can engage in conversations, create new content, and handle missed notifications or messages. Consumers like quick responses and instant access to their favorite brands, so getting a jump start helps you be more effective.
The goal as a social media marketer is to make your brand stand out in the crowd and have your customers feel valued and heard. As you can see from the list above, several elements help create a standout social media marketing employee. Although the technology changes frequently and new skills are needed all the time, the above traits are the foundation of what makes a social media marketer exceptional.
What are your thoughts? Did we miss any important traits that take a social media marketer great? Comment below.