Social Media Specialist (Sample Job Description)

This Social Media Specialist job description template contains key Social Media Specialist duties and responsibilities. You can post this template on job boards to attract prospective applicants.

• What is the role of a Social Media Specialist?
• Sample Job Description

What is the role of a Social Media Specialist?

A Social Media Specialist is responsible for directly interacting with network users and virtual communities through the employer’s social media accounts to build brand awareness, which in turn, generates results/sales. Therefore, they take charge of a company’s social media platforms, interact with users and post valuable content such as videos, text, and images.

Generally, their work revolves around igniting a buzz around a topic that is associated with a brand through the creation and distribution of engaging content that people identify with. Typically, the Social Media Specialist works closely with the marketing department to improve the company’s online presence across multiple social media platforms.

Education, Training, & Certification

Ideally, an undergraduate degree and relevant work experience in a related field are prerequisites for employment in this field.

• Education: The minimum education requirements for this role include college-level coursework in Marketing, Business, Communications, and Writing, typically culminating in a Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism, Public Relations, Internet Marketing, Advertising or a related field.
• Experience: Relevant experience in a related field or proven direct experience managing or coordinating a company’s social media account is a plus. Additionally, internships and volunteer work are excellent ways to demonstrate the candidate’s writing and social media skills.
• Certification: Certification is not required but comes in handy for a promotion, raise, or a better job. Available certifications include Internet Marketing Association Certified Internet Marketer, among others.

Social Media Specialist - Skills & Competencies

To succeed as a Social Media Specialist, the skills and competencies listed below are vital.

• Fluency in social media: Hands-on skills and knowledge of multiple social media platforms and awareness of current trends.
• Excellent communication skills: Solid writing, editing, SEO, storytelling and presentation skills with a strong sense of who the segment audience is and how to meet their needs.
• Strong understanding of networking tools: Competence of networking tools, such as Hootsuite and others, that makes it possible to manage several social media accounts from a single dashboard.
• Computer and design skills: Experience using WordPress as well as other content management systems, along with working knowledge of CSS, HTML, and Photoshop.
• Excellent time-management and organizational skills: Ability to manage time and prioritize multiple competing tasks and organize them, meet deadlines and achieve goals.
• Ability to think on their feet: Ability to confidently make the right decision at the spur of the moment.
• Ability to work well with others: Not only will the candidate be required to interact with the public through online platforms on behalf of the employer, but they may be required to meet with other departments to synchronize their efforts and resolve common issues.

Job Outlook

The snowballing increase of the use of social media platforms to connect with brands means that Social Media Specialists able to nurture and seamlessly establish these connections are likely to be more in demand. This means more job openings with increased competitiveness due to the skyrocketing number of graduates entering the field.

Work Environment

Typically, this is a full-time position that will require the candidate to spend the bulk of their workday in an office environment interacting with network users and virtual communities through the computer. Additionally, the candidate may occasionally travel to attend meetings, trade shows or conventions.

Sample Job Description

Job Brief

We are looking for a qualified, motivated and innovative Social Media Specialist to join our team. As a Social Media Specialist, your responsibility will include interacting with targeted virtual communities and network users by generating and executing our social media strategy to improve our online visibility and boost our marketing efforts as well as increase sales. You will work closely with the digital marketing team, customer relations and sales team to create a social media strategy that will promote brand awareness and customer engagement.

The successful candidate should be able to gradually achieve better customer engagement, website traffic, and revenue through strategic exploitation of all aspects of social media.

Duties & Responsibilities

• Develop and implement a social media strategy through, benchmarking, platform determination, research, audience identification and messaging.
• Create regular and meaningful content for all social media platforms, including editing, publishing and sharing content daily (texts, images, video or HTML) to boost customer engagement and inspire the target audience to take action.
• Layout and optimize the company’s social media pages on every platform to improve the visibility of the company’s social content.
• Review and update user-generated content to align with the moderation policy for each platform.
• Develop editorial calendars and coordinating schedules.
• Using analytical tools to capture and evaluate relevant social insights, metrics, best practices, and then using the data to monitor and assess the company’s online performance, presence and provide positive future outcomes.
• Collaboration with various departments such as sales, customer relations, among others to oversee company’s reputation, promote brand consistency, identify key planners and coordinate actions.
• Research opportunities for new social platforms and choose up-to-date processes that fit the audience’s needs.
• Handle crisis management, bad reviews, and negative news.
• Develop and oversee meaningful connections and engage the audience through messaging and dialogue.
• Staying current on emerging trends and best practices in social media.
• Monitor user engagement and SEO and recommend content for optimization.
• Define, implement and oversee the most vital social media KPIs.
• Collaborate and communicate with copywriters, designers, industry professionals, and influencers to ensure our content is engaging and informative while also establishing a strong network in relation to the brand.
• Integrate all channels of marketing including SEO, social media, content marketing, digital marketing, and email. 

Requirements & Qualifications

• Demonstrated experience as a Social Media Marketer or a Digital Media Specialist.
• Exceptional consulting, writing, editing (photo/video/text), presentation and communication skills.
• Competence with social networking and a solid understanding of social analytics tools.
• Proven understanding of web development, web design, web traffic metrics, CRO, SMO, and SEO.
• Solid understanding of major marketing channels and online marketing.
• Team player with strong interpersonal and communication skills.
• Ability to think on your feet and make the right call when addressing hot topics.
• Keen, customer-oriented with excellent multitasking, time management, and organizational skills.
• Fluent in English.
• BS in Communications, Business, Marketing, New Media, Journalism or Public Relations.