Last Updated: November 4, 2020
Social media is one of the fastest growing marketing fields, but that shouldn’t be a surprise to anyone who understands the positive benefits of consumer interaction.
Even before the Internet, companies knew that engaging consumers in the marketing and product development process was one of the best ways to increase buzz and interest in the company. Today, Internet users speak with each other on a daily basis about anything from life, to school, to what products they just bought.
To ensure that consumers are talking about their specific products, companies hire social media strategists to plan out online media outreach campaigns.
What do they do?
Location and Opportunity
According to Indeed.com, several locations are most in need of social media strategists. Some of these include:
Social media strategists are experts at managing online communities. They understand how to identify target users who might be interested in a particular product or service, and detail ways for businesses to reach those users.
After social media strategists identify which users a business should be targeting, they look at the kinds of communication channels they use. Whether they’re part of a social networking site, blog, or forum, social media strategists understand the key ways to engage users.
For sites like Facebook, this could involve offering special deals on products for “liking” a page. Sometimes they also might develop promotional contests where users submit stories or reviews of a product to win a prize. In any case, the overall goal of any social media strategist is to get consumers talking about the business they represent.
When developing their web outreach strategies, they engage with numerous social media marketing professionals, including:
Qualifications
Our Recommended Schools
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Grand Canyon University (GCU)
GCU's Colangelo College of Business offers leading edge degrees that address the demands of contemporary business environments.
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Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU)
Explore the bond between business and consumer behavior with a degree in marketing.
Social media strategists have spent years developing an online presence, and understand the ins and outs of social media outreach. They should have strong analytical skills, and are able to craft strategy proposals detailing budget scenarios and potential return on investment for marketing directors.
Companies require most social media strategists to earn at least a bachelor’s degree in marketing before taking on the job.
Getting the Job
The average salary for a social media strategist in August of 2012 was $79,000. Social media strategists who not only can show aptitude for engaging consumers, but also planning out multiple outreach risk scenarios could be valued even more.
If you’re interested in learning more about a career engaging potential customers over the Internet, contact schools offering marketing degrees.