Socialising for success

Gone are the days when marketing meant distributing leaflets, putting up billboards, or printing classifieds. Today, social media is the first point of contact between the audience and the brand. We don’t completely negate the traditional marketing tools like postcards, brochures, fliers, or tradeshows, but let’s be honest, social media is the most cost-effective way to promote your business and advertise your products and services today. And this is where the social media managers come into play, who help in maintaining a brand’s online presence, engage with followers, and establish trust with the audience. In simple terms, you can also call them brand advocates.

Before we dig deeper, let’s look at some numbers. According to Hootsuite, over 4.74 billion people across the world use social media. More than 93 percent of internet users are social media users. In 2022, the number of social media users increased by 4.2%. Over 75% of the world’s population aged 13 and above uses social media and people spend an average of two hours and 28 minutes per day on social media worldwide.

So, why is social media marketing becoming the need of the hour? In fact, if your business is not on social media, you are probably out of business. Social media allows real-time feedback and two-way communication, which helps businesses better understand their customers and tailor their products and services to meet their needs.

An experienced social media manager will provide businesses with valuable insights and data that can help them improve their overall marketing strategies. He will create valuable content, engage with followers, and build a loyal fan base. He will analyse engagement metrics, click-through rates, and other performance indicators, and help the businesses gain a better understanding of what works and what doesn’t. Accordingly, businesses can adjust their approach and improve their results over time.

“Social media marketing and social media managers have become highly relevant today because social media platforms have become one of the primary channels for communication and marketing. With the widespread use of social media, businesses and brands can connect with their target audience and engage with them on a more personal level, thereby building relationships and brand loyalty. Social media managers play a crucial role in ensuring the success of social media marketing campaigns. They are responsible for creating and curating content, planning and executing social media campaigns, and analysing data to measure the effectiveness of the campaigns. With the increasing importance of social media in the business world, the demand for social media managers has risen significantly, making it a highly sought-after career option,” said Ranjita Raman, CEO, Jaro Education.

Guwahati’s Nabanita Deb has been working as a social media manager for several years now. What started as an internship has turned into a full-fledged career. Today, Nabanita is responsible for planning, executing, and optimising advertising campaigns for several well-known brands. She analyses campaign performance using various metrics and analytics tools to measure the Return On Investment (ROI) and make data-backed decisions.

Did you know that ad spending on social media is projected to reach over $268 billion in 2023? Last year, marketers spent $65.31 billion on social media advertising. As much as it is important to maintain a brand reputation online, social media managers need to stay constantly updated with the changes in different platforms and algorithms. A subject matter expert needs to have a keen eye to make sure the brand grows at a constant pace on social media.

“Social media marketing has become an essential component of marketing strategies for businesses of all sizes and industries. With the widespread adoption of social media platforms, such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn among others, companies are using them to reach and engage with their target audience, promote their products or services, and build their brand online. As a result, there is a growing demand for professionals with skills and experience in social media marketing. According to LinkedIn’s 2021 Emerging Jobs Report, social media marketing was one of the top 10 most in-demand skills in India. The report also noted a 52% year-on-year growth rate for social media marketing jobs,” said Dr Bhupesh Manoharan, assistant professor, marketing, Masters’ Union.

Today, many certificate and professional courses are available in digital marketing, digital strategy and marketing analytics, and advanced strategy for products and marketing. Also, social media marketing offers various career options barring social media managers. You can choose to become a social media strategist, content creator, social media analyst, influencer marketing specialist, social media advertising specialist or community manager.

So, how much does a social media manager earn? “The salary of a social media manager can vary depending on several factors, including the size of the company, the industry, the location, and the individual’s experience and qualifications. However, in general, the job of a social media manager can be quite lucrative. According to PayScale, the average salary for a social media manager in India is around Rs 4,33,000 per year, but this can vary widely depending on factors such as the individual’s level of experience, the company they work for, and the location of the job. Some social media managers earn more than Rs 5,000,000 per year while entry-level positions may offer salaries around Rs 5,00,000 per year,” said Dr Manoharan.

In 2013, Animesh Ganguly started as a social media manager in Kolkata. Most of his clients were Bengali celebrities working in films and TV. In 2016, he founded his own digital marketing company, which later became a production house too. Today, he has more than 20 social media managers working for him. Ganguly told Millennium Post how the social media marketing landscape has changed. “Earlier, social media was post-driven, but today, social media marketing means almost heading a production team. We have a photographer, videographer, editor, and content creator to boost a brand’s presence online. With several social media tools like Instagram videos and reels, the landscape is continuously changing. Also, today everything on social media is revenue specific. So, a lot of brainstorming goes into designing a strategy to suit a brand. Social media is a more effective tool than traditional marketing,” he said.