Several brands use social media platforms to reach their target audiences, build brand loyalty, drive sales, and increase revenue. According to DataReportal, the USA had over 239.0 million social media users in January 2024, which is about 70.1 percent of the country’s total population. Statista once reported that over 91% of U.S. businesses use social media for marketing. This applies to companies across the globe, too. Customers and clients are in this space, and businesses have to shove their products or services in their faces. Over time, this has led to a growing demand for skilled social media managers, as businesses struggle to manage their social media presence alongside their other goals and objectives. They look for experts who’ll help them maximize these platforms. The question is, can you be a social media manager with no experience? Yes, you can.
On average, a social media manager earns more than $64, 000 annually, and you too can get a fair share of this figure. Join me as we unravel the secrets of starting and excelling in social media management without experience.
Key Points
- A social media manager is someone who manages, oversees, and executes brands’ or individual social media strategies.
- The primary responsibilities of social media managers include strategy development, content creation, community engagement, campaign management, analytics and reporting, social listening, platform management, relationship building, and so on.
- You’ll need excellent communication and writing skills, creativity and design skills, analytical abilities, and basic design skills to be a social media manager.
- You can learn the basics of social media management by taking advantage of free online courses, volunteering to manage social media for local businesses or non-profit organizations, and building a portfolio to showcase your work and skills.
- Learning to understand a brand’s voice and target audience, creating a content calendar to plan posts, using tools like Canva for eye-catching graphics, scheduling posts with Hootsuite, and engaging with followers to build a loyal community are the basics tips you must learn, and understand as a social media manager.
Who is a Social Media Manager?
A social media manager manages, oversees, and executes brands’ or individual social media strategies. Regardless of the company, the roles of social media managers remain the same. These include planning, implementing, managing, and monitoring the presence and performance of the brand across various social media platforms. I love McDonald’s and will not hesitate to engage with any post or campaign they put across their social media handles. However, those posts were not made by the CEO or COO of McDonald’s but by their social media manager.
What are the Primary Roles of Social Media Managers?
A social media manager wears many hats, from content creator and strategist to analyst and community manager. The primary responsibilities of social media managers include the following:
- Strategy Development: This involves developing a comprehensive social media strategy aligned with the company’s marketing goals and objectives.
- Content Creation: This involves creating and curating engaging content for social media posts, including text, images, videos, and other multimedia formats.
- Community Engagement: Here, social media managers engage with the audience by responding to comments, messages, and inquiries promptly and professionally.
- Campaign Management: Here, they plan and execute social media campaigns, contests, promotions, and advertisements to increase brand awareness and engagement.
- Analytics and Reporting: This involves monitoring social media analytics to track performance metrics such as reach, engagement, follower growth, and conversions, using insights to optimize future strategies.
- Social Listening: This involves monitoring online conversations and trends relevant to the brand, industry, or competitors and leveraging insights for strategic decision-making.
- Platform Management: This involves managing and maintaining the organization’s presence on various social media platforms, ensuring consistent branding and messaging.
- Relationship Building: This involves cultivating relationships with influencers, partners, and stakeholders to amplify the brand’s reach and impact on social media.
Read Also: 17 Must-Have Content Creation Tools for Social Media
Basic Skills in Social Media Management
The following are the basic skill sets of a social media manager:
- Communication and writing skills
- Creativity and design
- Organizational skills
- Analytical abilities
- Basic design skills
How to Become a Social Media Manager With No Experience
Social media management is one of the most in-demand digital marketing skills. Brands are constantly looking for ways to increase their visibility and record more sales, and they need someone to help them achieve it. The amazing thing about this career is that it doesn’t necessarily require a college degree. Your experience, portfolio, and expertise are enough to land you a job. Even with no experience, you can become a social media manager by learning the basics and advancing your career through the following steps:
#1. Platform Mastery
Familiarize yourself with the major social media platforms—Facebook, Instagram, Twitter (X), LinkedIn, Threads, and TikTok. Each has unique features and audiences. According to Pew Research, 69% of adults in the U.S. use Facebook, making it a critical platform for small businesses.
#2. Build Your Knowledge Base
With no experience, acquiring basic knowledge about who a social media manager is and what they do is your next step. Focus on understanding different social media platforms, content creation, audience engagement, and analytics. Luckily, the internet is brimming with resources to get you up to speed. To build your knowledge base, you can access free and paid web courses. You can also read blog posts and articles.
- Online Courses: For online courses, platforms like Coursera, Udemy, LinkedIn Learning, and several others offer courses on social media marketing. Some of these resources are free, while others are paid. Ensure you get certification after completion because it’ll be a plus to your portfolio.
- Read Blog Posts, Books, and Articles: Several blog posts and articles on search engines will give you a head start on how to start a career as a social media manager with no experience. You can also read books like “Jab, Jab, Jab, Right Hook” by Gary Vaynerchuk, “The Art of Social Media” by Guy Kawasaki, and so on.
#3. Building Your Brand
The best way to demonstrate your skills is by showcasing your social media presence. Create professional profiles on platforms like LinkedIn, Instagram, and Twitter. Your social media profiles are your digital resume, and most companies will demand your LinkedIn profile links for an assessment before signing a contract with you. Building your brand begins with optimizing your online presence to reflect your burgeoning expertise. Besides these, share content that reflects your interests and expertise in social media management. You can also post regularly on your social media accounts, focusing on high-quality content and engaging with your audience.
- Professional Profiles: Ensure your LinkedIn and other profiles are professional. Secondly, use a high-quality photo and a compelling bio that highlights your skills.
- Content Creation: Start a blog or a YouTube channel where you discuss social media strategies, tips, and trends. This showcases your knowledge and positions you as an emerging expert. I once created a blog and analyzed its social media campaigns. This helped me understand what works and why.
- Networking: Don’t underestimate the power of networking because it can lead to opportunities and valuable insights. You can get recommendations, expertise, and experience from it. Join industry groups and engage with professionals.
#4. Gaining Practical Experience
You must build your experience portfolio because top brands will only hire you based on your experience and expertise. To gain practical experience, you can do the following:
- Volunteer: You can volunteer your services to non-profits or local businesses for a while. For instance, I volunteered to manage the handles of a local animal shelter. It was an amazing decision that enriched my experience.
- Internships: Seek internships in marketing departments or digital agencies. Even unpaid positions can provide critical experience.
- Freelancing: Platforms like Upwork and Fiverr offer freelance gigs. Start with small projects to build your reputation.
#5. Learn How to Create Social Media Strategies for Small Businesses
Developing a social media strategy is a fundamental skill for a social media manager. This is the core of your profession as a social media manager, but how can you achieve this with no experience? There’s a checklist guide that will be of immense help to you in this guide; meanwhile, check out the steps below:
- Understand Goals: Every business has a goal, a voice, a language style, and a communication tone. You won’t record much success if you don’t understand this. Therefore, meet with the business owner to understand their objectives and target audience. Then, understand their tone and style of communication. This will inform your strategy. For example, a bakery might aim to increase foot traffic through local promotions on Instagram.
- Decide What Communication Style to Use, as well as Where and When: Which social media platforms will you be using? What type of content appeals to the users and target audience in that space? For instance, videos sell more on Instagram than on Twitter, (X). Choose platforms that align with the business’s audience and goals.
- Content Calendar: After understanding the brand’s goal, plan your content. A well-organized calendar ensures consistency and variety. Tools like Trello or Asana can help keep your content organized.
#6. Learn How To Execute and Manage Social Media Campaigns
Execution involves creating engaging content and interacting with the audience. The steps below will help you learn execution strategies as a social media manager with no experience:
- Content Creation: Visual content, such as images and videos, generates up to 94% more views compared to text-only content, according to HubSpot. To create this, you can use tools like Canva to create simple content.
- Scheduling: Schedule posts for times when the audience is most active. You can use Hootsuite, Buffer, and so on for scheduling posts on platforms.
- Engagement: Respond to comments and messages promptly. Engagement builds trust and loyalty.
#7. Learn How to Measure Success and Adjust Strategies
Employers want value for their money. They want to see results in increased engagement, sales, and revenue. Tracking and analyzing performance is one of the methods I use to measure the success of campaigns. A social media manager must learn how to measure success and adjust strategy metrics for small businesses, even if you are starting with no experience. I monitor KPIs using analytical tools, and you can achieve similar results too.
- KPIs: Monitor key performance indicators such as engagement rate, reach, and conversions. A Sprout Social study found that 41% of marketers consider engagement data to be the most important metric for social media success.
- Analytics Tools: Use platform-specific tools (like Facebook Insights) and third-party tools like Google Analytics to measure the success of your campaigns.
- Adjusting Strategies: Use the data to refine your strategies. Be flexible and willing to try new approaches if something isn’t working.
Other Steps Includes:
#1. Be Updated with Industry Trends
I started Facebook advertising in 2020 and took a break in 2021 because I was working on other projects. In 2022, most of Facebook’s campaign objectives were merged, and the Business Manager was upgraded. It took a while for me to understand the platform and navigate my way around it again. The Meta-Business suit can be confusing if you stay out of it for a while. This is because Meta, like other platforms, keeps updating their platforms. Therefore, the social media landscape is ever-changing. To stay up-to-date, do the following:
- Industry Blogs, and Podcasts: Follow leaders and stay updated with the latest trends and best practices. Blogs like Social Media Examiner and podcasts like “The Science of Social Media” are excellent resources.
- Webinars and Conferences: Participate in online webinars and attend conferences for continuous learning and networking.
- Continuous Learning: Never stop learning. Enroll in courses and earn certifications to keep your skills sharp.
#2. Showcase Your Results
When applying for positions, highlight the results you’ve achieved. Use metrics like follower growth, engagement rates, and successful campaigns to demonstrate your impact. Create a digital portfolio and include case studies of your social media work, complete with metrics and visual examples.
Read Also: LinkedIn Social Media Strategy: A 7-Step Guide to Creating a Winning LinkedIn Social Media Strategy (+ Examples and Template)
What Skills Are Needed to Become a Social Media Manager With No Experience?
The following are some of the skills you need to become a social media manager:
- Effective writing and communication
- Creativity and visual content creation
- Familiarity with social media platforms
- Basic graphic design
- Analytical skills
How Can I Start a Career in Social Media Management With No Prior Experience?
Begin by managing your own social media accounts like a professional. Take advantage of free online courses, volunteer to manage social media for local businesses or nonprofits, and build a portfolio to showcase your work and skills.
Tips for Managing Social Media for Small Businesses as a Beginner
Whether you are a beginner, an expert, or a social media manager with no experience, understanding a brand’s voice and target audience, creating a content calendar to plan posts, using tools like Canva for eye-catching graphics, scheduling posts with Hootsuite, and engaging with followers to build a loyal community are the basics of tips you must learn, and understand as a social media manager.
Steps to Landing Your First Social Media Management Job
A friend of mine started and landed her first job as a social media manager with the steps below:
- Gain experience through internships/volunteering
- Crafting a compelling resume and cover letter
- Create a compelling professional portfolio
- Preparing for interviews
- Networking and leveraging connections
Lamphills’ Checklist to Creating a Compelling Content Strategy for Brands
Download Lamphills’ Checklist for Creating a Compelling Content Strategy for Brands
How Can I Learn Social Media Management on a Budget?
You can learn social media management on a budget by accessing free resources on blogs, YouTube, and other platforms that offer free courses, such as Coursera and HubSpot. Besides these, participate in social media groups and forums to learn from other professionals’ experiences.
How Much Do Social Media Managers Earn?
As of this write-up, ZipRecruiter reports that a social media manager makes about $64,845 a year. That’s about $31.18 an hour, $1,247 a week, and $5,403 a month if you break it down.
What are the Essential Tools for Social Media Managers With No Experience?
The following are some of the tools available to a social media manager with or with no experience:
- Canva: Canva is used for creating graphics
- Buffer or Hootsuite: These are used for scheduling posts
- Google Analytics: Google Analytics is used to track performance
- Trello or Asana: These are organizational tools
Can I Gain Practical Experience in Social Media Management Without a Job?
Sure, you can. Volunteering for non-profit organizations, starting a blog or YouTube channel, interning with small businesses, or joining online social media projects and challenges are diverse ways to gain hands-on experience.
Are There Free Online Courses for Aspiring Social Media Managers?
Yes, there are free online courses for aspiring social media managers. Some platforms offer comprehensive lessons on various aspects of social media management. They include:
- HubSpot Academy
- Google’s Digital Garage
- LinkedIn Learning
Best Practices for Small Business Social Media Management
The best practices for small business social media management are as follows:
- Begins with developing a clear strategy
- Post consistently
- Use analytics to gauge what works
- Engage with your audience
How Can I Leverage Personal Social Media Accounts for Career Growth in Social Media Management?
To leverage a personal social media account for career growth in SMM, be willing to do the following:
- Create engaging content
- Grow your followers
- Experiment with different social media strategies
- Highlight successes and learnings professionally
Conclusion
With perseverance, passion, and the acquisition of relevant skills, you can be a successful social media manager for a small business even without experience. Every expert was once a beginner, you too can find a niche in this field. Ready to take the bold step? I’m rooting for you!
Related Articles
- Influencer Marketing KPIs: Best Practices and Tools to Measure Campaigns
- LinkedIn Social Media Strategy: A 7-Step Guide to Creating a Winning LinkedIn Social Media Strategy (+ Examples and Template)
- Top 11 Social Media Marketing Agencies for Small Businesses I Recommend in 2024
References
