What kind of companies are looking for social media experts?
Which marketing firms / companies should I apply to in order to use my expertise?
#socialmedia #social-media-marketing #marketing
6 answers
Jackie’s Answer
When looking at opportunities to grow and develop your expertise, hopefully you'll be able to grow in areas that really interest you and make you feel passionate. For instance, retail and e-commerce companies really need a ton of help with social media and connecting with consumers online—but I wouldn't recommend that unless you were really passionate about commerce and shopping!
And truthfully, most types of business are looking for experienced social media experts: everything from banks and tech companies, to media companies and even non-profit charities.
If you're not too sure where to start, I would recommend looking at large advertising agencies that cater social media services to a wide array of companies, from food and packaged goods, to cars, cosmetics, and so on. That could be a great way to get a sense of what kind of business you would like to develop an expertise for? And then you can eventually work for one of those companies directly.
John’s Answer
Nearly every marketing department is now pushing social media advertising and connections. The biggest remain: Google, Amazon, Microsoft, Facebook, Twitter etc. However, they are difficult to obtain acceptance (worth applying though). Look for top rated Marketing companies today or top rated tech marketing companies and you will find plenty of social media expert roles open. Do a search on the WEB. You are in a hot area so go for it.
Dana’s Answer
Hi Empris! The good news is all different kinds of companies are looking for social media experts. From toy companies, to healthcare companies, to Universities, to Netflix! All kinds of companies want to have an online presence. Social is an important marketing channel -- but also an important support channel. For this reason, all sorts of companies want to hire social media experts. They don't just want to hire you to be an expert though, they want you to engage with their customers/clients/audience in an authentic way. They want you to answer their questions, engage with them, and help them if they run into a problem.
To dive a bit deeper...
Usually these companies will be hiring someone to join their marketing team. They may want someone to only do social media, or they may want the person to do other sorts of marketing tasks as well.
For instance, I manage social media for a company called Salesforce (a tech company), specifically I manage the social for a product called Trailhead (a free online learning platform for business skills). Check out: https://twitter.com/trailhead to get an idea of our voice and tone, and what sort of things we do all day. I also have other tasks on the team besides social. I interview our successful students on the platform and write for the website, email, and host a podcast! I also do lots of other random marketing tasks that aren't only about social. But I like having the variety!
One way you might want to differentiate yourself from others who are interested in this field is learning about the social media management tools that companies use, and learning how to evaluate a successful campaign! When I interview people interested in marketing I always ask, "and how would you measure success?" It's important to know not only how to be fun and engaging but also how to analyze the data and replicate successes and learn from mistakes.
Some of my favorite blogs to follow or websites to read are:
https://moz.com/blog/category/social-media
https://sproutsocial.com/insights/
https://neilpatel.com/blog/
Dana recommends the following next steps:
Robert’s Answer
Margarita’s Answer
Karen’s Answer
Seriously, when todays' business is no longer "WORD of mouth" but "WORLD of mouth", every company must have a social media presence, and a process to manage what customers think of you and your brand . I would think a rewarding place to start would be a small business in your community... that would really appreciate your expertise and help them grow!