We have already shared the 6 Digital Marketing trends you really don't want to sleep on, but let's take a look at the real 21st century superhero; the Social Media Manager.
Social media marketing never stops evolving. Right now, there’s a knowledge gap for practitioners in our industry.
Ask the nearest social media manager (there are probably a few at your coffee spot) how they got their job—really though, actually try it!
You're likely to hear something along the lines of "well, it sort of just happened" or "my supervisor asked me to try managing our socials... and over time it sort of became my job." Now that social media has been around for well over a decade (long are the days of landlines), some marketers intend to work in this evolving field from the very start of their careers. However, the majority of people enter social marketing from fields such as English, communications, and even political science—all without any formal training in digital marketing.
Even social media managers who have completed marketing or business programmes are unprepared for the social media chaos. Even though universities pride themselves of having meticulously planned classes and practices, even the most adaptable programmes struggle to keep up with every new social media change.
Why this is important:
Covering the fundamentals of social media as part of a larger digital marketing course is not the same as providing in-depth training in social marketing tactics, content creation, and strategy.
The fundamentals could include creating a social content calendar. But what about offering customer service on social media? Or the ever-changing possibilities of social commerce? Marketing schools are not to blame; social change is simply too fast for most people to keep up with.
Don't get me wrong, self-learning has its shortcomings too.
With no formal social media education and the industry changing on a daily basis, social media managers must constantly teach not only their coworkers but also themselves. It's difficult to learn a dozen skills that could all be separate jobs while keeping the boss happy.
With no formal standards, the industry is rocketing out of countrol
Consider spending your morning creating content, your afternoon creating analytics reports for curious stakeholders, and your evening dealing with a PR crisis on Twitter. Will you have the energy to learn about the TikTok algorithm or automate customer service later? Most likely not.
Because no one has the time to learn everything, different social media managers tend to specialise in certain areas.
Why you are still reading this:
Because it's no longer the 2010s. Social media has grown to be an essential channel of communication across all industries, and your team must be adept at many tactics rather than specialists in a few.
Brands will spend 24.5 percent of their marketing budgets on social media by 2026, nearly doubling pre-pandemic levels (13.3 percent ). In other words, social teams are carrying a larger bag with each passing year, and you are at greater risk each quarter that your social team does not receive the necessary training.
So let's give the Superhero the space they need to fly
1. Provide space for self-education
Socials will - evidently - not stop changing; so your team needs to keep up.
We're not suggesting that you send them all to marketing school! As previously said, the regular curriculum cannot keep up with the constant growth of society. We're not suggesting that your social media managers complete this training on their own time. Social media managers already labour much beyond the usual 9-to-5 workday.
Instead, set aside time during working hours specifically for learning and growth, and provide chances for your social media team to learn from industry professionals. This learning method will keep your social team at the forefront of social marketing, demonstrate your company's dedication to their development, and reduce employee burnout.
Brands are only now discovering the importance of social media managers and are doubling down on their education. Brands have a huge chance right now to upskill their social staff and leave unprepared competition in the dust. Only 18% of organisations in the United States offer critical social marketing training. If huge businesses are excluded, the figure becomes considerably lower.
If that isn't enough cause to beef up your social team's training, consider this: Brands that engage in employee training earn 218 percent more per worker. Isn't that reasonable?
2. Give your Superhero the support they need
Providing your employees with the proper tools is only one piece of the problem. As previously stated, there is a significant skills gap in marketing strategy and planning, and social is no exception.
Don't simply give them a sophisticated social media management tool and then allow them to fend for themselves. Provide them with a fighting chance by using a platform which they can understand and use to grow your presence. This will guarantee that your company is getting the most out of its social media investment.
3. Your Superhero deserves a seat at the big table
Without proper education and training, social is frequently separated from the
rest of the company or considered as an afterthought used to repost promotional messages.
In actuality, social should be viewed as a key function of any contemporary firm, which requires integrating senior members of your social team into high-level strategy and planning. This will thoroughly link your social strategy with your firm's goals and objectives, as well as assist your social team understand how their work fits into the wider picture for your organisation. In addition, your social staff will get a wealth of expertise to share with your clients online.
Ready to get started? The avocadots design studio is happy to share our legendary digital marketing team with you and launch your socials with a simple click. FYI - it's the one right below!