Social media has made a huge impact on the way we do business and communicate—and it isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. If you are a Millennial or part of Gen Z, then you have probably spent most of your teen-to-adult life using social media platforms, including Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube, Instagram, Snapchat, and Tik Tok. And, while many of the older adults in your life may have once rolled their eyes, being social media savvy is an advantage that can set you apart in today's world. 

Did you know there are full-time careers that revolve around successfully using social media? With so many brands and organizations online, there is a big need for professionals who can navigate the platforms and provide a cohesive virtual presence for brands. Brands need professionals who truly understand the newest trends hitting the industry. 

Here are ten different social media jobs and the average salaries that go with them.

1. Social Media Strategist

If you understand the platforms and are interested in growing followers for brands, then a social media strategist job could be the perfect fit for you. Strategists typically cover a number of social media platforms for the brand (or brands) that employ them. These professionals work closely with sales and marketing to help align social media activity with overarching brand goals for growth and revenue.

A social media strategist must be well-versed in the various social media platforms, understanding the posting etiquette differences that set them apart (like use of hashtags or length of posts). You will need to understand the social media marketing key performance indicators (KPIs) that matter most to brands—going far beyond vanity metrics, like likes and follower counts. You will need to be good at working with other teams, coordinating your contributions with the overarching marketing strategy.

Payscale reports the average annual salary of a social media strategist is $42k-$60k.

2. Social Media Analyst

If you love crunching numbers and reviewing data, then you could get a job helping brands understand their social media presence. A social media analyst will look at data and trends to consider the best course of action for a brand to take. You will be in charge of measuring social return on investment (ROI) and helping the brand make smart financial decisions in their strategy.

You should be proficient in Excel and spend plenty of time in the social media realms. You will likely be in charge of social listening as well—tracking conversations about the brand, products, services, employees or industry that might have an impact on direction. You should have a firm grasp of basic marketing and advertising practices so you can help manage campaigns.

According to Salary.com, the average social media analyst will make between $66k-$79k annually.

3. Content Marketing Manager

As a content marketing manager, you would be in charge of planning and facilitating all aspects of a company’s content marketing efforts, including content creation, promotion, and analytics. In this role, you will need to understand what kind of content works best for social media audiences and what content is better suited for increasing organic search results from search engines.

Content marketing managers should have a firm grasp of language, SEO, and communication. To run successful campaigns, you will need to be creative and organized. You might be in charge of writers or a team of content creators, helping guide the brand’s voice—so, you will need leadership skills with a strong vision and ability to collaborate.

According to Salary.com, the average content marketing manager will make between $66k-$79k.

4. Marketing Manager

If you enjoy the ins-and-outs of marketing along with social media, then managing the marketing team of a company could offer an exciting challenge. A marketing manager is going to guide the whole marketing department. You will have to oversee deadlines and monitor campaigns with a broader marketing strategy in place. This will require a deep understanding of writing, advertising, SEO, UX, web design, target audiences, buyer journeys, and so much more.

In order to be a strong marketing manager, you should thrive in digital spaces and have a firm grasp of digital marketing tools. You will need to work well with others, helping them see your vision. You will need to listen well to your teams, brand and target audiences as well.

The average salary for a marketing manager on Payscale is $60k-$75k.

5. Brand Manager

Brand managers have less to do with the actual social media platforms and more to do with the direction of the brand. You will be responsible for setting apart the image or products of the brand. A brand manager will research the marketplace to know where a product needs to fit for the best positioning. You will work closely with marketing and sales to determine strategies, analyze prices, research competition, and evaluate sales.

This role will require a profound understanding of the market. You will need plenty of creativity and just as much intuition. It will be crucial you can form trust with the stakeholders—especially the department heads and company leaders that will need to agree with your brand vision. You should have a strong business sense and understanding of budget management as a brand manager.

ZipRecruiter lists a brand manager salary as $75k-$88k on average.

6. Social Media Community Manager

Many companies and organizations build their social media beyond a simple branded page. The social groups might be made up of consumers, brand fans, students, or prospects. A social media manager helps maintain and monitor the groups. This job includes growing the group and increasing engagement rates.

To succeed as a community manager, your understanding of social media will be key. You should have a natural connection with people. Your ability to communicate online and maintain peace among members is incredibly important to ensure each member has a sense of group ownership.

A social media community manager will make $46k-$72k on average, according to Salary.com.

7. Digital Marketing Specialist

As brands increase their digital marketing, they need marketing specialists skilled with the digital components of their marketing strategy. A digital marketer will be part of establishing the brand direction, brand image, target market, and marketing strategy. You might choose to specialize in areas like digital ads (PPC specialist), search engine optimization (SEO specialist), specific social media platforms, or email marketing.

In order to become a digital marketing specialist, you will want to narrow your focus and hone your skills. Brands looking to outsource part of their marketing strategy look for specialists who have a deep understanding of the areas they want help creating or managing. You will still need to understand the market and be well versed in the basics of marketing.

According to ZipRecruiter, a digital marketing specialist makes $48k-$58k on average.

8. Public Relations Manager

If you know how to present a strong image no matter the circumstance, then the role of PR manager may be right for you. PR managers are hired to continually present a favorable public image for the brands that employ them. This will include digital press releases, media kits, media responses and controlling various other aspects of the brand’s public image.

Since social media is a major part of the brand’s virtual face, the public relations manager should have a good understanding of the platforms the brand is using. If you are interested in becoming a PR manager, you will want to have a talent for long-term reputation management, formulating strategic talking points and connecting to the public. You should be very skilled at both oral and written forms of communication for PR work.

Salary.com reports the average salary for public relations (PR) manager $97k-$127k.

9. Digital Advertiser

Online ads include social media ads, web banners, search engine ads, mobile app ads, and more. In order to widen a brand’s reach, a digital advertiser is hired to help create ads and buy cost-effective promotions to target the best audience.

Digital advertisers need to be skilled at budgeting and proving ROI. You should understand strong messaging and how to appeal to a target audience. Digital advertisers need to understand design and graphics too.

According to Payscale, a digital advertiser will make $56k-$70k each year.

10. Copywriter

If you enjoy writing, become a copywriter. Brands need a lot of content to fill their blogs, emails, web pages, white papers, product descriptions, social media posts, and more. As a copywriter, you can specialize in one form of content or offer a broad range of services. Copywriters are sometimes in charge of ideation, writing, editing, and posting content.

As a copywriter, you should have a very strong command of the written language and be able to type quickly. You will need to understand branding, marketing, advertising, and business in order to provide your clients with the content that they need for their marketing strategies.

According to Indeed, the average copywriter makes $52k-$70k per year.

If you’re interested in a career in social media, earn your bachelor's degree in digital marketing & social media. For more information, complete the Request Info form, call 855-JWU-1881, or email [email protected].