Social media

Social media roles are rapidly growing in demand across various industries.

Working in social media could involve a combination of managing online communities, building company reputations through content creation, blogging, implementing social media strategies, and participating in forums.

Roles often include responsibilities in analytics, insights, SEO, PPC, content management and copywriting. Additionally, being a social media professional can involve creating campaigns and strategies to meet organisational goals.

Organisations of all sizes now maintain an online presence. In larger organisations, social media roles might be distinct, while in smaller companies, they could be combined with other marketing and communications activities. Social media positions are prevalent in digital marketing agencies, government bodies, higher education institutions, and a wide range of private sector companies.

Social media job titles cover all aspects of social media, such as building, managing and maintaining websites and the apps people use. Social media jobs exist in multiple industries, as many modern companies utilise social media for various reasons, such as engaging in customer relations, marketing or conducting their main operations.

Salaries vary depending on a range of factors including your location, the sector you work in, the type of organisation you work for (agency or in-house), your experience, and the success of your social media campaign activities.

Typical job titles

1. Social Media Manager

• Could involve designing and delivering social media strategies, managing day-to-day social media channels, creating engaging content, and analysing social media performance. A typical salary could be £25,000 - £45,000; up to £50,000+ for senior roles.

2. Content Creator

• Could involve developing original content such as videos, blogs, and graphics for social media platforms, ensuring consistency with the brand’s voice.
• A typical salary could be £20,000 - £40,000, depending on experience and platform specialisation.

3. Community Manager

• Could involve managing and growing online communities, engaging with followers, moderating discussions, and providing customer service on social platforms.
• A typical salary could be £18,000 - £35,000, with potential for growth based on community size and engagement.

4. Social Media Analyst

• Could involve tracking and analysing social media metrics, providing insights to improve campaigns, and reporting on social media performance.
• A typical salary could be £25,000 - £50,000, depending on analytical expertise and experience.

5. Influencer Marketing Specialist

• Could involve identifying and collaborating with influencers, managing influencer partnerships, and measuring the impact of influencer campaigns.
• A typical salary could be £23,000 - £45,000, with potential for higher earnings based on the scope of influencer networks.

What can I expect?

• Your first role is likely to be at junior or assistant level and you can work your way up the ladder. It's also common to move into this role after gaining experience in marketing, PR or advertising.
• You'll usually be office based but may sometimes travel to meet clients or attend relevant networking events and conferences.
• Opportunities exist across the UK but tend to be in major cities and towns, particularly jobs with larger agencies.
• Flexible working patterns and some home working may be possible. Self-employment or freelance work is possible with experience.
• The role can be challenging, as social media and the wider digital marketing industry is a continuously changing and fast-paced sector, but also rewarding.

There are no set qualifications for entry to these jobs, although many entrants have a degree, and some employers require this. These jobs are open to graduates from any discipline. Employers often view personal qualities, existing knowledge and relevant experience as important.

These websites may be useful when looking for a job in this sector:

• MyCareer jobs and placements page
• Media Beans
• Campaign
• Simply Marketing Jobs

For helpful industry insights into the sector, you may wish to visit:

• Marketing Week
• The Drum

Under-represented groups

Creative Access have jobs and internships in all types of creative industries including digital. Many, although not all the jobs/internships advertised are aimed at under-represented groups.

Networking

Networking can be a great way to access hidden opportunities.

• Set up professional profiles on LinkedIn and Twitter/X and follow companies and campaigns that interest you.
• Attend our career events like Spotlight on Marketing, Communications and PR, where you can meet a panel of industry experts and ask them questions.

Internships and work experience

Digital agencies across the UK are often open to being approached for internships and work experience. Demonstrating relevant skills, passion and curiosity about brands, culture and the digital world can be beneficial, along with a willingness to learn.

Volunteering

Reach out to local voluntary organisations and charities to offer your skills in creating web content, communication with service users and online marketing strategies. This can be a good way to build up experience alongside studying so that you can obtain relevant skills and knowledge.

Research local digital agencies

If there is a role that interests you, make contact with the person working in that role, maybe you could use LinkedIn and connect with them and see if they are willing to answer your questions and maybe even have a chat. You never know, a conversation like this could lead to the offer of work experience or mentoring.

What skills will employers look for and how do I develop them?

Employers seek a range of skills in social media professionals. both hard and soft skills necessary for each role. This could include technical skills (SEO, analytics, content creation tools), as well as soft skills (communication, creativity, empathy).

• The ability to create meaningful content in various formats, with strong copywriting and editing skills
• An understanding and familiarity of some social media platforms like Twitter/X, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Pinterest, TikTok, Tumblr, and tools like Hootsuite is useful, particularly in relation to advertising/branding and customers.
• Excellent teamworking, collaboration and networking skills, along with organisational skills and the ability to prioritise and work across multiple projects can be impactful

How can I get started?

• You can often find free online courses or YouTube tutorials to help you figure out the basics of things like social media platforms and social media management tools.
• There are many courses and even short ‘internships’ available online. Look at our online work experience pages.
• Once you have mastered the functions of social media platforms, try putting your skills into practice. Write your own blog and grow a Twitter or Instagram following. Offer your social media skills to a student society or a voluntary organisation to run a campaign.
• You could impress employers if you have taken time to understand tools like Google Analytics, Facebook Insights, and Twitter Analytics, along with some knowledge and understanding of algorithms and search engine optimisation
• Even having basic coding (HTML/CSS) understanding, and some knowledge of Adobe Creative Suite would be useful.
• The Institute of Digital Marketing IDM have a DMA Talent website, looking to attract people to the sector through mentoring, workshops and training opportunities.

Once you have done some of these, you will have some impressive evidence to demonstrate to employers that you have the potential to work in social media on a professional basis.

Getting involved at Nottingham

• The Nottingham Internship Scheme is a great way to gain experience with a local employer that can fit around your studies. If you are a postgraduate researcher, check out the Researcher Academy's postgraduate placement programme.
•  We also run Digital Marketing Academy in the autumn term, which can help you to gain relevant skills and experience needed to get that vital ‘foot in the door’.
• The University's Digital Humanities Centre provides training, experience and networking opportunities for humanities students interested in digital media in the arts. You can choose an area of interest, one of which may include PR, marketing and social media.
• Unitemps advertise paid temporary roles, many of which are roles within the University, and some may allow you to become familiar with social media or web content management systems.

While good writing skills seem the most obvious ones to possess, they need to be part of a broader skill set. For example, writing meaningful and impactful tweets in 280 characters takes some practice.

You will need to be familiar with some social media platforms such as Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, Wordpress, Pinterest, TikTok, Tumblr and Trello, together with Hootsuite to manage those platforms.  There are often free on-line courses or YouTube tutorials to help you get started.

It will also impress employers if you have taken time to understand and perhaps apply some of the following to your own social media output: Google Analytics, Facebook Insights and Twitter Analytics.

Even having a bit of basic coding (HTML/CSS) in your armoury will help, as will knowledge of Adobe Creative Suite.

The Institute of Digital Marketing IDM have a DMA Talent website looking to attract people to the sector through mentoring, workshops and training opportunities.

There are many courses and even short ‘internships’ available online. Look at our online work experience pages.

Once you have mastered the functions of social media platforms, try putting your skills into practice. Write your own blog and grow a Twitter or Instagram following. Offer your social media skills to a student society or a voluntary organisation to run a campaign.

Once you have done this, you will have some impressive evidence to demonstrate to employers that you have the potential to work in social media on a professional basis.

Get involved at Nottingham – enhance your job prospects

• The Nottingham Internship Scheme is a great way to gain experience with a local employer that can fit around your studies.
• If you are a postgraduate researcher, check out the Researcher Academy's postgraduate placement programme.
• We run a Digital Marketing Academy in the autumn term, to help you gain the skills and experience needed to get that vital 'foot in the door'.
• The University's Digital Humanities Centre provides training, experience and networking opportunities for humanities students interested in digital media in the arts. You can choose an area of interest, one of which may include PR, marketing and social media.
• Unitemps advertise paid temporary roles, many of which are roles within the University and some may allow you to become familiar with social media or web content management systems.

• Building a digital portfolio can be helpful in showing the skills you have and the work you have done previously.
• Offering your skills to student societies or voluntary organisations to run campaigns can also provide practical evidence of your capabilities.
• You can also enhance your digital portfolio by building a digital profile. Having a presence on Twitter, LinkedIn and other social media allows you to follow organisations you would like to work for, keep up to date with industry news and find out about local networking events.

• Being able to demonstrate examples of writing for the web is essential for job application and will show genuine interest if you’re applying for work experience.
• You can develop your portfolio by writing articles for online publications, starting a blog, and growing your social media following. Consider writing articles for publications which have an online presence such as IMPACT or Leftlion.

• You can also keep up with current trends by reading industry blogs and journals such as Creative Review, and The Drum.

You can stay updated with industry trends through short courses, webinars, and professional qualifications from bodies like the Institute of Data and Marketing (IDM) and the Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM). Joining these organisations can provide networking opportunities and access to the latest industry insights.

Emerging topics and platforms

Explore webinars and courses on emerging topics such as AI in social media marketing, storytelling techniques, and data-driven content creation.

Keeping updated on the latest trends in social media, such as new and emerging platforms (e.g. BeReal, Threads), with insights into their unique features, audience demographics and growth potential can be helpful to stay ahead. Learning to leverage these platforms and similar ones can set you apart in the industry.

Algorithm changes

Platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok are constantly updating their algorithms to prioritise different content formats.

For example, Instagram now favours Reels, making short-form video content essential for engagement. TikTok’s algorithm rewards content that sustains viewer interest and interaction. Understanding these updates can help you craft content that reaches and resonates with your audience.

Content formats and features

Short-form videos, live streaming, and augmented reality (AR) filters are among the top trends reshaping social media content. Platforms are emphasising real-time engagement and unique user experiences, which means enhancing your skills in these areas can be helpful for a successful career.

Data privacy and ethics

With regulations like GDPR and CCPA, it’s vital to understand the legal aspects of social media marketing. Being informed about data privacy ensures your strategies are both effective and compliant.