The demand for social media producers is increasing with the increase in social media usage. A social media producer can be a writer, designer, editor, and strategist all at once, depending on the needs of the project he is working on.
Social media producers possess certain skills and talents that a regular employee may not have, meaning this career option might not be suitable for all.
Are you confused between social media producer and another position? Cannot decide if this position is the right fit for you or not? Read this article to learn whether you should become a social media producer or find another career.
A brief introduction to social media producers
A social media producer creates, edits, distributes, and manages the content on social media channels and the brand’s website. He uses a variety of content, including images, videos, GIFs, blog posts, infographics, etc., to achieve a company’s social media goals.
He may have to work with in-house writers, designers, and photographers to present his innovative content ideas and make sure they are followed properly. A social media producer may also create videos, capture photographs, and edit a film before it is published on a platform.
Social media producers understand their audience. They keep an eye on trends and news to produce relevant content that helps them attract their target audiences and create deeper connections with them. They write material to increase social media as well as website traffic.
Skills you need to be a social media producer
Enlisted below are the skills that companies look for in a social media producer.
Good communication skills
As a social media producer, you will have to share your content and visual design ideas with writers, designers, and photographers. You can convey your thoughts and ideas clearly to other team members if you are good at communication. That is why it is crucial for a social media producer to have good written and spoken communication skills.
Ability to come up with innovative content ideas
The main role of a social media producer is to provide content ideas. You need to have good online research skills to explore the internet to find content and design inspiration. You also need to keep an eye on the content your competitors are producing and how their audience is interacting with it.
You should have a creative mind to brainstorm ideas and keep your audience engaged with your appealing content.
Photo and video production or editing skills
A social media producer often works with the photo and video production teams. He may also have to capture them himself to produce campaign ads, Insta stories, etc.
In addition to working with the production teams, he may also work with editing teams as well to make sure the visuals of the content are according to the designed strategy. He should also know how to use Photoshop, Adobe Premiere, Adobe After Effects, and similar tools.
A good eye for visual designs
Having a good eye for designs allows you to find exactly what it is about an image, video, or animation that makes it successful. It also helps you recognize the colors, animations, and sounds that are in. You see the tiny details and ensure everything looks perfect.
Editorial skills
A social media producer has to review videos, images, written content, or any other form of material before it is published on a social media channel. He communicates clearly with other team members to let them know what needs to be changed.
You can edit material to enhance its quality, value, and effectiveness only if you have excellent editorial skills.
Social media skills and an understanding of best practices
Social media producers distribute content on YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, and other platforms to reach a wider audience and increase the quality of leads. Therefore, you must know how each social media channel that your business has a profile on works.
You should also follow the best social media practices so that you can get the best results in a short time. Find your target audience, define your business tone, select the most suitable channel for your business, and then create content accordingly.
Google Analytics
Google Analytics allows you to measure ROI, track your website’s audience, and understand your traffic. A social media producer should know how to use this tool for marketing purposes and analyze the performance of the company’s website.
Ability to multitask
A social media producer has to manage multiple responsibilities at once without affecting the quality of any task.
He has to perform different tasks, one right after the other, and switch back and forth between different responsibilities without creating a mess. He has the ability to multitask and perform well in a high-pressure environment.
Teamwork skills
You should be able to communicate well with other team members, listen to their ideas carefully, and give an honest response. Since a social media producer has to cooperate with multiple teams while working on a project, he must have exceptional teamwork skills.
What roles does a social media producer play in a company?
A social media producer is responsible for a number of tasks. Some of his important roles and responsibilities are:
- Post engaging content on the company’s different social media profiles while keeping in mind key performance indicators (KPIs). The content should be according to the needs of each platform’s audience.
- Create a variety of content to observe which particular content type your audience likes the most. The common examples of content types a social media producer shares on social media include short videos, live streams, articles, images, infographics, audience questions, eBooks, memes, polls, product promotions, guides, GIFs, and post collabs.
- Analyze metrics to see the performance of each kind of content on different social channels. He also provides feedback on performance to let teams know how their content is working and what else can be done to improve its performance.
- Make sure that the content published on social media channels goes well with the objectives of the business and matches the brand voice.
- Identify which platforms are more important for the company and then produce content accordingly.
- Be aware of new trends, public behaviors, and current events. Adjust them to content strategy to take full advantage of them.
- Articulate and present content strategies, plans, and reports when needed.
How to become a social media producer?
Becoming a social media producer is not as difficult as you may think, at least not for the social media savvy or creative content writers. Here is a comprehensive guide on how to be a successful social media producer.
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Get a college degree
There is no specific degree one needs to become a social media producer. But, certain degrees can prepare you for the job.
You should apply for a bachelor’s degree program that can help you improve your marketing, communication, writing, and designing skills. Some examples of the fields that you may find useful are mass communication, journalism, English, creative writing, graphic designing, and digital marketing.
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Learn required skills
A social media producer needs certain skills to be successful. We have already talked about those skills in the above section. Make sure you learn all those skills while you complete your degree.
Online courses and resources have made it easier for people to enroll in courses and learn while sitting at home, even if they are full-time students. Coursera, Udemy, and SkillShare are some popular online course platforms you can take advantage of. Their courses are paid, but they often offer discounts on social occasions like Christmas, New Year, etc.
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Take advantage of social media
Social media is free, providing businesses, skilled people, and the general public multiple opportunities to use platforms for different purposes. If you are learning social media skills, it is best to practice those skills side by side on different social media channels.
Create your business profiles on social media. Share informative and engaging content regularly. Expand your network by connecting with like-minded people and using different strategies, features, and tools to increase your knowledge of social platforms.
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Work for small agencies to gain experience
One of the most important things big companies ask a candidate during a job interview is his work experience.
Since you are new to the field, you should start by working with small businesses and startups to gain experience. Tell people in your social circle that you are offering these services, and interested people can contact you if they need help.
As a beginner, it is totally fine to offer your services for free. It is because you will be gaining experience and improving your skills every day, which should be more valuable than money for a novice.
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Offer freelance services
There are multiple freelance platforms on the internet helping people connect with potential clients from across the world. Create professional profiles on these platforms and start offering your social media producer skills on them.
Interested people will contact you and use your services for their businesses. If your work is exceptional and it meets their requirements well, they may hire you as a permanent team member, offering you a chance to work as a full-time employee from the comfort of your home.
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Build your business website
If you are serious about starting a career as a social media producer, you should think about building a professional website. You can mention your skills, rates, work experience, qualification, and testimonials on your website.
Use your website’s link in the bio of your social media profiles. Potential candidates will visit your website and hire you if your work experience, skills, and rates are according to their requirements.
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Apply for that job
You probably already have a company in mind where you dream of working as a social media producer. Gaining a suitable degree, learning multiple social media producer skills, and acquiring experience are the keys to getting that dream job.
If you think you have gained enough experience and knowledge, don’t hesitate to apply for that job when vacancies open.
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Deal with clients directly
With years of experience, knowledge, and training, you can take your career to the next level by opening your own social media marketing agency. It will enable you to earn more and be your own boss. You will have to hire employees to create a team to offer multiple social media services to your clients.
Why should you become a social media producer?
With the increase in social media usage, businesses now have innumerable opportunities to expand their reach, target more people, and boost their revenue.
Social media marketing is gradually replacing traditional marketing. Businesses are always in need of social media experts who can help them meet their social media marketing goals. According to LinkedIn, the number of social media jobs listed on the platform has astonishingly increased by 1357% since 2010.
This high value indicates the opportunities social media is producing for people worldwide. Becoming a social media producer will undoubtedly provide you with multiple opportunities to work in different industries, expand your talent pool, and earn more than average salary.
Is this role right for you?
If you love spending time on social media channels and exploring different forms of content, starting your career as a social media producer will give you an opportunity to turn your passion into a profession. People having the skills that we have already mentioned above make a perfect candidate for this position.
Social media producer salary
According to Glassdoor, a social media producer can make around $65,860 per year. The salary consists of two parts – one is the base salary, which is $50,134 per year, while the other is the additional salary which is $15,725 per year.
You can expect a higher salary if you are a senior social media producer, or you have applied for a post in a larger organization.
Summing it up
Getting into social media production is a great opportunity for people having excellent writing, editing, and designing skills.
Social media producers have multiple career paths, including content marketing, creative designing, and social media consulting. So, if you ever decide to change your career, you will still have many options to choose from.