What is social media manager?

A social media manager is the person responsible for planning, creating, publishing and measuring a brand's social media content and conversations.

A social media manager keeps a brand's presence consistent and active. In a small business, this might be the owner, a part-time staff member or a freelancer. Clear ownership of social media helps avoid gaps, mixed messages and missed customer questions.

The job usually includes planning a content calendar, writing captions, creating or sourcing images and video, scheduling posts, replying to comments and messages, and reporting on results. Managers often work across several networks at once, each with its own style and audience. Many also coordinate with designers, sales teams and leadership.

If you are hiring, look for someone who understands your audience and writes clearly, not just someone with a big personal following. Give them clear goals and the tools to work efficiently. If you are doing it yourself, block out regular time and use scheduling to stay organized.

Example

A family-run hotel hires a part-time social media manager to plan posts, answer guest messages and send a monthly results summary.