How to Be Social Media Generalist - Job Description, Skills, and Interview Questions

Dec 28, 2022 / 5 Minutes Read / By Albert

How to Become

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Social media generalists are responsible for the strategic management of a company's social media presence. They create, curate, and manage content, monitor metrics, and engage with followers. As a result, they can have a huge impact on a company's reputation, customer relations, and even revenue.

Social media generalists must have an excellent understanding of digital marketing principles, SEO best practices, and analytics tools in order to effectively craft campaigns that drive meaningful results. they must be able to develop relationships with key influencers and build relationships with their target audience. With the right skills and approach, a social media generalist can help companies increase brand awareness, build better relationships with customers, and ultimately generate more sales.

Steps How to Become

Develop an Understanding of Social Media. To become a social media generalist, you must have a good understanding of the different social media platforms and how they can be used to reach target audiences. You should familiarize yourself with the different features of each platform and understand how to use them to your advantage.
Learn Social Media Management Tools. You should also familiarize yourself with the various social media management tools available. These tools can help streamline your workflow and enable you to manage multiple accounts at once.
Develop Content Creation Skills. Content creation is an essential part of social media management. You should be able to create engaging content that resonates with your target audience. This includes writing, graphic design, and video production skills.
Understand Social Media Analytics. Knowing how to measure success on social media is essential for any social media generalist. You should familiarize yourself with the different metrics available and be able to interpret the data to inform your strategic decisions.
Get Experience. Experience is essential for any position in social media. You should look for opportunities to gain experience in the field, such as internships or volunteer positions.
Stay Up-to-Date. The social media landscape is constantly changing and evolving. To stay ahead of the curve, you should make sure to keep up-to-date with the latest trends and developments in the industry.

Social media generalists require a variety of skills and knowledge to be successful. One key factor in finding a reliable and qualified generalist is through research. It is important to look at the previous work and portfolio of a potential candidate to ensure that their experience matches the desired outcome.

looking into the individual's current skillset and expertise can give a sense of what they are capable of. Finally, it is beneficial to look into the persons educational background and any certifications or qualifications they may have, as these can indicate their level of professionalism and expertise. All of these factors combined can help to ensure that the right candidate is chosen for the role of social media generalist.

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Job Description

Develop, design and implement social media strategies to increase brand awareness and engagement
Plan, create, and execute social media campaigns to increase customer engagement and reach organizational objectives
Monitor and respond to customer inquiries and comments on social media platforms
Analyze social media campaigns, platforms, and trends to recommend improvements and optimize performance
Create and manage content for all social media accounts, including blogs and other online platforms
Analyze metrics to identify effectiveness of campaigns and suggest changes for improvement
Collaborate with other teams to develop effective social media campaigns and strategies
Manage relationships with third-party vendors, partners, and influencers
Stay current with trends and changes in the social media landscape
Develop creative concepts for social media content

Skills and Competencies to Have

Understanding of key social media platforms, including Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, and LinkedIn
Ability to develop engaging content for social media campaigns
Knowledge of social media advertising platforms and best practices
Expertise in creating, executing, and measuring effective social media strategies
Experience in using analytics tools to track and measure social media performance
Proficiency in photo and video editing software
Ability to collaborate with other departments and stakeholders
Excellent written and verbal communication skills
Strong organizational, multitasking, and problem-solving skills
Creativity and an eye for design

Social media generalists are essential for any business that wants to remain competitive in the digital age. A social media generalist is a person who understands the overall landscape of social media, from the different platforms and trends to best practices for engaging and growing an audience. They have a deep understanding of how to create content and use it to reach and engage customers in meaningful ways.

In addition, they understand the importance of analytics and data, as well as the impact of algorithm changes. By having an understanding of all aspects of social media, they can create and execute effective strategies that will drive leads, increase brand awareness, and boost engagement. As a result, businesses that employ social media generalists can stay ahead of the competition and maximize their return on investment.

Project Management Generalist, Financial Generalist, and Tax Accounting Generalist are related jobs you may like.

Frequent Interview Questions

How have you used social media to increase brand awareness?
What strategies have you implemented to measure the effectiveness of social media efforts?
How do you stay up-to-date on the latest trends and changes in the social media landscape?
What experience do you have in developing a comprehensive social media strategy?
How do you handle a crisis situation involving negative posts on social media?
How would you go about increasing customer loyalty using social media?
What experience do you have in creating engaging content for social media platforms?
What tools do you use to track and analyze social media metrics?
How do you ensure that all customer service inquiries are handled promptly and effectively on social media?
What techniques do you utilize to ensure that your social media posts have maximum reach and engagement?

Common Tools in Industry

Social media management tool. This is a platform that helps you manage all of your social media accounts in one place. (eg: Hootsuite)
Analytics tool. This allows you to track the performance of your social media campaigns and gain insights into user behaviour. (eg: Sprout Social)
Content creation tool. This helps you generate content ideas, curate content from other sources and create visuals for sharing. (eg: Canva)
Scheduling tool. This allows you to schedule posts for multiple social media platforms at once. (eg: Buffer)
Chatbot tool. This helps automate conversations with customers and prospects on social media platforms. (eg: ManyChat)
Automation tool. This helps you automate repetitive tasks like responding to customer queries or tracking mentions. (eg: IFTTT)

Professional Organizations to Know

American Marketing Association (AMA)
American Advertising Federation (AAF)
Public Relations Society of America (PRSA)
International Association of Business Communicators (IABC)
International Social Media Association (ISMA)
International Association of Social Media Consultants (IASMC)
Social Media Association (SMA)
Social Media Marketing Association (SMMA)
Content Marketing Institute (CMI)
Social Media Examiner (SME)

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Common Important Terms

Social Media Platform. A web-based service or application that allows users to create and interact with content, such as videos, photos, and written posts. Examples include Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, and LinkedIn.
Social Media Marketing. The process of utilizing social media platforms to promote products or services.
Social Media Strategy. A plan that outlines how a business will use social media to reach its goals.
Content Creation. The process of creating relevant, engaging content for social media platforms.
Community Management. The process of managing interactions between a business and its social media followers.
Analytics & Reporting. The process of tracking the success of a businesss social media campaigns by collecting and analyzing data to measure performance.
Paid Social Advertising. The process of using paid ads on social media platforms to promote a business or product.
Social Listening. The process of monitoring conversations on social media to gain insights into what people are saying about a business or topic.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a Social Media Generalist?

A Social Media Generalist is a professional who specializes in managing and creating content for social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube.

What kind of skills does a Social Media Generalist need?

A Social Media Generalist needs excellent communication skills to create engaging content, the ability to multitask and manage multiple platforms simultaneously, strong organizational abilities, knowledge of digital marketing, understanding of analytics and metrics, and the ability to quickly adapt to changing trends and technologies.

What is the average salary of a Social Media Generalist?

According to PayScale, the median salary for a Social Media Generalist is $51,637 per year.

How many hours per week does a Social Media Generalist work?

The exact number of hours per week will vary depending on the company and role, but on average a Social Media Generalist typically works between 30-40 hours per week.

What kind of tasks does a Social Media Generalist do?

A Social Media Generalist typically manages social media accounts, creates content, monitors engagement and performance, builds relationships with influencers, optimizes campaigns and strategies, and reports on analytics.