Social Media Managers belong to a greater field of careers categorized as advertising, promotions, and marketing management. You might also find it categorized under communications or public relations. Social media strategy and management fall under multiple similar categories for a simple reason. Nearly every industry and sector, even public service, benefits from the skills of social media professionals.

If you want to change careers or work toward a Social Media Manager role, you can find many choices in every industry. Read on to learn more about the many options available.

What is a Social Media Manager?

Most Social Media Managers combine their marketing expertise with management skills. They may design, curate, and manage an organization’s social media content, especially in smaller companies. Larger organizations may require a Social Media Manager to partner with a creative team and outside agencies to oversee everything from short-form videos to marketing campaign strategies.

Brand Manager

In many ways, social media management is one aspect of brand management. Consider the example of a large corporation rather than a small business. A Brand Manager for a well-known company may be responsible for developing product or service strategies and overseeing the development of every aspect of a product launch, from packaging to promotions. They might need to create marketing plans and schedule attendance at trade shows. As a Brand Manager, their interactions with other essential stakeholders might include working with sales, supply chain vendors, and internal upper management.

While there are several similarities between a Social Media Manager and a Brand Manager, there are notable differences. In some cases, a Brand Manager will have social media management responsibilities. In others, they may have to collaborate with a Social Media Manager, Marketing Manager, and other management personnel. The minimum requirements for a Brand Manager may be much more stringent than those for a Social Media Manager. For example, a company that requires two or three years of experience for their Social Media Manager position may require five to ten years. Brand Manager roles typically pay much more than Social Media Manager roles on average, and they have several responsibilities rarely assigned to Social Media Managers. These include product development, overseeing advertising budgets, and determining pricing and packaging for products or services.

Like a Social Media Manager, a Brand Manager may hold a degree in Marketing or Communications. However, they are as likely to have a bachelor’s in business administration or one in a related field. Their financial responsibilities typically require basic accounting skills, but overseeing copyrighting and social media requires creativity and a strong vision for the company brand. A Social Media Manager or Digital Marketing Manager may work toward a Brand Manager role, but the reverse is rarely true. In many companies, positions higher than Brand Manager include titles like Marketing Director or Communications Director.

Other titles you might find in an online search for Brand Manager roles include:

  • Assistant Brand Manager
  • Associate Brand Manager
  • Brand Manager - Product Development
  • Brand Marketing Manager
  • Senior Brand Manager

Marketing Manager

Looking for marketing roles can confuse jobseekers, especially those looking for Social Media Manager or Digital Marketing Manager roles. While there are no clear-cut rules, as every industry takes a slightly different approach, consider a Marketing Manager position as a generalist. Marketing Managers have been around since well before social media, so their level of expertise must encompass print, traditional media, social media, and all forms of promotions, advertising, and marketing.

Social Media Managers, by contrast, focus primarily or exclusively on whatever social media platforms the company prefers. As in the case of the Brand Manager position mentioned above, a Social Media Manager or Digital Marketing Manager might work toward a Marketing Manager position, but the opposite is rarely true.

Nonetheless, it is easy to find several similarities between Social Media Managers and Marketing Managers. Both roles emphasize creativity and a vision for the brand. Both should understand marketing well, as social media is essential to any successful marketing strategy. And both should have the common goal of marketing the company to the proper audience. Although some companies have their Marketing Manager handle social media, hiring a separate Social Media Manager makes more sense in most organizations.

Comparable titles include:

  • Manager, Marketing Performance & Insights
  • Product Marketing - Senior Manager
  • Regional Marketing Manager
  • Senior Product Marketing Manager
  • Senior Talent Marketing Manager

Project Manager

Project Manager is another catchall title that means different things to different people. In a small company, an Administrative Assistant who passes projects along to other employees may get the title of Project Manager because it will look good on a resume. In most cases, however, this position requires project management experience, the ability to structure and manage multiple projects, and even a professional designation like the Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM) or Project Management Professional (PMP) certification.

Project Manager positions differ from Social Media Manager positions in several significant ways, although a Project Manager can make a great Social Media Manager. First, these roles can be highly technical, especially in construction, manufacturing, engineering, or utilities. On the other hand, industries requiring project management pros also include law, marketing, management consulting, and business, financial services, and insurance (BFSI).

Job openings for Project Managers include titles like:

  • Assistant Project Manager
  • Associate Project Manager
  • Project Manager/Team Lead
  • Project Management Specialist
  • Senior Project Manager

Social Media Managers with extensive project management experience might also consider seeking another specialized role, Social Media Project Manager. While the positions can be comparable, a Social Media Project Manager typically has more reporting responsibilities to upper management than a Social Media Manager. They might also have other media-related responsibilities beyond the social media realm.

How to Decide Which Career is Right for You

Deciding which career is right for you can be challenging, and social media management is essential to virtually any industry or sector you choose. Major factors influencing your decision range from current experience (if any), training budget, and whether to focus on a specific skill set. Consider the following:

Career Path

The Social Media Manager career path is not a straight line with easy-to-find markers along the way. Social Media Managers can start as Social Media Marketing Specialists or Strategists, Digital Marketing Specialists, Copywriters, or Public Relations Strategists. Some get marketing or communications degrees, whereas others gain experience through a bootcamp or certificate program.

If you plan to work in a particular industry, you may need to gain additional credentials. These range from professional designations like the Social Media Strategist Certification to the Certified Digital Marketing Professional or Professional Certified Marketer (PCM) - Digital Marketing. Some Social Media Managers freelance part-time or full-time, and these social media experts may be able to move among several industries.

Skills

Tools and skills for Social Media Managers vary by factors like industry, education, and previous experience. However, most social media pros who reach the manager level have at least a working knowledge of several platforms and software programs. These include, but are not limited to:

Social media platform knowledge varies, but knowing the most popular platforms is a minimum requirement for Social Media Manager positions. These include Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Facebook (Meta), LinkedIn, and X (Twitter).

Working with additional services or platforms can also be essential. A CRM like Salesforce or HubSpot, a CMS like WordPress, and messaging apps like Slack or Teams are all common among digital platforms for social media pros and their colleagues.

Knowledge & Experience

A Social Media Manager must have extensive knowledge about the required platforms and, in most cases, marketing the organization’s products or services. Many Social Media Managers come to management positions with industry- or sector-specific knowledge and experience. For example, a Social Media Strategist who works for a marketing company might get promoted to the Social Media Manager role. In this case, they would bring knowledge and experience about the company, a wide-ranging skill set, and a broad understanding of marketing—conceptual knowledge and nuts-and-bolts operational information.

An essential component of social media management experience is running campaigns. Any employee will have personal social media experience, but scrolling Instagram is a far cry from running a successful marketing campaign. At a minimum, a Social Media Manager will have a proven track record of success in providing content for one or more social media platforms. Some companies require a college degree, but this is not always the case: a candidate with a professional portfolio from a bootcamp or certificate program may qualify for some positions.

Organization Size/Type

Where a Social Media Manager fits in the organizational chart depends on several factors, one being the size and type of a company or agency. For example, there can be significant differences between the responsibilities among management staff for small, mid-sized, or large organizations. A Social Media Manager in a six-person office may be responsible for all marketing efforts. By contrast, a Social Media Manager in a large corporation may oversee a team of strategists and specialists. Public sector workers may need a security clearance, and social media pros in some industries may need professional certifications. Research the average requirements for Social Media Managers in your industry and location, and you will understand how to reach your goals.

Learn the Skills to Become a Social Media Manager at Noble Desktop

Noble Desktop offers numerous training options for students to learn social media management in person or online through teleconferencing. Topics include marketing, SEO, and Google Analytics, to name a few. Consider the following programs:

  • Digital Marketing Certificate - Noble’s Digital Marketing Certificate program is Noble Desktop's primary program for students looking to get on the marketing career track. You and your classmates will gain a deep understanding of digital marketing from every angle. Topics include Google Ads and Analytics, SEO, email marketing, and social media marketing campaigns, to name a few.
  • Social Media Marketing Certificate - The Social Media Marketing Certificate emphasizes social without delving into SEO or Google Ads/Analytics. This immersive 72-hour certificate covers LinkedIn, YouTube, Instagram, and other platforms alongside social media content marketing. Attendees learn hands-on as they create a professional-level portfolio.
  • Google Analytics Bootcamp - The Google Analytics Bootcamp introduces students to GA4, the newest analytics service from the tech giant. Topics include determining key performance indicators (KPIs), tracking ROI (return on investment) on marketing campaigns, and Google Analytics Reports. You can save by taking this bootcamp as part of the Digital Marketing Certificate program.
  • SEO Bootcamp - Also available through the Digital Marketing Certificate, Noble’s SEO Bootcamp is a 12-hour dive into the importance of search engine optimization. You'll learn keyword research techniques with Semrush, SEO for mobile, and numerous other subjects.
  • AI for Marketing - AI For Marketing is one of Noble Desktop’s most popular new courses, covering popular platforms like ChatGPT, Salesforce Einstein, and Google's Gemini AI. Applicants should understand social media marketing, SEO, and analytics before enrolling. You can save by taking AI for Marketing as part of the Generative AI Certificate program.