Social media manager
You’re responsible for monitoring and running platforms such as Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
About the job
What it's like
Social media managers help manage social media partnerships between different brands and create engaging content.
You’ll be creating and maintaining a good public image for a business or organisation. You’ll also have to deal with bad publicity on social media as well. It can be a busy job with tight deadlines, so you’ll need to be flexible and able to multi-task.
Your tasks might include:
monitoring and curating social media platforms such as Instagram
engaging with customers through creative content
being up to date with the latest social media trends
analysing social media metrics and adjust strategies accordingly
collaborating with other marketing professionals to align social media with overall marketing goals
engaging with followers and responding to messages and comments.
To become a social media manager, you’ll likely start out in junior positions. You could start work with a social media or marketing company as an assistant or digital content writer. As you get more experience, you could work your way up into a management position.
Hours
You’ll usually work full-time hours, Monday to Friday, but may need to work evenings or weekends to monitor social media activity.
Environment
You’ll work either in an office, remotely or mixed with a team of other marketing professionals.
Travel
You may travel to attend PR events and conferences, and to meet clients.
Explore more information about this job
Here are some useful links to learn more about this career:
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Related industries
Many jobs can be done in lots of different industries. We've highlighted the ones we think are most important for this job.
Financial and professional services Engineering and manufacturing Digital technologies Creative Tourism
Top skills
Skills are things you're good at. Whether you know what yours are or not, everyone has them!
It's useful to learn which ones are important in a job so you know the areas you need to brush up on. It can also help you work out if you're suited to a career.
Top specialised skills
These are the top specialised skills that have been found in job vacancies across Scotland. From March 2024 to March 2025.
- social media
- social media management
- social media trends
- social media strategy
- social media monitoring
- community management
- social media advertising
- social media analytics
- hootsuite (social media management software)
- sprinklr
Meta skills
Here are some of the meta skills you'll need to do this job.
- written communication
- verbal communication
- time management
- positive attitude
- networking
- innovative
- developing a plan
- creative
- attention to detail
- analysing
Your skills are important
Our unique skillsets are what make us stand out from the crowd. Learn about each skill in depth and discover what employers look for in your applications and interviews.
Getting in
Explore each section to find more information about getting into this career.
Colleges and universities will list subjects you'll need for entry to a course. Some useful subjects include:
Foundation Apprenticeship: Creative and Digital Media
Business Management
Computing Science
English
Media
Graphic Communication
You can get a head start in this career by doing a Foundation Apprenticeship in S5 and S6.
You'll get an SCQF level 6 qualification which is the same level as a Higher. You'll also learn new skills and gain valuable experience in a work environment.
Discover what's on offer at your school on Apprenticeships.scot.
There are a number of ways to start you off on the path to becoming a social media manager.
Social media managers usually have some level of creative knowledge. Many social media managers will have studied HNC/HND or degrees in areas such as:
advertising
marketing
communication
media
business marketing
If you’re 16 or older, a Modern Apprenticeship in creative media will let you work and earn while you study for a qualification. After you qualify, you’ll be able to study further or move into a role where you can build experience.
Social media is a competitive field. Employers look for candidates with work experience in journalism, marketing or advertising.
Some degree courses offer work placements, or you could approach a company yourself.
You can browse social media volunteering opportunities on Volunteer.scot.
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