What young professionals can expect from a career in social media

If ten years ago, someone said that jobs such as running social media pages would be in existence in the future, everyone would laugh outright considering it to be a well-timed joke. The truth, however, is that today, Bangladesh is coming ever closer to identifying as a 'digital' economy. And with that, so is the need for a whole new job sector that caters to the digital space via social media platforms. 

A career in social media is not unheard of. However, it might still sound somewhat new to many. 

The definition of a social media officer (or manager) and their job responsibilities remain somewhat hazy and blurred. That is because different companies have entirely different visions for managing their social media accounts. However, we can clump a few factors into a common denominator for all.

For starters, it is safe to assume that most people working in social media are those who haven't been in the job industry for more than five years at best. The reason stems directly from the newness of this space, therefore instigating evolving interest in young undergrads and faces in the job market who have a flair for discovering the unknown.

One of the most crucial things to acknowledge when it comes to a career in social media is comprehending the vastness of this virtual space. 

It is vital to understand that social media is one of the fastest-changing virtual ecosystems to exist. Platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn are constantly updating and embedding new features. And it is not just for the business-to-consumer segment but also business-to-business segments.

Today, Facebook is generally viewed less as a recreational social network and more as the hub of online marketplaces. That means Facebook is constantly updating their ad subscriptions, premium features, interactive engagements and so forth.

So, those eager to enter this industry should take the mental preparation of staying paced ahead of the digital updates. Naturally, once you get the hang of working through the digital streams and understand how content management works with ad campaigns, it becomes much more fluid to keep up with the evolving patterns and changes. 

The first step, hence, becomes the most important one, which is the foundation.

To be an actual pro in running social media accounts and campaigns, whether for your own business, for SMEs, or even as agencies handling big players in the market, the need remains the same – learn from the ground up how the whole digital space operates and why specific brands are so successful in their marketing campaigns in comparison to the struggling ones. 

Content creation is also an integral part of this sector. Any good social media officer or manager will keep a keen eye on curating the right kind of content for their brands. 

The process, of course, eventually ends with the consumer itself. If your content is great, your ad is rightly boosted, but the catering aspect to your target group is all wrong, then none of the other factors will help create an impact for your brand or client.

Thus, like any good e-learning spectrum, the best way to be great at handling social media networks is to fully self-educate yourself on operating these spaces, via tutorials, online courses, or even just a hands-on approach via operating an actual social media page. Once this foundation gets locked in, it is only a matter of time till practice and consistency make you an expert in the field.

Roshni is a social media officer who spends her time writing, and battling against math. Send her your prayers at roshni.shamim@gmail.com