What does a social media marketer do?

Social media marketing is one of the most visible and recognisable roles within our industry, and because of that, it's also one of the most misunderstood. From the outside, it can look like scrolling through TikTok and posting a few quick snaps on Instagram. Whereas in reality, it’s a fast paced, strategic, and constantly evolving role that requires a creative eye, an ability to interpret data, and a lot of adaptability.
 
Social media is dynamic. No two days are ever the same, trends move quickly, audience expectations can change overnight, and what worked last week might completely fail the next. If you enjoy variety, creativity, and starting conversations, then social media marketing might be the right type of role for you.

So, what does a day in the life of a social media marketer look like?

What went well (or not so much)

You may think working in social media means creating content from the second you start your day, but more often than not, it begins with reviewing performance.

This means checking how yesterday’s posts performed. Reviewing engagement levels and analysing what content is resonating with the audience is the best way to start, because that data can inform what you’ll be doing for the rest of the day.

Did a certain topic spark more conversation? Great, let’s answer some more questions on it. Was engagement down on a post that went out later in the day? Okay, let’s monitor this as maybe our audience isn’t active then.

Social media isn’t just about blindly posting content you think might work. It’s about learning what does and doesn’t perform and using that information to decide your next steps.