Many people think that SMM is an area in which you can start without training. For example, you know how to write posts, take photos and process them in editors, shoot pretty good videos, and generally understand all the major social networks as well as small social networks. But is it enough to start working as an SMM engineer even today and get your first clients?
Now the understanding of what an SMM engineer does is too blurred. Let’s break it down.
SMM professional
SMM specialist, aka SMM-manager, is engaged in marketing in social networks (Social Media Marketing). He is responsible for the communication of the brand with the users of social networks.
There are other more narrowly defined specialties associated with SMM: content manager in social networks, blogger manager, group administrator, account manager, and community manager.
Globally, the responsibility of the SMM manager: is to promote the account, and attract and retain subscribers, turning them into customers.
Responsibilities
In more detail, the SMM professional usually:
– develops strategies and adjusts them to the sales plan and current infomercials;
– analyzes the target audience and competitors;
– analyzes the effectiveness of the account;
– generates content or makes sure that others do it;
– runs advertising campaigns (targeting, advertising with bloggers) or makes sure that others do it.
If you, as an SMM person, know how to do all the tasks instead of the team-forming a content plan, writing texts, editing posts, taking photos, processing them in a graphic editor, and running targeting ads-you will surely become an indispensable employee, especially if you work as a freelancer. The only question is how you will manage it all, especially if you are running several projects at once.
How to work as an SMM specialist
If you want to work as a freelance SMM worker, you have two choices: 1) to do everything yourself and lead 1-2 projects at most, and 2) to collect the team (copywriter, photographer, story maker, designer, tagger) and oversee the 2-4 projects. In the second case, the income will usually be higher.
If you’re going to work in SMM (at a direct business or marketing agency), most likely you will be given a staff to which you will delegate the mechanical work.
And in general, the trend is: that the bigger the project and its budget, the more narrow specialists you will be able to hire. And the smaller the budget, the more likely it is that you will have to take on some responsibilities (texts, video, design).
What you need to do BEFORE finding the first clients
Understandably, few people would want to entrust their account to a complete novice. Before you start, you need to get the knowledge and tools for SMM. How to do it:
Take SMM courses, where you will be given not only theory but also projects for practice;
Read free information on the Internet.
The first way costs money and takes a little time. The second way costs no money and takes a lot of time. Considering that time is money, it is better to choose the first way and take courses.
Why is taking a course the best decision?
Usually, SMM courses are not for knowledge, but for practice and networking. You will find the knowledge on the Internet. The value of training is that you will immediately practice on live projects and get the support of a mentor, to whom you can ask any questions about the work.
In addition, you will get useful contacts. These can be potential employers and colleagues, i.e. a professional community in which you can consult on projects, discuss working points, and if there is a large workload, transfer projects to each other.