Careers in Social Marketing

Social Marketing Professionals

Due to recent emergence of social media as a viable marketing platform, the educational requirements for social media marketers remain unclear. The majority of professionals in this career track possess a Bachelor’s degree in marketing, graphic design, web development, information technology or communications. There are a number of Master’s in Business Administration programs that offer coursework in social media marketing that may be essential for professionals seeking a management or executive position. The majority of successful professionals in this field must exercise their own initiative in finding online resources to advance their knowledge of social media programs and tools.

There are a number of organizations that now provide online training programs and certifications for prospective social media marketers. For the moment, there is no central regulatory body for social media marketing, so the educational standards and course materials may differ considerably. It is advisable to research any organization for industry reputation before enrolling. The most reputable of these training programs are offered by

eMarketing Association: The eMA offers three programs that provide certification and the Certified eMarketer (CeM), Certified eMarketing Associate (CeMA) or Certified Social Marketing Associate (CSMA) designation

There are also a number of educational institutions that offer courses in social media marketing through their normal curriculum or their extension programs. These courses are typically more rigorous and academic in nature but may carry significantly more weight with prospective clients and employers.

• UCLA Extension
• San Francisco State University
• University of San Francisco

These academic certification programs may be offered online or through campus locations.

Industries of Employment

Social media marketing initiatives can be found in virtually any industry as companies routinely establish a presence on the major social programs of Facebook, Twitter and others.  The industries that have shown the most success through sales generation from social media activity are retail (18%), information (17%), arts and entertainment (15%) and finance and insurance (11%), according to the 2012 The State of Social Media Marketing Report.  The number of people who are on social network rose from 400 million in 2007 to 1.2 billion in 2011, and this number is expected to increase in the future, as mobile devices keep social media users connected almost continuously.  eMarketer reports that 58.5 million Americans used social media through a mobile device in 2012 and this number is expected to balloon to 79.1 million by 2015.

The enormous expansion and influence of social media will mirror a growing investment from businesses.  According a 2011 study by IBM, 82% of Chief Marketing Officers polled planned to increase investment in social marketing campaigns in the next three years.  This indicates widespread and growing enthusiasm for businesses to engage in social media marketing.

The number of positions in social media marketing should multiply rapidly as more companies enter this marketing channel and energize growth in the industry. According to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the number of jobs in social media marketing is expected to increase by 21% for 2013, which translates into tens of thousands of jobs in this career field.

Salary

The annual income of a social media marketing professional can differ significantly due to geographical location, industry of employment, educational background and years of experience. Due to the relative recent development of social media as a marketing channel, the most highly paid marketing professionals exhibit breadth of knowledge about social media programs and tools.

According to Indeed.com a social media strategist in New York City could expect a salary from $55,000 to $103,000 in 2011, while a similar position in Phoenix, Arizona could earn from $36,000 to $68,000. A social media marketing manager in New York City could receive from $73,000 to $116,000, while a marketing professional in a similar position in Phoenix, AZ could expect $48,000 to $77,000.

The majority of entry level positions in social media marketing pay from $24,566 to $36,625.  Social media marketing positions are expected to increase, but a disproportionate number of these will be in entry level jobs, while competition for the few management positions should increase dramatically.

Professional Associations

There are a number of internet marketing professional associations that include social media marketers and provide support to the industry.

• Search Engine Marketing Professionals Organization
• American Marketing Association
• Business Marketing Association
• eMarketing Association
• Digital Marketing Association

These organizations can be critical in establishing relationships with prospective clients, employers and industry experts.  Networking is a vital activity for a successful social media marketing career and professional organizations can be instrumental in their development.

Social media marketers are also encouraged to seek out professional associations in their region or metropolitan area, as they may have information about local marketing conditions.