March 13, 2012 Your Social Media Job is Dead: Now What?

Ana Andjelic – Droga5 Sonny Gill – US Cellular Natalie Rodic Marsan - VaynerMedia Angeline Vuong - HUGE

#SXSMJOBS

@angelineasaurus @sonnygill

@andjelicaaa @rodicka

Why

we’re here.

+75% social media-related

job postings in 2011. #SXSMJOBS Source: Monster.com

Social Media

Managers Coordinators

Strategists Editors

Evangelists Directors

VPs

Developers Experts

Gurus

Ninjas

Mavens

etc…

But…

How much room is there

for specialization? And is it

sustainable?

#SXSMJOBS

Everyone was dying to have a

Flash guru. Now, interest is dying…

Source: Google Insights

Digital strategist. Planner.

Marketing analyst. Account

director. Communications

director. Marketing manager.

Product manager. Customer

insights manager.

User experience lead.

Content strategist.

#SXSMJOBS

2

years as OMMA’s

social media agency

of the year #SXSMJOBS

0

strategists with the

words “social media”

in their titles

Re-thinking

social media

as a profession.

Good marketers

& communicators develop

amazing experiences that

meet brand objectives and

make customers happy.

That’s it.

#SXSMJOBS

#SXSMJOBS

Social spans many departments in

companies with mature programs.

Social

Media

Team

Research

&

Analytics

Marketing

&

Comm.

Customer

Support

Product

Development

#SXSMJOBS

So, is this industry really

obsolete?

Sonny. @sonnygill

Yes. (well, sort of…)

#SXSMJOBS

My social roots:

Digital Jack of all Trades

Social Media Career Development –  Infancy > Working Knowledge > Adoption

Business acumen evolution – Understand internal functions – Bridge social & business

#SXSMJOBS

•  Tactical

•  Platform dependent

•  Siloed in community management

Social career plateaus & pitfalls:

#SXSMJOBS

Depends on… Willingness to Evolve

Change in Organizational DNA – Culture – Innovation

Accepting Greater Responsibility – Business decision maker – Leadership – Governance

#SXSMJOBS

Ana. @andjelicaaa

Yes. (definitely)

#SXSMJOBS

#SXSMJOBS

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Natalie. @rodicka

No. (simply evolving)

#SXSMJOBS

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Social media is just an extension

of building community.

#SXSMJOBS

2 major aspects:

Campaigns are marketing.

Community management

is a lifetime.

#SXSMJOBS

•  Strategists: What’s the point we’re trying to convey? What’s the right thing to do?

•  Community Managers: Real-time interaction & analysis; amplification

•  Analysts: Deeper analysis of efforts & how they tie back into business goals

•  The Generalist / Manager: Someone who knows how to manage all of the above and ensure they ladder back to overarching business objectives

Some role specialization is necessary

(this isn’t unique to social media)

#SXSMJOBS

Evolution:

Community

Managers

Strategists

Analysts

Roles spread across organization

Becoming intelligence collectors

Work with all business units to help fuel product development

In short…

•  Social media is a toolset. Customer service, PR / communications, marketing and consumer insights existed way before Facebook brand pages, sponsored tweets and Pin It buttons.

•  “Social media strategy” is a myth. Specialization is focused on tactics & execution. But good social strategists & managers understand how to go beyond the silo.

•  Accept greater responsibility. As digital becomes inherently social & businesses become inherently digital, expertise on digital behavior must also adapt accordingly.

Your social media job must evolve.

Questions.

#SXSMJOBS

Resources.

#SXSMJOBS

http://bit.ly/sxsmjobs

What will the career growth

opportunities be? Which roles

will go away? Which stay?

#SMJOBS

What is the future of social media

within organizations? How will

these roles be structured?

#SMJOBS

How do people who have

social media jobs avoid

being pigeonholed?

#SMJOBS

What do you think will happen

to social media agencies?

#SMJOBS

What social media-related skills

will continue to be valuable to

employers?

#SMJOBS