Social Media Director Job Description: Top Duties and Qualifications

A Social Media Director, or Social Media Marketing Director, is responsible for leading a company’s social media personnel in creating and maintaining unique social media strategies. Their duties include staying up-to-date on social media trends, monitoring all social media profiles to determine engagement and developing social media campaign ideas for new product launches and other events.

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Social Media Director Duties and Responsibilities

The primary duty of a Social Media Director is brand development through social media. They identify target customers, set clear objectives, build an effective content strategy to engage the audience, increase traffic and boost conversions. Social Media Directors manage the company’s online community by reading customers’ comments, answering questions and actively engaging the audience. 

Here are examples of Social Media Director duties:

  • Plan, design, implement and monitor social media marketing campaigns.
  • Create, curate and manage social media content, including text, audio, visual and multimedia formats.
  • Engage users with prompt responses, organize competitions, ask questions and cultivate relationships.
  • Monitor social media trends, including developments in design, applications, strategy and innovation to stay relevant and effective. 
  • Create comprehensive marketing plans to boost brand image, increase customer engagement and improve conversions.
  • Design, implement and manage social ad campaigns integrated into the company’s strategic marketing plans. 
  • Hire and supervise talented creatives, including Freelance Writers and Graphic Designers, and coordinate their activities to achieve social media campaign objectives.
  • Track social media campaigns’ key performance metrics to maximize results and report progress to management.

What Does a Social Media Director Do? 

Social Media Directors typically work for corporations across industries to identify their employers’ target audiences and create tailored social media content. They work closely with marketing and social media personnel to brainstorm ideas, complete market research and hire qualified professionals for social media roles. Their job is to delegate tasks among internal employees and freelance professionals to create social media posts or manage accounts. They may also be responsible for interacting directly with followers by responding to comments or questions on social media accounts.

Social Media Director Skills and Qualifications 

A successful Social Media Director candidate will have prerequisite skills and qualifications needed for duties. The main criteria for employment is work experience, but a college degree can increase the chances of getting hired. Candidates must be social-savvy and have excellent communication skills. The position requires great customer service skills because it involves constant interaction with your audience. 

Here are examples of Social Media Director qualifications:

  • High school diploma or equivalent (associate or bachelor’s degree in marketing a plus)
  • Two or more years of relevant work experience in social media marketing or related role
  • Proven knowledge and experience in the fundamentals of classical marketing
  • In-depth knowledge and application of content marketing theory
  • Excellent communication skills
  • Demonstrated understanding of social media platforms, their unique audiences and how to use them to maximize branding and marketing efforts
  • Exceptional time management skills and interpersonal relations
  • In-depth knowledge of analytics software, content management systems and SEO tools

Social Media Director Salary Expectations 

While the data is not available for a Social Media Director’s average salary, the salary of a typically depends on the employer’s size. Other factors that can affect their earnings include educational qualifications, work experience, location and job responsibilities. 

Social Media Director Education and Training Requirements

Social Media Directors can work with a high school diploma. However, candidates with a college degree may have an edge over those applicants without a degree. The most important requirement is for the candidate to have extensive experience of social media platforms and how they work. Candidates with strong customer service skills are a good fit for this role. 

Other training requirements include proficiency in analytics software, search engine optimization, keyword research and campaign management. Depending on the size of the company, the Social Media Director may get additional in-house training, but smaller employers expect the candidate to have core skills and experiences to deliver results. 

Social Media Director Experience Requirements

Social Media Directors will know how to drive traffic to the company’s social media accounts, interact with potential and existing customers and resolve issues quickly to boost brand image. They can devise social media strategies, implement campaigns, track performance and scale high-performing promotions. Social Media Directors may also write content or hire freelancers to create shareable materials for online consumption. They will be adept at using all features on different social media platforms where the company maintains a presence. 

Job Description Samples for Similar Position 

Here are job description samples for Social Media Director related positions:

Frequently asked questions about Social Media Director

 

What is the difference between a Social Media Director and a Social Media Manager?

The difference between a Social Media Director and a Social Media Manager is levels of seniority and areas of job focus. For example, a Social Media Manager is in charge of the social media marketing department or social media team. They oversee the daily operations of the department and monitor employee performance.

In contrast, the Social Media Director is responsible for overseeing the Social Media Manager and their team of employees in addition to broader social media marketing objectives. Because they hold a more senior role, they communicate between Social Media Managers and upper management personnel. They also may not have as much direct contact with social media employees as Social Media Managers.

 

What are the daily duties of a Social Media Director?

On a typical day, a Social Media Director starts by checking their email and voicemail to respond to time-sensitive messages from upper-management or lower-level marketing personnel. Throughout the day, they participate in meetings with the social media team and upper management to review the progress of current campaigns and develop strategies for upcoming initiatives. Social Media Directors also visit with the Social Media Manager and review applications for job openings within the department. They use down-time in their office to review social media KPIs, including the number of likes, new followers, shares or comments.

 

What qualities make a good Social Media Director?

A good Social Media Director has an innovative mindset that enables them to develop unique ideas for their employer’s social media presence. They value continued education and continuously look for ways to enhance their knowledge of social media marketing to best lead their employees. Further, a good Social Media Director also has a strong understanding of their employer’s brand and creates social media strategies to uphold and enhance company values. 

A good Social Media Director also knows how to communicate with others on social media. This quality allows them to respond to comments from followers in an effective way.

 

Who does a Social Media Director report to?

A Social Media Director usually reports to the VP of Operations within a corporation to receive information about business objectives and budgeting needs. Social Media Directors can also report to the Chief Marketing Director (CMO), who oversees all marketing activities within a corporation. In the absence of a CMO role, Social Media Directors can also report directly to the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) to relay campaign success and develop ideas that align with the CEO’s vision.

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