We analyzed 50 social media job descriptions: Here’s what we learned about the state of social careers

If you’ve scrolled through LinkedIn lately and found yourself wondering, “Is there something different about social media job descriptions?,” the answer is yes.

We recently analyzed 50 different social media job listings to learn more about the skills and experience brands require candidates to have. What we uncovered were social media roles with higher levels of specialization and sophistication—an indication of what future social jobs will look like.

We also found a lack of industry standardization when it comes to career levels and compensation, factors that negatively impact career longevity. According to a Q3 2023 Sprout Pulse Survey, two of the top reasons marketers would continue working in social are financial incentives and career advancement opportunities. Yet, 42% plan to leave social marketing in the short term—suggesting they need greater role and pay clarity—which starts with job descriptions.

Let’s dive into our complete analysis, and why—despite having areas for improvement—career prospects for social marketers are moving in a positive direction.

About the data: For this article we analyzed 50 social media job descriptions from various countries, brands and industries. The roles were primarily for specialist, strategist, manager and director-level positions. We collected the data from May 15 to May 24, 2024.

The line between strategists and managers is blurred

In the early days of social, most professionals were called either “interns” or “managers.” Which seems to have contributed to the confusion surrounding the experience actually needed to land each job title today.

The qualifications that make someone suitable for a strategist role are often not that different from a manager. In some cases, manager titles might require fewer years of experience and less responsibility.

While some of the social media manager job postings we analyzed indicated managing a team of direct reports—including strategists, coordinators or interns—many didn’t. In fact, the difference between strategists and managers often came down to semantics.

Notice how this strategist position is more robust than this manager role when compared side-by-side.

Strategist:

• Years of experience: 10 years
• Compensation range: $145,000-$165,000
• Responsibilities include: people management, video content creation, social listening and paid social
• Company size: 1,300+ employees

Manager:

• Years of experience: 3-5 years
• Compensation range: $113,050-$234,000
• Responsibilities include: video content creation
• Company size: 700+ employees

Key learning: Whether you should hire a strategist or manager ultimately comes down to your team structure and business needs. But you should think critically about the responsibilities you’re asking a potential employee to manage, and how that stacks up to the career bands in other parts of your company. Make sure a clear path for career progression is charted for strategists and managers alike, and that no single employee takes on too many responsibilities.

Wide salary ranges underscore the lack of industry standard

In our analysis, compensation for social marketers significantly increases as you move up the corporate ladder. But differences from top to bottom are greater than in other industries, like finance or sales. While some specialists make as low as $20/hour, we saw listings for senior managers who could make up to $360,000.

Zooming in closer, there are wide compensation ranges at every level of the social profession, and sometimes even within one job description. Companies are sending unclear messages about what compensation for an open role will actually be, a red flag for many in the job market.

Based on our analysis, specialists can earn up to $93,654 annually, strategists up to $121,800, managers up to $194,721 and directors up to $216,570, on average. But there are wide spectrums at each level, which means there’s ample room for negotiation that candidates can (and should) take advantage of.

Key learning: The starting end of your compensation range shouldn’t be less than half of the cap. Work with your HR partners to develop ranges that meet industry standards, align with other internal departments, and properly compensate people for their work and expertise. Be transparent about a realistic range in your job description and candidate interviews, and what would put someone on the upper end.

Job responsibilities are becoming more sophisticated

Across the 50 job descriptions we reviewed, we took note of responsibilities that demonstrated a higher level of social media maturity, like customer care, social listening, community management, paid social and influencer marketing.

Here’s what we found:

• Only 26% of the listings included customer care, suggesting those roles lie elsewhere in the organization.
• Almost half (46%) mentioned influencer marketing as a core responsibility.
• Most director-level listings called out social listening and insights, and those jobs offered significantly higher salary bases ($120,513 compared to $93,162).
• Paid social responsibilities correlate with higher average salary bases compared to those who only handle organic ($116,615 compared to $100,693).

These findings illustrate the value skills like data analysis and content amplification offer, and reveal more about what future social teams will look like. These increasingly sophisticated responsibilities will branch out into burgeoning roles (some already have) as social teams expand. Roles like analysts, community managers, paid media specialists, influencer marketing managers and customer care leaders.

Key learning: As you map out how you’ll grow your social team, think about how roles can become more specialized and data-driven—ultimately providing a higher caliber of work and return on investment.

Experience with video-centric platforms is in highest demand

Demand for short-form video content continues to grow. According to a Q4 2023 Sprout Pulse Survey, 81% of consumers want brands to publish more short-form (<15-30 seconds) video this year. Another Q1 2024 Sprout Pulse Survey found that consumers are most likely to discover new products on Instagram (61%), Facebook (60%) and TikTok (46%), underscoring the importance of crafting video-centric feeds.

To meet this increasing appetite, brands are trying to bring more video content creators in-house to join their social media teams. Jobs that list TikTok and YouTube both have higher starting salary ranges than those who don’t—suggesting companies understand the value video content (and the people behind it) delivers.

We also noticed half of the job descriptions mention wanting candidates who are “extremely online” and tapped into internet culture, a nod to today’s lightning speed trend cycle fueled by short-form video content.

Video content creation isn’t eliminating static image and text-based social expertise, though. Almost half of all ‌job descriptions we analyzed still mention X (formerly Twitter). Emerging network Threads wasn’t mentioned as often, emphasizing how many brands are still experimenting with it and determining how best to fit it into their strategies.

Key learning: Video content creation skills are worth the investment, and candidates with this skillset will expect higher compensation. Build that into your budget. But don’t completely overlook the importance of static content creation and copywriting.

Assemble a best-in-class social media team

Social media has become a mainstream business function. Now what? It’s clear that many brands are still figuring out what a sophisticated social team looks like in practice.

Our analysis highlighted a growing specialization and sophistication in social jobs, coupled with a lack of industry standardization in career levels and compensation. In this evolving landscape, companies must provide clearer career paths and competitive pay. Despite these challenges, the demand for advanced skills, particularly in video content creation and data-driven strategies, indicates more recognition and opportunities for social marketers.

For job seekers, this evolving market means it’s time to refine your skillset and hold future employers to higher standards. For marketing leaders and hiring managers, it’s time to think strategically about how to build a social team that meets future demands and drives growth for your business and your people.

Download this social media org chart guide to build, expand and strengthen a dynamic social media department.