In a world where content is king and attention is a precious commodity, the social media marketer plays a crucial role. Companies are constantly looking for people who can bring brands to life online. But how do you become such a person? In this blog, I give you a concrete roadmap - not vague motivational tips, but practical guidelines that will help you make a real difference.
Before you get creative with Reels or TikToks, you need to understand why you're posting something. That means:
- What is your target audience?
- What is your brand positioning?
- What do you want to achieve (engagement, sales, brand awareness)?
Read about marketing psychology, branding and the customer journey. A successful social media marketer thinks strategically, not just aesthetically.
You don't have to be an expert in each channel, but you need to understand how each platform works:
Platform
Focus
Important format
Instagram
Image, storytelling
Reels, Stories
TikTok
Entertainment, speed
Short videos
LinkedIn
Thought leadership
Text + video
Facebook
Community, ads
Carousels, video
Pinterest
Inspiration, e-commerce
Pins
View popular accounts, analyze trends and test yourself - you learn the most by doing.
A good social media marketer is often half a content creator. Make sure you have mastered the basics of:
- Copywriting (getting attention with few words)
- Canva / Adobe Express (for visuals)
- Basic video editing (for Reels, TikToks, shorts)
Use tools such as CapCut, InShot or Premiere Rush to experiment with content shapes.
Creating content is 50%. The other 50%? Analyze what works.
Make sure you can work with:
- Instagram Insights
- TikTok Analytics
- Meta Business Suite
- Google Analytics (for web traffic from socials)
Test, measure, learn, improve. Use A/B testing on ads, and pay attention to metrics like reach, CTR and retention.
Organic reach is nice, but paid reach is essential. Follow training or tutorials on:
- Facebook & Instagram Ads
- TikTok Ads
- LinkedIn Campaign Manager
- Retargeting and lookalike audiences
A social media marketer who can also handle performance marketing is golden.
Want to be taken seriously? Show yourself online.
- Share your work on LinkedIn or Instagram
- Write posts about your vision for marketing
- Show results (e.g. "this is how I grew the account from 500 to 5,000 followers")
- Work on your own social media presence as if it were your client
Your profile is your portfolio.
Social media is constantly changing. New algorithms, new features, new trends.
Therefore, follow:
- Podcasts (e.g. Social Minds, The GaryVee Audio Experience)
- Newsletters (e.g. Social Media Examiner, Marketingfacts)
- Creators on TikTok and LinkedIn talking about the profession
- (Micro)courses on platforms like Skillshare or Coursera
Theory is nice, but experience counts. Start with:
- An internship or freelance job for a small business owner
- Managing a club, volunteer or personal account
- Creating a case study based on an existing brand ("suppose I were to run HEMA")
Every post you make is a testament to your ability.
In conclusion: consistency > perfection
The most successful social media marketers are not necessarily the most creative or technical. They are the ones who keep learning, keep testing and consistently deliver value.
So: start, fail, learn, improve. The algorithms change, but that approach always works.