What is a Social Media Coordinator?

When I tell my friends and family that I’m a social media coordinator for a digital marketing agency, I usually receive a polite smile and nod, a look of confusion or questions about how I play on Facebook all day.

I understand the confusion. The position of social media coordinator didn’t really exist when I started college five years ago. I think the easiest way to explain the job is to define many of the other jobs that make up my position.

So what does a social media coordinator do? Every social media coordinator has different roles and responsibilities and wears different hats, but these are some of the hats that I wear every day:

1. The writer

A social media coordinator regularly writes content for blogs, promotional posts for social networks, and copy for websites as necessary. I’ve crafted everything from articles and interviews to polls and influencer outreach. Being able to create different kinds of content for different platforms is a critical part of the job.

2. The developer

Believe it or not, there’s more to understanding social platforms than knowing how to post a tweet or update a Facebook status.

Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and WordPress release several major updates and layout changes every year, and most of them are rolled out without any advanced notice.

It’s my job to stay up to date on those changes and make sure we’re always using the platforms in the best way possible. I feel like I know more about social media than is even cool to know, like the dimensions of profile pictures on most social networks and the character limitations for more things than I’d like to admit.

3. The teacher

Even in today’s digital age, many people aren’t familiar with the science/art/existence of social media or how to use it to market products and services.

Part of my job is to teach my coworkers and clients about current social trends and explain how they impact our industry in particular.

I work exclusively with pharmaceutical clients, so I need to understand if and how we can use emerging platforms like Pinterest or Google+ with our clients’ goals and FDA regulations in mind.

4. The community manager

A good social media coordinator is, well, social. They’re able to facilitate conversations among people online and interact with others to answer any questions they may have and provide support.

You might be surprised at how many people share their personal stories and problems online, and how many others rally around them to provide encouragement.

We help as much as possible when people reach out to us through social media, by either directing them to someone who can help or giving them as much information as we can.

Even when we answer only small questions people have about their health, I feel like we’re able to really make a difference in their lives. That’s a great feeling.

5. The analyst

There are dozens, if not hundreds, of metrics one can use to measure engagement in social media.

As an analyst, I create reports based on those metrics to draw insights from the previous month’s interactions. What kinds of content performed the best on our Facebook Timeline? What were our most popular blog posts for the previous month? How can we adjust our posting schedule to maximize our reach?

We sort through tons of data generated from tools like Radian6, Brandwatch, Facebook Insights, and Omniture to build the reports. In the end, we use all of this information and insights to determine how we can best serve our clients and consumers and maximize the value of those social media channels.

Hopefully next time someone tells you they work in the social media field, you won’t have to ask if they have a real job or simply smile and nod. I really enjoy my job and the fact that I’m able to wear so many hats every day. All in a day’s work for a social media coordinator.

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[h/t to Marketing Easy for the “hats” concept]

About Andrew Grojean

Andrew is an Associate Director of Innovation at a digital marketing agency in KC, interested in all things social media, pop culture, sports, and technology.

42 comments

  1. What is a Social Media Coordinator? http://t.co/VGX4HiMCma via @andrewgrojean

  2. What is a Social Media Coordinator? http://t.co/cFZlOHbnFq via @andrewgrojean

  3. What is a Social Media Coordinator? http://t.co/wi909SHlIG via @andrewgrojean

  4. What is a Social Media Coordinator? http://t.co/VLnRzUOHUJ via @andrewgrojean

  5. What is a Social Media Coordinator? http://t.co/YIH0FlLlga via @andrewgrojean

  6. What is a Social Media Coordinator? http://t.co/wv27LBwZYE via @andrewgrojean

  7. What is a Social Media Coordinator? http://t.co/OKQ2gUikXX via @andrewgrojean

  8. What is a Social Media Coordinator? | Andrew Grojean http://t.co/me8TP8bFsc

  9. What is a Social Media Coordinator? http://t.co/IVBR0Qp2iK via @andrewgrojean

  10. What is a Social Media Coordinator? http://t.co/7nzmHPgS2H via @andrewgrojean

  11. What is a Social Media Coordinator? http://t.co/ZZpo6Zep1a via @andrewgrojean

  12. What is a Social Media Coordinator? http://t.co/6ZbARy7n7l via @andrewgrojean

  13. What is a Social Media Coordinator? http://t.co/oCUypZSnDo via @andrewgrojean

  14. Well done Andrew. I think you clearly and succinctly explained the roles and responsibilities. I know several companies that could use your post as the basis of a job description that they sorely need.

  15. Well done Andrew. I think you clearly and succinctly explained the roles and responsibilities. I know several companies that could use your post as the basis for a job description that they sorely need.

  16. What is a Social Media Coordinator? http://t.co/gUav8npPS0 via @andrewgrojean

  17. What is a Social Media Coordinator? http://t.co/BB8Y0E3eV1 via @andrewgrojean

  18. What is a Social Media Coordinator? http://t.co/SCzDO1mVPw via @andrewgrojean

  19. What is a Social Media Coordinator? http://t.co/Pr5RRb8Ud0 vía @andrewgrojean

  20. Interesting article..it answers a question I always had. ; )

  21. What is a Social Media Coordinator? http://t.co/9VCdYb7t8D via @andrewgrojean

  22. What is a Social Media Coordinator? http://t.co/s4BE63Affm via @andrewgrojean

  23. Thanks for sharing your insight! It was useful to read!

  24. Finally, an answer that just may work! | What is a Social Media Coordinator? http://t.co/F3sZO1Vgec via @andrewgrojean

  25. http://t.co/XDE5LAGnLB. Truth about my profession in #socmedia Thanks @andrewgrojean and for posting on LinkedIn, @Reed_Pankratz

  26. Great article and insight into social media and all of the aspects of “playing on your phone” really is about. I dislike doing the stuff, but props to you for being awesome at it!

  27. What is a social media coordinator? Great post, and I definitely wear many hats throughout the day. #socialmedia http://t.co/rdEMR5XYGv

  28. This is a great post. Thank you! I recently got an internship at a radio station for a social media coordinator. It was hard for me to explain to friends and family at first, but this post it pretty much sums it up. I love being able to wear different hats.

    • Thanks Marie! I’m so glad it was helpful. It’s nice to be able to do something different every day and wear those hats. I’m not sure how I’d handle wearing just one hat for 40 hours a week!

  29. Seriously considering this as a future job! I am majoring in communications and still debating on what concentration I want to get into. New Media sounds like the appropiate way

  30. What is a Social Media Coordinator? http://t.co/WGFkCd1bzN via @andrewgrojean – great post about what a Social Media Coordinator truly is!

  31. This post lets me know that I am on the write job search track. This is totally what I want to do. Do you have any advice on how to find this type of position? Do you feel that you also act as an advocate?

  32. explained in a very good way Andrew.

  33. Love the article Andrew! This is awesome, I consider myself an entry-level Social Media Coordinator and found this article very useful as I am trying to figure out exactly what is it we do. Keep in mind I have never been a part of a big firm or institute which use social media, but I have been working with small business and their social media efforts. Maybe you can explain a bit more into details what you do as a coordinator, lol if you have time.

    Thanks

  34. Andrew I tried to send a message to you from the CONTACT page but there seems to be an error. Is there an email address I can reach you at??

  35. Thanks for such a detailed rundown of the role! Many of the other descriptions I’ve read are vague at best. This a valuable resource for those who seek to enter the field.

  36. I love these descriptions of a social media coordinator. It’s hard for me to explain to others (family and friends) what it consists of. Let alone the idea that it’s not just updating statuses, etc. I share your link on my social sites as my way of explaining to others what I do 🙂 Thanks for putting this together.

  37. I like the way you described the job, you have sense of humour as well that counts 😛

  38. Thanks for clarifying this for me. Where can I learn to become a Social Media Coordinator? Thanks again.

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