Abirami Dharmalingam
August 20, 2025
So, you want to become a social media manager but don’t have years of experience to get started.
Most successful social media managers didn’t start with years of marketing experience – they just experimented with their strategies, learned from mistakes, and built their skills along the way.
The same applies here! Companies care about creativity, consistency, and results than what’s written on your resume. So, if you’re passionate about social media and know how to engage with customers – you’re already there.
Social media manager is a popular job title, but what skills are needed, and how do you get that role?
Here, you’ll find out how to become a social media manager and what skills you need if you want to pursue this social media career path.
Firstly, you need to understand what a social media manager does. With an understanding of the role, you can get clarity on where to focus your energy if you want to grow in this career.
A social media manager is responsible for strategies, planning content to increase followers, and engaging with customers across social media platforms. 1 in 3 customers use social media to discover new products and brands.
The exact responsibilities can vary depending on the company. A small business might expect you to handle everything from content creation to customer replies, while a larger brand might have you focus more on strategy and analytics. But no matter where you work, a few key responsibilities always come with the role:
So, what skills are needed to become a social media manager?
Well, there are several attributes to consider, but this plays a massive role in securing your career path more positively.
You need to understand the skills to excel in your social media manager role. Here are some key social media manager skills you’ll need to excel in this digital marketing career.
Your major role is to connect with people, so having strong communication skills is non-negotiable.
You must know what kind of tone, words, and style will resonate with the people. Since every platform has its own algorithm, you need to know how to adjust. The way you engage on Facebook is very different from Twitter (or X), Instagram, or TikTok. So, you need to adapt your communication style for each channel.
Social media for businesses shouldn’t feel stiff or filled with boring stuff. It needs to be personal and relatable. That’s why you need to be creative, have a bit of personality, and even a sense of humor to keep content engaging and authentic.
People can instantly reply to your content, ask questions, or even share their opinions with all of their followers. That’s why customer service is a big part if you want to become a social media manager.
You need to keep an eye on what’s happening across your platforms, respond to messages quickly, and handle both positive and negative comments professionally.
The way you write shapes how people see the brand. You must know how to write engaging words, clear and aligned with the brand’s personality.
Every post should be professional and free of mistakes. Sometimes you’ll be editing your own work, and other times you’ll be refining content written. Either way, it’s your job to make sure everything that goes out feels consistent and on-brand.
Social media is highly visual, and content that includes images or videos consistently outperforms text-only posts even on platforms like Twitter (X).
While you don’t need to be an expert graphic designer, having an eye for design is essential. This includes selecting the right images from a company’s image, creating simple graphics with tools like Canva, or collaborating effectively with a design team by providing clear direction.
Here you have a step-by-step guide to become a social media marketer in 2025. Want to become one? Continue reading.
To become a social media marketer, you need to create, share, and promote content to help a brand connect with its audience. But you need to enjoy the channel where you’re working on. If you choose a platform you’re not interested in, you’ll eventually lose steam, and that lack of passion will show in your content.
So, think about where your strengths and interests align. Do you love storytelling and aesthetics? Instagram or Pinterest could be a perfect fit. Prefer quick, witty updates? Twitter (X) might suit you better. Or maybe you’re drawn to professional conversations, you can go to LinkedIn. Choose a channel that excites you, so you can develop deeper expertise to stand out when applying for a social media manager role.
Many people start their careers in entry-level social media marketing roles or related fields that help them build the necessary skills.
For example, jobs in content strategy, customer service, SEO, influencer marketing, or public relations all teach you how to engage with audiences and understand digital behavior – these things every social media manager needs. All relevant work experience can help you become a better social media marketer.
By this point, you’ll get hands-on experience – whether from personal projects, internships, or entry-level roles. Now it’s time to package that experience into a resume and portfolio that really showcases your abilities.
While creating a portfolio, insert your results what you get from past campaigns. For example, highlight how you increased engagement by 40% on your personal Instagram profile or how you helped a small business boost reach through targeted campaigns.
Consider creating case studies that walk employers through your process. You can create your case studies that show the measurement of key metrics, the growth of KPIs, and how you used different social media platforms to achieve your goals.
If you’re eager to become a social media manager and gain hands-on experience, consider enrolling in the NB Marketing Solutions full-stack digital marketing course. With expert-led instruction, practical assignments, and industry-recognized certification, it’s the perfect opportunity to level up your skills and accelerate your career growth.
So, take your first step today towards us for your future success!