When you look at a business’s social media accounts, you only see the finished posts. What you don’t see is everything that happens behind the scenes to get those posts written, designed, approved and published.
Social media management is about far more than uploading the occasional photograph to Facebook. It takes planning, creativity, organisation and a good understanding of the business and its customers.
So, what does a social media manager actually do?
Getting to know your business
Before creating any content, a social media manager needs to understand the business they are representing.
This includes learning about its services, customers, location, values and tone of voice. They also need to understand what makes the business different and what it wants to achieve through social media.
There is no point producing attractive posts if they don’t sound like the business or speak to the right people.
Planning the content
Posting without a plan often leads to long gaps, repeated messages or content being published simply because something needs to go out that day.
A social media manager creates a structured content plan that includes a good mixture of subjects. Depending on the business, this could include:
- Services and products
- Helpful advice
- Customer reviews
- Frequently asked questions
- Behind-the-scenes content
- Staff introductions
- Seasonal information
- Local news and community involvement
- Offers, events and announcements
This keeps the accounts active and interesting without making every post feel like a sales pitch.
Writing the posts
Every post needs to be written with the right platform and audience in mind.
A detailed LinkedIn post may need to be shortened considerably for X, while content for Facebook might need a different approach from a TikTok caption. The wording, length, call to action and use of hashtags can all change between platforms.
The aim is to create posts that sound natural, reflect the business and give people a reason to stop scrolling.
Creating the graphics
Social media is highly visual, so images and graphics are an important part of the process.
A social media manager may create branded graphics, resize photographs, edit video clips or turn business information into content that is easier to understand.
They also make sure the content is suitable for each platform. An image designed for Instagram Stories, for example, will need different dimensions from one created for a Facebook or LinkedIn post.
Scheduling and publishing
Once the content has been written and approved, it needs to be scheduled or published.
Scheduling content in advance helps a business maintain a regular presence, even during busy periods. It also reduces the risk of accounts becoming neglected when day-to-day work takes priority.
A social media manager will check dates, links, contact details and timings before anything is published. They will also make changes when plans, events or business priorities shift unexpectedly.
Monitoring performance
Creating the posts is only part of the job. It is also important to look at how the content is performing.
This might include reviewing:
- Reach and impressions
- Comments, shares and reactions
- Website visits
- Messages and enquiries
- Follower growth
- The types of content attracting the most attention
Not every post will perform in the same way. Monitoring the results helps identify what people find useful or interesting, allowing future content to be adjusted accordingly.
Keeping up with changes
Social media platforms change frequently. New features appear, image sizes are updated and the type of content being prioritised can change.
A social media manager keeps track of these developments and considers which ones are genuinely useful for their clients. Businesses don’t need to follow every new trend, but their approach should continue to develop rather than remain stuck in the past.
Giving business owners their time back
For many small-business owners, one of the greatest benefits of outsourcing social media is having one less task competing for their attention.
Instead of wondering what to post, trying to create graphics late at night or realising that nothing has been published for several weeks, they know their accounts are being managed consistently.
They still have input and remain involved in the process, but they no longer have to do everything themselves.
Social media support for small businesses
Good social media management helps a business remain visible, build trust and communicate regularly with its customers. It combines planning, writing, design, organisation and ongoing review to create a consistent online presence.
At Social Beans, I work closely with small businesses to create and manage content that reflects who they are and what they offer. I become part of the team, taking the time to understand each business rather than applying the same approach to every client.
If managing your social media keeps slipping to the bottom of your list, or you simply don’t know what to post anymore, get in touch to arrange a free meeting and find out how I can help.