Social media is still in its infancy, and brands and businesses are trying to find their feet in a world where change is quick and constant. As soon as one area is mastered, a new tool or network is created, taking an audience’s attention and valuable business with it. Thankfully the old school has found help in getting involved in the new school with a plucky new species known simply as the Social Media Manager.
Their job description is as vague as their rhetoric, their reports filled with buzzwords to baffle budget keepers and plans to perplex even the smartest of emperors.
That said, they serve a vital purpose as new age prospectors at the mine face of new media. Experimenting with new technologies to make the most of the evolving online world, while providing that all important ROI to those that are funding it. But there are rules Social Media Managers need to follow to make sure they don”t become like chasing douchebags and ruin the internet quicker than an estate agent in a housing bubble.
So I call upon all those that work in content creation, online engagement, community management or what ever you want to call it, to join me and sign up to this Social Media Manager’s Manifesto and make social media a better place for everyone.
I will not beg people for likes/retweets/shares
Your audience are not idiots, they understand how social media works and what to do if they see something they like. If you’re doing your job right your content will encourage engagement without demanding it.
I will not rely on cats to boost my stats
The internet, no matter what you may have read, is not ran by cats. Yes they have their place, yes they can bring the funnies, but you’re better than that. If you have to rely on felines to get people hitting the like button, you’re not worth what you’re charging your client.
If you have to rely on cats to get likes, you’re not worth what you’re charging your client
I will check my spelling
Yes you want to be informal in the social space, but let’s keep some standards shall we? Know the basics, like your they’re/there/their and where/wear or its/it’s and your/you’re
I will make content relevant to my audience
Social Media is like every other medium, if you want to engage your audience, you better make it relevant to them.
I will make content
Seriously, check the skills section of your CV. Got “content creation” on there? Then stop stealing and passing stuff you found on Buzzfeed/4Chan/competitor’s site as your own content.
If you’re going to curate content rather than create, make sure you attribute it properly. Just because you’re too lazy to do your job, doesn’t mean you should rob those that do work of the proper credit.
I will understand not everything is about the lolz
Being engaging on social media doesn’t just mean posting funny pictures of pugs pretending to use computers. Being a Social Media Manager means knowing when to use humour to get your message across, and when to be a bit more thought provoking.
I will stop posting tired memes
No matter what day it is, today is not the day Marty McFly went to in the future
There are too many examples of this, but the Marty McFly one seems to come up every year. Until the 21st of October 2015, this point stands.
To be continued
This is by no means an exhaustive list of what Social Media Manager’s should pledge to do in their roles, but it’s a starting point. There are loads of things you should do so as not to be a dick when running a brand’s social media. But if you start by following these, you’ll be on to a good thing. So put your pledge in the box below, and spread the word – together we can make the web a better place where posts like this don’t see the light of day.
