Media Specialist Job Description, Skills, and Salary
Get to know about the duties, responsibilities, qualifications, and skills requirements of a media specialist. You can use our job description template in this article to produce your own. We also provide you with information about the salary you can earn as a media specialist.
Who is a Media Specialist?
The media specialist is responsible for creating and publishing content on all social media platforms, including Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, to increase audience, and brand awareness.
A media specialist may also monitor site performance, interact with readers and be responsible for creative design.
The media specialist must understand the target audience for each social channel, create compelling content that will engage the target audience, and be unique from the typical interactions of each channel.
The media specialist will also be responsible for strategy development, community management, creative leadership, customer service, writing, and data analysis.
Media Specialists are responsible for planning the brand’s social media strategy. This includes developing a holistic plan that aligns with overall business goals, developing tactics to achieve those goals, and generally researching, testing, and optimizing the various social media channels to meet the needs of the brand’s audience.
The actions of a media specialist can be divided into strategy, engagement, creation, planning, listening, measurement and experimentation. While larger social or digital marketing teams are likely to include a media specialist, each member of the team needs to understand the strategy and be able to see the bigger picture.
Firstly, you need to set a specific goal (such as traffic or registrations) and agree on social media tactics to achieve that goal. For example, if you want to raise awareness among young buyers, you may decide to create an influencer program on Instagram.
You will then need to engage with your audience on social media, build a brand voice and create content that resonates with your audience. Each channel has its algorithm and optimization tactics. Scheduling is therefore also an important part of the media specialist’s job, ensuring that posts are regularly scheduled on optimal days and times on specific channels.
Once these elements are in place, the media specialist also needs to measure the results by tracking indicators and information on each platform. There are social media marketing tools that consolidate these results so that it is easy to see which channels are most effective and which content is generating the most engagement. With this data, the media specialist can experiment with new content and optimize high-impact social media posts.
Some media specialists are also responsible for paid strategies and should be able to use tools such as Facebook Ads Manager or other paid options on channels such as LinkedIn or Quora, for marketing.
Media specialists spend their days planning and implementing social media strategies, creating and publishing content on different platforms, and engaging with their communities and audiences.
The media specialist must also measure results by tracking metrics and information on each platform.
The goal is to gradually achieve higher levels of customer engagement and affinity, website traffic, and revenue by strategically leveraging all aspects of the social media marketing roadmap.
Media Specialist Job Description
Below are the media specialist job description examples you can use to develop your resume or write a job description for your employee. Employers can also use it to sieve out job seekers when choosing candidates for interviews.
The duties and responsibilities of a media specialist include the following:
- Developing, implementing, and managing a social media strategy after researching the competition, defining the platform, developing messages, and identifying audiences.
- Planning, creating, publishing, and sharing new content (including original text, images, videos, and code) daily that creates meaningful connections with customers, build brand awareness, and encourages community members to engage with the brand.
- Collaborating with sales and marketing teams to develop social media campaigns.
- Keeping up to date with the latest social media practice and technology.
- Configuring and optimizing company pages on each platform to increase the visibility of the company’s social content.
- Monitoring SEO and customer engagement and suggesting content optimization
- Ensuring user-generated content is aligned with moderation policies.
- Collaborating with sales, web design, web development, digital marketing, customer relations, and product development departments.
- Creating editorial calendars and syndication programs
- Collecting and analyzing relevant social media data/metrics, insights, and best practices to measure the success of each social media campaign and use this information to improve future campaigns.
- Working with writers and designers to ensure content is informative and engaging.
- Expanding your network by engaging with industry professionals and influencers through social media.
- Promoting products or services through social channels such as Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.
- Managing the company’s social media presence by creating content, interacting with customers, and responding to comments and complaints.
- Analyzing analytical and statistical data to identify popular topics and trends in niche markets or industries.
Qualifications
A media specialist generally needs the following qualifications:
Education
Employers generally require media specialists to have a bachelor’s degree in marketing, communications, or a related field. Some employers prefer candidates with a master’s degree in the social media marketing or a related field.
Training and experience
Media specialists typically receive on-the-job training to learn the specific social media platforms and strategies used by their employers. Training can last from a few days to several months, depending on the complexity of the social media platform and strategies used by the company.
Certifications and licenses
While certifications are not mandatory for a media specialist position, they can be useful for job candidates and experienced professionals who want to expand their skills and advance their careers.
Essential Skills
- Facebook Advertising
Facebook advertising is a form of Facebook marketing that helps promote your business and drive traffic to your website. Media specialists often use this skill to increase brand awareness, attract leads and sell products. To be successful with Facebook ads, it is important to know how to create an effective ad, monitor its effectiveness, and optimize your campaign over time.
- Content creation
Content creation is the process of creating text, images, and videos that you post on social media. This can include blog posts, product descriptions, memes, video scripts, etc. As a media specialist, it is important to be able to create engaging content that encourages people to interact with your brand. You can also use this skill to create original content for your company website or other marketing materials.
- Graphic design
Graphic design skills are essential for creating social media posts, banners, and other visual content. Media specialists with strong graphic design skills can create eye-catching images that entice people to click on a link or share a post. They also know how to use fonts and colors effectively to get their message across.
- Instagram Advertising
Instagram is a social media platform that allows users to share images and videos. Media specialists need to know how to advertise on Instagram, as it can be an effective way to promote products or services. For example, if you are working with a clothing brand, posting photos of outfits tagged with the company’s account can help drive traffic to their website.
- Time management
Time management is the ability to plan and complete tasks promptly. Media specialists often have several projects going on at once, so they must be able to prioritize and meet deadlines. They also need to be able to estimate how long certain tasks will take so they can manage their time accordingly.
- Creativity
Creativity is the ability to generate new ideas and solutions. Media specialists are often creative when creating content for a company’s social media accounts. They may also need to be creative in finding ways to increase engagement with posts or motivate followers to take action. For example, a media specialist can try different types of posts to see which gets the most comments or shares.
- Twitter Advertising
Twitter advertising is a form of online marketing that allows you to promote products or services through sponsored posts. Media specialists often use Twitter ads to attract potential customers. It is therefore important to know how to create effective campaigns. You can also use Twitter ads to build your brand by promoting your content.
- Multitasking
Media specialists often have to multi-task, which means that they have to do several things at the same time. For example, if one task takes a lot of time, they can switch to another task and work on it for a short time before returning to the first task. This will allow them to do more in less time. It is also important that media specialists can prioritize their tasks so that the most important ones are dealt with first.
- Pinterest Advertisement
Pinterest is a social media platform that allows users to create and share collections of images called boards. These boards can be on different topics, such as fashion or entertainment. Media specialists with expertise in Pinterest know how to use the site’s capabilities to grow an audience and drive traffic to an employer’s site. They also know how to create engaging content for the platform, including eye-catching images and informative descriptions.
- Organization
Being organized means being able to keep track of multiple tasks and projects at the same time. Media specialists often have many projects going on at the same time, so they must be organized so that they can complete their work on time. Strong organizational skills also allow media specialists to keep track of their campaigns, which can help them analyze data and improve their future efforts.
- Attention to detail
Attention to detail is an essential skill for media specialists, as it allows them to ensure that their posts are of high quality and meet the guidelines of each platform. It is also important to ensure consistency of tone, voice, and message across all platforms. For example, if you have a Facebook page, a Twitter account, and an Instagram profile, your posts should be similar so that followers know where to find information about your business.
- Flexibility
Flexibility is the ability to adapt to changing circumstances. Media specialists often need flexibility because their work can change quickly and new social media trends can emerge regularly. For example, if a company’s Twitter account receives negative feedback on one of its posts, the media specialist may update the post with additional information or change the format of the post entirely.
- SEO
SEO, or search engine optimization, is the process of optimizing a website to improve its ranking in search results. It involves using keywords and creating content that attracts potential customers. Media specialists often use SEO when creating posts for a company’s social media accounts, as it ensures that people interested in their products will find them.
- Copywriting
Media specialists are often required to write posts for companies’ social media accounts. This requires strong copywriting skills, i.e. the ability to communicate effectively in writing. Copywriting is about writing engaging and informative copy that resonates with an audience’s needs. Media specialists use these skills when creating blog posts or other types of content on a website.
- Google AdWords
Media specialists often use Google AdWords to create and manage ads on social media platforms. This involves creating a campaign, setting advertising goals, and selecting keywords that people can use to search for your business. You can then track the number of clicks each ad receives.
- Website design
Web design is the process of creating a website. Media specialists often need to know how to create websites, which requires knowledge of web design software and HTML coding. This skill will enable you to create your website or blog and to create websites for clients. It will also help you understand what aspects of a website are most important to optimize them for search engines.
How to Become a Media Specialist
To become a media specialist, take the following steps:
- Get a degree in marketing
First, get a bachelor’s degree with a major in marketing, communications, or a similar field. You can also take courses in digital marketing, advertising, consumer research, marketing analysis, and business fundamentals.
- Gain work experience
To gain practical experience, look for internships or jobs as a media assistant or entry-level marketing assistant. Try creating your own social media profiles to put what you’ve learned into practice.
- Consider certification
To demonstrate your knowledge of and commitment to social media, get a professional certification. Consider obtaining a professional marketing specialist certification from the American Marketing Association, with a focus on digital marketing.
Look for opportunities for advancement. After three to five years of experience, look for an opportunity to advance to a more senior position, such as a media manager.
Where to Work as a Media Specialist
Most media specialists work for private industries government agencies, and other businesses. They work with other members of the marketing and communications team to create a social media strategy that meets the organization’s objectives. They also develop and maintain relationships with online influencers, customers, and other stakeholders. media specialists usually work in the office, but may also work remotely. They usually work full-time, but may also work part-time or freelance.
Media Specialist Salary Scale
The average annual salary of a Media Specialist in the United States and Canada is $44339 and $62415 respectively. In the United Kingdom, the average annual salary of a Media Specialist is £32,104.