How to Land a High-Paying Remote Social Media Job

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July 14, 2021
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19
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Social media is one of the fastest-growing career fields today, and many of these roles have become remote as employers see the benefits of working from home. With so many jobs available, learning to job search efficiently can help you find the right position. And by growing your set of skills, you can be sure to land a remote social media job that is high paying and flexible. 

Know Where to Look

The first step in finding a remote social media job is knowing where and how to look for one. If you know anyone who works in the industry already, reach out to them and ask if they have any leads you can follow. Even if they don't, they'll be able to keep you in mind should something come up in the future.

One of the best ways to find a remote social media job is by browsing various job boards. While you're looking, keep in mind that non-standard job titles have become common. Companies often use words like "guru" or "czar" to convey the type of attitude they are looking for in an employee, which can be confusing to those just starting their job search.

To find remote social media jobs on job boards, you'll need to familiarize yourself with the keywords companies use in their job postings. Some common keywords you should use in your search are: 

  • Social media marketing
  • Digital media
  • Remote marketing
  • Online community
  • Engagement
  • Interactive content

When searching for positions on job boards, don't limit yourself to just one site's listings. Using a tool like Teal's Job Application Tracker, you can save job listings from anywhere on the internet in one place. This keeps your saved jobs organized while easily allowing you to broaden your job search.

Hone Your Skills

Once you know how to find remote social media jobs, you'll need to make sure you have the skills to do the job well. You can land a social media manager job without experience, if you demonstrate you have the right skills. Growing your skill set makes you a more qualified candidate and increases the likelihood that you'll be offered a job. When looking for a remote social media job, there are several skills that you should focus on improving.

Customer Service

Recent studies have shown that 77% of small businesses use social media for key business functions like customer service. Regardless of your role, demonstrating skills such as communication, conflict resolution, and compassion can put you above the competition. Plus, enhancing your people skills will improve your performance in other areas of employment—not just when interacting with customers.

Writing

When working in social media, you'll likely need to do a lot of writing. Practice writing pithy, on-brand messages for Tweets or small promotional pieces. For general marketing, focus on improving your copywriting skills. You can even find free copywriting courses online that will teach you how to increase brand awareness and improve persuasion in your writing.

Key Performance Indicators

Key performance indicators, or KPIs, are variables that determine if a business is meeting its goals. For social media, some common KPIs are page views, shares, retweets, and likes. Knowing how to establish and measure KPIs can show employers that your social media knowledge goes further than likes and hashtags.

Remote Job Skills

Besides social media knowledge, you'll have to cultivate a set of skills unique to remote jobs. Be sure to emphasize your proficiency in areas like creative thinking, multitasking, and time management. Doing so will show potential employers your ability to work constructively and independently. It can also be helpful to show that you're comfortable with technology and troubleshooting issues on your own.

Decide What Role is Right for You

While there are many positions available, remote social media jobs can typically be divided into six major roles.

  1. Social media management
  2. Analytics and strategy 
  3. Content creation
  4. Community management
  5. Social media campaigns
  6. Paid promotion

Some of these roles may be combined at smaller companies, so it's useful to present yourself as a generalist when applying. Conversely, highlight specific expertise when applying for a position at a larger company.

Regardless of the role you assume, specializing in one aspect of social media can make you stand out from other applicants. Since social media jobs can take many forms, there is plenty of room to find your niche. Be it photography, marketing, or design, play to your strengths when choosing your specialty.

Establish a Social Media Presence

Employers are likely to check out your personal social media accounts for clues about your qualifications. The way you present yourself online can also tell them if you'd fit into their corporate culture. Make sure you remove any photos or videos that might appear distasteful to potential employers.

Use this to your advantage by assuring recent posts show you at your best, or better yet, demonstrate relevant skills or experience. Posting regularly can also be a creative way to show what you can do with unique design or marketing techniques. As always, remain professional when posting and when interacting with others.

Establishing a presence on social media can also provide you with networking opportunities. Follow accounts relevant to the industry and try to connect with known professionals whenever you can. Having a rapport with others in the industry can put your name out there for potential employers.

Know Your Medium

When looking for a remote social media job, it's important to be familiar with all channels of social media. While most people know their way around Facebook or Instagram, sites like Tumblr, Reddit, TikTok, LinkedIn, and Pinterest also have millions of users. You'll want to be proficient with all social media platforms to get the most out of your business content.

Apart from general usage, some other aspects of social media you should be familiar with are:

  • Photoshop
  • Video editing
  • Basic HTML
  • Hashtags
  • Internet slang

Each social media platform uses these tools uniquely, so understanding the basics can improve the work you do on each site.

With the industry seeing massive growth, landing a remote social media job largely comes down to knowing where to look for one. By expanding your skill set, you can ensure that you are qualified for a high-paying remote job that will fit your lifestyle.

If you need help knowing where to look for open remote social media opportunities, check out our blog post featuring over 40 different top niche job boards.

Frequently Asked Questions

Dave Fano

Founder and CEO of Teal, Dave is a serial entrepreneur with 20+ years of experience building products & services to help people leverage technology and achieve more with less.

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