Into the Matrix – Building a Social Media Career

The dynamic field of social media has generated employment for a lot of people and is an up-and-coming career option. Industry experts spill the secrets to NT KURIOCITY

SHERYL GONSALVES

‘Just as she opened the door, the lights went out, and everything went black …’ Got your attention? If you’re someone who can grab people’s attention online with quality content, then a social media career may be just for you! What began as a fun way to connect with others has grown into a massive industry, creating millions of jobs, from managing corporate accounts to becoming a successful influencer.

 

SOCIAL MEDIA CAREER

Skills needed

But what’s it like to pursue a career in this field? It can be confusing to wonder what skills are needed to stay at the top and be relevant among a whole sea of posts and reels.

But chief among these, according to the founder of Growth Gravy Viresh Vazirani, is creativity as one needs to produce engaging and visually captivating content to grab attention. Analytical thinking to decipher data and metrics for strategic decision-making is also a significant skill as is familiarising yourself with social media platforms, tools, and analytics software.

“One also needs strong communication skills, both written and visual, and some understanding of how businesses work in terms of a target audience and brand-building,” says founder of Blurb Sapna Shahani. She also emphasises the importance of originality: “Bring your unique thoughts to your work, rather than imitating others.”

Co-founder of Digitally Scrambled and influencer, Jade Dsa, feels that consistency or perseverance is also absolutely necessary while everything else can be learned and honed. “It is important to be in tune with the market, your client’s competition, your client’s USPs, and their strengths and weaknesses to be able to position them well and create an engaged community for the brand,” she says.

 

Career paths

Social media offers diverse career opportunities. Listing a few, Vazirani emphasises roles such as social media managers overseeing campaign strategy and analytics, SEO specialists enhancing content visibility on search engines, community managers moderating comments and posts, and social media analysts tracking performance metrics. There are also promising opportunities in ad management and influencer coordination for brand partnerships.

Formal education vs practical experience

While formal education can teach you skills like creative writing, videography, and how to use tools like Photoshop, there is a large part of it that can’t be taught as it needs to be innate to a person, shares Dsa. Hands-on experience with managing campaigns, understanding audience behaviour, and staying current with trends will go a long way in helping one succeed in this field, states Vazirani. “Certifications and courses specific to social media can also complement practical experience,” he adds.

Dsa also echoes the need to stay updated with trends. “We have to follow trends so our clients stay relevant and garner more eyeballs. I stay updated through social media newsletters from agencies and marketing portals, and by monitoring similar businesses of my clients locally, nationally, and internationally,” she says.

Shahani adds that one has to keep an eye out for new features on the apps/ platforms you use everyday. “Also, participate in webinars and conferences, and engage with professional communities to stay informed about changes and best practices,” says Vazirani.

 

A typical day in the role

So what is a normal work day like in the field? “It could be dynamic such as researching content, writing, or stepping out to do a photo shoot. And it can also be boring sitting in the same place posting and handling repetitive work,” says Shahani.

For Vazirani, mornings begin with message responses, performance metric reviews, and scheduling posts. Midday focuses on content creation, community engagement, and trend monitoring. Afternoons are dedicated to campaign analysis, strategy adjustments, and future planning. Evenings are spent collaborating with team members, attending meetings, and staying updated with industry news. “Days when you plan and execute shoots might have a different flow,” he says.

Dsa meanwhile starts her day at 10 a.m. with calls, meetings, emails, ideation sessions, writing, posting, and engaging on social media.

 

Future outlook

It is also important to note the extraordinary evolution of social media over the past decade. “Facebook used to be king but now Instagram is. Professional photographers were essential for lifestyle brands but now they are not always required. Even phone photography is acceptable sometimes,” notes Shahani, while Vazirani points out that trends have shifted from organic reach to paid advertising.

And while the future for this career is bright in terms of learning marketing strategy, content production tools may get taken over by AI, says Shahani. Thus, Vazirani states, staying adaptable and innovative will be key to success.

 

INFLUENCERS

If you feel you have ideas, opinions, knowledge, discoveries and humour to share with the world, then becoming a social media influencer may be perfect for you.

“To be an influencer, one needs to have a knack for good photography and videography, the ability to express yourself well, and be able to stay true to your unique voice and point of view,” says Dsa (@thatgoangirl). Consistency and creating compelling content that drives action – not merely chasing likes and trends, is also must, she says. Prapti Tar (prapp_t) adds that adaptability, passion, patience, content that builds connections, and audience engagement are crucial as well.

But one of the main questions is ‘How do I create content?’ Tar answers, “I approach content creation by staying true to myself, focusing on my passions like home recipes, trying new restaurants, travelling to new places, and experimenting with different formats and styles to keep things engaging.”  Dsa breaks routine on weekends by visiting restaurants or experiencing something new which fuels her page with new posts.

So, who can be an influencer? The answer? Anyone. “Today, there are influencers in every field possible – gardening, parenting, skincare, and video games. Even pets and babies are influencers these days,” says Dsa.

A typical day as an influencer involves brainstorming content ideas, shooting, editing, posting, writing scripts, engaging with the audience, attending meetings or events, networking with other influencers, and researching new trends and opportunities, says Tar.

Dsa meanwhile finds the changing algorithm exhausting and focuses on organic content that aligns with her personality and interests for her personal page. She prefers not to hop on a trend just because everyone is doing it. However, she doesn’t discount learning to use different tools and following people and businesses in different industries.

So how do you earn from this? “Collaborations and sponsorships are important aspects. I collaborate with brands, local restaurants, and businesses that align with my values and interests,” Tar reveals.

When asked about the future, Dsa feels that there are more influencers than there are people to be influenced. But, it’s still not too late for new influencers to break into the space. Tar sees a promising future with growth and diversification in the industry.