Social Media Jobs: 6 Roles to Explore

Working in social media typically requires a combination of creativity, communication, strategy, and analysis.

Social media is an area of marketing that continues to grow thanks to online social activity. As of 2024, social media has over 5 billion active users worldwide [1].

Whether you’re interested in finding an entry-level social media job or advancing your social media career, you’ll find several roles worth exploring. Social media can also help you develop versatile skills to apply to other aspects of marketing, such as digital marketing, as well as related careers in communications and public relations.   

3 entry-level social media jobs

Beginning a career in social media often means creating content and contributing to campaigns that will help a company stand out on various digital platforms. It also requires a knowledge of the major social media platforms (and familiarity with emerging platforms) and their users, as well as the type of content that works best for each one. 

1. Social media content specialist 

A social media content specialist typically helps a social media team create, schedule, and post content (written posts, images, graphics, and video), analyze posts for effectiveness and engagement, and monitor channels. They may also manage media relations on behalf of organizations or individuals.

• Average annual base salary: $44,932 CAD [3]

• Skills: Copywriting, graphic design, video production; knowledge of social media platforms (X, Facebook, Instagram, etc.) and social media scheduling and monitoring tools (Hootsuite, Sprinklr, Talkwalker, Mention, X Pro)

2. Social media analyst

Marketers rely on research to help them determine what customers want, need, and think—and social media delivers that data in droves. Social media analysts pore over an organization’s social media posts and metrics, gathering information about likes, shares, and click-through rate (CTR). They develop recommendations to help improve a company’s marketing and business strategies on social media.

• Average annual base salary: $43,672 CAD [4] 

• Skills: Knowledge of trends, audiences, engagement tactics, and search engine optimization (SEO); proficiency in media monitoring tools (Sprinklr, Khoros, Meltwater)

3. Marketing communications associate  

Sometimes called a “communications and marketing assistant,” a marketing communications associate typically supports a marketing team’s communication and content efforts across a number of channels. Their work tends to involve a lot of writing, which may be applied to social media, emails, websites, or blogs. They may also assist more senior members of the team. 

• Average annual base salary: $60,626 CAD [5] 

• Skills: Writing and editing; generating ideas and content; knowledge of content management systems (CMS), customer relationship management (CRM), and SEO; understanding of social media monitoring and listening tools  

3 advanced social media jobs

Advancing in your social media career means taking on more managerial-level roles. In these cases, you’d be doing less content creation and more content oversight, managing junior members of a social media marketing team, approving their posts, developing strategies for campaigns, and ensuring everything runs smoothly. 

1. Social media manager

Social media managers are primarily responsible for devising and executing their team's social strategy and managing all channels. They may also contribute research to campaign development, make sure all content aligns with a company’s brand identity, identify ways to increase engagement and drive traffic, and monitor channels for important developments.

• Experience: three to five years

• Average annual base salary: $53,099 CAD [6] 

• Skills: Advanced knowledge of all social media platforms writing and editing, content strategy, attention to detail, management, and analytics reporting 

Paid social media is a growing area that focuses on developing specific advertising or sponsored messaging for social platforms. Salaries for paid social media managers tend to be higher. The average base salary for paid media managers in Canada is $69,155 a year, according to Glassdoor [7].  

Read more: What's a Social Media Manager? And How to Become One

2. Community manager 

Developing engaged and respectful communities is a key part of social media marketing, and it requires a community manager who can ensure that followers feel connected to a company and vice versa. Community managers spend their time on a company’s channels, listening to what’s being said, responding directly when necessary, and fostering relationships with customers where possible.

• Experience: three to seven years

• Average annual base salary: $55,085 CAD [8]

• Skills: Customer relationship management (CRM), active listening and empathy, content development, writing and editing, proficiency in all social media platforms  

3. Social media coordinator 

A social media coordinator assists organizations with developing and maintaining their social media presence. An individual in this role may advise companies on marketing strategies to meet certain goals. They will analyze the company’s current advertising and marketing efforts and create a plan to make those efforts more targeted and tailored to the goals of the company. Social media coordinators may be self-employed or work for a firm, agency, or other organization.

• Experience: one to three years 

• Average annual base salary: $43,879 CAD [9] 

• Skills: Proficiency on all social media platforms, leadership skills, in-depth knowledge of marketing metrics, ability to devise a targeted marketing plan for an organization

As you grow in your career, you can also look for roles like brand manager, digital content manager, and audience engagement manager. The skills you’ve developed as a result of your time working directly in social media can help you take on the responsibilities of other marketing jobs.

Social media jobs outlook

Canada is home to an estimated 32.15 million social media users [10]. The country boasts one of the world’s most active social media communities. The demand for social media skills has only continued to rise in recent years, with a particularly high demand in Canada for qualified marketers. Jobs in social media, for example the role of social media manager, are expected to experience moderate job growth over the next three years. 

Nearly all companies, organizations, and entities have a social media presence in order to communicate directly with consumers. This makes working in social media a versatile career choice. You can find opportunities at agencies, where you’re responsible for handling multiple brands, you can go “brand-side” and work in-house for a specific company, or you can work as a consultant for an organization that most interests you. 

Get started in social media 

Most organisations use social media to boost brand awareness and engage with their target audience. If you’re interested in beginning or pivoting to a career in social media, consider delving into industry-specific practices to strengthen your digital marketing skills. Meta's Professional Certificates in social media marketing and social media management are excellent avenues to make a start. You’ll learn how to establish an online presence and manage social accounts, among other skills. Hear more from instructor Daniel Kob about what makes this certificate so useful.