Social Media Manager Job Description: Salary, Top Companies, and Future

Do you know India has over 467 million social media users who spend an average of 2.36 hours on social media platforms daily? The Indian social media market is among the largest globally, making it a hub for digital career opportunities for roles like Social Media Managers. 

With social media now playing a vital role in professional networking, hiring, and marketing, the role of social media managers has become a high-impact and opportunity-rich career path. The blog explores the social media manager job description and why it is a promising career. 

What Does a Social Media Manager Do? 

Social media managers play many diverse roles and responsibilities to enhance a company’s digital marketing efforts. To fulfill these responsibilities, they require appropriate academic qualifications, like certifications in digital marketing, to boost their skills. 
A popular digital marketing course which adds immense value is the Professional Certificate Program in Digital Marketing offered on upGrad.

Let us take a look at some of the key responsibilities handled by a social media manager as part of the social media manager job description:

Overseeing, Planning, and Delivering Content Creation

• Social media managers are responsible for creating and scheduling engaging posts customized for each social media platform
• They add variety by curating user-generated content and industry-relevant articles 
• Ensure the right alignment of visuals and copy with the tonality and goals of the brand

Design Creative Copy and Captions

• They ensure the creation of engaging brand captions for each social media platform with the help of their content team
• They optimize copy for better conversions and clicks by users
• Maintain tone consistency across all social media content of a brand or company

Track Performance 

• By monitoring reach, engagement, and conversion metrics 
• Using Meta Insights or Google Analytics tools to refine social media strategies
• Prepare performance reports to analyze campaign effectiveness

Launch and Manage New Campaigns

• Responsible for launching new social media campaigns, events, or promotions
• Work with graphic designers, content writers, and other specialists to make campaigns successful
• Keep updated with trends and leverage opportunities to enhance brand visibility

Initiate Influencer Collaboration

• Identify and rope in relevant influencers for brand partnerships
• Negotiate campaigns and execute them
• Track the success of social media influencer activities

Manage Online Communities 

• Engage with social media followers through comments, DMs, etc.
• Strive to build a loyal and active online community
• Address customer concerns and feedback promptly   

Apply Tools to Boost Effectiveness 

• Use tools like Hootsuite, Buffer, and Sprout Social for scheduling posts
• Use Canva, Adobe Express, or CapCut for editing needs
• Stay abreast with new tools and technologies 

Also read: Top 25 Social Media Marketing Techniques in 2025

Skills Required to Become a Social Media Manager 

Here are some skills that Social Media Managers need to work competently in the various job profiles they perform:

Education and Training Needed for the Role of Social Media Manager

Below are the different educational qualifications and experiences needed to pursue the role of a Social Media Manager:

• Education: A bachelor’s degree in digital marketing, communication, journalism, or a related field is the minimum requirement to become a social media manager.
• Experience: One or two years of experience in content creation, social media management, digital marketing, or public relations can boost the hands-on skills of candidates needed to handle the role. 
• Certifications: Certifications from places like HubSpot, Google, or Hootsuite can boost your skills and make you more credible. However, these are not mandatory.
• Portfolio: A robust portfolio with past social media work, samples, and results can help. Candidates should explain what they did in each project and how it helped grow engagement or reach.

Popular Social Media Manager Jobs and Salary Expectations

Social media manager roles vary across industries, offering diverse opportunities with competitive salaries based on experience and location. Take a look at some of the popular job roles and salaries below:

Entry-Level Roles (0-2 years experience)

1. Social Media Executive

• Responsibilities: Social media executives handle social media accounts of companies. They create content, monitor their performance, and engage with users online across all social media platforms.  
• Average Salary: ₹3.3 Lakhs per annum

2. Social Media Coordinator

• Responsibilities:  They are responsible for creating content, connecting with clients, reviewing analytics, and doing research for the latest trends. They also collaborate with other marketing and sales professionals to develop successful social media campaigns. 
• Average Salary: ₹3.2 Lakhs per annum

3. Social Media Content Creator

• Responsibilities: A Social Media Content Creator is responsible for producing engaging content like posts, videos, reels, and graphics for different social media platforms to drive brand awareness and audience engagement. They work closely with marketing teams to align content with overall campaign goals and brand voice.
• Average Salary: ₹3.4 Lakhs per annum

Mid-Level Manager (2-5 years experience)

1. Social Media Manager

• Responsibilities: A Social Media Manager handles a company’s online presence by creating and managing content on social media platforms. They track engagement, spot trends on how people interact with the brand, and plan campaigns to grow and connect with the online community.
• Average Salary: ₹5.5 Lakhs per annum

2. Community Manager

• Responsibilities: A Social Media Community Manager builds online communities by engaging with followers, responding to their comments, and boosting brand loyalty. They act as the voice of the brand, helping to create meaningful conversations and a positive brand image.
• Average Salary: ₹6.6 Lakhs per annum

3. Influencer Marketing Specialist

• Responsibilities: Influencer Marketing Specialists use social media influencers to promote products and reach the right audience. They help brands connect with people in a more authentic and relatable way through trusted niche influencers.
• Average Salary: ₹6.9 Lakhs per annum

Specialist and Strategic Roles (5-8 years experience)

1. Digital Marketing Specialist

• Responsibilities: A Digital Marketing Specialist creates and runs online campaigns to promote a company’s products or services. Their main goal is to attract more people to the website or social media pages to boost leads and sales.
• Average Salary: ₹9.7 Lakhs per annum

2. Paid Media Specialist

• Responsibilities: A Paid Media Specialist plans and manages ads on platforms like Meta, LinkedIn, and Pinterest to help a company grow. They create and optimize paid campaigns to reach the right audience and get the best results from the advertising budget.
• Average Salary: ₹12.5 Lakhs per annum

3. Content Marketing Manager

• Responsibilities: Content Marketing Specialists create and manage content for websites, social media platforms, ads, and emails. They come up with ideas, write and edit content, and work with the marketing team to support digital campaigns.
• Average Salary: ₹13.2 Lakhs per annum

Leadership Roles (8+ years of experience)

1. Digital Marketing Manager

• Responsibilities: They are responsible for creating and managing content for social media and other digital channels. They need to research consumer trends and use the insights to improve campaign performance analyzing key metrics like ROI and KPIs. 
• Average Salary:  ₹11.8 Lakhs per annum

2. Head of Social Media 

• Responsibilities: The Head of social media leads the overall social media strategy, ensuring alignment with brand goals and business objectives. They manage teams, oversee content direction, and drive innovation across platforms to boost engagement and growth.
• Average Salary: ₹15 Lakhs per annum

3. VP of Digital Marketing 

• Responsibilities: The Vice President of Digital Marketing is a senior leader who oversees a company’s entire digital marketing strategy. They plan and manage campaigns, track budgets and timelines, review performance, and use customer feedback to improve results.
• Average Salary: ₹35 lakhs per annum

Also Read: Top 16 Social Media Benefits in the Digital Era

Top Companies Hiring Social Media Managers

With the rising importance of digital presence, top companies across industries are actively hiring skilled social media managers to lead their online engagement.  Take a look at the list below:

Source: AmbitionBox

Future of Social Media Managers: Trends and Career Growth

Social media is omnipresent, and its existence is going beyond just connecting people. Social media platforms are now powerful tools used for marketing, branding, and selling products. With the evolving platforms and emerging trends, the dependency on skilled social media managers has increased to drive engagement and navigate dynamic markets. The dynamic role played by these professionals has enhanced the social media manager job descriptions exceptionally. 

Also, with the coming of AI, video-first platforms, and personalized content, brands are focusing more on digital presence and community building. All this is increasing the demand for skilled social media professionals, offering exciting growth, creative freedom, and leadership opportunities in today’s digital world, and it is here to stay.

How can upGrad help you?

As described above, the social media manager job description is vast and encompasses varied duties, especially in the current scenario. Hence, social media managers are required to stay updated with the latest tools, technologies, and industry trends. With the right degree or a certification course, crafting a rewarding career as a social media manager can become smooth. upGrad guides students and professionals aspiring to take up responsibility in this position with a range of industry-relevant programs and courses. Here’s a list of some relevant certification courses to explore:

• Advanced Certificate in Digital Marketing and Communication
• Master of Design in User Experience
• CopilotCraft: AI-Powered Marketing Mastery
• Professional Certificate Program in Digital Marketing

You can also avail of personalized career counseling with upGrad to support your career better by visiting your nearest upGrad center for hands-on training and guidance.

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