What does a community manager study and how much does he earn?
In Mexico, there is no specific career path to be a community manager, but Miguel Jarquín, digital strategist at La Salle University, believes that the management of social networks has become professionalized as a result of the rise of the digital economy. It is a position that often involves professionals with training in communication, marketing, design and programming.
“This profession has even been devalued because there is no degree as such. Although, Incorporating a community manager into the media and business communication strategy can bring a 200% return on investment”, he comments.
And although there is no specific degree, Erika Chafino, general director of the recruitment company Grupo Human, emphasizes that a community manager can make a difference in creating a community of loyal followers for a brand.
“A community can be your best ally. It seems that anyone can do this job because the community only posts on social networks. But in reality, the main objective of the community manager would be to create fans of your brand and that cannot be achieved with a single post”.
The digital transformation driven by the pandemic is increasing the importance of this profession. In other countries such as Spain, the United States, Argentina and Chile, there are already university courses dedicated to the management of social networks, and Mexico is expected to follow this path. UNAM, La Salle and the Banking and Commercial School already offer diplomas and specialties related to the management of online communities.
In terms of salary, A network professional can earn between 10,000 and 30,000 pesos per month, depending on the size and sector of the company you manage. In transnational companies, he usually works as a team with writers, SEO and SEM experts, content creators, web programmers and designers, to achieve a complete focus on digital strategies.
However, Chafino also warns of the risks of taking this position lightly, such as failure to leverage digital tools, inadequate audience segmentation, and a negative impact on brand reputation. “Hiring a social media expert can make the difference in the success or failure of your business.”
How to select a community manager?
When hiring a community manager, Erika Chafino recommends considering the following aspects:
Verify technical skills related to the digital environment, such as design capacity, creation of organic strategies, and management of paid campaigns.
Look for someone with solid strategic and critical thinking, who shows innovation and a constant interest in self-taught learning.
Preferably, the selected person should have training in marketing or communication, since they will be in charge of managing a community with the aim of promoting products or services through content.
It is essential that you have knowledge of the sector in which you will work to better understand the needs and expectations of the audience.
The company must clearly define its objectives and establish precise metrics so that the community manager knows what the purpose is being pursued, whether it is brand positioning, public participation or increasing sales. A well-defined business process facilitates collaboration.
Since the community manager position is usually linked to the marketing area, it is advisable that the marketing director participate in the recruitment process.
Close collaboration between marketing and sales teams can significantly improve the community manager’s performance and the achievement of company objectives.