How to Prepare for a Social Media Marketing Manager Interview: Tips and Tricks

The World Economic Forum lists digital marketing and strategy specialists as one of the top five roles that are only going to increase in demand; the other four are all related to technology as well. The social media marketing manager position falls under this umbrella, and it has expanded rapidly in recent years, with a growth of 10% between 2020 and 2030 in the U.S. To apply for a social media manager post, you need to qualify for a social media marketing manager interview.

So, if you’re set to attend a social media marketing interview, you must be curious to know the types of questions interviewers may ask. Successfully acing a social media marketing manager interview requires thorough preparation, including research on the company, the position, and the likely interview questions.

How to Prepare for a Social Media Marketing Manager Interview?

Now, let’s discuss how you prepare yourself for a social media manager interview. 

Learn about the job you’re applying for. Start by reading through the job description. If you can, find out what other people on the organization’s social media team do on LinkedIn. Then, find out more about the company and how it uses social media platforms. 

Look at your resume and think about the jobs you’ve had and the things you’ve done. Think of examples from your previous experience to back what you say.

Remind yourself of popular tools, the latest trends, and campaigns that worked well. Think about how you show up on social media as well. Finally, look at the list of social media marketing manager interview questions below and think about how you’d answer them. 

Entry-Level Social Media Interview Questions

• How Would You Add Value to Our Social Media Team?

You probably won’t know how to support the team if you don’t know what they already do. But if the interviewer asks you this question, you should give it a shot. Use the job description to figure out where they might be lacking and explain how you would fill that gap. Focus on your strengths and unique skills. If you have experience in the field or industry, mention that.

• What is Your Favorite Social Media Platform and Why?

Your favorite social media platforms and the one that works best for business aren’t always the same. Instagram, for instance, might be your favorite. But if you work in the technology industry, LinkedIn might be the best place for recruitment and looking for jobs. The interviewer wants to know if you know the difference by asking this question.

• Do You Think Social Media Needs to be Changed? If Yes, in What Way(s)?

This question tests your ability to look at social media critically. In today’s business world, it helps to have an opinion. If you have specific worries, be honest about them. These could be well-known problems like cyberbullying, sexism, etc. It could also be trends like moment marketing that are a bit controversial. No matter what you think, be clear and sure of yourself.

• How do You Keep up with Social Media Trends?

This question is another way of asking if you read. You can respond by telling the interviewer how you keep up with changes on social media. You could sign up for industry magazines, follow digital marketing experts, listen to podcasts, use all platforms regularly, and try out new features as soon as they’re introduced.

• What Social Media Influencers do You Follow and Why?

If you know how to use social media, this should be a simple question. Again, your personal favorites might not be the same as what’s best for the brand. When you answer this question, keep this difference in mind.

• Why Did You Choose to Work in Social Media Marketing?

This is a very common line of inquiry when it comes to the topic of social media. The motivations behind your career path are a hot topic with any interviewer. Do you work solely for financial gain, or do you like your work?

If you’re applying for a social media management position, you should talk about how much you love working in the field, what made you decide to pursue it, and how your skills will make you an even better manager.

Focus your response on proving why you’d be a good fit for the job and for social media if given the chance. Embrace the constant change and new difficulties that come with social media by writing down all the things about it that you appreciate, such as how unexpected it is, in a positive way.

• What is the Most Challenging Assignment You’ve Ever Had?

If you are just starting as a social media manager, you may not have the kind of experience to answer this question. But that is okay. Be honest and tell them you don’t. But if you have managed online communities through work or an internship, talk about that in your answer.

• What is the Best Way to Represent a Brand on Social Media?

There are two goals to this question. It checks how much you know about the company you’re interviewing with and how well you know the tactics to use social media for business. Show that you know the company’s target market, its brand personality, products and services, and its business goals. Based on these things, choose the recommended social media channels and explain why you chose them.

Social Media Marketing Interview Questions: Intermediate Level

• Why do You Think Google+ Failed?

When Google launched Google+ in 2011, it didn’t have a clear plan, so it was shut down last year. They did it as a response to Facebook, which was already widespread and growing quickly. Google+, on the other hand, was less user-friendly than Facebook.

The circles on Google Plus were not as clear as the groups on Facebook. Its symmetric sharing scheme was hard to understand for many users. Moreover, smartphone users accessing the Internet also slowed its growth. Unlike Facebook and Twitter, Google+ wasn’t for smartphones.

• Is B2C Marketing Better Than B2B Marketing?

For all kinds of businesses, social networking is a must. But the end goal and the way to get there are different. Businesses that deal with other businesses (B2B) need to look professional and share valuable information. On the other hand, business-to-consumer (B2C) companies can connect with the people they want to reach by posting lighter or funny content on social media platforms. Business-to-consumer companies focus on publicity, traffic, and sales, while B2B brands concentrate on generating leads.

• How Can Facebook’s Organic Reach be Increased?

If you want your Facebook organic reach to grow, you need to share content that is made to get people to share it and pay attention to it. Spend some time and effort talking to the people who are watching.

You can grow your organic reach by buying promotions. Becoming a community hub on Facebook is a good way to make connections. Work with people who have a lot of followers on Facebook to get your brand in front of their followers. Choose the best time to post on Facebook to raise your EdgeRank.

• Why is YouTube Crucial for Marketing?

YouTube is the king of social media marketing, even though it is the second-most popular search engine. It’s because millions of people land on YouTube to watch videos on a daily basis. More than 3 billion videos are watched on it every day. YouTube is one of the best places to look for video promotion. If your video gets a lot of views, YouTube might choose to feature it, which will bring in more people to watch it.

• How Does Social Media Aid SEO?

The SEO process is a way of putting social media content on search engine indexes. People use social media platforms like search engines to learn more about products and companies. If you want people to know about your brand, you need to be active on social media.

If you make your website and blog easy to share on social media, more people will see them and visit them. Also, having more traffic and links will surely get the attention of search engines in a good way.

• Why Don’t We Hold a Free Drawing for a Prize on Our Facebook Page for People Who Share and Like Our Posts?

Users are not required to like or share content on Facebook in order to participate in contests or win prizes because doing so is essentially the same as manipulating Facebook’s EdgeRank algorithm in order to achieve higher ranks. So, we shouldn’t hold a free contest on our Facebook page where people have to like and share posts to win.

Useful Tips for a Social Media Marketing Manager Interview

It’s perfectly normal to not know the answer to a question that they’ve asked you. Be honest and state that you do not know the right answer. Ask for some time to ponder if you feel like you need it. Take a few moments to collect your ideas after you’ve done so. Further, you can enroll in Emeritus online project management courses to upgrade your technical knowledge. Here, we offer courses curated by top experts and globally renowned universities that help you to specialize in the field and add value to your resume.

By Riku Ghosh

Write to us at content@emeritus.org