What Role do Social Media Strategists Play in Online Marketing?

New developments in IT and the booming online marketing industry have translated to the recent creation of a lot of new job titles and position duties that simply weren't around a few years ago. One of the biggest movements in the World Wide Web of late is of course social media and social networking sites, especially when it comes to internet marketing, for which they are a tremendous asset. It's no surprise then that many companies are hiring social media strategists to manage this element of their promotional activities – but what exactly does a social media strategist do, and why are they important for successful online marketing campaigns?

Social Media Marketing (SMM) strategists can find themselves working across many facets of online marketing, but some of their key activities, credentials and responsibilities will comprise the following:

• Established experience in blogging and content writing, as well as a deep understanding of the application of these skills in online marketing practices such as SEO and social networking.
• A strong knowledge of the interaction between online marketing and SMM, such as the integration of SEO key words, website analytics, web design, landing pages, paid ad campaigns, blog platforms and content development.
• An ability to integrate public relations activities with SMM strategies, for example in the operation of 'real time' marketing campaigns such as contests and give-aways.
• A good working knowledge of all the key social media and social networking sites such as LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Flickr and others, in order to determine which online community will be the most appropriate target audience for any given campaign.
• A good grasp of content optimisation and cross promotion across various platforms such as blog posts, Tweets, Facebook fan pages and video or photo sharing sites.

The role of a social media strategist in online marketing can vary greatly, depending on the nature of the business or product they are marketing, as well as the audience they are aiming to attract. It's also a position for which a keen sense of timing, creativity and in-depth knowledge of the web are more essential than any particular degree or qualification, although skills in professional writing, marketing or advertising could be an advantage. A social media strategist is an essential element of a successful Internet marketing campaign because they oversee activities across the entire range of social media and social networking sites to ensure that a consistent message is conveyed and that the desired outcome is achieved.