Are you a Communications Manager or a Social Media Manager

Today, are you wearing the hat of a Communications Manager or a Social Media Manager?

While scrolling through LinkedIn in recent months, I noticed that discussions around the roles of communications manager and social media manager are becoming increasingly common.

In this article, we will discuss the specifics of these roles and whether it makes sense to combine them.

Combining the roles of Communications Manager and Social Media Manager is possible, but it may be difficult to implement at a high level, especially as the workload increases. If we are talking about small projects or startups with a limited budget, these functions can be combined.

However, for effective marketing, especially in large companies, it’s better to separate these roles so that each one is performed at a professional level.

Each role demands time, expertise, and focus.

What (some) employers expect

The debates are heated, opinions are polarized, and the job postings… seem to be written for superheroes.

According to some employers, one person should take responsibility for:

• building communities,
• communicating with the media,
• generating ideas,
• editing video,
• graphic design,
• copywriting,
• SEO & website management,
• data analysis,
• performance marketing,
• content creation,
• run Facebook and TikTok ads,
  and … be the heart and soul of the team.

In a world where the digital reality demands that we are directors, actors, and editors all in one, it makes one wonder: is this the path to success or a road to burnout?

So, what does a Social Media Manager (SM) do?

• Creates, schedules, and manages social media content.
• Engages with the community and builds brand presence.
• Tracks analytics and refines content strategies.
• Stays on top of trends to boost engagement.

Social media is all about ideas, style, and meaningful dialogue.

So what about Communications Manager, you ask? What’s the difference?

The Communications Manager has a much broader range of responsibilities.

While the Social Media manager focuses solely on social media, the Communications Manager is responsible for a company's internal and external communications, including:

• media relations,
• press releases,
• event organization,
• crisis PR,
• partner relations and developing the global communication strategy.

A Social Media manager is often part of the communications team or works closely with the Communications Manager, adapting the company's general messages to the social media format.

Is it possible to combine these roles?

My answer is — yes, BUT there is something that you need to understand.

The person with skills in both professions can achieve the company`s goals only if:

• Your company is small, has a limited budget at the moment.
• The workload allows for quality work in both areas, and the person has sufficient skills in both fields.
• The primary focus is on actively engaging the audience and creating creative content.

From real life . . .

In today’s digital landscape, roles overlap, responsibilities blur, and sometimes one person is expected to wear multiple hats.

I observed a successful example of this while doing an observation internship at Proper Languages, where I witnessed the work of their wonderful Communications Manager, Luana Carvalho.

Based on her experience and skills in multiple areas, she successfully combines two roles. Her responsibilities include everything I listed above. She creates, plans, and promotes content while also effectively communicating with partners.

The key to her success is her skills and the rational approach of the company director, who understands that with the current workload, roles like Communications Manager and SMM can be successfully combined in one person.

Thanks to this internship, I could define myself more clearly as a SMM by observing how skillfully Luana combines the skills of both roles. At the same time, I realized that I can take on responsibilities that go beyond this position. This is supported by my previous experience as a communications specialist, which allows me to be flexible in my work. For example, I can handle communicating with media and partners, organizing events either independently or as part of a team.

Whether you wear one hat or two, the synergy of skills and strategy makes all the difference. So good luck with that!

The author wishes to thank Proper Languages for the valuable opportunity to observe their Communications Manager in action during her internship.

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Images: ChatGPT, Pixels