Why this matters:
Social media specialists are responsible for maintaining a company’s digital presence across several social media channels. To do so, they must leverage tools that help create, organize, and schedule engaging content. These tools are critical for increasing their team’s productivity and maximizing their reach.
What to listen for:
- Experience working with solutions like Zendesk, Buffer, or Hootsuite
- Clear explanation of how to use each tool
- Willingness to learn new social media tools when necessary
Why this matters:
One way for a company to increase visibility is to grow an audience online. In a competitive market, social media specialists need to differentiate their company and make their posts as impactful as possible. Whether experimenting with a viral trend or consistently posting content, they must have a firm understanding of best practices that yield measurable results.
What to listen for:
- Proven experience increasing social media followers
- Strong knowledge of best social media practices, like engaging with other accounts and posting regularly
- Solution-oriented mindset and an iterative approach to testing strategies
Why this matters:
During every social media campaign, candidates must measure ROI to gauge the value they bring to an organization. They must identify and track key metrics such as user engagement, inbound traffic, and conversion rates to demonstrate the effectiveness of their strategies and inform future social media posts.
What to listen for:
- Ability to analyze key metrics and identify effective strategies
- Familiarity with assessing engagement and conversion rates
- Sharp attention to detail and comfort working with numbers
Why this matters:
Collaborating with influencers is a simple yet powerful way to promote a specific product or service and increase brand awareness. The ideal candidate will be able to communicate effectively with various content creators and establish positive rapport — laying the foundation for an ongoing partnership and future opportunities.
What to listen for:
- Ability to build impactful professional relationships and maintain a network of contacts
- Steps for ensuring positive brand representation, like providing the influencer with key messaging
- Exceptional communication and negotiation skills
Why this matters:
Social media campaigns don’t always lead to a desired outcome. During such instances, social media specialists must be able to pinpoint what needs improvement, and the steps their team must take to implement them. The ideal candidate will move forward with a growth mindset and demonstrate resilience.
What to listen for:
- Ability to identify potential bottlenecks in existing processes
- Demonstrated experience in presenting effective solutions
- Critical thinking and problem-solving skills
Why this matters:
While positive user engagement is ideal, social media specialists may have to address dissatisfied followers on certain occasions. After identifying constructive feedback, they should know how to develop and execute creative solutions that not only mitigate the issue at hand but also improve followers’ long-term outlook on their company’s brand.
What to listen for:
- Willingness to listen to and learn from critical feedback
- Patience when interacting with a dissatisfied follower on social media
- Commitment to excellent customer service and brand reputation
Why this matters:
Social media trends and patterns change at a rapid pace, requiring constant research and analysis. To ensure that a company’s brand doesn’t fall behind, social media specialists should continuously seek unique opportunities to create interesting, attention-grabbing content — and deliver it in a timely manner.
What to listen for:
- Excellent research skills and specific sources for discovering new trends
- Commitment to updating social media knowledge
- Ability to identify and incorporate new trends into social strategy
Why this matters:
When juggling several social media accounts at once, it can be difficult to oversee and prioritize tasks. This question assesses a candidate’s ability to efficiently project manage, ensuring that each social channel receives an equal amount of attention. Additionally, when queueing future posts, they must be able to handle any unreleased company information with professionalism and care.
What to listen for:
- Sharp project and time management skills
- Proven experience managing several social media platforms
- Discretion when handling confidential company information
Why this matters:
Social media teams often work with in-house sales and marketing professionals to create detailed, well-rounded social media campaigns. The ideal candidate will demonstrate their collaboration skills, and how they effectively work alongside others who bring valuable, diverse perspectives to the table.
What to listen for:
- Familiarity with sales and marketing practices
- Specific aspects of a campaign where they seek input, like ideation or tracking progress
- Proven interpersonal and collaboration skills
Contact a sales consultant.