25 Interview Questions for Your Next Social Media Manager

Interview Questions for Your Next Social Media Manager: A few years ago, social media management was an unknown term for people and business firms. Things have changed with social media platforms ruling the world, and its influence should not be underrated today. 

Big business organizations have switched to social media platforms for engaging their consumers and analyzing their requirements. Be it digital marketing, advertising, or launching products, social media has a crucial role to play when it comes to these matters.

What is a Social Media Manager?

A social media manager creates and maintains the company’s information, brand promotions, and marketing activities for the company she/he is working for. She/he has to manage these activities for different social media platforms which represent the company. 

Different Aspects of Social Media Management

A lot of investment is being made by businesses, big and small, to research and develop strategies to maximize their growth through social media platforms. The scope for social media management has grown so much that a need for hiring a social media manager has become paramount.

Earlier the marketing team used to handle all the tasks related to managing large business houses’ social media profiles. But now, a need for separate social media managers has created scope for many skilled professionals. 

A lot of skills and technical know-how are required to manage different social media platforms. There are many roles that a social media manager has to play. One needs to be updated with the latest technological tools that aid in managing various social media profiles. 

Also, one needs to have analytical skills, knowing what to post, capturing the audience’s attention, and whatnot. The current scenario becomes crucial for marketing heads and people on higher posts to determine a social media manager’s essential traits. 

How will you choose a suitable social media manager for your company? What should entail the duties and responsibilities of a social media manager? If these questions are worrying, look through these questions and understand the roles and responsibilities of a perfect social media manager.

25 must-ask questions before hiring a social media manager

1. Do you have any prior experience in handling social media platforms or portals?

Social media management is not just limited to making business pages, profiles or posts. Today almost every social media user is competent enough to do these tasks.

One needs social media communication skills which is an essential trait to look for when recruiting. The potential to build positive interactions with the audience is a skill that needs to be mastered by a social media manager.

2. Any specific references in terms of social media platforms suitable for our business? If yes, then state the reason behind your preference?

This question covers a lot of scopes to analyze an excellent social media manager. You will be able to know whether the candidate has done some prior groundwork in understanding your organization. Moreover, you will also find whether the person knows the working of different social media portals. 

If the answers hint at a solid plan, creative content posting ideas, and good judgment of audience type, you are heading in the right direction.  

3. Do you think one should have separate aims for our different social media profiles? How do you define success?

Make sure the focus is not solely on obtaining as many likes and shares as possible. The target should be converting the popularity for the company’s benefit. The definition of success should be based on core strategies and policies outlining the visions of the organizations.

4. What approach would you employ for creating future opportunities?

This is the foundation on which social media management functions. The candidate should have a clear idea of how to tap the probable customer for getting beneficial results. 

5. What do you know about SEO? How is it related to social media platforms?

SEO is vital for a successful social media management strategy. It requires knowledge of the latest technologies and techniques that help in the growth of your business. The candidate should know about Google Analytics, algorithms used by Google, and the latest policies adopted.

6. What are the tools used to manage social media platforms?

The answer to this question depends on many factors. It might be possible that your business organization would be using some analytic tool. You should thoroughly enquire about the type of devices the candidate knows and what their features are.

7. What performance measures would you use to check social media ROI?

The answer to this question is lead conversions, the popularity of the product, and social media interactions. Social media managers should know the usage of Google Analytics, the type of software used, and the information obtained from various platforms. 

8. What strategies would you use for grievances and hate remarks?

The answer should focus on targeted measures for redressals and mitigate complaints. How the candidate answers on dealing with hate remarks also says a lot about the candidate’s experience in tackling such issues. From the answer, one can judge the knowledge of the candidate. It is better to ask for examples that will give you a clear picture. 

9. Have you faced any social media blunders?

Failures are necessary for achieving success. The candidate should answer honestly so that you get an insight into how they dealt with the situation. This question will also help you analyze the crisis management ability of the candidate. 

10. How do you keep yourself updated with the latest trends and technologies?

An excellent social media manager will be flexible, a quick learner, and adaptable. The world of social media is dynamic and requires keeping up with upcoming changes and new technologies. Sharpening of skills, practice, and learning are some of the essential requirements in the field of social media management.  

11. Suppose you are informed that an SEO method used by you in previous platforms has been termed obsolete. What will you do in such a situation?

This isn’t something that has not happened or will not happen. Many marketing teams in the past have faced such issues. This question is crucial because you are in the process of hiring a skilled social media manager. You don’t want to invest in some person who has no idea of what is happening.

12. What are your views on Google+?

The answer depends upon different outlooks, but Google+ was primarily used for search engine optimization and couldn’t mature into a full-fledged social media platform as its other counterparts. 

If a prospective social media manager understands what makes any social media platform a hit and, contrary to it, what made Google+ a failure will help you map his/her vision about SM platforms.

13. Is it right to host a free Facebook Page contest in which followers would share and like the everyday posts to win?

Before proceeding, it is better to be aware of the policies and the regulations of different social media platforms. It would not be right to violate any terms of service and invite strict consequences. 

14. Can you show us some project samples showcasing your social media experience?

Actions speak louder than words. If the candidate has rich experience, then she/he will have tangible records and proofs to produce. This will give you reliable results to make your decision without any doubts. 

15. What about the financial management of the budget for social media platforms?

This requires careful study and examination before allocating funds for different platforms. A thorough discussion should be done before deciding whether investing in promotions to training, all need equal attention.

16. How would you interact with the remaining company members?

If your social media manager remains isolated from the rest of the company’s members, this will affect your overall business strategy. Frequent communication with other members of the organization is vital for social media management. 

17. Have you tracked our opponent’s activities?

This question gives us an idea of whether the candidate has done extensive study on our contenders’ activities. Tracking your competitors is a good strategy for your business growth. It helps us learn from mistakes and in knowing the reaction of the audiences beforehand. 

18. Are you regular on social media publishing content and blogging, etc.?

This question will try to get an understanding of your candidate in handling social media platforms. The quality of the content and choices will also be clear from it. 

It will help you in assessing the social media strategies employed by the social media manager. What kind of designing, SEO practices, and outsourced content will be used by the candidate? She/he should have a good command of language and good writing skills. 

19. What is the primary responsibility of a social media manager?

Apart from creating creative posts and promotional content, a social media manager’s primary duties should be tracking and monitoring various social media platforms. The responsibilities also include analyzing the audience’s feedback, tracking the competitors’ movements, and keeping updated about the latest trends. 

20. How will you implement customer service?

Consumer satisfaction through social media platforms is gaining popularity because it creates a sense of reliability. The social media platforms are under constant scrutiny by the customers; hence, replying to consumer’s queries is a good way of using communication to build trust in the company. 

21. What ideas do you have on creating compelling stories?

Business firms are using stories on social media platforms to attract their consumers. The catchy content of stories helps create a brand value for the company and builds a bond with the customers. If the candidate has concrete story ideas, it will reflect his ability to manipulate them for your company’s image.

22. Why should we choose you in place of some other probable candidate?

This is every recruiter’s favorite question. This question helps in analyzing the positive outlook of the candidate. It is always good to know the list of qualities and skills the candidate has to offer to benefit your organization.

23. Could you share some thoughts on the complexity of social media?

An excellent social media manager should be well versed in the complicated nature and tone of the social media platforms. There are certain aspects of social media that can become quite difficult to handle. 

This requires good management skills and expertise on the part of the candidate. Good social media practice says that complicated issues should be solved with an approach that refines and untangles every knot.

24. What is your most noteworthy accomplishment in the entire span of your career?

This question is also a top pick of recruiters because it gives an overall map of the candidate. From this question alone, one can analyze the candidate’s competence and potential to perform the duties for your organization. 

It also helps in knowing the methodology adopted by the candidate in handling previous projects. Whether the approach will be beneficial for your company’s growth will also be answered through this question.

25. Considering me as a prospective consumer, how will you convince me to endorse my organization to me?

The answer to this question will give you an idea of how informed the candidate is about your company. Does she/he understands your company’s value and is aware of the principles behind your organization. This will also help you in knowing what impression your company has left on the candidate. This will help you reflect upon the merits and demerits of your company.

Additional Strategies For Finding A Good Social Media Manager

Every social media has its unique pros and cons, but prominent platforms like Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Facebook have numerous characteristics that make them quite popular. These platforms are an excellent way to start your search for that perfect social media manager.

Utilizing hashtags is one such feature of social media platforms that is quite helpful. Be it job openings, vacancies, or job profiles, hashtags included in posts are the right strategies. This will not only make your search more effective but will also broaden the scope of your search.

Groups on social media platforms are also an excellent way to be active on these platforms. This gives you a perfect opportunity to maximize your search and find a good social media manager for your organization. 

This will help you in getting skilled candidates from different parts of the world with a fresh perspective. The first step is to join as many groups as possible linked to social media management. You have to maximize your reach if you want to spread your message across different landscapes.