The social media revolution

A decade ago it may have been hard for someone to believe they could build a career behind a computer communicating with people they didn’t know while getting paid to do it. Fast forward to today and an estimated 90 percent of businesses use social media for marketing. What this means is that jobs in social media are prevalent, and Millennials, those born 1981 to 2000ish, have a whole new job market opening up for them.

The scope of the industry is still shaping itself, but opportunities vary in nearly every business. Each business has its own niche, and although job titles may vary, the duties are similar. Companies are hiring social media managers, online community managers, online marketers, SEO specialists, content specialists, social media strategists, and digital communication managers—all of which are filling their specific social media needs.

In 2015, according to Pew Research Center, 90 percent of people aged 18 to 29 are active on social media and 77 percent of those aged 30 to 49 are also active on social media. That’s a lot of people watching their newsfeeds and paying attention to what companies are saying. The potential to connect with clients is at an all-time high.

Currently, the top three sites used by online marketers are Facebook, Twitter and Google+, according to Search Engine Journal. Facebook and Google+ tie with 70 percent of marketers using them, and Twitter rounds up the top three with 34 percent of marketers using it. Many marketers are also realizing the untapped potential of other trending sites such as Instagram, Pinterest and Vine. In the upcoming years it’s projected that more online marketing will be focused on these budding avenues.

As social media managers become more in demand, their job skills are becoming more defined. Many companies are looking for a person with good writing skills, so a journalism background, for example, can be helpful. As well, with the visual aspect of marketing becoming so important, professional photographers and videographers are in rising demand. Those with training in basic digital design making infographics, for example, is also a plus, as many employers expect original marketing content from their social media managers.

The workforce is in a transition period as Baby Boomers are retiring, and projections by Forbes expect that by 2020 about 50 percent of the workforce will be Millennials. With this in mind, it’s important for businesses to continue adapting to the Millennial mindset because they are the future, and their past has shaped social media.

The social media revolution is underway, and the digital movement is expected to go the distance. Do you want to be a part of it?

Linn-Benton Community College’s LB iLearn Online offers an online certificate for social media marketing. The program is self-paced and “pay as you go” per course. It’s designed as an add-on certificate that can be applied to a public relations, communications, marketing, administrative, or journalism degree.

Enrollment into the program opens every Wednesday, year-round. For inquiries, contact admission specialist Amber Vore at vorea@linnbenton.edu.