How to Prepare for a Marketing Internship: What Does a Social Media Manager Do?

Considering a career in marketing? Try an internship. 

You’ll find that practically every business, across every sector, engages in marketing in some way. Marketing is how firms make a meaningful connection with their audience or user base. In fact, you’ll come across some form of marketing every day. From advertisements on the television to online pop-ups.

At its heart, marketing is about storytelling. You want your audience to engage with what you’re saying; to do that, you need to elicit some sort of emotion – be it happiness, sadness, or amusement. You’re convincing somebody that they need your product or service, and that yours is the best on the market.

Social media management is just one slice of marketing, but it’s becoming increasingly important. In this role, you’ll get to grips with social media, focusing on audience engagement as you plan and execute new campaigns and strategies. We’re all spending more time on our phones; with that comes an opportunity to generate new leads and grow your audience.

Marketing is not an easy sector, and it’s increasingly oversubscribed. Marketing is a top destination for humanities graduates, and numbers are rising each year. Which makes an internship a great choice to help you stand out.

An internship is essentially a dip into a given industry. You’ll take on the tasks and responsibilities of a full member of the team. This will give you the chance to develop your skills and grow your knowledge base. 

And in turn, that will stand you in good stead for future job applications and interviews. Instead of saying how you’d theoretically be great at the job, you can point to concrete examples of your work and your ability. And a good reference is always helpful.

You’ll also get a glimpse at the inner workings of the industry. There’s only so much that online guides can tell you; to know whether marketing is right for you, you need to experience it. And an internship is a risk-free way of getting that experience. Firms are always more likely to employ successful interns or placement students than outside applicants. Which makes sense: they’d rather employ someone who has already demonstrated their hard work, dedication, and professionalism.

Practically every firm engages in marketing of some kind, and more and more are coming around to social media marketing. A lot of firms have dedicated in-house marketing teams, but others outsource their marketing to other companies. Some stand-outs in this sector include Saatchi & Saatchi, B2B International, and Accenture Interactive.

And there are countless start-ups and SMEs across the world. In fact, there are over 25,000 marketing companies in the UK alone! So you’ll be sure to find the firm that’s right for you.

But if you’re about to embark on an internship in social media management, you’ve likely never experienced the sector before. 

So you’re probably wondering about the typical tasks and responsibilities of a social media marketer. And how best to prepare yourself for your internship. 

That’s why we’ve put together this guide. Read on and find out what it’s like to undertake an internship in social media marketing; and what exactly you should do to prepare for it.

We’ll take a look at a social media manager’s day-to-day life in the next section. To start with, let’s think about the attributes and skills that will serve you well in this role – as well as how to prepare yourself if you’re a little rusty.

As a side note, we’re assuming that you already possess some of the attributes universally required to succeed, like hard work and determination. You wouldn’t be here otherwise.  So let’s drill into the specifics.

First up is digital skills. With the rise of smartphones and computer literacy, digital skills have become increasingly vital across the business world. And there’s nowhere they’re more important than social media marketing. After all, your entire job is online.

Large firms have identified a digital skills gap among many employees, leaving companies at a disadvantage in an increasingly connected world. So if you’re somebody who needs to brush up on things, make sure you do.

To get your digital skills into gear, immerse yourself in the online world. Spend more time on both your desktop computer and your smartphone or tablet, getting to know the ins and outs of technology. There are plenty of online courses, accredited programs, and video tutorials covering every aspect of digital literacy.

Next up is data skills and numeracy. Above all, social media marketing is driven by data, and you’ll find yourself deep in statistics as you craft a compelling marketing strategy out of raw numbers. 

Fortunately, there’s a lot of resources available to help you master your data skills. Much of the work is done in spreadsheet software, so find some online courses and videos, or even a textbook, to help you brush up on your Excel skills. To get deeper, you can take the Google Analytics Academy’s free online lessons to get to grips with data analytics. This is a great starting point, and will help you adapt to your workload. Starting with some sense of what you’re doing will make things much easier.

Lastly, you’ll need some imagination and creativity. You may think this is contrary to the last few paragraphs. And it’s true: marketing is data-driven, and social media marketing even more so. But there’s plenty of room within that to tell a compelling story and exercise your creative thinking.

There are some aspects of marketing that can’t just be churned out of a machine. It needs that personal touch to appeal to an audience – the right photo choice, the right font, the right words in the right place. Imagine a marketing campaign generated by an algorithm. All of the points would be there, but you’d see straight through it. You need heart, humor, and originality if you want to succeed.

Think back to some of the most iconic marketing campaigns in history. We’re partial to the famous Cadbury’s eyebrow UK commercial – it doesn’t have anything to do with chocolate, but we’ll always remember it for its quirky and offbeat style.

If you want to develop your creative skills, expand your horizons. Read as much as you can, across every genre, and experience as much of the world as possible. We’ve put together a handy guide on boosting your problem-solving skills, so take a look; the more creative you are, the more you’ll be able to think outside the box.

More generally, it’s a good idea to read up on the latest developments in your sector. Pick out a marketing campaign you thought was effective and think about what made it work. Be ready to analyze it in an interview. 

If you do your research and size up your sector beforehand, you’ll start your marketing internship ready for anything. 

Now you’re aware of the key skills you’ll need for your internship, what exactly does a social media manager do?

The role can differ between firms, but to start with, you’ll be doing a lot of pitching with your team. Marketing is very much a team effort, and you’ll work closely together to generate and refine ideas. It’s a creative environment, and there’s no wrong answers, so start pitching!

You’ll be managing the day-to-day outreach on your firm’s chosen social media platforms. This will typically include Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram; some firms may branch out into TikTok, Snapchat, or LinkedIn, depending on their audience’s demographic. You’ll be adapting your content to fit each specific platform as you schedule posts and respond to enquiries.

You’ll also be carefully planning future social media marketing campaigns. Analyze your competitors, consider what they got right and wrong; then draw up a plan for your company’s newest strategy. You’ll want to have a firm grip on the strengths and weaknesses of each particular social media platform; as well as the goals and outcomes you’d like to achieve. Plan ahead, and in full, and you’ll go far.

You might also be exercising your communication skills as you liaise with clients and external stakeholders. Your strategies will have to fit with their vision, but there’s often some give and take involved; you could be persuading them why your methods are right for their goals, or why they should use a particular social media platform. 

And you’ll be diving into audience engagement and feedback, including data and analytics. Raw data will inform your decision-making and marketing strategies – but first, you need to make it comprehensible. Sort the good data from the bad as you work out what your results are telling you. Then bring it together into a detailed report or presentation to brief your colleagues. Keep abreast of the information, because you’re the gatekeeper – your colleagues will come to you when they have questions, so be ready to answer!

Social media marketing managers might work in the marketing wing of their own firm, or they might work for a marketing agency or consultancy. You’ll usually be office-based but you could find yourself travelling to meet clients or attend networking sessions. And given that the role is mostly digital, there’s good scope for flexible remote working.

This is a fast-paced and constantly changing industry, and you’ll have to keep on top of things if you want to succeed. New trends are emerging all the time, and the next big platform is always around the corner. But the good news is that there’s always something new to learn and new challenges to face. 

For the right person, it’s incredibly rewarding.

If you’re passionate about social media and looking to boost your employment chances, consider taking an internship in marketing.

Work experience with a marketing firm is the best way to develop your industry skills and knowledge. In an increasingly competitive job market, it’s your key to standing out. 

Demonstrable work experience will help you sell yourself to future employers; and you can test whether the industry is right for you, too.

If you want to intern in this sector, come prepared. Do your research so you’re ready for what awaits you. While you’ll gain specific skills on the job, it’s a good idea to consider the attributes you’ll need for success.

With the entirety of social media marketing found online, digital skills are a must. You’ll need a strong command of every social media platform out there; so download every app and start exploring. Get engaged – you might even start a trend of your own! There are also plenty of online guides and video tutorials to help you get digitally literate.

You’ll also need strong data and analytics skills. You’ll be working with lots of raw data as you consider feedback and user engagement. You’ll need a grounding in numbers to make sense of it all before compressing it down into a readable analytical report. Enrol on free online courses to refresh your skills, so boot up Excel and get to work.

Lastly, you’ll need a creative mindset to succeed in social media marketing. You’re looking to create that perfect trend or moment – even your choice of GIF can make or break a tweet. So draw, write, and read as you exercise your brain – the more you take in from the world, the more experiences you have to draw on. 

At Beyond Academy, we offer a range of marketing internships, including social media management in 14 global locations. From Barcelona to New York to Seoul, our international work experience programs are the best way to kickstart your career. We’ll build your program with your existing skills and aspirations in mind, to ensure your internship works for you.

So if you’d like to find out more and begin planning your dream internship, contact us and go Beyond!