What does a freelance social media manager do?

I'm thinking about working as a freelance social media manager after high school. What exactly does the job involve on a day-to-day basis? Is it something I can start doing part-time while still in school?

As a freelance social media manager, your primary role would be to manage and oversee a brand or company's various social media platforms. This process often includes creating, curating, and managing shareable content tailored for each specific platform; engaging with the audience and building relationships through comments, messages, etc.; strategizing and executing digital marketing campaigns; tracking and evaluating analytics data to monitor the success of your efforts and make necessary adjustments; and staying up-to-date with the latest social media best practices and trends.

The amount of flexibility and the ability to work remotely make this role quite compatible with a part-time schedule. Many social media managers are able to balance their work with other responsibilities like school, as long as they can devote ample time to strategy, content creation, and community interaction.

Do keep in mind that experience and knowledge in the field can be key factors in your success. This could mean demonstrable experience running successful social media campaigns, or even significant involvement in managing an online community or your personal social media profiles. Understanding the ins and outs of different social media platforms and having a knack for engaging content creation can be immensely helpful in this role.

However, it is also crucial to have clear communication with your clients, respect for deadlines, and the ability to juggle various tasks and accounts at once. Much of your work could be done outside of typical office hours, and could sometimes have a quick turnaround, especially if you're managing accounts for entities in different time zones.

Starting a freelance social media management gig while still in school might provide an excellent opportunity for you to acquire real-world experience, build a portfolio, and potentially establish a stream of income. But as with any job, especially a freelance role, it requires commitment, time management, and initiative. Good luck!