We all know that social media marketing is here to stay. But with new platforms launching all the time, where are companies focusing their efforts?
At The Creative Group, we reached out to more than 400 marketing and advertising executives to find out. We asked them where they expect companies to spend their social media marketing dollars in the coming year. Despite the proliferation of social sites, they overwhelmingly agreed on the hottest channel: Facebook.
It’s so popular that 62 percent of executives expect firms to increase their spending on Facebook marketing over the next 12 months. That’s up from 53 percent in a similar survey conducted last year.
The other big winners: LinkedIn and Google Plus, with 51 percent and 50 percent of the response, respectively. Those figures represent big boosts from one year ago, when 38 percent of executives anticipated increased spending on LinkedIn and 41 percent on Google Plus.
Here’s a full breakdown of the survey results: 
Companies aren’t just investing more dollars into social media marketing; they’re also looking to hire designers with experience and expertise in this area to lead social-centric marketing campaigns. Social media trends shift quickly and constantly, so finding professionals who are up-to-date in the latest developments is challenging. Yes, most people have a basic understanding of social media – after all, who doesn’t have a Facebook page or Twitter account? But employers seek candidates who know these channels inside and out and, more importantly, have experience using social media in a business setting.
Why It Pays to Learn the Ropes of Social Media Channels
Job seekers with the following skills have a leg up on the competition:
In-depth knowledge of and experience using a variety of social media platforms, like Facebook, Twitter, Google Plus, Pinterest, Instagram, Vine and Tumblr, as well as an understanding of how these channels fit into the broader marketing mix
Experience in web marketing and implementing and measuring the success of social media campaigns
Demonstrated success growing and maintaining a social media presence across an array of networks
Experience with social network-based CRM (customer relationship management) and digital reporting tools
Strong organizational, communication, and project and time management skills
Check out our primer on social media job descriptions for more information about the skills and experience required for 14 of the hottest social media positions, including community manager, social media planner and web analytics specialist.
6 Handy Resources for Social Media Designers
Not sure where to start with social media? Here are six resources that can give you a boost:
Building interest on Pinterest. Pinterest is one of the newest – and most popular – social media platforms. Brands are racing to figure out how to build a presence and following on this site. Keep up with the latest success stories, site changes and analytics on the official Pinterest business blog.
Amplify your tweets. Find out how brands make a splash on Twitter and discover insightful tips for doing the same on the Twitter Advertising Blog.
The power of Google Plus. Tap into a set of free Google Plus guides, straight from Google. They cover everything from getting started and engaging your audience to success stories and even a set of Google Plus badges and icons.
Standing out on LinkedIn. There’s a wealth of information on the official LinkedIn blog. We found this recent post on “20 Tips to Amplify Your Brand on LinkedIn” particularly helpful, as well as how to make sure you’re attracting interactive design clients with this tool.
Making the most of photos. Mashable’s social media channel keeps you up-to-date on the latest trends. An example of the information you’ll find there: a recent post that breaks down how to optimize profile photos for the major social media networks.
What are the specs again? Courtesy of social media marketing firm Raidious, here’s a complete cheat sheet to image sizes on the major social platforms to help you set up accounts and ensure they look fantastic.
Additional Resources
Want more design career advice from The Creative Group? Catch them in action this November 5-7, at HOW Interactive Design Conference in Chicago!
For more tips and job hunting strategies, pick up a copy of HOW’s Job Hunting and Interviewing for Designers.
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