To be an effective Social Media Marketing Manager, you’ll need a blend of marketing, communication,

analytical, and creative skills. Here’s a breakdown of the basic knowledge and competencies required:
1. Marketing Fundamentals
 Understanding of digital marketing principles (funnels, customer journey, branding).
 Knowledge of content marketing and how it drives engagement.
 Familiarity with SEO (search engine optimization) and SEM (search engine marketing).
2. Platform Knowledge
 Strong understanding of major platforms: Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter/X, TikTok,
YouTube, Pinterest.
 Awareness of platform algorithms and how they affect reach.
 Ability to optimize ads on platforms like Meta Ads Manager, LinkedIn Ads, Google Ads.
3. Content Creation Skills
 Copywriting: Writing engaging posts, captions, and ad copy.
 Visual design basics (using tools like Canva, Photoshop, Illustrator).
 Video editing skills (short-form videos for Reels, TikTok, YouTube Shorts).
4. Analytics & Data
 Ability to interpret metrics like engagement rate, CTR (click-through rate), impressions,
conversions.
 Proficiency with tools like Google Analytics, Facebook Insights, or Hootsuite analytics.
 Skills in A/B testing and performance tracking.
5. Community Management
 Building and maintaining online communities.
 Managing comments, DMs, and brand reputation.
 Handling crisis communication on social media.
6. Advertising Knowledge
 Basics of paid social advertising and budgeting.
 Audience targeting & retargeting strategies.
 Familiarity with lookalike audiences and campaign optimization.
7. Project & Time Management
 Content calendar creation and scheduling (using tools like Buffer, Hootsuite, or Sprout Social).
 Coordinating with graphic designers, copywriters, and influencers.
 Multitasking across campaigns and deadlines.
8. Trends & Creativity
 Staying updated with social media trends, memes, and cultural shifts.
 Creative thinking for viral campaigns.
 Understanding of influencer and affiliate marketing.
9. Soft Skills
 Communication & collaboration (especially with cross-functional teams).
 Strategic thinking & problem-solving.
 Adaptability in a fast-changing digital landscape.
📚 Books (Foundations & Strategy)
1. “Jab, Jab, Jab, Right Hook” by Gary Vaynerchuk – Great for understanding how to tailor
content to different platforms. amazon.com (Sponsored)
2. “Made to Stick” by Chip Heath & Dan Heath – Teaches how to craft messages that people
remember and share. amazon.com (Sponsored)
3. “Contagious: Why Things Catch On” by Jonah Berger – Essential for understanding what
makes content go viral. amazon.com (Sponsored)
🎓 Online Courses
 Meta Social Media Marketing Professional Certificate (Coursera) – Comprehensive, covers
advertising, analytics, and strategy.
  Google Analytics Academy – Free training for tracking performance and understanding user
behavior.
 HubSpot Academy – Free social media and inbound marketing certifications.
🛠️Tools (Hands-On Practice)
 Content Creation:
o Canva (design posts easily, no design background needed).
o CapCut or Adobe Premiere Rush (video editing for Reels/TikTok).
 Scheduling & Management:
o Buffer / Hootsuite (schedule and manage posts across platforms).
o Later (visual Instagram planner).
 Analytics & Listening:
o Google Analytics (website tracking).
o Sprout Social or Brandwatch (advanced social listening tools).
📱 Practical Steps to Build Experience
1. Create a personal brand → Pick a niche and start building your own presence on Instagram,
LinkedIn, or TikTok.
2. Volunteer or freelance → Offer to run social media for a local business or nonprofit.
3. Analyze competitors → Study what brands in your niche do well (and where they fail).
4. Stay updated → Follow blogs like Social Media Examiner and HubSpot Marketing Blog.
📅 90-Day Roadmap to Becoming a Social Media Marketing Manager
Phase 1: Foundations (Days 1–30)
🎯 Goal: Learn fundamentals of marketing, platforms, and content creation.
1. Enroll in the Meta Social Media Marketing Certificate
o Focus on the first 2 courses:
 Introduction to Social Media Marketing
 Social Media Management
2. Read & Apply
o Start “Jab, Jab, Jab, Right Hook” (amazon.com(Sponsored)).
o Practice by creating posts tailored for Instagram, LinkedIn, and TikTok based on what
you learn.
3. Tools to Practice
o Set up Canva and design 5–10 social posts.
o Use Buffer (free plan) to schedule them (even just for your own accounts).
Phase 2: Strategy & Analytics (Days 31–60)
🎯 Goal: Build campaign strategy and learn to measure success.
1. Continue Meta Certificate
o Complete next 2 courses:
 Fundamentals of Social Media Advertising
 Advertising with Meta Ads Manager
2. Analytics Training
o Take Google Analytics Academy – Beginner course.
o Link Google Analytics to a test site (or blog) to track traffic.
3. Read & Apply
o Start “Contagious” by Jonah Berger (amazon.com(Sponsored)).
o Write down 5 triggers that could make a campaign idea go viral.
4. Hands-On Practice
o Run a small $20 ad campaign on Facebook/Instagram for a personal project or local
business.
o Track performance (CTR, reach, engagement).
Phase 3: Advanced Skills & Portfolio (Days 61–90)
🎯 Goal: Build portfolio projects + demonstrate readiness for manager roles.
1. Finish Meta Certificate
o Last 2 courses:
 Measure and Optimize Social Media Marketing Campaigns
 Social Media Marketing Capstone (you’ll create a real campaign project).
2. Read & Apply
o Start “Made to Stick” (amazon.com(Sponsored)).
o Rewrite your ad copy to follow the SUCCESs principles (Simple, Unexpected,
Concrete, Credible, Emotional, Stories).
3. Portfolio Building
o Put together:
 3 social campaigns (real or practice).
 Ad campaign results (screenshots of analytics).
 A content calendar sample.
4. Networking & Career Prep
o Share insights/projects on LinkedIn twice per week.
o Join social media groups (e.g., Social Media Examiner community).
o Start applying for freelance gigs or internships.
✅ By the end of 90 days:
 You’ll have a recognized certificate from Meta,
 3–5 campaign examples in your portfolio,
 Practical experience with ads, analytics, and scheduling tools,
 And a foundation to confidently apply for Social Media Marketing Manager roles.
📅 13-Week Social Media Marketing Manager Roadmap
🔹 Phase 1: Foundations (Weeks 1–4)
🎯 Focus: Learn marketing basics + start creating content.
Week 1
 Enroll in Meta Social Media Marketing Certificate (Coursera).
 Complete Module 1 of “Intro to Social Media Marketing”.
 Set up accounts on Canva + Buffer (free plan).
 Start Jab, Jab, Jab, Right Hook (read Intro + Ch.1).
 Create 2 Canva posts for Instagram (practice visuals + captions).
Week 2
 Finish Intro to Social Media Marketing.
 Schedule your posts in Buffer.
 Read Ch. 2–3 of the book → practice tailoring posts for different platforms.
 Create a basic content calendar (1 week) for yourself.
Week 3
 Start Social Media Management (Course 2).
 Read Ch. 4–5 of the book.
 Create 2–3 posts each for LinkedIn, TikTok, and Instagram.
 Practice engagement: reply to comments/messages on your accounts.
Week 4
 Finish Social Media Management.
 Wrap up “Jab, Jab, Jab, Right Hook.”
 Build a 30-day content calendar (for yourself or a mock brand).
 Publish 3–5 posts across platforms and track engagement manually.
🔹 Phase 2: Strategy & Analytics (Weeks 5–8)
🎯 Focus: Ads, analytics, and viral content principles.
Week 5
 Start Fundamentals of Social Media Advertising (Course 3).
 Sign up for Google Analytics Academy (Beginner Course).
 Start Contagious (Intro + Ch.1).
 Write down 3 campaign ideas inspired by viral triggers.
Week 6
 Finish Fundamentals of Social Media Advertising.
 Continue Google Analytics Beginner (halfway).
 Read Ch. 2–3 of Contagious.
 Design 3 ad creatives in Canva.
Week 7
 Start Advertising with Meta Ads Manager (Course 4).
 Finish Google Analytics Beginner.
 Read Ch. 4–5 of Contagious.
 Launch a $20 Facebook/Instagram ad campaign for a small project.
Week 8
 Finish Advertising with Meta Ads Manager.
 Wrap up Contagious.
 Analyze ad performance → create a short 1-page campaign report.
 Start building a case study for your portfolio.
🔹 Phase 3: Advanced Skills & Portfolio (Weeks 9–13)
🎯 Focus: Optimization + portfolio + job readiness.
Week 9
 Start Measure & Optimize Campaigns (Course 5).
 Begin Made to Stick (Intro + Ch.1–2).
 Collect analytics from your organic posts → summarize insights.
Week 10
 Continue Measure & Optimize Campaigns.
 Read Ch. 3–4 of Made to Stick.
 Redesign 2 of your old posts using SUCCESs principles.
 Add these as portfolio examples.
Week 11
 Finish Measure & Optimize Campaigns.
 Read Ch. 5–6 of Made to Stick.
 Start final course: Social Media Marketing Capstone (Course 6).
 Draft your portfolio structure (campaigns, reports, content calendars).
Week 12
 Work through the Capstone project (create full campaign plan).
 Finish “Made to Stick.”
 Build a content calendar + strategy document for your portfolio.
 Share 2 portfolio highlights on LinkedIn.
Week 13
 Complete Capstone & earn your Meta Certificate.
 Polish your portfolio (case studies, campaign reports, calendars).
 Start applying to entry-level SMM jobs or freelance gigs.
 Continue posting insights on LinkedIn to showcase expertise.
✅ By the end of Week 13, you’ll have:
 Meta Social Media Marketing Professional Certificate
 3+ campaign case studies (organic + paid)
 A professional portfolio with content calendars & reports
 A growing LinkedIn presence
  Skills in ads, analytics, content creation, and strategy
📂 Social Media Marketing Portfolio Template
📑 Case Study Format (1–2 pages each)
Each project in your portfolio should follow this structure:
1. Project Overview
 Brand/Business: (Name or “Mock Project”)
 Objective: (What was the goal? E.g., brand awareness, engagement, leads, sales)
 Target Audience: (Demographics, interests, behaviors)
2. Strategy
 Platforms Used: (Instagram, LinkedIn, TikTok, etc.)
 Content Approach: (Type of posts, themes, tone of voice)
 Ad Strategy (if any): (Budget, targeting, ad type)
3. Execution
 Content Samples: Insert 2–4 post screenshots (with captions).
 Ad Creatives: Screenshots of visuals and ad copy.
 Content Calendar Snippet: (show 1–2 weeks as an example).
4. Results
 Engagement Rate: (Likes, shares, comments, saves).
 Follower Growth: (+X followers).
 Ad Performance: (CTR, impressions, conversions, CPC).
 Key Takeaways: (What worked? What would you improve?)
📅 Content Calendar Layout (1 Month Example)
Caption/Copy Goal (Engagement,
Date Platform Post Type Visual/Video Idea Status
Example Traffic, Sales)
Canva design w/ 5
Sep 20 Instagram Carousel Post “5 tips for….” Engagement Scheduled
slides
Short-form
Sep 21 TikTok “Behind-the-scenes” BTS video clip Awareness Draft
Video
Sep 22 LinkedIn Article Post “Industry insights” Blog link + graphic Traffic Posted
Sep 23 Instagram Reel “Trending audio” Reel template Engagement Scheduled
“Quick tip of the
Sep 24 Twitter Text + Image Branded image Engagement Draft
day”
👉 Use Google Sheets, Notion, or Trello to build this, so you can track progress.

📌 Portfolio Tips
 Keep it visual-heavy → screenshots of posts, analytics, and ads.
 Use real brands (if you’ve worked with any) or mock projects if you’re just starting.
 Show before & after metrics to prove your impact.
 Export as a clean PDF portfolio (Canva has templates).
Do you want me to create the portfolio template in:
1. Canva (visual, presentation-style) → looks polished, great for showcasing campaigns.
2. Google Docs/Sheets (data-focused) → easy to update, great for analytics & content calendars.
3. Both → Canva for showcasing + Google Sheets for working drafts.
Perfect choice 🙌 — having both gives you the best of both worlds:
 Canva version → polished, visual showcase for clients/employers.
 Google Sheets version → functional working tool for calendars & analytics.
📂 Dual Portfolio Template Setup
1️⃣ Canva Portfolio (Visual Showcase)
Structure your Canva file like a case study deck (10–12 slides per project):
Slide Layout Example:
1. Cover Slide – Project name + logo/brand.
2. Objective – What problem were you solving?
3. Target Audience – Quick snapshot.
4. Strategy – Platforms + content themes.
5. Content Samples – Screenshots of posts.
6. Ad Creatives – Ad visuals & copy.
7. Content Calendar Snippet – Insert 1-week example.
8. Analytics – Graphs (engagement, reach, CTR).
9. Results – What improved.
10. Key Takeaways – Lessons learned.
👉 To start quickly, use Canva’s free marketing case study templates (search “Case Study Presentation”
in Canva). You just need to drop in your posts, captions, and screenshots.
2️⃣ Google Sheets Portfolio (Data + Calendar)
Sheet 1 – Content Calendar (use this structure):
| Date | Platform | Post Type | Caption | Visual Idea | Goal | Status | Metrics (Likes, Shares, CTR, etc.) |
Sheet 2 – Campaign Analytics
| Campaign | Budget | Reach | Impressions | CTR | Conversions | CPC | Notes |
Sheet 3 – Portfolio Index
 List all projects with links to Google Drive folders (where you store visuals + reports).
👉 You can later export individual sheets (like “Content Calendar” or “Campaign Results”) as PDFs to
insert into your Canva portfolio.

✨ End result:
 Canva = visual storytelling of your best campaigns.
 Google Sheets = data + working tool to manage and track campaigns.
What’s inside:
1. Content Calendar – Plan posts (platform, type, caption, goal, status, metrics).
2. Campaign Analytics – Track ad results (budget, reach, CTR, conversions, CPC).
3. Portfolio Index – List of projects with space for links to visuals/reports.
📊 Canva Case Study Template (Structure)
When you open Canva, search “Case Study Presentation” or “Marketing Report” — choose a clean,
modern template. Then structure your slides like this:
Slide 1 – Cover Page
 Project/Brand Name
 Campaign Title (e.g., “Instagram Growth Campaign – September 2025”)
 Your name + role
Slide 2 – Objective
 Campaign goal (awareness, engagement, conversions).
 Key KPIs to measure success.
Slide 3 – Target Audience
 Demographics (age, gender, location).
 Psychographics (interests, behaviors).
Slide 4 – Strategy
 Platforms used.
 Content types (Reels, Carousel posts, LinkedIn articles).
 Ad targeting (audience, budget, placements).
Slide 5 – Content Samples
 Screenshots of your posts (from Instagram, TikTok, etc.).
 Captions included.
Slide 6 – Ad Creatives
 Visuals and ad copy.
 Highlight testing (A/B variants if any).
Slide 7 – Content Calendar Snapshot
 Insert a 1-week or 1-month snippet (export from your Excel template).
Slide 8 – Analytics
 Graphs: Engagement rate, reach, impressions, CTR.
 Compare “before vs. after.”
Slide 9 – Results
 Follower growth.
 Ad ROI (if applicable).
 Screenshots from Google Analytics or Meta Ads Manager.
Slide 10 – Key Learnings
 What worked.
 What you would optimize in the future.
🎨 How to Make It Pop
 Use your brand colors (or consistent color palette).
 Add icons (from Canva Elements) for engagement, impressions, etc.
 Turn metrics into graphs/charts for visual storytelling.
 Keep text minimal → focus on visuals + numbers.
How to use it:
1. Open the file in PowerPoint (or Keynote).
2. Fill in your campaign details, screenshots, and metrics.
3. Upload the PPTX file into Canva → it will automatically convert into an editable Canva deck.
4. Customize with your colors, fonts, and visuals for a polished portfolio.
✨ Now you’ve got:
 Excel Template → for content calendars & analytics.
 PPTX/Canva Template → for visual storytelling of case studies.
Do you want me to also show you an example of a filled-in case study (with mock data + visuals), so you
can see how it should look once completed?