What people think our jobs are vs what they actually are
While we have a great understanding of what we do for a living, it is not uncommon for our professions to not be so clear to others. There are many common misconceptions, and our team has heard some interesting ones.
From people thinking we get paid to scroll through a social media feed to believing we clock off at five o’clock in the evening like everyone else. In today’s blog, our team shares some of the most common misconceptions they receive about their jobs!
Zack - Founder & Director
For me as the Founder and Director of Social Directions Agency, it is always expected that I be some sort of creative genius to clients going viral and trending. The reality is that my job is to ensure clients are consistent with their marketing, but consistency is what creates viral growth and brand exposure.
It is the consistency of showing up with the posts every day, week, and month of the year that grows brands. A lot of brands presume it is a case of coming in and thinking of a wild marketing plan, posting it and reeling in tonnes of social media success. However, as a social media agency, we strongly believe it is our consistency that gets the client success.
Bronagh - Copywriter
The main misconception I experience is that people think because I’m a writer, captions come to me very easily. Whilst most social captions are short and snappy, they are not always so easy to craft. This is because every single brand and business has a different personality and tone of voice.
For example, a furniture store may want to be very conscious of making its social media fun and engaging, whereas a law firm will likely be focused on sharing serious information in the most accessible way possible. My job as a Copywriter is all about understanding a business and what it is all about to help it achieve its goals on social.
Kate - Account Manager
I think one major misconception is that as an Accounts Manager, you are always out having coffee with clients, and when the phone rings, you have to answer it immediately, at any time of the day. In reality, working as an Accounts Manager is a bit of a juggling act with lots of to-do lists, taking client calls, and answering messages and emails.
There is a lot of time spent on the laptop checking in with the team to see what they are working on, assigning different tasks, sending posts over for approval, and much more. While the role may seem glamorous and does allow for exciting social moments, it is a lot of hard work and ensuring the client’s expectations are understood and met.
Ellen - Content Creator
The biggest misconception about my role as a Content Creator is that people presume it is very easy and fast to create, and/or change a design. People expect you to be able to make a design at the snap of their fingers without realising the amount of thought and effort required to create something ‘small’ or ‘simple’ in the client’s mind.
This results in frustration on both ends, especially because everything nowadays is so fast-paced and expected to be conceptualised and created within a couple of minutes. Good design, that encourages customers to buy from a business, looks effortless and easy, but it takes a considerable amount of time and hard work.
Anna - Graphic Designer
I would say a common misconception about my role is that it is easy and quick to create content. In reality, a lot of time, planning, and experimenting goes into it. I spend a lot of time coming up with fresh, new, and unique ideas before I even begin to make the physical content.
Designing can be a really time-consuming process. It’s often labelled as ‘easy’ because it is so accessible to everyone nowadays, but it definitely requires skill and hard work. Great design flows from creativity, effort, vision, and inspiration. People should know there is much more to the process than meets the eye.
Natalie - Social Media Specialist
Many are under the impression that as a Social Media Strategist, I attend numerous events, capture filtered photos, and create superficial and hasty social media captions. It couldn’t be farther from the truth. In my role as a Social Media Strategist, most of my time is spent conducting extensive research on my client’s competitors.
Additionally, analysing data and developing intricate strategies based on industry knowledge, understanding of consumer behaviour, persona psychology, and platform algorithms. It may look like a low-pressure role at the outset where your days are spent scrolling social media, but it is really about how we can create content that helps our clients achieve their goals.
Summary
There you have it - the main misconceptions our team receive about their roles within a social media agency. While it may sound glamorous and as though we are doing nothing but scrolling, we assure you we are working tirelessly to help our clients become industry-leading on social and achieve their targets! If you need assistance with your social media or want to take it to the next level, get in touch with us.