Social Media Management

A social media manager plans, posts and watches content for a business.

• Learn the terms: platform, post, story, reach, engagement, follower, hashtag, call to action, content calendar.
• Reach is how many people saw a post; engagement is how many acted.
• Each platform has its own style and audience.
• Follow five local business accounts and note what they post and how people respond.
• Calculate an engagement rate as actions divided by reach.
• Compare two platforms by who uses them and what they like.
• Describe the tone of each of five accounts in three words.

Activity. Define ten terms and review five accounts.

Standard to meet. Task: review five accounts. Condition: from public pages. Standard: each has audience, post types and one idea to improve.

Social media work follows steps. Name them to stay on schedule.

• The steps: goals, audience, content plan, create, schedule, post, reply, measure, report.
• Set one goal at a time: more enquiries, more visits or more followers.
• A content calendar lists date, platform, topic, text, image and status.
• Agree who approves posts and how fast.
• Write each goal as a number, a measure and a date.
• Write down the name of each approver and the reply time you expect from them.
• Plan to create a week of posts in one sitting.

Activity. Build a four-week content calendar for a pretend shop.

Standard to meet. Task: build a calendar. Condition: from a brief. Standard: every row has date, platform, topic, text, image and approver.

Now you make. Write clear posts that serve the goal.

• Put the main point first. Use short words.
• One post, one message, one action.
• Add descriptive text for images so people using screen readers understand them.
• Check spelling, links and facts before scheduling.
• Write the first line so it stands alone.
• Check image sizes for each platform.
• Test two posting times and compare the results.

Activity. Create and schedule a week of posts and ask a friend to find mistakes.

Standard to meet. Task: create one week of posts. Condition: from a brief in three hours. Standard: each post has one message and action, image text is provided and no errors remain.

Posts that sell are advertising. Rules apply.

• Advertising must be truthful. Do not post fake reviews or false claims.
• Paid or gifted endorsements must be clearly disclosed.
• Commercial messages by email or text need consent and an unsubscribe; check the federal anti-spam rules.
• Contests have rules; in some provinces they need extra steps. Check before you run one. Respect copyright and ask before using a person's photo.
• Keep a record of consent for every email address.
• Draft disclosure wording such as 'Sponsored' or 'Gifted'.
• Check the platform's own contest rules as well as the provincial rules.

Activity. Build a table of rule, who sets it, what you must do and where you checked, for ten post types.

Standard to meet. Task: build a rules table. Condition: using official public pages. Standard: each row has a dated source; unclear items say 'check the current rule with the local authority'.

You are paid for steady results and time.

• Time includes planning, creating, posting, replying and reporting.
• Compare hourly, monthly package and per-post pricing.
• A monthly package needs a clear list: posts, platforms, replies and report.
• Track hours per client to see if the price is fair.
• Time each task: plan, create, reply and report.
• Work out what one extra post or one extra round of replies costs you in time.
• Review the price after the first month using your time log.

Activity. Time a week of work and set a monthly package.

Standard to meet. Task: price a monthly package. Condition: from your time log. Standard: hours, rate and package list are shown and a mentor can follow the numbers.

Numbers show what is working.

• Choose a few measures tied to the goal: reach, clicks, enquiries.
• Compare this month with last month.
• Report in plain words: what happened, why, what we do next.
• Do not claim the number of followers equals sales.
• Write the one number tied to the goal.
• Make a table with this month, last month and the change.
• Describe two possible causes and test one next month.

Activity. Collect a month of data and write a one-page report.

Standard to meet. Task: write a monthly report. Condition: from real or practice data. Standard: three measures, a cause for each change and two next steps.

A manager holds the keys to a brand voice. Be careful.

• Use strong passwords and two-step sign-in; give access by role and remove it when people leave.
• Reply to comments politely. For complaints, move to a private channel and fix the problem.
• Do not share customer information. Privacy law applies.
• Write a short agreement: scope, fees, approvals, who owns the accounts and content, and how to end it.
• List who has access to each account and what role they hold.
• Prepare reply templates for five common comments.
• Write a rule to pause scheduled posts when bad news breaks.

Activity. Write an agreement and a response guide for ten comments.

Standard to meet. Task: produce an agreement and a guide. Condition: reviewed by a mentor. Standard: scope, fees, approvals and ownership are in plain words.

Now you run it, measure and decide.

• Set a goal for one real or practice account.
• Record posts, hours, results and feedback each week.
• Ask the client what changed.
• Choose: stop, change or grow, and write a 12-month plan.
• Calculate cost per post.
• Compare the first 30 days with the last 30 days.
• Ask the client how many enquiries came from social media.

Activity. Run the pilot and present a 12-month plan to a panel of three.

Standard to meet. Task: run a 60-day account pilot. Condition: real client and agreement. Standard: calendar kept, report written and the decision uses numbers.

L1: Creative aware learner. You can define: name the main terms, people and rules of social Media Management. Focus module: Know the words of social media management (Understand, 6 h). A social media manager plans, posts and watches content for a business. Key points: Learn the terms: platform, post, story, reach, engagement, follower, hashtag, call to action, content calendar. Reach is how many people saw a post; engagement is how many acted. Each platform has its own style and audience. Follow five local business accounts and note what they post and how people respond. Calculate an engagement rate as actions divided by reach. Compare two platforms by who uses them and what they like. Describe the tone of each of five accounts in three words.

Speaker notes. Teach: open with the worked example. A café posts a photo of a new pastry with the line 'Fresh at 8 a.m. tomorrow.' If 500 people saw it (reach) and 40 liked or commented, engagement is 40 / 500 = 8%. Likes and comments show engagement. Then set the activity: Define ten terms and review five accounts. Mark against the standard: Task: review five accounts. Condition: from public pages. Standard: each has audience, post types and one idea to improve. Check at this level: What is the difference between reach and engagement? Model answer: Reach is how many saw a post; engagement is how many acted. Level note: Start here if new. Evidence: a one-page glossary and a visit or interview note.

L2: Content assistant. You can describe: explain how social Media Management works from first contact to result. Focus module: Explain the workflow from plan to report (Apply, 6 h). Social media work follows steps. Name them to stay on schedule. Key points: The steps: goals, audience, content plan, create, schedule, post, reply, measure, report. Set one goal at a time: more enquiries, more visits or more followers. A content calendar lists date, platform, topic, text, image and status. Agree who approves posts and how fast. Write each goal as a number, a measure and a date. Write down the name of each approver and the reply time you expect from them. Plan to create a week of posts in one sitting.

Speaker notes. Teach: open with the worked example. Goal: 20 enquiries in a month. Plan: three posts a week with one clear action each, so 3 x 4 = 12 posts. If each post brought 2 enquiries that would be 24, but check the real numbers at the end of the month. Then set the activity: Build a four-week content calendar for a pretend shop. Mark against the standard: Task: build a calendar. Condition: from a brief. Standard: every row has date, platform, topic, text, image and approver. Check at this level: What does a content calendar list? Model answer: Date, platform, topic, text, image and status. Level note: Evidence: a flow chart and a two-minute spoken explanation.

L3: Junior creator. You can apply: carry out a routine task in social Media Management to a written standard. Focus module: Create and schedule posts to a standard (Apply, 10 h). Now you make. Write clear posts that serve the goal. Key points: Put the main point first. Use short words. One post, one message, one action. Add descriptive text for images so people using screen readers understand them. Check spelling, links and facts before scheduling. Write the first line so it stands alone. Check image sizes for each platform. Test two posting times and compare the results.

Speaker notes. Teach: open with the worked example. Before: 'Big news!!!' After: 'New winter hours: open 8 to 4, Tuesday to Saturday. Visit us.' The new post gives the hours, days and action. A week of 3 posts checked for 10 minutes each takes 30 minutes. Then set the activity: Create and schedule a week of posts and ask a friend to find mistakes. Mark against the standard: Task: create one week of posts. Condition: from a brief in three hours. Standard: each post has one message and action, image text is provided and no errors remain. Check at this level: Why add image text for screen readers? Model answer: So everyone can understand the image. Level note: Evidence: a supervised task record that meets the standard once.

L4: Professional creator or freelancer. You can analyse: diagnose why a social Media Management result missed its target and fix it. Focus module: Follow Canadian rules for social media marketing (Evaluate, 8 h). Posts that sell are advertising. Rules apply. Key points: Advertising must be truthful. Do not post fake reviews or false claims. Paid or gifted endorsements must be clearly disclosed. Commercial messages by email or text need consent and an unsubscribe; check the federal anti-spam rules. Contests have rules; in some provinces they need extra steps. Check before you run one. Respect copyright and ask before using a person's photo. Keep a record of consent for every email address. Draft disclosure wording such as 'Sponsored' or 'Gifted'. Check the platform's own contest rules as well as the provincial rules.

Speaker notes. Teach: open with the worked example. A client wants to repost a customer photo. You ask the customer for permission first and credit them. Save the reply with the date. Then set the activity: Build a table of rule, who sets it, what you must do and where you checked, for ten post types. Mark against the standard: Task: build a rules table. Condition: using official public pages. Standard: each row has a dated source; unclear items say 'check the current rule with the local authority'. Check at this level: What must be disclosed in a paid post? Model answer: That it is paid or gifted. Level note: Evidence: a fault or gap analysis with a fix and a repeat test. This course targets this level.

L5: Senior creator or studio lead. You can evaluate: judge options for social Media Management against cost, risk and quality. Focus module: Measure results and report (Create, 6 h). Numbers show what is working. Key points: Choose a few measures tied to the goal: reach, clicks, enquiries. Compare this month with last month. Report in plain words: what happened, why, what we do next. Do not claim the number of followers equals sales. Write the one number tied to the goal. Make a table with this month, last month and the change. Describe two possible causes and test one next month.

Speaker notes. Teach: open with the worked example. Posts with a photo of the product got 3 times more clicks than text-only posts. If text-only posts got 20 clicks and photo posts got 60, then 60 / 20 = 3. Next month: more product photos. Then set the activity: Collect a month of data and write a one-page report. Mark against the standard: Task: write a monthly report. Condition: from real or practice data. Standard: three measures, a cause for each change and two next steps. Check at this level: What do you compare in a report? Model answer: This month against last month. Level note: Evidence: an options paper with numbers and a recommendation defended to a panel.

L6: Creative director or editor. You can create: design and pilot a new offer or process in social Media Management. Focus module: Protect accounts, people and reputation (Evaluate, 6 h). A manager holds the keys to a brand voice. Be careful. Key points: Use strong passwords and two-step sign-in; give access by role and remove it when people leave. Reply to comments politely. For complaints, move to a private channel and fix the problem. Do not share customer information. Privacy law applies. Write a short agreement: scope, fees, approvals, who owns the accounts and content, and how to end it. List who has access to each account and what role they hold. Prepare reply templates for five common comments. Write a rule to pause scheduled posts when bad news breaks.

Speaker notes. Teach: open with the worked example. A customer complains in a comment. You reply: 'Sorry about that. Please message us your order number so we can fix it.' You agree a reply target with the client, such as one business day. Then set the activity: Write an agreement and a response guide for ten comments. Mark against the standard: Task: produce an agreement and a guide. Condition: reviewed by a mentor. Standard: scope, fees, approvals and ownership are in plain words. Check at this level: Why use two-step sign-in? Model answer: To protect the account if the password is stolen. Level note: Evidence: a pilot with measured results over at least 30 days.

L7: Agency owner or head of content. You can lead: run a team or business in social Media Management and develop others. Focus module: Run a real account for 60 days and decide (Create, 8 h). Now you run it, measure and decide. Key points: Set a goal for one real or practice account. Record posts, hours, results and feedback each week. Ask the client what changed. Choose: stop, change or grow, and write a 12-month plan. Calculate cost per post. Compare the first 30 days with the last 30 days. Ask the client how many enquiries came from social media.

Speaker notes. Teach: open with the worked example. After 60 days: 24 posts, 30 hours, enquiries up from 6 to 14 a month. At $45 an hour, 30 hours is $1,350, or 1,350 / 24 = $56.25 per post. Enquiries rose by 14 - 6 = 8. Then set the activity: Run the pilot and present a 12-month plan to a panel of three. Mark against the standard: Task: run a 60-day account pilot. Condition: real client and agreement. Standard: calendar kept, report written and the decision uses numbers. Check at this level (this question is covered in module 2: Explain the workflow from plan to report): Why give one goal at a time? Model answer: It keeps the plan clear and measurable. Level note: Evidence: a record of results over a year and of people you have coached to a higher level.