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The differences between social media specialists and social media strategists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 2-4 years to become a social media specialist, becoming a social media strategist takes usually requires 1-2 years. Additionally, a social media strategist has an average salary of $62,339, which is higher than the $51,584 average annual salary of a social media specialist.
The top three skills for a social media specialist include social media marketing, instagram and digital marketing. The most important skills for a social media strategist are instagram, digital marketing, and twitter.
| Social Media Specialist | Social Media Strategist | |
| Yearly salary | $51,584 | $62,339 |
| Hourly rate | $24.80 | $29.97 |
| Growth rate | 8% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 47,228 | 43,791 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 79% | Bachelor's Degree, 81% |
| Average age | 42 | 44 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 2 |
A social media specialist is an individual who is responsible for creating and administering content on all social media platforms to build an audience and ensure customer engagement. By using platforms such as Facebook and Twitter, social media specialists must create content that resonates with the interests of the intended audience. They are required to understand social media metrics so that they can use the information to ensure success in their social media strategy. Social media specialists must also work with industry professionals and influencers via social media to create a strong network.
A social media strategist is primarily in charge of handling a company or an individual's social media platforms, aiming for brand awareness and good public relations through positive online engagement. Their responsibilities revolve around developing and implementing social media strategies and campaigns for marketing, coordinating with content creators and writers, identifying new online marketing opportunities, keeping abreast of the latest trends, and ensuring that all content materials are relevant to the company. Furthermore, as a social media strategist, it is essential to be prepared for any issues by devising damage control plans.
Social media specialists and social media strategists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Social Media Specialist | Social Media Strategist | |
| Average salary | $51,584 | $62,339 |
| Salary range | Between $38,000 And $68,000 | Between $41,000 And $94,000 |
| Highest paying City | Washington, DC | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Hawaii | Utah |
| Best paying company | McKinsey & Company Inc | |
| Best paying industry | Professional | Technology |
There are a few differences between a social media specialist and a social media strategist in terms of educational background:
| Social Media Specialist | Social Media Strategist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 79% | Bachelor's Degree, 81% |
| Most common major | Communication | Communication |
| Most common college | Northwestern University | Northwestern University |
Here are the differences between social media specialists' and social media strategists' demographics:
| Social Media Specialist | Social Media Strategist | |
| Average age | 42 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 38.6% Female, 61.4% | Male, 39.1% Female, 60.9% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 10.0% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 11.9% Asian, 5.3% White, 67.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6% | Black or African American, 6.2% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 8.8% Asian, 12.0% White, 67.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% |
| LGBT Percentage | 12% | 11% |