When old friends ask me what I do now, I laugh. No one’s more surprised than me! I fell into social media management by accident.

Back when I promoted my books online, I noticed opportunities. Then a local cafe owner and I started kicking around ideas one afternoon, and it happened—she hired me for a monthly fee to manage her social media.

But the opportunity shouldn’t have been so surprising. As writers we already have many of the skills required to transition into online marketing. For example, we already know how to write beginnings, middles, and endings. Social media copy has the same structure.

We know how to write with an authentic voice and to keep it consistent. The truth is, a social media account is like a character. Have you ever read a post and thought that it sounded out of character for the person you’re following? That’s called unauthentic. 

As writers—especially in fiction—we already juggle different voices and characters. The posts that I write for my Mediterranean restaurant client are sunny and vibrant with mouth-watering photos. But the content I post for my supplement store client is punchy, informative, and often highlights the benefits of one product against another. Mind you, I use my skills as a researcher to craft these posts. (Anyone can tell I’m no powerlifter!) Writing has set us up to learn a little bit about a lot of different topics.

In fact, love of learning is a requirement. Many are intimidated because they think they don’t know enough about techy stuff to manage social media accounts for clients. But guess what? Social media changes so much that everyone is learning as they go. The minute I get comfortable, there’s an algorithm change. I’ve taught myself to remain curious; if I try something that doesn’t work, at least I’ve learned.

Look for opportunities around you. 

Once you start scouting for opportunity, you’ll discover that most businesses seek help. The trick is to charge a rate that’s fair to you and affordable for them. Decide how much time you’ll devote to the client each week and break it down into an hourly rate. As you gain more experience, you can increase your rates.

Sharpen your skills. 

There’s a ton of free social media tips on YouTube, and countless online courses. Your clients aren’t hiring you because they can’t learn social media; they’re hiring you because they’d rather pay someone else to keep up with it. So absorb podcasts while you do laundry, watch tutorials instead of tv shows, and build the confidence you need to approach prospects. Remember, your competitive edge is curiosity and a willingness to learn.

Be clear about expectations. 

Find out what a client’s goals are. Do they want to raise awareness about a new location? Launch a new or revised product? Maybe they’d like to survey their audience. The objective isn’t always to gain followers; many times you can generate more revenue for a client by encouraging existing followers to make a purchase. Sometimes all it takes is reminding them of how much they love the client. (Like posting a great photo and luscious description of a fresh gyro—yum!)

Personally, I also like to include a walkaway option in the contract. After an agreed-upon time (say, three months), if either the client or I feel that the working relationship isn’t, um, working, we can shake hands and walk away. Like I said, social media is ever-changing. Sometimes three months is all it takes to get the job done. And it’s definitely enough time to discover an incompatibility. Refer those clients to someone else and let them go.

If you’re looking for a way to make money with your writing, a way you can work anywhere with WiFi, consider social media management. You’ll get to work with clients who align with your values, and use your skills to help connect customers with products and services they’ll love. It’s a win-win-win.

BIO: Cole Smith is a writer and consultant in West Virginia. She’s the author of the cozy mystery, Waiting for Jacob; the young adult novel, Ursula Spark and the Fourth Frankenstein; and the planner, Writers Write: A Workbook to Keep You Fierce, Focused, and Moving Forward. She shares writing tips and free resources at
www.colesmithwrites.com

I like this site for tutorial articles and podcasts: www.socialmediaexaminer.com

Traits and skills that will come in handy: https://buffer.com/resources/social-media-manager-job-description/

Tools to schedule posts: https://later.com/  and https://hootsuite.com/ 

How to plan your posts: https://blog.hootsuite.com/how-to-create-a-social-media-content-calendar/