Prepare for your Social Media Community Manager interview. Understand the required skills and qualifications, anticipate the questions you may be asked, and study well-prepared answers using our sample responses.
Employers ask this question to see if you have experience using the platforms they support. If the company uses a specific platform, such as Facebook or Twitter, share your knowledge of how to use these sites. If not, explain that you are familiar with other social media sites and can learn new ones quickly.
Answer Example: "I am very familiar with the various social media platforms. I have been working in the field for five years now, so I have had plenty of time to learn about all of them. I am currently active on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Snapchat, and LinkedIn. I also use YouTube regularly for video content creation."
This question can help the interviewer determine if you have the skills and personality traits needed for success in this role. Use your answer to highlight some of your most important skills and how they relate to this position.
Answer Example: "Successful social media community managers need to be organized, detail-oriented and passionate about their brand. They also need to be able to communicate effectively with others, both internally and externally. Social media is all about connecting with customers, so these skills are essential. Finally, I think it’s important to be knowledgeable about social media platforms and trends. This can help me create content that’s relevant and interesting for our audience."
This question can help the interviewer understand how you would handle a challenging situation. Your answer should show that you are able to use your problem-solving skills and apply them to social media management.
Answer Example: "In this situation, I would first try to understand why the user is providing negative feedback on this post. I would then try to find out what they want from the company and whether there is anything I can do to help them. If they continue to provide negative feedback, I would speak with them directly to find out what we can do to improve their experience."
Social media community managers need to be able to monitor social media platforms for feedback and comments from customers. Employers ask this question to make sure you have a process in place for doing so and that you can explain it to them. In your answer, explain how you would go about monitoring social media platforms for feedback and comments. Explain that you have a system in place for keeping track of all the feedback you receive.
Answer Example: "I believe it’s important for social media community managers to be actively involved in monitoring social media platforms for feedback and comments. I have a process that I follow when it comes to monitoring social media. First, I set up alerts for specific keywords and hashtags that are related to my employer’s brand. This allows me to receive notifications whenever someone posts something related to our brand. Then, I review all of the comments and posts that come through these alerts."
This question is an opportunity to show your knowledge of social media and its different types of content. You can answer this question by listing the different types of content that can be shared on social media platforms and explaining what each type is used for.
Answer Example: "There are several types of content that can be shared on social media, including text posts, images, videos and GIFs. I’m familiar with the different uses for each type of content. For example, text posts are great for sharing longer messages or updates, while images are great for creating visual content that attracts attention. Videos and GIFs are also popular types of content because they allow users to get a better sense of who you are as an influencer."
Social media is all about engagement, and employers want to know how you plan to engage their company’s audience. Use examples from previous work experience where you successfully engaged an audience on social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Answer Example: "I find that the best way to engage an audience on social media is through creating content that’s relevant to their interests. For example, if I’m working with a fashion brand, I’ll share photos of outfits that I think my followers would like and ask them for their opinions. This helps me build relationships with my followers and encourages them to return to my page for more content."
Social media managers often need to manage multiple accounts at once. Employers ask this question to make sure you have experience doing so and can do it effectively. In your answer, explain how you manage multiple accounts and which tools you use to help you with this task.
Answer Example: "I find that managing multiple social media accounts at once is easier when I use a combination of tools. I usually start by creating a list of all the accounts I need to manage, then add them all to a scheduling app like Hootsuite. This allows me to schedule posts in advance so I don’t have to do it all at once. I also use a collaboration tool like Slack so I can communicate with coworkers who are also managing accounts."
Social media analytics tools are a valuable resource for community managers. Employers ask this question to see if you have experience using these tools and how you feel about them. In your answer, explain which social media analytics tool you use and why you find it helpful. You can also mention any other tools you’ve used in the past.
Answer Example: "I’ve been using Crowdfire for several years now. I find it to be one of the most useful social media analytics tools because it allows me to track the performance of posts, hashtags and users. It also provides me with information about who is following my brand and what content they are most interested in. Another tool I’ve used in the past is SocialRank, which helps me understand who my most influential followers are and which content they share most often."
Social media managers often have to respond to negative comments on their brand’s social media accounts. Employers ask this question to see if you have experience handling these situations and how you would respond. In your answer, explain what steps you took to resolve the issue. Try to be as specific as possible about what you did in that situation.
Answer Example: "I once had to respond to a negative comment on our brand’s Instagram page. The comment was from a customer who was unhappy with the product they received. They said they expected it to be better quality than what they received. I responded to them directly by private messaging them. I asked them to provide more details about their purchase so I could look into it further."
This question is a great way for employers to see if you have experience using the various social media platforms. It’s important to show that you’re familiar with the different platforms and how you can use them to benefit a company’s social media presence.
Answer Example: "I am very familiar with the different social media platforms. I have been working in the social media community management field for five years now, so I have had plenty of time to become familiar with each platform. I know how to use each platform effectively for marketing purposes, as well as how to engage with followers and customers."
Social media community management involves a lot of interaction with users. Employers ask this question to see if you have experience using strategies that help you manage these interactions effectively. Use your answer to highlight some of the techniques you use to ensure community members have a positive experience on the platform.
Answer Example: "I believe that the best way to manage community interactions is through active listening. I try to spend at least half of my time on social media actively listening to what people are saying about our brand or product. This helps me understand their needs and preferences so I can respond to them more effectively. In addition to active listening, I also use monitoring tools to keep track of any trending topics or keywords related to our brand. This allows me to respond quickly to any questions or concerns that arise."
This question can help the interviewer understand your content-sharing strategy and how you apply it to a brand’s social media channels. Use examples from past experiences where you determined what content to share on a company’s social media accounts and why those strategies were successful.
Answer Example: "I first look at the goals of the brand’s social media campaign and determine which content will help us achieve those goals. For example, if a brand wants to increase brand awareness, I will share content that promotes the brand’s products or services. I also consider the target audience of each social media platform and share content that is relevant to them. For instance, if a brand has an older target audience, I may choose to share more text-based posts rather than videos."
Social media analytics tools are an important part of a community manager’s job. Employers ask this question to make sure you have experience using these tools and know how to use them effectively. In your answer, explain which social media analytics tools you’ve used in the past and why you found them helpful.
Answer Example: "I have extensive experience using social media analytics tools. I have used both free and paid versions of these tools and have found them to be very helpful in my work as a community manager. I am familiar with the different types of analytics available, such as likes, shares, retweets, comments and followers. I also understand how to interpret the data and use it to make strategic decisions."
Social media is a great way to connect with customers, but it can also be a place where customers can voice their complaints. Employers ask this question to see if you have experience handling difficult situations and how you would react in them. In your answer, try to explain what you did to solve the problem.
Answer Example: "In my last role as a community manager, I had a customer who was unhappy with the product they received. They posted about their experience on our company’s Facebook page, which received several comments from other customers who had similar issues. I immediately responded to the original post and asked the customer to contact me directly so we could resolve the issue."
This question allows you to show the interviewer what your work style is like and how you would begin your role. You can answer this question by describing what tasks you would prioritize during your first few weeks on the job, such as creating social media content calendars or setting up analytics tools.
Answer Example: "My first priority would be to learn as much as I can about the company’s goals and objectives for its social media channels. I would then create a content calendar with strategies for reaching those goals through social media. Next, I would work with other members of the team to create a strategy for measuring the success of our social media efforts. Finally, I would train other employees on how to use the various social media platforms."
This question can help the interviewer determine your knowledge of the social media landscape. It’s important to be familiar with the different types of platforms available, including but not limited to: Facebook Twitter Instagram Snapchat LinkedIn YouTube
Answer Example: "Yes, I am very familiar with the different types of social media platforms. I have been working in the field for five years now, and during that time I have had the opportunity to work with many different types of platforms. I am well-versed in the different features and functions of each platform and know how to best utilize them for marketing purposes."
This question can help the interviewer determine if you have the skills needed for this role. Use your answer to highlight some of the most important skills and how you use them in your work.
Answer Example: "As a social media community manager, I believe the most important skills to have are communication, organization and problem-solving. I’m great at communicating with others, whether it’s through written or verbal means. I also enjoy creating plans and organizing events and campaigns. These skills help me stay organized and ensure that I’m able to solve any issues that arise."
Social media is constantly changing, and employers want to know that you can keep up with these changes and use them to benefit their company. In your answer, explain how you determine which social media channels are best for a company’s brand and what type of content you should share on those channels.
Answer Example: "I first look at the company’s goals and objectives for using social media. Then, I research which platforms our target audience uses most often and determine which ones would be most beneficial for reaching out to them. For example, if a company wants to increase sales, then I would suggest creating an Instagram account because research shows that millennials are more likely to buy from brands they follow on Instagram."
Social media community managers need to be able to respond quickly to comments and questions from their audience. Employers ask this question to learn more about your process for managing social media platforms and ensuring that your community members receive timely responses. In your answer, explain how you plan your day so that you have time to respond to comments and questions. Explain that you also use automation tools to help you manage your workload.
Answer Example: "I understand how important it is to respond quickly to community comments and questions. My process for monitoring and responding starts with setting up alerts for specific keywords on each social media platform I manage. This allows me to be aware of any mentions or questions directed at the brand immediately. From there, I determine whether or not it is necessary to respond right away or if I can wait until later in the day to respond."
A social media crisis can happen at any time, and the community manager needs to be prepared to handle it. Employers ask this question to see if you have experience with crisis management and how you would react in such a situation. In your answer, explain what steps you would take to resolve the issue.
Answer Example: "I recently had to manage a social media crisis for my previous employer. The company was launching a new product, but there was some confusion surrounding the details. Customers were asking questions about the product, but we hadn’t released all of the information yet. I worked with my team to ensure that all of our social media channels were updated with accurate information. We also created a hashtag so customers could share their thoughts about the product."
