25 Social Media Manager Interview Questions and Answers for 2022

Let’s help you get ready for your interview. In 2022, it is a role that has become firmly entrenched in many businesses the world over. These are 25 of the nitty-gritty questions you can expect when applying for a role as a social media manager. Use this Q&A as a template to help you prepare and boost your confidence. 

The Responsibilities of a Social Media Manager

Before we get started with the Q&A, let’s briefly recap the responsibilities of the role you’re applying for:

• Creating social media strategies, including campaigns, budgeting, content conceptualization and creation, scheduling, and implementation
• Maintain brand consistency and marketing goals by working with the marketing department
• Collecting consumer data to create comprehensive buyer personas and reports
• Grow social media presence and reach
• Monitor the social media activity of competitors
• Monitoring and reporting social media performance 
• Stay up to date with social media best practices and trends
• Community management
• Engage with industry professionals, media, and influencers

25 Interview Q&As for 2022

1. What do you think about our brand’s social media right now, and what could we improve?

A: Be insightful by demonstrating that you’ve examined their current social media efforts. Share the positives, and touch on some pointers of how to better the current strategy. 

2. What do you think the most important metrics are when measuring social media performance and how would you measure them?

A: Provide an answer that is linked to the goals of the post or campaign. This will include the likes of engagement, traffic, and leads. Avoid vanity metrics or ones that are not quantifiable. You should also mention the tools you use to track the results to gain insights and compile reports, such as the data provided by the platforms and CRM systems. 

3. Which social media platforms do you think are most relevant to our business?

A: Provide an answer starting which platforms are working well, which additions could be beneficial (if any), and which one’s you’d cut out (if need be). The answer should show your knowledge of the channels, the business, and its audiences. 

4. Which tools have you used to manage your social media?

A: Discuss your experience using a social media management tool - they’re similar so it needn’t be the same as theirs, but it should show that you know your way around software and systems to deliver social media strategies. An example would be how you’ve used Hootsuite to manage, schedule, and publish posts. 

5. Can you share a successful campaign you’ve created and managed?

A: Showcase your skills and abilities by taking the interviewer through each step of creating the campaign and why it worked so well. They’re looking for the approach you take, the skills you have, and the results you achieved. You should also have a portfolio with you so you can showcase this with a visual aid. 

6. How do you manage online communities?

A: Discuss how you’re able to handle the customer service/support and engagement aspects of being a social media manager. They want to know how you respond, your ability to adopt the brand voice and if you’re able to put the customer first. 

7. How would you handle a social media crisis?

A: List the steps you would take that follow crisis management best practices. You can also state an example of a hypothetical incident, or make mention of times when it is best not to engage on these platforms. As for acting in a crisis, it’s all about acting quickly, refraining from deleting posts, informing management, humanizing the situation, issuing a post addressing the issue, and responding to everyone.

8. What is good social media content to you?

A: Describe the kind of content you’d seek to create and then delve into an example of a post in depth - from the strategic reasoning for that content to the content creation and how you’d share it. Show that there is a plan, there is effort, and there is relevancy for your audience. 

9. If we allowed you to experiment with our social media, what would you do?

A: For this question, you’ll want to show that you’re creative and up for the challenge. That being said, all experiments need to be grounded in research and strategy for a purpose. Give a specific example of a post or the type of content you’d introduce, but don’t stop there - give adequate reasoning for this, and speak about the ways you’d measure its success. 

10. If we hired you as our social media manager, which other members would you need in your team to assist you?

A: Be clear on the responsibilities of your role as manager, the expectations, and your capabilities. If you’d need to work with a videographer or graphic designer, mention this. The interviewee does not expect you to be able to do it all.

11. How do you manage the fact that social media doesn’t sleep and is there an aspect of this job that you don’t enjoy?

A: The answer you give needs to show that you can manage your work and home life, but also that you are committed. Since social media has so many aspects, there is bound to be one aspect you aren’t thrilled about - discuss how you manage this anyway, or how other areas are your strengths and that tides you over. 

12. What should our social media goals be for the year ahead, in your opinion?

A: The answer needs to reflect that you’ve thought of the future of the business’s social media strategy. Make a point of what you believe is important to focus on and how you’d make the difference by steering the ship. 

13. How has social media changed in the last year?

A: This question is gauging whether or not you keep up to date with social media trends and happenings. It is ever-evolving, so have some facts or stats on hand about social media consumption, patterns, and platforms. 

14. What are your thoughts on social media advertising?

A: This question will be asked to determine the kind of budget you’re expecting to work with. A business will have a figure in mind, so speak of its importance, your ability to work with a budget, and how you’ll balance this with organic reach and growth.

15. Do you think influencer marketing is still relevant?

A: This is a matter of opinion, though it will influence the strategy if you’re hired. Explain your stance, bearing in mind the brand’s history with influencers and the results it could bring. 

16. What can you tell me about social media algorithms?

A: This question will highlight your insider knowledge of the platforms. It is important as it affects social media performance and is part of every platform, though the details are almost always elusive. What’s important is to focus on best practices, such as consistent posting and measuring whether certain days and times affect the performance of a post. 

17. How would you generate leads?

A: You’ll need to have ideas on how to actively gain leads from the social media platforms. Some platforms allow you to create lead forms, or you can do so through engaging or hosting a contest, for example.

18. How would you optimize our social media content?

A: Be prepared for specific platform questions. When answering this kind of question, speak about how your social media boosts the optimization efforts of the business, and ways of how to boost yours that go beyond titles, bio’s, and hashtags. 

19. Social media best practices for 2022?

A: Provide an overview of tips and tricks that are prevalent in social media today, showing you’re up to date on everything you ought to know. 

20. How would you promote our other content marketing via our social channels?

A: State that social media is a great channel to share content and there are several ways to break down other forms of content that lead the viewer to the blog (for instance), or ways to bulk up your content plan with bitesize bits. 

21. Tell us about your plans for video content?

A: Since video is the most engaging form of social media, you’ve got to include it in your strategy. Have ideas for the kinds of videos you’d produce and how that would benefit the company. 

22. What would your social media calendar for us look like?

A: Discuss your workflow when developing the calendar and how you’re able to schedule content effectively. 

23. What did you achieve with your previous social media experience?

A: Highlight your results with this question - whether you grew the following, or were able to turn the brand around with improved customer service. 

24. What skills do you have that make you a great fit as a social media manager?

A: Discuss three skills that relate directly to the role, such as communication, organization, and creativity.

25. What are some common social media marketing mistakes you see brands making?

A: Show that you can troubleshoot and know what to avoid. Examples are inconsistent posting, poor brand voice, not understanding the audience, handling negative feedback poorly, a lack of strategy, etc.

The Takeaway

Being a social media manager is a multi-faceted role that requires creativity, analytics, and multi-tasking. You should be ready to answer the 25 questions listed above in addition to the general interview questions. Well, thought-out answers are sure to impress the interviewee so that when they ask you to describe yourself in one word, your answer is: “hired.”