As the realm of digital marketing persists in its transformation, so do the various career opportunities it presents. If you’re managing your brand’s marketing approach, it’s likely you’ve contemplated the idea of employing a social media content creator.
Currently, your social media manager may also oversee content production. However, in today’s social media environment, the responsibilities of a manager and a creator differ significantly.
Recruiting for a position you haven’t previously experienced can be challenging, particularly when it involves a role that is still developing within the field. If you aim to enhance your social strategy by employing a social media content creator, here’s all the information you require about their functions and the potential impact of their contributions on your brand’s social presence.
What is a social media content creator?
A social media content creator crafts and disseminates content designed to inform or entertain audiences on social platforms. They are digital narrators, trend innovators, and community cultivators who typically possess skills in visual design, videography, copywriting, and brand development, among other competencies.
Many content creators produce across multiple social media channels but may specialize in one or two, such as Instagram or YouTube. Some may excel in specific content types, like short-form videos or transient posts.
At first glance, this might appear limiting. In truth, it is quite the opposite. Social media trends and functionalities evolve daily. A social content creator’s concentration on their selected channel or format equips them with an unmatched comprehension of what flourishes on their preferred platforms.
Content creator vs. social media manager
While there is undoubtedly some overlap between social media content creators and social media managers, they are distinct occupations.
In simple terms, a social media content creator’s role is to develop and edit content, while a social media manager collaborates with them to establish a coherent strategy and oversee profiles. Social media managers are also usually tasked with cultivating communities around social accounts and may additionally handle customer support duties. By separating these responsibilities between creators and managers, each can concentrate on their own roles to achieve optimal outcomes.
Two (or more) social roles are vital for larger brands due to the crucial nature of social marketing. As reported in Sprout’s 2024 Content Benchmarks Report, brands post an average of 10 times daily. Balancing the creation and distribution of that much content across various social networks—while also managing a social media manager’s administrative and strategic responsibilities—is a considerable challenge.
This clarifies the necessity for the social media content creator role to be well-defined for hiring departments. In discussions on The Arborteum, Sprout’s community forum, Claire.P, a senior social media manager, emphasizes her role in informing her company about the importance of having dedicated content creators for content generation.
Content creator vs. influencers
What about influencers? This comparison can become slightly more convoluted, as some influencers identify as content creators. The primary distinction lies in the intent behind their content.
Influencers create content aimed at swaying people, typically by showcasing their lifestyle or expertise. Their content is crafted to persuade audiences to purchase specific products or promote an aspirational lifestyle. They operate independently and cultivate their own small communities.
A social media content creator’s purpose extends beyond mere influence; they also aim to educate, raise awareness, express creativity, and more. Their content centers less on personal identity and more on the quality of the content itself.
Molly-Mae Hague boasts a considerable following across numerous social platforms and ranks as one of the UK’s leading social media figures. Her content style is highly personal, frequently highlighting fashion or her own line of products, classifying her as an influencer.
In contrast, Super Eyepatch Wolf is a YouTuber focusing on lengthy video essays about popular television shows that garner millions of views. His content aims to educate and entertain, positioning him more as a content creator.
If you’re still uncertain about the differences, take a look at our article on digital creators vs. influencers article.
Ultimately, remember: social media content creators can be onboarded as internal employees. While they may also operate as external contractors like influencers, larger organizations should contemplate establishing an in-house content creation team.
What does a social media content creator do?
The role of a social media content creator is dynamic and can shift based on various factors. Common responsibilities include:
- Generating creative and original content ideas that align with a brand’s broader social strategy
- Producing this content through filming, designing visuals, writing descriptions, and more
- Editing content pre-release, keeping in mind the target audience and SEO
- Adjusting content for use across diverse social networks
- Coordinating with social media managers to monitor content calendars and analyze metrics
- Keeping an eye on current social media trends for potential brand relevance
Benefits of hiring social media content creators
Enhanced audience insights
Bringing a content creator on board means having someone who consistently generates content for your social media profiles. They will gain a comprehensive understanding of your target audience’s uniqueness and what they seek in your social media offerings.
By integrating content creation in-house, you’ll foster engagement on a channel you control, resulting in better brand development and data-driven improvements. Your internal social media content creator can also collaborate with your social manager and broader marketing team, as they’ll have access to your performance data to guide enhancements across your entire digital strategy.
On the other hand, hiring a creator externally can also be advantageous from an audience perspective. You might reach more followers through cross-promoting a campaign on their channels, and they could provide audience insights your team hasn’t yet considered.
More timely and pertinent content
Social media is inherently time-sensitive; trends and memes can shift rapidly. An internal content creator offers greater flexibility in managing your social profiles, optimizing your content creation and publication processes.
Having a dedicated creator allows you to adapt to trends swiftly. According to the 2025 Sprout Social Index, 27% of consumers feel that brands leveraging viral trends in their content are most effective when published during the initial 48 hours of a trend’s emergence.
In addition to being reactive, an internal social media content creator can assist your brand by practicing proactive marketing. They should understand current trends and be capable of identifying which are most relevant for your brand and audience, helping you capitalize on the right trends before they lose relevance.
While working with an internal creator makes trend adaptation easier, collaboration with external creators on timely content remains feasible. These creators often possess a keen awareness of trends affecting their audience and can help you leverage them quickly if a strong working rapport exists.
Enhanced creativity and engagement
The primary function of a social media content creator is content development. With their focus strictly on content creation, they have more time to unleash their creativity and explore new angles for your content strategy.
This often results in more intriguing concepts and increased interaction with your social strategy. Skilled creators typically possess a proven success record with content generation and leverage this expertise to aid your brand.
Increased capacity for creative execution
Having a content creator alongside a social media manager allows for a shared workload. Expecting one to perform the other’s tasks can lead to exhaustion.
Recruiting a content creator is a crucial step in crafting a successful social media team. Once established, this team can collaborate effectively to improve outcomes for your brand.
When to hire a social media content creator
There are multiple indicators suggesting when your organization could gain from hiring a social media content creator.
The first and most significant sign is an overwhelmed in-house team. Today’s social media strategies are complex, encompassing numerous tactics. If your team is overextended, they will probably dedicate most, if not all, of their working hours to routine account management, leaving no room for innovative strategies or impactful initiatives.
Another signal is your content’s performance. If your engagement rates are stagnating or declining, a content creator can reinvigorate your brand’s profiles with fresh perspectives.
Additionally, consider the types of content you are producing. If you recognize value in videos or Reels but lack the proper skills, tools, or capacity for videography, recruiting a creator who specializes in video content production can be an effective solution.
Finally, you might simply desire to increase your posting frequency. Consistency and volume are vital for thriving social media profiles, and hiring a dedicated social media content creator enables you to produce more posts efficiently.
Finding the right social media content creator
If you aim to hire a social media content creator, there are various routes you can pursue. Depending on your requirements, you can:
- Employ an in-house creator.
- Collaborate with an agency that features creators.
- Engage a consultant or freelance content creator.
Each of these options comes with its own advantages and drawbacks. Hiring an in-house creator is often the ideal solution for larger brands or teams, but it can also be a wise choice for smaller entities with a significant social media presence.
Regardless, it is essential to select the right social media content creator for your organization. These tips will aid in assessing candidates and aligning a creator with your brand.
Searching for content creators
Identifying content creators is the first major challenge. You can advertise the position like any other job — if you’re advertising, download our social media manager job description templates, which feature a digital content creator role description ready for customization.
If you’re seeking a creator with a history of success, browse through a content creator database. Define your campaign objectives beforehand to easily filter potential candidates. Use a tool like Sprout Social Influencer Marketing to discover creators and influencers with established audiences that authentically connect with your brand, utilizing AI and advanced filtering by specific profile attributes.
Ensure creators comprehend your audience and values
Employing a tool allows you to filter creators by factors such as audience size. Review a creator’s profile personally and ascertain whether their values resonate with your brand’s. You should watch for apparent instances of profanity or controversy and whether they advocate for specific causes or contentious figures. Additionally, check if they’ve previously collaborated with your competitors.
Conduct these checks ahead of outreach or interviews, enabling you to narrow down candidates for term discussions. This streamlines your recruitment process, ensuring you engage only with serious candidates who are a fitting match for your brand.
Evaluate their portfolio
A capable content creator should possess a portfolio showcasing their work for potential employers or collaborators. Request this from all candidates under consideration and examine the content they’ve produced thus far.
This will provide you with insights into the types of content they are experienced in and their creative approach.
Jonpaulsballs is a distinct Instagram content creator who crafts custom footballs (soccer balls) using diverse shapes and materials. Recognizing his previous work, Pepsi contracted him for a campaign promoting their new Pepsi Smart Can, aligning with his usual content style.
Portfolios should clearly present success metrics. Compare these metrics from various portfolios to assess a creator’s past success and their understanding of it.
It is equally important to examine which metrics a creator prioritizes. This indicates their platform comprehension and can signal whether they can collaborate effectively with your social media manager in tracking performance.
How brands can collaborate with social media content creators
The best method of working with a social media content creator will depend on whether they are employed by you or contracted. Below, we offer more explicit advice on collaborating with creators who are contractors rather than employees.
Clarify expectations when contracting creators
If you’re hiring a creator for a specific campaign, ensure transparency regarding your campaign objectives.
Articulate the exact deliverables you require from them and the KPIs to measure success. Provide a campaign outline before the project commences, allowing ample time for them to grasp your expectations.
Make sure to share your brand’s style guidelines as well, including your tone of voice, previous campaigns, and additional documents. The more information you relay to the creator, the simpler it will be for them to understand your brand and what you anticipate from them.
Focus on diversity and inclusion
It’s evident that brands have struggled to diversify the talent with whom they work. This presents a significant issue socially and commercially. Inclusive campaigns enrich your content by elevating diverse perspectives, expanding your reach beyond a single consumer group.
Creators from diverse backgrounds can imbue their unique life experiences and perspectives into the content they produce. Ensure your collaborations seek to amplify voices that often remain unheard.
Trust and respect your creators
To fully benefit from hiring social media content creators, you must grant them creative liberty. Remember, you’re counting on their unique perspective and voice. Restricting that can compromise both your brand and your relationship with the creator.
Much like partnerships with influencers, working with creators should be mutually beneficial. Honor them as unique individuals and seek harmony between their creativity and your brand’s ethos. Your collaboration should be advantageous for your brand and enriching for their professional journey.
Ready to hire a social media content creator?
Trends and consumer preferences are evolving quicker than ever. Social media content creators are in tune with cultural shifts and can assist your brand in maintaining relevance across social channels.
For additional insights required to enhance your social media strategy, explore the latest edition of The Sprout Social Index™. It offers data-driven insights on consumer expectations and the strategies other marketers are employing to keep pace.
The post What is a social media content creator and when should you hire one? appeared first on Sprout Social.
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