Investigating the misunderstandings consumers have about social media experts and the importance of increased diversity in the field.

We aimed to discover who consumers believe is responsible for managing brand accounts, so we conducted a survey with 1,623 participants from the US and the UK.

Our findings from the Q4 2023 Sprout Pulse Survey are quite revealing: Participants perceive the typical social media manager to be white (65%), female (73%), between the ages of 25-40 (55%), and working either part-time or as a freelancer (40%).

Honestly, we wished that the public’s view was not aligned with the truth. Our goal was to create a piece that would debunk the common misconceptions held by consumers.

After conducting our own survey and analyzing external data, we discovered that the public’s perception of social media marketers is largely accurate. The main distinction is the level of expertise (as most individuals in this field are not novices or independent contractors). This indicates that the field is predominantly composed of Millennial Caucasian females. In fact, the majority of our team falls into this category as well.

These inquiries prompted us to consider the following. Why are white women predominantly found in social media professions? What does it imply about the manner in which brands appropriate BIPOC culture? Why is there a belief that a field led by women necessitates less knowledge and skill? What steps can we take to create opportunities for individuals from various age groups within the industry?

We asked social professionals outside of the majority demographic to weigh in, and got their take on what’s amiss in the industry and how we can chart a more inclusive path forward.

Who are social media marketers, really?

In response to our initial inquiry, we utilized accessible external resources and carried out a limited self-conducted survey. All data sources indicated that the majority of social media marketers are Millennial white females.

Kikora Mason, Vice President of Social Listening and Community Management of Chase Social Media, anticipated this result. “Unfortunately, this data isn’t surprising. Generally, women outnumber men in communications (with the exception of upper leadership). I think there’s a perception that a career in social media is unserious and a job for an intern or a recent college graduate.”

Greg Rokisky, Social Media Strategist at Sprout Social, agrees. “I’m not surprised and, at the same time, I’m hopeful data like this shifts our hiring practices. To match the makeup of the world, we need equal representation in these business-critical roles—across ethnicity, race, gender, ability, orientation and experience level.”

Laurise McMillian, who leads social creative at Facebook, notes, “Stereotypes within the industry perpetuate the idea that only a specific demographic, specifically white women, are suited for social media management roles. When individuals don’t see representation of themselves in a certain job, it becomes more challenging for them to envision themselves in that position. If people of color from all gender identities aren’t seeking out these opportunities, companies face the danger of lacking diversity in perspectives and strategies within their teams.”

Future-proofing your social media team is about more than integrating emerging technologies into your workflow and increasing headcount. It also requires unpacking bias, and rethinking hiring practices.

Teams with a variety of backgrounds and perspectives will drive the industry’s advancement.

In the past few years, the term diversity lost meaning as it morphed into a performative buzzword, often associated with corporate initiatives that lack impact.

But when we zoom out and examine social media usage data, diversity takes on a new meaning. For example, in the US the majority of people across generations, races, genders, income levels, education and community types all use social media—with some traditionally underrepresented groups like the Black community being the most active. Social media is a channel defined by a diverse mix of people.

As Rokisky explains, “Diversity isn’t a choice—it’s a fact of the world. Our only choice is to recognize or turn away from it.”

Despite the variety found on social media, many individuals’ feeds act as echo chambers, intensifying or confirming their existing opinions. Mason explains how this hinders brand creativity: “With almost 5 billion active social media users, it’s absurd to assume that a single individual or a certain kind of individual holds all the answers for social media choices. Teams with cultural diversity propel companies ahead, paving the way for immense creativity and activations that were once unimaginable.”

But true diversity requires more than hollow optics. Bringing people with a variety of backgrounds, experiences and identities to the table, and deeply listening to their perspectives, will help businesses succeed at building engaged, loyal communities on social. And, more importantly, break down unhelpful stereotypes that permeate internet culture.

As Rokisky says, “While it’s not realistic to try and reach everyone on social, there will be individuals who don’t identify the same way you do in your target audience…When the majority of social media content is crafted by a homogenous group, there’s a risk of alienating and misrepresenting perspectives—which only perpetuates a cycle of exclusion and falsely paints stereotypes as true.”

Mason highlights, “Our timelines are filled with various content these days. Allowing room for a range of viewpoints enables us to establish genuine relationships with social media followers.”

Cassandra Blackburn, Head of DEI and Corporate Social Responsibility at Sprout Social, sums it up: “Encouraging inclusion and breaking stereotypes isn’t just a social justice issue; it’s a strategic move. Embracing diversity leads to better business outcomes, enhanced creativity and a positive societal impact. Brands connecting with a diverse audience through inclusive practices are better positioned in today’s social media landscape.”

Centering diversity in your approach to social media will have tangible benefits for businesses and their audiences. For example, Rokisky described how tuning into conversations about accessibility helped drive product development at Sprout. “At Sprout, we care deeply about social media accessibility, and factor the needs of our community into our platform. Whether it’s implementing dark mode or adding alt text to content in our publishing suite, accessibility is considered from start to finish.”

Guidelines for creating diverse and welcoming teams.

To create the most effective social presence, brands and products, companies need to increase diversity on their social media teams. Where do companies go from here?

We asked Blackburn, Mason, McMillian and Rokisky what brands should do to encourage inclusivity. Here’s what they hope you’ll take away:

1. Eliminate prejudice in the recruitment process.

Blackburn details the various places where bias originates, “Stereotypes arise from various sources, influenced by societal, cultural and historical factors. Factors include media representation, industry trends, cultural biases and a lack of visibility for individuals from diverse backgrounds.”

And it has tangible implications. Bias can infiltrate everything from the way social media management job descriptions are written to which candidates are selected for interviews to the ultimate hiring choice. For example, one study argues that companies advertise social media jobs with traits typically associated with women—e.g., flexible, emotional management and sociable—which has contributed to social media roles becoming increasingly feminized and reinforced a gender gap in the tech world.

Mason states, “Forming teams with cultural diversity, particularly in the realm of social media, requires deliberate effort. When recruiting, it can be difficult to avoid personal biases, but it is necessary in order to build more effective teams. Individuals often tend to employ those who resemble them. We must be prepared to move beyond our comfort zones in order to provide opportunities and tap into the greatest talent available (who may not be white).”

McMillian advises companies to proactively train their key hiring decision makers. She says, “Brands should implement mandatory unconscious bias training to make sure hiring managers aren’t just hiring people who relate to them, personally.”

2. Explore new hiring pipelines

Recent findings from LinkedIn indicate that Latino members tend to connect with other Latino members at a higher rate. This early research implies that racial factors significantly influence networking opportunities on social media platforms. Given that the majority of the corporate social industry is comprised of white individuals, it’s probable that the majority of those who come across job openings on social media are also white. This ultimately leaves individuals of color out of the competition entirely.

As LinkedIn continues to grow as a candidate sourcing channel, hiring decision makers should take a closer look at their networks. Are a diverse mix of identities represented? Do they have trusted BIPOC industry peers they can contact for help recruiting their next social media team member?

They should also look to hiring pipelines beyond what they’ve used in the past. Mason explains, “When it comes to hiring, BIPOC candidates must be considered at every level on the team. Tapping historically Black college and university networks helps, along with reaching out to your network on LinkedIn and communicating your intentions [to hire diverse talent].” Other resources like Black Marketers Association of America can help, too.

3. Invest in long-term career success for social marketers

Hiring is only the beginning of increasing diversity. The next stage is investing in career longevity and professional development.

Mason describes, “Once a diverse team is created, brands must be intentional about providing the necessary resources for the success of BIPOC individuals. Getting them in the door is only the first step.”

 

Prioritizing the career development of professionals from underrepresented communities should be a key focus. This can be achieved through effective onboarding, training, mentorship, and access to community resources. Each company may have a different approach, but it is essential to involve underrepresented employees in the creation of these opportunities by seeking their input on the resources they require for success.

4. Educate your wider team

Industry demographics won’t shift overnight. In the meantime, social marketers should educate themselves (and their companies) about the contributions underrepresented communities make to internet culture, and find ways to intentionally partner with them.

McMillian notes that the corporate social industry has a tendency to overlook the input of communities of color, particularly the Black community. “It’s astonishing how Black and brown creators consistently set social media trends and shape culture, yet the corporate aspect of social media leans towards being predominantly white.”

Mason adds that white social media marketers would learn a lot by seeking out content from BIPOC creators. “There are multiple studies on the impact of Black Twitter. The internet is made up of so many sub-communities. Educating oneself about these sub-communities expands your worldview, and helps you become a better, more well-rounded leader and people manager. It’s important to step out of your own way to stay culturally relevant on social media.”

They should also work with (and compensate) DEI educators to learn how to best prioritize the needs of underrepresented communities in their audience and candidate pools.

Rokisky explains his approach in a previous position. “During my time at an LGBTQ+ nonprofit, I couldn’t solely focus on the viewpoint of gay, cisgender, white men (which is my personal identity). Therefore, I dedicated numerous hours to hearing, supporting, and ensuring that other underrepresented voices within the LGBTQ+ community – particularly those with multiple marginalized identities – were included and reflected in the social content we produced.”

And it’s critical to apply your learnings across the work you do. Rokisky advises, “Always question what you can do to make your content, team and practices more authentic, transparent and inclusive. Build these exercises into your processes and planning throughout the year.” One way to do that is by co-creating content with creators and subject matter experts from underrepresented demographics. Even if you don’t have the budget to increase headcount, seeking out freelancers, creators and agencies is a step toward a more inclusive industry.

Creating an inclusive environment in the social media industry begins with your individual actions.

We know many of you, our readers, fit within the majority demographic of social media professionals. As a fellow Millennial white woman in the social world, I must confess the data we collected and expert interviews we conducted for this article pushed me to confront what I (and Sprout) do to make the industry a more inclusive place. I hope they did the same for you.

Armed with this data and these perspectives, may you feel empowered to rethink hiring processes, invest in the long-term career development of employees from underrepresented backgrounds, and educate yourself and your wider team about the impact diversity can have on your strategy.

Begin by reading our guide on how to assemble a team for social media management.

The post We wanted to explore consumer misconceptions of social media professionals: Instead, it sparked a dialogue about the need for greater diversity appeared first on Sprout Social.

Social media professionals are a growing field of experts who are responsible for managing and promoting a brand’s presence on various social media platforms. Despite their importance, there are still many misconceptions about the role of social media professionals and the need for greater diversity in the field.

One of the most common misconceptions about social media professionals is that their job is simply to post content on social media. While it is true that posting content is a key part of their job, social media professionals do much more than that. They are responsible for creating strategies to promote a brand’s presence on social media, engaging with customers, monitoring and responding to customer feedback, and analyzing data to measure the success of their efforts.

Another misconception is that social media professionals only need to know how to use the various social media platforms. While it is true that they need to be familiar with the different platforms, they also need to have a deep understanding of the brand’s target audience, the brand’s goals, and the overall marketing strategy. They must also be able to think strategically and creatively to come up with effective campaigns and content ideas.

Finally, there is a misconception that social media professionals are all young people who are tech-savvy and have an extensive knowledge of popular culture. While it is true that many social media professionals are young and tech-savvy, there is a need for greater diversity in the field. Social media professionals should come from a variety of backgrounds and have different levels of experience and expertise. This will ensure that brands have access to a wide range of perspectives and ideas when it comes to their social media strategies.

In conclusion, there are many misconceptions about social media professionals and the need for greater diversity in the field. It is important to recognize that social media professionals do much more than just post content on social media, and that they should come from a variety of backgrounds and have different levels of experience and expertise. By doing so, brands can ensure that they have access to the best possible strategies and ideas when it comes to their social media presence.

Source: sproutsocial.com