Do you check Twitter in the morning before you check the weather? Is the last thing you do before bed to catch up on Instagram? Obviously, you should pursue a social media career, right? Not so fast! With each graduating class of collegiate students it seems there are more and more young professionals with dreams of a career in social media marketing. While working in the social industry is incredibly fun and rewarding, there are a few things you don’t usually learn until you get into the nitty-gritty of the work. Here’s what to keep in mind when deciding to dive into the world of being a social media professional.

Networking is everything

See also: Internships.

Simply using social media in your personal life won’t get you that dream job. Internships, like our program at Everywhere Agency, allow you to get a glimpse at all the intense, behind-the-scenes work that goes into that Instagram post you liked, the Facebook post you shared, and that hashtag that’s everywhere all of a sudden.

Be sure to have a few internships under your belt to see which niche is most interesting to you and what area of social media you’d excel at. During these internships, build your web of connections by networking as much as possible. Take initiative by researching networking events and conferences to attend. Finding an internship that supports widening your network is even better. Don’t just collect business cards – keep in touch!

One more #protip: make sure your LinkedIn is up to date and your social profiles are cleaned up. Hiring managers are absolutely stalking you before an interview.

It takes time

See also: Social media never sleeps.

One huge difference from working in social media compared to other fields is that social media is 24/7. Be prepared to be expected to respond to Tweets or Instagram comments – even on the weekends. But let’s be real, you’re already checking those anyway. While it is a time consuming profession that doesn’t always have clearly defined 9-5 hours, it’s also a majorly rewarding profession. The perks are great, the work is creative, and you get a chance to let your personality shine. (It is SOCIAL media after all.)

Writing is crucial

See also: Yes, you still need to put pen to paper.

While writing for social is very different from writing a press release, it’s still vital that you are a phenomenal writer. Working in social media means you are creating content, and while social media allows you to write in a casual style, you still need to know how to assemble multiple thoughts in a cohesive manner, love and practice the rules of grammar, and be able to spell.

Putting words together in a creative yet digestible way is also extremely important. One day you may be writing LinkedIn copy for a mature, professional brand and the next you could be using “Mean Girls” references in an Instagram post. Each brand voice is different, messaging goals vary, and both can change depending on what social channel or platform you’re posting to.

But don’t get it twisted, long-form writing is super important too – blog posts for example. 😉 Being able to switch between a formal and informal communication style is invaluable. So while much of your day may be consumed with status updates, you still have to know how to craft a good narrative.

It’s not about you

See also: Client relations matter.

One thing that’s incredibly hard to learn in a classroom is how to build client relationships. Straddling the line of friendly and professional can be challenging. Working in social media means you are responding to a client’s demands and working within their timeline – not yours. Your number one job is to make your client’s job easier. The ultimate way to keep everyone happy? Deliver desired results and become a badass problem solver! There’s nothing we love more than creating friendships with our clients based on trust and great work.

Learning never ends

See also: The continued education is real.

In social media, the landscape is constantly changing. You never know when a new social network is going to be the “must have” app. In times like those, you’ve got to jump on it, learn what you can, and advise your clients on if it’s a good fit for them and their goals. Contrary to popular belief, clients don’t need to be on every single social platform, and each app isn’t always the next big thing.

When new user interfaces come out, it’s your job to know their ins and outs. When new algorithms are released and new data metrics become the norm, it’s your job to be able to demystify those key ideals. The good news is there are tons of courses and workshops to keep you in tip top shape.

Us cool kids in the social media world LOVE what we do, but if this is a career path you’re considering, be sure to really take a look at what goes into becoming a successful digital marketer. (I’ll give you a hint: a healthy dose of passion and a commitment to finding solutions for your clients.)

Snapchat has had a quick rise to prominence in the social media world. As of 2015, it has 100 million daily active users, with 18% of all US social media users using the platform (DMR 2015). And of course, if you’re looking to target millennials or Gen Z – the latest and youngest generation to catch the attention of marketers – this is where they’re flocking.

At Everywhere Agency, we know millennials are coming into their own and increasingly gaining purchasing power. Brand representatives now want to know more about the platforms where they spend most of their time. That’s where we come in – one of our offerings is training companies and C-suite executives about the newest forms of media. In our latest round of trainings, we tackled the art of Snapchat!

Here’s “Snapchat 101,” or a basic step-by-step guide of how to use Snapchat in less than 15 minutes.

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Have any questions about how to use Snapchat? How about influencer marketing and Snapchat? Interested in social media trainings? Send me an email at lina@everywhereagency.com!

Everywhere Agency has worked with Cox Communications, the High Museum of Atlanta, Georgia Public Broadcasting, and more on social media trainings and influencer marketing. To see more about our current and previous clients, visit our case studies and clients page. To request a meeting or talk about our latest capabilities deck, please contact us.

With 300 million monthly users, it’s no wonder that Instagram is widely known as “the place to be” for brands and influencers. Of those 300 million users, more than 75 million of them are active every single day. That’s a whole lot of #selfies!

Brands and influencers have contributed to Instagram evolving from just a selfie-sharing platform to a true home for creative expression and social marketing strategies. There are so many unique ways to share visuals on Instagram - from never-ending feeds to color coded stories to using videos in interesting ways, the possibilities are endless! As the ultimate Instagram connoisseur, here are six of my favorite Instafeeds right now:

1. @TheHungryGentleman

Kevin of @TheHungryGentleman has taken #FoodPorn to the next level. He’s had great success with his “overhead” photo style, and provides the most creative descriptions for each of his droolworthy meals. An added bonus is his notation of his “shoes du jour.”

2. @Starbucks

How do I love thee, Starbucks? Let me count the ways. Starbucks never runs out of ways to make their products look cool and delicious. They’ve mastered the art of the “staged, yet you still love it” photo. With a brand as recognizable as Starbucks, of course their Instapage is equally as legendary!

3. @LaurenConrad

Homegirl from “The Hills,” and bestie in my head, Lauren Conrad has graduated from partially scripted reality shows to her own lifestyle empire. One thing about this woman is certain, she sure knows how to carefully craft a consistent aesthetic. Take one look at her Instapage, and you can easily guess her favorite color (*hint: it’s pink.). I also love that she is so purposeful with her posts and her use of photographic filters.

4. @themilkshop_LA & @CaliforniaDonuts

I know…I’m cheating, but I couldn’t pick just one! A quick peek at these two Instafeeds and you’ll know why. Even though both dessert shops are based in California, they simultaneously stimulate my sweet tooth and make me want to book a flight to LA just to experience their treats in person! I’d say that’s a job well done for an Instagram page.

5. @ReynoldsKitchens

Are you sensing a theme here? Food is the way to my heart and entrance into my personal Instagram Hall of Fame. Photographing food is an art form that Reynolds Kitchen has mastered with their “Endless Table!” We’ve all seen the mosaic-style photos where an account uploads multiple photos to make one large image. Well, Reynolds Kitchens takes this idea and perfects it in their entire feed, crafting a never-ending dinner table. Are you as impressed as I am?

6. @RachelRyle

Rachel Ryle - illustrator, animator, and storyteller, has a positively captivating Instapage. Wander onto her feed, and you’ll find yourself watching her insanely creative videos for hours. After discovering her Instagram, I suddenly wished I could draw! Rachel’s page shows that video is just as engaging as photos on the platform.

There are infinite ways to use Instagram to tell stories (and sell things – after all, we are marketers), and these six pages show us the “hows” and the “whys.” Each developed a strategy comparable to their individual personalities and allowed their creativity to shine through with appealing posts that connected to their core audience. Take a peek at their feeds, and let me know what you think. They won me over, and I’m sure you’ll be just as fascinated as I am!

Four Super Cool Reasons Why “Snapchatty” Brands are Causing Conversation and Boosting Visibility

As a social media coordinator, I look at likes, filters and social media icons all day long. As a millennial, all I want to do is be on Snapchat all day, and see what’s going on in the world. That little white ghost that used to just be a fun way to share photos or videos for a quick 10 seconds has become a major player in the social media game. From traveling the world through someone else’s lens, to marketing, or even sharing well-crafted photos, the QR coded ghost has opened endless doors and told fascinating stories.

As a Snapchat aficionado, there are several influencers I follow — in 10 second increments at a time – and their adventures are truly amazing! I’ve never climbed Mt. Everest or visited the pyramids in Cairo, Egypt, but I’ve witnessed it from the eyes of someone who has. I drank wine in Paris, floated on the Dead Sea, and rode in a car in India — all courtesy of my Snapchat tour guide.

Yes, Snapchat is my personal guilty pleasure, but I’m not oblivious to the fact that companies are taking notice of it’s popularity, and are now using it to “cause all this conversation” about their brands. From Taco Bell to Marriott Hotels, big brands such as these understand the marketing potential of Snapchat, and are willing to spend 500 percent more of its budget to reach its target audience. Not convinced? Here are four super cool reasons why big brands are merging its messaging in Snapchat, and winning:

• It’s wide reaching. Did you know that 60 percent of Snapchat users are millennials? When this is the core audience for a brand, they know they can reach them using this platform. Hey…I’m a member of that group, and my interest is always piqued when some new trend pops up on my timeline. You’d better believe I’ll come back for more!
• Pictures speak louder than words. Unlike IG, you’re not limited to one photo at a time, and you can even stream video in real time! Now that’s what I’m talking about! Marriott Hotels is one brand that’s using Snapchat to it’s fullest potential. The company hires millennial influencers to go to different locations, and use visual storytelling to engage its audience by showing how fun and inviting the hotels are. It has me already plotting my next sightseeing adventure!
• Filter this. With fondness, I greatly recall the moment Snapchat released its first filters. People went nuts…including me! If you haven’t used the dog face filter or the flower crown, then you couldn’t possibly be a millennial. One fun brand fact to note about filters is that to date, Taco Bell has had the most successful Snapchat campaign in the platform’s history. For Cinco de Mayo 2016, the late-night food favorite developed a filter that turned the user’s face into a taco shell. The filter was active for only 24 hours, but was viewed 224 million times. That’s equivalent to 12 years of play time. I’ll say they smartly hit the ball out of the park by using a fun in-app effect to enhance its notoriety. Well played, Taco Bell. Well played.
• Geotagging at its finest. Who doesn’t love a fab event? When brands are trying to directly touch it audience at a grassroots level, they often use events to make that connection. Imagine Snapchatters going to an event for your brand, and using a geotag to display their general location, possibly drawing their friends and followers to that exact location. Your brand has now reached more people. In the famous words of the Snapchat King, DJ Khaled, now that’s a “major key to success.”

Snapchat’s appeal is multifaceted, for brands and users alike. Whether it’s about taking a selfie or chronicling daily exploits, brands now know that Snapchat is more than a makeshift camera — it’s a brand booster. Companies are bolstering their use of the app for added popularity—and it’s a hit! Say what you’d like, but Snapchat is here to stay. It’s a serious player on the social media scene, and brands have either caught it, or better catch it before it gets too far ahead.