Social Media Management

Every business knows they need to be active on social media, but most owners lack the time, skills, or consistency to do it well. Social media managers step in to create content, engage with audiences, grow followings, and build brand presence across platforms like Instagram, TikTok, LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter.

For digital nomads, social media management is inherently remote. Scheduling tools like Later, Buffer, and Hootsuite let you batch content creation and schedule posts in advance. You can plan a week's content during focused work hours, then handle engagement from your phone throughout the day—wherever you happen to be. Many managers serve clients in their home country while traveling, and time zone differences often don't matter for this asynchronous work.

What Social Media Management Includes

Service	Description	Included in Most Packages
Content Strategy	Planning what to post and when	Usually
Content Creation	Graphics, captions, videos	Often
Scheduling	Using tools to automate posting	Usually
Community Management	Responding to comments/DMs	Usually
Analytics & Reporting	Tracking metrics, monthly reports	Usually
Paid Advertising	Running ads, managing budgets	Premium tier
Influencer Outreach	Finding and managing partnerships	Premium tier

Define your services clearly. Clients need to know what they're getting.

Tools of the Trade

Scheduling:

• Later, Buffer, Hootsuite - Multi-platform scheduling
• Sprout Social - Enterprise-level features
• Meta Business Suite - Free for Facebook/Instagram

Design:

• Canva - Easy graphics creation
• Figma - More advanced design
• CapCut - Video editing for reels/TikToks

Organization:

• Notion - Content calendars, client management
• Google Drive - Asset storage, client sharing
• Airtable - Content tracking

Analytics:

• Native platform analytics
• Sprout, Later, or Hootsuite reporting
• Google Analytics for website traffic

Finding Clients

Local Businesses: Local restaurants, shops, and service providers often need help. Cold outreach or warm introductions work well.

Freelance Platforms:

• Upwork - Ongoing management contracts
• Fiverr - Package-based services

Networking:

• Business owner groups
• Marketing communities
• LinkedIn outreach
• Referrals from existing clients

Industry Specialization: Focus on a niche (restaurants, coaches, e-commerce) to become the obvious choice for that market.

Pricing Structure

Package Level	Monthly Rate	What's Included
Basic	$500-800	2-3 platforms, 3-4 posts/week, light engagement
Standard	$1,000-2,000	2-3 platforms, daily posting, full engagement, monthly reporting
Premium	$2,500-5,000+	Multiple platforms, content creation, ads, strategy calls

Some managers charge per platform ($500-1,000 per platform per month).

Managing Client Expectations

Social media results take time. Set realistic expectations:

What you can promise:

• Consistent, quality content
• Engagement with audience
• Strategic approach
• Regular reporting

What you can't promise:

• Specific follower numbers
• Viral posts
• Direct sales results (too many variables)

Document expectations in contracts. Include scope, deliverables, response times, and revision limits.

A Day in the Life

Morning (1-2 hours):

• Check accounts for comments/messages
• Respond to engagement
• Review scheduled posts

Work Block (2-4 hours):

• Create content for the week
• Schedule posts
• Work on strategy and reporting

Throughout Day (as needed):

• Quick engagement checks
• Real-time responses to important comments
• Client communication

Most SMMs manage 3-8 clients depending on service level. Beyond that, you need systems or team members.

Realistic Income Expectations

Client Load	Monthly Income
2-3 clients	$1,000-3,000
4-6 clients	$3,000-8,000
8-10 clients	$8,000-15,000+

Solo managers typically max out at 8-10 clients before quality suffers. Scaling requires hiring or raising rates significantly.

The Nomad Reality

Social media management travels well:

Advantages:

• Work from phone for engagement
• Batch content creation during focused time
• Scheduling means posts go out while you're offline
• Async client communication

Challenges:

• Some clients expect real-time crisis response
• Creating content may require reliable internet
• Different time zones can complicate engagement timing

What This Pairs Well With

Building your own themed social media account demonstrates your skills. Skills overlap with digital marketing consulting for higher-level strategy work. Content writing skills strengthen your caption and copy game.

Getting started: Build your own social media presence demonstrating the skills you offer. Learn platform-specific best practices and scheduling tools. Offer services to local businesses or online entrepreneurs at competitive rates to build portfolio pieces. Document results—follower growth, engagement rates, conversions—as proof of your impact. Ask successful clients for testimonials and referrals.