This Isn’t Your Typical Blog Post. I’m not sure what kind of introduction is best for this, so I’ll call this… the intro.
Let’s get straight to it.
Three skills separate the best social media managers from the rest. I’ve seen this firsthand over my nearly three years working remotely in SMM roles for tech startups.
Plus, I’ll share a major mistake companies make that destroys their social media team’s morale.
There are other important skills—commitment, creativity, communication, etc.—but these three? These deserve special attention.
1. Psychological Insight & Creativity
We had this guy on our team—honestly, he was a genius. He understood trends so well it was scary.
He could steer community conversations and even shift the group’s mood.
When our app had bugs, he’d orchestrate fun Telegram games to keep users engaged while we scrambled to fix things behind the scenes. That’s next-level SMM.
Because of him, I could focus entirely on the creative side—content creation and distribution—without worrying about keeping the audience engaged.
An ideal social media team has two core players:
- A group of creatives handling content.
- A psychology-driven community manager steering engagement.
When you find someone who can do both? You’ve struck gold.
But here’s where companies mess up: They assume this is a one-person job. That’s a governance failure. More on that later.
2. Attention to Detail – Borderline Perfectionists
One time, I worked with a content writer who was too distracted by offline life. She was committed, sure, but not fully present. And I was still learning SMM myself. Some of our posts were great. Others? Not so much.
What saved us? Ruthless review systems.
Every post was scanned like we were looking for mistakes. Mismatched captions, off-brand tone, subtle friction in the design process—we caught it all. And because of that, we avoided what could’ve been a major PR disaster for a top blockchain company.
Great SMMs don’t just create—they scrutinize. Every detail matters.
3. A Good Sense of Humor
Social media is about people. And people like to laugh.
Launching a product? Running a campaign? If your audience is tense or distracted, good luck getting them to care. But humor?
Humor builds a shared experience. It synchronizes emotions. It creates a sense of community.
If you can:
- Get your audience feeling a certain way (angry, excited, whatever).
- Then shift that emotion to humor.
They’ll become even more engaged with whatever you say next. It’ll pull them closer, together.
But hey, you don’t need to do this!
This tactic is especially useful for handling FUD (Fear, Uncertainty, Doubt). There will always be negative narratives about your company. Instead of fighting them head-on, steer them in the right direction—ideally, with humor.
The Mistake That Weakens SMM Team’s Morale
Not Getting Out of Their Way
Look, you hired a social media manager for a reason. If they were the right pick, trust them to deliver.
Constant instructions, corrections, and micromanagement? That’s how you kill creativity and confidence. Soon, they’re second-guessing every move: “What will the boss say?” “Am I doing this right?” And just like that, you’ve turned a competent marketer into an anxious mess.
As Alex Hormozi would say: If you hire someone.
Then ignore what they say. Then tell them what to do. And they do it. And it fails. Then you blame them for not hitting your goals.
You should be fired!
Bonus Tip: Content Writer ≠ Social Media Manager
SMM is creative work. It requires deep thinking and reflection. So why do companies think one person should handle both content writing and social media?
Sure, AI can help. But you lose the human touch that makes posts truly stand out.
For agencies handling multiple brands, NGOs, or government clients—this is especially critical. A single person can get you okay results. But a specialized team? They’ll make your audience excited for your next post.
Final Thoughts
To build an elite SMM team, hire for:
- Psychological insight & creativity
- Attention to detail
- Humor
- And when you find them? Stay out of their way.
That’s it.
– Ebenezer Roland
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