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    Social Media Manager vs Community Manager: what is the difference?

    Social Media Manager and Community Manager sit at the same seniority band (Mid Level). The difference is scope, not rank: Social Media Manager owns developing and executing social media strategy, while Community Manager owns responding to comments, dms, and reviews.

    Social Media Manager

    Mid Level

    The Social Media Manager is the most prevalent role in the profession. A Social Media Manager owns the day-to-day strategy and execution for a brand's social channels, balancing content creation, community management, reporting, and increasingly paid social oversight.

    Experience
    2-5 years
    Reports to
    Senior Manager, Strategist, or Director
    Owns
    • Developing and executing social media strategy
    • Content planning, creation, and publishing
    • Community management and brand reputation
    • Analytics reporting and performance optimisation
    • Managing relationships with agencies and creators
    Core skills
    Strategy developmentCopywritingAnalytics & reportingCommunity managementContent planningBasic paid socialStakeholder managementTeam coordination

    Community Manager

    Mid Level

    The Community Manager is the human voice of a brand on social media, responsible for building, engaging, and moderating online communities. This role is distinct from a Social Media Manager: the focus is on relationships and conversation rather than content strategy or publishing.

    Experience
    1-4 years
    Reports to
    Social Media Manager or Head of Community
    Owns
    • Responding to comments, DMs, and reviews
    • Proactive community engagement and outreach
    • Moderating discussions and handling escalations
    • Identifying and nurturing brand advocates
    • Reporting on community sentiment and themes
    Core skills
    CommunicationEmpathyCrisis handlingBrand knowledgeConflict resolutionSentiment analysis

    Which title should the job ad use?

    • Use Social Media Manager when the work centres on developing and executing social media strategy and the hire will report to Senior Manager, Strategist, or Director.
    • Use Community Manager when the work centres on responding to comments, dms, and reviews and the hire will report to Social Media Manager or Head of Community.
    • If the remit covers both, split the role or advertise at the more senior band and pay accordingly. Benchmarks are in the Salary Report.

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