How would you like to earn $1.5 million a year just by un-boxing new items on YouTube?

Or how about getting more than $80,000 by approving posts on social media platforms?

Introduction

The world has certainly changed a lot since the introduction of social media. Now, Facebook and Twitter have become places to ‘hang-out’. Instagram and Pinterest on the other hand, embody a large virtual shopping center. Aside from communicating with loved ones, these channels have become avenues to get hired and earn money, too. In fact, there are several careers today which didn’t exist ten years ago!

Think you’re social media savvy enough? Try your hand at these high-paying jobs and you might just land a dream job unlike anything else.

*Note: salary estimates are taken from Payscale and Indeed.

1. Social Media Influencer

An ‘influencer’ can mean many things: however, it typically involves someone with a) a large online following, and b) is highly engaged with their audience that they essentially have an impact on what these people purchase. In order to become an effective social media influencer, you must first establish yourself on the Web. Other skills you need include:

• expertise on a particular platform (i.e. Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, Twitter)
• creativity for creating unique content (i.e. video, stories, etc.)
• interpersonal skills (for keeping relationships with other Influencers, audiences, and clients)

Estimated Salary: if you want to begin a real career on social media, starting as an Influencer is a good ticket. Depending on the clients you work with, your experience, and level of skills you possess, you could earn anywhere from $35,000 to $50,000.

2. Social Media Strategist

Also called a social media specialist, this person is in-charge of watching social media trends and how companies can integrate these into their business strategies. This typically requires a year or more of experience, as the Web is highly dynamic and decisions cannot simply be made based on hunches. This job would also need knowledge on analytics and algorithm processes.

Unlike Influencers, strategists need expertise on popular social media platforms – not just in one. A few things you would do include:

• creating social media strategies for different online platforms
• developing promotions and interacting with audiences
• coordinating with other experts (i.e. copywriters) for social media posts
• performing and analyzing analytics to discover efficiency of campaigns

Average Salary: A social media strategist can enjoy a median income of $50,000. But for tenured of specialized agents, it can go upwards to about $79,000, especially for managerial positions. Not bad for burning the midnight oil on trending topics.

3. Marketing Consultant

Want to step up your game? A marketing consultant can work independently, or at a consulting agency. As their main role calls for providing professional information on marketing trends, channels, and promotions, knowledge of social media is crucial.

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Interested in helping businesses meet their goals through targeted marketing projects on Facebook or Instagram? This might just be the job for you. Aside from social media skills, a marketing consultant also needs to:

• perform research about the industry, market, trends, etc. of your clients
• give detailed reports and recommendations to make educated marketing plans
• aid in new product or service offerings
• track sales, progress, and performance over time

Average Salary: As you’re no longer just focused on publishing posts or scrolling through News Feeds, pay also gets a boost at an average of $57,000. If you climb up to higher positions such as marketing director or manager, that number could rise to $150,000 a year. Sweet!

4. Community Manager

It’s not easy building a brand online. That’s why social media savvy individuals already have an edge, especially if they have built a strong, loyal following over time. If this is your cup of tea, try applying as a community manager for brands or businesses you’re passionate about. Basically, you become the face of the company: handling everything from social media marketing, content creation, PR, and even customer relations.

So don’t forget to polish up on these other skills to improve your chances at this new career:

• come up with smart strategies for the future of the business or brand
• answer feedback from customers, clients, partners, or media
• plan events or meet-ups in the community
• write blogs, newsletters, and other forms of communication for the company

Average Salary: Depending on your experience, average salary for this job is typically $48,000. However, you could get $73,000 based on where you work. Job satisfaction is rated high on this profession, so it’s definitely an option worth looking into.

5. Marketing Communications Director

If you’ve applied your social media savvy in certain positions before (such as a social media expert or a digital marketer), then this could be the next step in your career. Think of this role as a combination of a marketing consultant and a community manager. In some companies, you might even be involved in SEO, web design, or email marketing. If you plan on landing a job as marketing communications director, check off a couple of these skills first:

• ability to coordinate well with partner agencies
• oversee market data analysis and evaluation
• create and execute strategies to boost market share
• get final approval for all marketing plans and/or promotions

Average Salary: As you’re going to be in-charge of both new and traditional marketing campaigns, it’s important that possess strong communication and analytical talents. The payoff is good though: at a median salary of $76,000 or up to $140,000 for more tenured individuals.

6. Vice President of Communications

Ready to become the top gun? As vice president of communications, you’re definitely taking your social media knowledge to new heights. Now, you won’t only be rubbing elbows with online influencers, but more importantly, the media. You will directly manage, enhance, promote, and protect a business’ reputation. Quite similar to the role of a community manager (albeit with more responsibility), you are the face of the brand you represent.

So get ready for these responsibilities:

• report directly to the president of the company
• develop and/or contribute to applicable non-profit programs
• create, integrate, and implement various PR activities for the growth of the company
• drive awareness and support for the business or company
• mentor and/or develop staff

Average Salary: This leads the pack for high-paying social media jobs in 2016 with a median income of $126,000. Got more than five years of experience under your belt? You could be looking at $223,000 a year for your expertise. Not bad.

Who says the Internet does no one good? If you’re careful to turn that knowledge into real skill, with practice and patience, you could be earning top dollars by simply being social media savvy.

Conclusion

The average annual salary for social media managers is $103,500, according to Glassdoor.