'Just as she opened the door, the lights went out, and everything went black .' Got your attention? If you're someone who can grab people's attention online with quality content, then a social media career may be just for you! What began as a fun way to connect with others has grown into a massive industry, creating millions of jobs, from managing corporate accounts to becoming a successful influencer.

"One also needs strong communication skills, both written and visual, and some understanding of how businesses work in terms of a target audience and brand-building," says founder of Blurb Sapna Shahani. She also emphasises the importance of originality: "Bring your unique thoughts to your work, rather than imitating others."

Co-founder of Digitally Scrambled and influencer, Jade D'Sa, feels that consistency or perseverance is also absolutely necessary while everything else can be learned and honed. "It is important to be in tune with the market, your client's competition, your client's USPs, and their strengths and weaknesses to be able to position them well and create an engaged community for the brand," she says.

While formal education can teach you skills like creative writing, videography, and how to use tools like Photoshop, there is a large part of it that can't be taught as it needs to be innate to a person, shares D'Sa. Hands-on experience with managing campaigns, understanding audience behaviour, and staying current with trends will go a long way in helping one succeed in this field, states Vazirani. "Certifications and courses specific to social media can also complement practical experience," he adds.

The dynamic field

of social media has

generated employment

for a lot of people and

is an up-and-coming

career option. Industry

experts spill the secrets

to NT KURIOCITY

D'Sa also echoes the need to stay updated with trends. "We have to follow trends so our clients stay relevant and garner more eyeballs. I stay updated through social media newsletters from agencies and marketing portals, and by monitoring similar businesses of my clients locally, nationally, and internationally," she says.

Shahani adds that one has to keep an eye out for new features on the apps/ platforms you use everyday. "Also, participate in webinars and conferences, and engage with professional communities to stay informed about changes and best practices," says Vazirani.

For Vazirani, mornings begin with message responses, performance metric reviews, and scheduling posts. Midday focuses on content creation, community engagement, and trend monitoring. Afternoons are dedicated to campaign analysis, strategy adjustments, and future planning. Evenings are spent collaborating with team members, attending meetings, and staying updated with industry news. "Days when you plan and execute shoots might have a different flow," he says.

D'Sa meanwhile starts her day at 10 a.m. with calls, meetings, emails, ideation sessions, writing, posting, and engaging on social media.

And while the future for this career is bright in terms of learning marketing strategy, content production tools may get taken over by AI, says Shahani. Thus, Vazirani states, staying adaptable and innovative will be key to success.

"To be an influencer, one needs to have a knack for good photography and videography, the ability to express yourself well, and be able to stay true to your unique voice and point of view," says D'Sa (@thatgoangirl). Consistency and creating compelling content that drives action - not merely chasing likes and trends, is also must, she says. Prapti Tar (prapp_t) adds that adaptability, passion, patience, content that builds connections, and audience engagement are crucial as well.

But one of the main questions is 'How do I create content?' Tar answers, "I approach content creation by staying true to myself, focusing on my passions like home recipes, trying new restaurants, travelling to new places, and experimenting with different formats and styles to keep things engaging."  D'Sa breaks routine on weekends by visiting restaurants or experiencing something new which fuels her page with new posts.

So, who can be an influencer? The answer? Anyone. "Today, there are influencers in every field possible - gardening, parenting, skincare, and video games. Even pets and babies are influencers these days," says D'Sa .

A typical day as an influencer involves brainstorming content ideas, shooting, editing, posting, writing scripts, engaging with audience, attending meetings or events, networking with other influencers, and researching new trends and opportunities, says Tar.

D'Sa meanwhile finds the changing algorithm exhausting and focuses on organic content that aligns with her personality and interests for her personal page. She prefers not to hop on a trend just because everyone is doing it. However, she doesn't discount learning to use different tools and following people and businesses in different industries. So how do you earn from this? "Collaborations and sponsorships are important aspects. I collaborate with brands, local restaurants, and businesses that align with my values and interests," Tar reveals. When asked about the future, D'Sa feels that there are more influencers than there are people to be influenced. But, it's still not too late for new influencers to break into the space. Tar sees a promising future with growth and diversification in the industry.