Social Media

The outlook for the social media industry is excellent. New technologies are making Internet connections faster and easier, and users are increasingly connecting to the Internet and social media via their smartphones and other digital devices. Interest in social media is expected to increase because social media usage is transitioning from desktop PCs and laptops to mobile devices. In 2023, 90 percent of people in the United States had smartphones, according to the Pew Research Center, with 18–29-year-olds solidly at 97 percent ownership. By 2025, 72.6 percent of Internet users will access the web solely via their smartphones, according to a report from the World Advertising Research Center. The increase in mobile devices has opened new markets for social media companies, since more people in developing countries own smartphones than computers.

Advertising revenue is one of the main revenue streams (along with the sale of customers’ personal information) in the social media industry. In 2021, global social media advertising spending was about $116 billion, according to Statista. Spending is expected to reach an all-time high of $262 billion by 2028. This growth will create demand for digital advertising and marketing workers. Other revenue growth areas include social commerce and social gaming and social media subscriptions, although these latter areas make up a much smaller revenue segment than advertising.

Hot social media careers include social media directors, online community managers, social media strategists, online reputation managers, chief conversation officers, cybersecurity specialists, blogger outreach managers, and applications developers. Blogs and podcasts remain an extremely popular aspect of social media, but it will be very difficult to establish a full-time career as a blogger or podcaster, since so many people are trying to do so. Most bloggers and podcasters work part time, while working as journalists, technical writers, editors, teachers, or in nonwriting or non-broadcasting positions in various industries.

Employment for writers in software publishing (including social media) is expected to increase by 13.1 percent from 2022 to 2032 (or much faster than the average for all occupations), according to the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL). There will be many opportunities for entry-level writers, editors, photographers, and videographers, but the low pay offered by many content providers—especially content farms—and the lack of job security will create a lot of job turnover as many leave the sector for better paying and stable jobs in other fields.

Job opportunities for technical workers will grow steadily. The DOL predicts that employment for Web developers, digital designers, and software developers will grow much faster than the average for all careers through 2032. Additionally, demand for mobile apps continues to be very strong. As a result, employment opportunities for mobile application developers are expected to be excellent. CIO.com reports that there is a shortage of qualified developers because few colleges offer degrees in mobile application development and many developers who design traditional software do not have the skill set to easily transition to mobile app development.

The most successful workers in the social media industry will have experience, advanced education, and strong creative or technical skills. They should also be willing to continue to learn throughout their careers.

Positive developments in the more general area of the Internet suggest that opportunities in social media will continue to be strong. Here is a summary of the outlook in a variety of areas.

E-Commerce

Continued growth at a faster rate than the overall retail sector will drive employment opportunities. Total U.S. e-commerce sales reached $1.03 trillion in 2022, passing $1 trillion for the first time ever, according to a Digital Commerce 360 analysis of U.S. Department of Commerce figures. This was a significant increase from $449.8 billion in 2017. E-commerce comprised 15.6 percent of retail sales in 2023, according to Statista.com. It is expected to comprise 20.6 percent of retail sales by 2027.

Most noteworthy is the rapid increase of e-commerce transactions on mobile devices. In 2023, 60 percent of all retail e-commerce was generated via mobile devices, according to Statista.com. By 2027, this percentage is expected to grow to 62 percent. Mobile e-commerce sales reached $2.2 trillion in 2023.

Mobile Gaming

Employment in mobile platform gaming is expected to continue growing. Sixty-two percent of America adults played computer and video games in 2023, according to the Entertainment Software Association. Mobile gaming on smartphones and tablets is rapidly gaining in popularity. Sixty-four percent of adult gamers used smartphones as their most-common device to play computer and video games. Fifty-four percent used a dedicated game console and 45 percent used a personal computer as their primary game-playing device. Online gaming will enjoy good growth because the number of broadband users is rising, microtransaction technology (enabling financial transactions online involving small amounts of money) is making it easier for users to play casual games and social network games, and smartphones and tablets are quickly becoming the most popular method of play for casual game players because of their portability and intuitive touch interface features.

Search Marketing and Optimization

Statista.com reports that U.S. search engine optimization spending reached $99 billion in 2022. It is expected to reach $136 billion by 2026, according to Statista.com. The field will continue to grow as companies seek to gain a competitive edge by improving the search rankings of their Web sites. The growth of mobile Internet technologies is creating demand for search marketing professionals. Opportunities should be best for those with college degrees and extensive experience in the field.

Video Streaming

As of October 2022, more than 40 percent of U.S. users reported watching online video daily, according to Statista. Viewership rates were higher amongst younger demographics. Fifty-three percent of users ages 18 to 34 years reported watching content online daily. Live video has become popular in recent years, with the streaming of select National Football League games by Amazon and Facebook (Live Video) leading the charge. In 2023, a total of 161.4 million people in the United States viewed live online video, according to Statista. Ninety-one percent of business surveyed for the Wyzowl State of Video Marketing Report 2024 said that they used video as a marketing tool—up from 61 percent in 2016. “With each new generation, the video world will continue to evolve,” according to HubSpot, a developer and marketer of software products for inbound marketing, sales, and customer service. “However, at this point, the video landscape is changing in favor of marketers. Consumers prefer to learn about brands via video content and use it as a necessary tool in the information-gathering phase of the buyer’s journey."