JOBS & CAREER: Social media marketing manager

Lucy James Makoye, 25, is a Social Media Marketing manager at Smart Tanzania; she is a modest woman in the communications industry who’s trying to achieve steady growth in her career.

Lucy went to Academic Primary School before joining Shabaan Robert Secondary School for further studies and then went on to pursue a Bachelor degree in Mass Communication at Open University in Dar es Salaam in 2013.

Lucy believes in thinking positively and that hardships are a part of life. She’s of the philosophy that everyone has a calling and we should all look for a purpose in life. She advises people to keep fighting for what they need and deserve and make the most of their time on earth.

As a Digital Marketing Coordinator at Smart Tanzania how does your day begin?

My day as a social media manager usually begins when I touch my phone daily. I respond and engage with our customers on social media and I try to as fast as possible to solve all their queries by giving them the best service.

Why did you choose Social Media industry?

My passion was in writing, production and PR, thus taking Mass Communication studies in university so as soon as I got my first job, they gave me an opportunity to write and manage their communication online i.e. website, blog, create media content (images, videos) of events and other relevant things and thus I realized digital platform helped me do what I want and I enjoy it all. I’ve never turned back ever since.

What’s the mission of your organization?

Mission of Smart Tanzania is to be the highest quality Telecom service provider delivering Innovative Solutions with a social impact that empowers and improves lives of all communities

How would you add value to our social media department?

I would look in to the newspaper business to get news to customers faster and not one day late. As we know, it is the instant news that everyone is craving through the internet. I would act as a middle woman, helping to reach people closer, engage with them and get feedback to help improve our product.

How do you use social media as a tool for customer service? What is the most important thing a social media marketer should be doing?

Social media is used mostly to connect and it has helped bring companies closer to their customers and audiences. It can be used as a tool for customer service by increasing customer loyalty. This is done by talking to customers and informing them of new products and listening to their feedback.

What is the most important task of social media marketing?

The most important task of social media is to provide a personalized experience of communication. Providing content that your audience will enjoy to see and in turn inquire, order or buy.

Tell me about a successful social media campaign you’ve run from beginning to end. Which social media channels do you recommend for businesses and why?

In social media every business should have a website and connect social media pages like Facebook, twitter and instagram (choose platforms according to what type of content your audience like). Successful campaigns that I have run include using online advertising to boost and show ads to gain more customers and also the use of influencers and bloggers (online connections) to help boost and bring traffic to a page.

What strategies would you use to generate leads?

The use of online forms, we get lots of leads of interested customers’ details and call them and some share the form on our social media platforms and website.

How do you deal with negative comments or a brand reputation crisis?

Carefully and politely. When someone posts a negative comment it means they are upset so I use my PR diplomatic skills to calm them down, understand the issue by asking and helping them. I usually ask for their details and location so we can deal with problems accordingly with the IT department.

What social sites do you use personally? Why? Do you have experience with Google Analytics?

I use almost all social media sites, some I tried and stopped using. Yes I’ve used analytics. It is very insightful and helps you understand your viewers and also helps you know where your traffic comes from and helps analyze what things work and what don’t.

What’s the difference between targeted and large audiences? Which is better? Why?

Targeted audience is specifically chosen people that you know are most likely to like and enjoy what you’re advertising online (you can target people, ages, places where they visit most etc.) Large audience is just lots of random people. As you see, it’s obvious targeting is the better technique to get the right people.

What achievement are you most proud of?

I have won very few awards in my life but the day I graduated from university which was mostly self-taught with discussions with students (the Open University of Tanzania), thus fulfilling my mum’s dream aand making her proud is one thing that makes me feel most proud of myself.

It made me believe in myself and know that I can do anything I put my mind to. Graduating gave me the confidence and enabled me to give up on negative thinking.

Which social media brand strategy has inspired you? Why?

I liked a certain Coca-Cola campaign, it shows on YouTube, google ads that just pop up when you are watching certain videos, websites. Basically the Ads only go to a certain group of people who will enjoy the advert and in turn add value to your business. For me I like how paid advertising and analytics can help you reach lots of people and know exactly where they are and how they reacted to your advert.

What are you passionate about?

I am passionate about learning, it doesn’t have to be in school kind of literacy but learning what is right and wrong, why things are the way they are, how to know what your calling is in life and sharing, spreading knowledge that will help other people grow and be better and in turn to have a great world where everyone is happy and at peace. I’m the kind of person that believes we are all here for a reason, be it for one person or many.

Where do you see yourself in three to five years?

I see myself as someone who will know more about many things, be more confident and reliable to people around me and I see myself making a difference and inspiring people to be better and growing to be better.

What do you do in your spare time?

I enjoy blogging, my blog talks about things “I like, love and agree with” It’s called kwinoja and I consult for oriflame beauty products to get a little extra income on the side.

I also enjoy watching movies, going to the beach and hanging out with my friends.