Report: Social media managers lack clear path to senior leadership roles

Social media has become an essential tool for business success—but the men and women behind major brand accounts still aren’t getting the love and resources they deserve.

More than half (57%) of social media managers say they will be leaving their current role within two years, according to a new survey from the Institute for Public Relations, Ragan Communications and the University of Florida. Of those planning a departure, pros were split on whether to eschew social media work altogether.

It’s clear that social media managers are not valued enough, according to one of the report’s authors, Marcia DiStaso, associate professor and chair of the PR department at the University of Florida.

“I think that our finding that 30% of respondents do not have their social media performance evaluated hits on the aspect that in some places, pushing out content is the focus,” DiStaso says. “Until the role becomes more data-driven and strategic it will remain very tactical.”

Tina McCorkindale, the report’s other author and CEO for the Institute of Public Relations, agrees.