KAP 2025 -2026 - Social and Digital Marketing Associate - Mercatus Center

As a Social and Digital Marketing Associate at Mercatus Center, you'll create a social media presence from scratch for the Econ Nerds brand. This involves determining which social platforms to use, crafting a unique voice for the brand, and establishing posting schedules to promote original content. Collaborating with a small team, you'll engage the audience, create social-friendly clips, and manage advertising campaigns across different platforms.

To qualify for the Social and Digital Marketing Associate role at Mercatus Center, candidates should ideally possess college-level writing skills in American English, with the ability to produce engaging social media content. Additionally, having at least two years of experience in managing active social media accounts and digital ads is preferred. A solid understanding of economics will also be beneficial in this role, particularly knowledge from sources like MarginalRevolution.com.

The Social and Digital Marketing Associate plays a crucial role in supporting the Econ Nerds initiative by building a strong social media presence that enhances the brand's visibility. By creating original content and promoting weekly videos and podcasts, the Associate will help attract and grow an audience interested in learning about economics in an engaging and entertaining way.

Candidates for the Social and Digital Marketing Associate position at Mercatus Center ideally have two or more years of experience managing social media accounts for a company or brand, coupled with experience in running digital ads on various platforms. Success in a remote role is also preferred, as it showcases the ability to work independently and collaborate effectively within a team.

Yes, the Social and Digital Marketing Associate position at Mercatus Center offers the flexibility of remote work. However, there is also the option for associates to utilize office space at the Mercatus Center in Arlington, VA, allowing for a balance between remote productivity and in-person collaboration.

Begin by researching the target audience and identifying key demographics. Analyze competitor strategies to find gaps and opportunities. Propose a mix of engaging content—informative, entertaining, and user-generated—that reflects the brand's unique voice. Outline a content calendar, detailing the types of posts and platforms to utilize.

Discuss specific experiences where you've built a brand's social media presence. Highlight metrics to show growth, such as increased followers, engagement rates, or successful campaigns. Emphasize your creativity in developing content that resonates, such as posts that sparked conversations or campaigns that drove traffic.

Explain your familiarity with tracking engagement metrics, such as likes, shares, comments, and click-through rates. Discuss analyzing these metrics to assess content performance and using insights to refine future campaigns. Consider mentioning tools you've used for analytics and reporting.

Provide a concise overview of a social media campaign, including the objectives, the target audience, and the platforms used. Highlight the creative elements that made it successful and conclude with quantifiable results like engagement or conversion rates to demonstrate its impact.

Discuss strategies like creating interactive content, utilizing polls or quizzes, and fostering conversations through questions in posts. Include the importance of timely responses to audience comments and messages, as well as highlighting user-generated content to build a community.

Emphasize the importance of responding professionally and calmly to negativity. Provide examples of techniques such as acknowledging the complaint, offering solutions, and steering the conversation back to positive engagement. Stress that it's essential to maintain the brand's reputation.

Speak on emerging platforms, trends like short-form videos, and the growing importance of authenticity and relatability in content. Mention the necessity for brands to adapt to changes, such as algorithm updates and audience preferences, to remain effective in their marketing strategies.

Explain that effective communication makes complex economic concepts accessible. Positioning economics as relatable through entertaining content can attract a diverse audience who may not engage with traditional educational formats, ultimately fostering a better-informed society.

Share your methods of staying informed, whether it’s through reading industry blogs, attending webinars, following experts on social media, or participating in relevant networking groups. Be specific about tools you use for trend analysis or future forecasting.

Discuss how collaboration fosters diverse content creation and aligns messaging across the brand. Provide examples of successful collaborations with designers or content creators that amplified reach and facilitated a consistent brand voice.