With our increasing reliance on social media, it’s no surprise that businesses have turned to such platforms to bolster sales and brand awareness. You’d be hard-pressed to find a company that doesn’t rely on the reach of Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook to get their message and marketing across.
As such, those in the marketing field (or those aspiring to the industry) will benefit from learning the ropes of social media marketing and its varying strategies. Plenty of training options now exist to help build one’s skills, with many currently available online.
Below, we discuss how to choose the right social media marketing course for you, the benefits of such training, and how our programs at Upskilled can help you get started.
Which is the best course for social media marketing?
Undertaking a social media training course can help equip you with the skills to navigate and optimise tools, platforms, and marketing strategies in the modern online world. It offers a more specialised look into the digital marketing industry, focusing on the dynamics and trends of social media environments – rather than the broader business knowledge explored in
general marketing and communications courses.
The right social media marketing course for you will depend on your current skill level and objectives. Short courses,
such as those offered by Upskilled, are an often popular choice among those simply looking to have a initial feel of the industry.
These programs typically provide a condensed version of the training offered in higher-level qualifications, touching on the basics of social media strategies and its varying platforms. On the other hand, advanced courses (such as diplomas) will delve further into the practical and theoretical knowledge required to plan, execute, and evaluate social media marketing campaigns.
How do I become a social media marketer?
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Becoming a social media marketer will require the right skills, experience, and creativity to successfully establish and market a unique online presence. Aspiring professionals in the field are recommended to consider formal training, as this can offer one a comprehensive understanding of the varying processes, tools, and tactics behind effective social media strategies. Such knowledge will often be hard to build through mere on-the-job experience; plus, having a qualification under your belt will likely draw more attention on the job market.
According to Labour Market Insights, plenty of marketing specialists hold a vocational education and training (VET) qualification; with bachelor’s degrees in marketing, communication, business, and commerce also a common credential.
How long does it take to learn social media marketing?
The time it takes to complete social media marketing training will depend on your course or program. Upskilled’s short courses in social media, for example, can take anywhere between
20 hours to 5 weeks – while our
10904NAT – Diploma of Social Media Marketing takes an average of
12-18 months to complete.
The 5 benefits of social media marketing training
- Keep your skills competitive and up-to-date
- Deepen your understanding of the social media landscape
- Saves you business time and money
- Stand out in the job market
- Learn to use social media to your personal advantage
Keep your skills competitive and up-to-date
Engaging in formal training can help keep your
social media marketing skills relevant and in-demand, as these courses typically arm you with knowledge of the latest technologies, trends, and practices of the field. As a landscape facing constant change – such courses are invaluable.
You’ll have the opportunity to learn of new ideas being implemented across varying platforms, helping sharpen your social media tactics against competition. These could include new forms of paid advertising, collaboration methods with influencers (or other online content creators), and up-and-coming tools or software.
Such courses can also get you familiar with the specific communication practices of certain social media environments, helping your brand reach and relate with online audiences in the most effective ways possible.
Deepen your understanding of the social media landscape
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The social media landscape can be complex one to navigate among newcomers. As mentioned, each major platform has its own styles of communication, its specific individual audiences, and its own unique form of content.
For example, Facebook is mainly used to connect with one’s personal networks; Instagram is primarily reliant on visuals, allowing users to share updates in the form of photos and videos; and Twitter is typically used to share quick, real-time ideas or news in 240 characters or less.
Through a formal qualification in social media, you’ll learn how to optimise these platforms in their own unique way – helping you leverage each one to generate more revenue for your business. You’ll also learn the ins and outs of budgeting, reporting, and analytics in specific relation to the field of social media.
Saves you business time and money
Getting formally trained in social media marketing can help save you “rookie” errors or mistakes when landing future roles in the field. Less slip-ups will mean less downtime for your company, resulting in reduced loss of revenue.
Those who forego courses and industry qualifications may very well still land entry-level job roles in social media (provided they hold the right level of skills and experience), though they may spend greater time learning and training on the job. Such time could be better placed into developing and executing well-researched social media campaigns off the bat – something those with previous qualified training in the sector are more likely to achieve.
Stand out in the job market
As with most qualifications, social media marketing training can help you stand out in the job market amongst other candidates. These credentials verify your skills and experience as being industry standard, up-to-date, and in line with current sector demands. Additionally, you may even complete your course program with a comprehensive portfolio of the relevant social media work and projects you’ve undertaken – an achievement that not only looks good on your resume, but also demonstrates how well you can apply your knowledge to practice.
As such, formal training in the field can help in drawing employer attention, broadening your job hunt opportunities or giving you a boost up the ladder to higher-level marketing roles.
Learn to use social media to your personal advantage
Finally, a social media course can provide you with all the relevant, in-depth training you need to leverage such tools in your everyday professional life. Aside from using these skills to your company’s advantage, you’ll also learn to apply them to your own personal branding and career initiatives.
For instance, those qualified in social media will be well-equipped to optimise LinkedIn for establishing their public professional profile, networking with potential industry contacts, and keeping updated on the latest job market opportunities. If they own or are launching a business, they’ll be well-versed in using Instagram or Facebook to market their brand and entrepreneurial ventures.
A comprehensive skillset in social media therefore not only benefits one’s company – but any personal ventures they may have, too.
As mentioned, Upskilled currently offers a wide variety of
short courses in social media marketing, on top of a robust
10904NAT – Diploma of Social Media Marketing program. Learn the fundamentals of optimising these modern marketing tools – and at a time, place, and pace of your choice through their flexible online delivery.
Reap the benefits of quality social media marketing training today, and enquire with us on a course.