How do Beginners Learn Social Media Marketing?

Any aspiring social media marketing professional will start at the very beginning. Novice social media marketing students can find thousands of training options that vary in delivery method, length, level of advancement, price, and specific subject matter. Most opt for live online courses, which are the most effective and offer additional benefits. Beginner social media marketing classes often focus on the foundational skills students need to learn before being familiar with the subject, such as social platforms. Additionally, many beginner classes teach social media trends and how to stay true to a brand’s wishes, among others. A beginner will have established a foundation of skills to be expanded upon in the ensuing higher-level classes once they feel comfortable applying them. 

Getting Started with Social Media Marketing

Before diving into social media marketing, a few things can give you a strong foundation for success. Familiarity with core marketing concepts like target audience, brand positioning, and marketing channels can be helpful. This understanding will help you see how social media marketing fits into the bigger marketing picture. Also, the ability to communicate clearly and concisely is essential. You'll craft social media content, interact with followers, and potentially write reports. Strong written and verbal communication skills are crucial assets. While you won't need to be a coding expert, social media marketing involves some level of comfort with technology. Familiarity with online tools, navigating social media platforms, and potentially using basic photo editing software can be beneficial.

A student would also benefit from understanding social media platforms. Being an active user of the major social media platforms (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, etc.) gives you a firsthand perspective on how they work and how users interact with them. This can be insightful when developing social media marketing strategies. Because social media constantly evolves, new trends and cultural references are frequently emerging. A genuine interest in staying updated on current events, pop culture, and online trends can inspire your content creation and help you connect with your audience on a deeper level.

The First Steps When Learning Social Media Marketing

A beginner social media marketing course will equip you with the essential knowledge and skills to kickstart your journey in this exciting field. The specific curriculum can vary depending on the institution, instructor, and format, whether online or in-person. Understanding how to track your social media performance is crucial. Obviously, you'll delve into the major social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, and YouTube. The course will most likely explain their functionalities, target demographics, unique features, and the pros and cons of each platform for marketing purposes. A beginner course may explore current trends, the role of influencers in marketing campaigns, and how social media integrates with other marketing channels to create a cohesive strategy.

An advanced class will cover analytics more in-depth, but live beginner classes will tease the subject. You'll learn how to use basic social media analytics tools to measure key metrics like reach (how many people saw your post), engagement (likes, comments, shares), follower growth, and website traffic generated from your social media efforts.

An immersive, hands-on social media marketing class will move you into mastering social media management. Building a thriving online community around your brand is important. You'll learn how to foster communication, respond to comments and messages promptly, address customer concerns professionally, and participate in conversations to build brand loyalty. Managing multiple social media platforms can be time-consuming. You might be introduced to social media scheduling tools like Hootsuite or Buffer that allow you to schedule posts in advance, maintain a consistent presence, and streamline your workflow. Remember, when selecting a beginner social media marketing course, carefully review the curriculum to ensure it aligns with your learning goals and interests. 

Free Social Media Marketing Tools for Beginners

If you are interested in social media marketing, consider exploring a few free learning tools and resources before diving into a course. Fortunately, you can find many with the push of a button. Hundreds of video collections, social media platforms, blogs, and chatrooms discuss social media marketing concepts or provide helpful information relevant to the field. For instance, Noble Desktop’s Free Seminar page has many useful, pre-recorded video lectures in varying fields, subjects, and technologies. You could watch a marketing lecture or focus on a specific platform like Instagram. Regardless of skill level or motivation for learning, there is a resource available on the internet for everyone due to its vast options. 

In addition to free learning resources, some social media marketing tools and applications are free to use. Buffer, Hootsuite, and Sprout Social are all highly popular management and scheduling applications that anyone can access, whether they are beginners or experts in social media marketing. Many social media marketing classes, both beginner and advanced, will introduce students to free software such as Hootsuite, so it is worthwhile to set up an account. These are a few of the most common free social media marketing tools for beginners to have on hand or that they will learn in a beginner course.

Live Social Media Marketing Training for Beginners

All classes differ in many ways, including their delivery methods. Some are offered in an on-demand format, and others occur live and in real-time, in-person or online. On-demand classes are asynchronous, meaning students do not attend lectures or interact with instructors and peers. Asynchronous classes are becoming increasingly popular but are not the best option for everyone. This delivery method may work for some, but most agree that a live setting provides the most benefits. There are distinct differences between the two that are worth considering before enrolling in a course.

Live training is widely considered one of the best ways to learn a new skill for its structured learning and interaction. Live courses provide a structured learning path with a defined curriculum that ensures you cover all the essential social media marketing concepts in a logical sequence. You'll benefit from the knowledge and experience of a qualified instructor who can explain complex topics clearly, answer your questions in real time, and provide valuable insights from their industry experience. 

The interactive learning environment encourages students who need more motivation. Live classes encourage active participation through discussions, group activities, and presentations. This allows students to solidify their understanding, gain different perspectives from classmates, and practice applying their knowledge collaboratively. Undoubtedly, setting aside dedicated time each week for a live class fosters focus and commitment to the learning journey compared to self-paced online learning, which can be susceptible to procrastination. Having deadlines for assignments and projects in a live course keeps students accountable and motivated to stay on track with their learning progress.

Live classes are the most effective learning method for beginners because they provide an immersive experience. Students who share an interest in social media marketing can connect. This fosters community, allowing them to learn from each other's experiences, ask questions, and build a network of like-minded individuals. Students will also likely start building a basic portfolio showcasing their social media marketing skills. This portfolio can be valuable when applying for social media marketing jobs.

The Next Step

Once you obtain foundational social media marketing skills and knowledge, you’ll likely want to diversify your abilities and learn more complex concepts and tools. After completing a beginner course, you can enroll in intermediate and advanced-level courses that bring you one step closer to your goals. You'll be able to go beyond your basic understanding with an intermediate course and be able to finish more challenging, industry-specific projects. At this level, you’ll likely begin applying theory to the practice at a greater level and gain a better understanding of marketing principles.

If you want to become a professional social media marketer, taking advanced-level classes will help you get there. Once you have completed advanced training, a world of possibilities will open before you. There are options to complete certificate courses that will help you prepare for certification exams. While there are distinct differences between certificates and certifications, it is helpful to obtain either one. In some cases, it will be necessary to earn a certification. Advanced training also values career development and portfolio building, so many students take advantage of the class time dedicated to perfecting their resumes, portfolio projects, and interview techniques. To become a Social Media Marketer professional, you must undergo advanced training and have sufficient work to show for it. This is often made possible through completing various classes, a bootcamp, or a certificate course.

Live Training Options at Noble Desktop

Many aspiring Social Media Marketers learn a few platforms and skills at a time. A great place to start would be in Noble Desktop’s Social Media Marketing Certificate to learn to create effective strategies on platforms like Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube, TikTok, and Twitter to grow your online following and stand out in the marketplace. Students will learn trends, marketing strategies, and how to use paid advertisements in this live, hands-on training. As a result of this bootcamp, students can also showcase their marketing ideas in a professional portfolio that they can share with employers and clients. 

Noble Desktop is a training center based in New York City that offers courses in subjects related to design, coding, and technology. Their Instagram Marketing Bootcamp is a great option for learners hoping to learn Instagram marketing. This one-day workshop explores Instagram, one of the most widely used networks. The workshop looks at platform functioning and advertising in addition to the content. Students will learn how to develop a paid and organic marketing strategy for Instagram, including creating engaging content, mastering Stories, leveraging hashtags, capturing content, developing a community, and creating a post cadence and collaborations. They will also discover how to create a business page, use paid advertising, and integrate Shopify with Instagram.

If interest lies more in Facebook, Noble also offers a Facebook Marketing Bootcamp. In two days, learners will gain an understanding of one of the most popular platforms: Facebook. They will be introduced to current Facebook marketing trends and develop a marketing strategy that works for them. In this workshop, students will discover how to create and manage effective Facebook ad campaigns. They will learn about business pages, Facebook groups, targeted ads, conversion tracking, audience targeting, and the Facebook Pixel. More specifically, they will explore the Facebook algorithm, Meta Business Manager, content and interactions, Shopify integration, Meta Ads Manager, and more. 

In Noble’s LinkedIn Marketing Bootcamp, students will learn how to market their business on LinkedIn by optimizing their profile, using search features, and implementing paid advertising. This rapid workshop covers building a company page, using personal profiles, measuring marketing success, and the advantages of LinkedIn. Students will be introduced to current social media marketing trends and develop a marketing strategy that works for them. The curriculum includes LinkedIn trends and search features, as well as an understanding of how to advertise on LinkedIn and the platform's analytics tools.