How to Learn Social Media Marketing Online

If you’re just starting to learn a new skill, you can find dozens of tips and resources online; learning social media marketing is no different.Social Media Marketers use social media channels to connect with a target audience to promote products or ideas. If you’ve always wanted to learn social media marketing, there are plenty of options at your fingertips. Many people find learning new material easier when they take a class, but making time to go to an in-person session can be difficult. There are many options for you to take online courses to learn social media marketing.

What is Social Media Marketing?

Social media marketing uses platforms such as Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube, and TikTok to connect with a target audience. According to Hootsuite’s Digital 2021 report, more than 4.48 billion people use these platforms daily, making social media marketing a smart choice to help drive website traffic, build a widely-known brand, and gain revenue.

There are two types of social media marketing: paid and unpaid. Paid marketing means buying ads on different social media sites, while unpaid marketing relies on high-quality content, clicks, likes, and shares. It’s also called “earned marketing.” While earned marketing is valuable because it doesn’t cost any money, it can take a long time to see results, so Social Media Marketers need to be patient and persistent.

A social media marketing campaign is based on these five essential activities:

• Strategy–setting goals, choosing the best channels, and deciding what type of content will attract your audience.
• Planning and publishing–understanding your audience, knowing what and when to publish, and maintaining consistency.
• Listening and engagement–interacting with your audience and tracking changes in the market.
• Analytics–collecting, tracking, and analyzing data on social media accounts so you can figure out what is working for you.
• Advertising–earned and paid advertising.

Read more about what social media marketing is and why you should learn it.

What Can You Do with Social Media Marketing?

Social media marketing is a powerful way to get the word out about your product or message, and one of the best things is you can do it for free. It doesn’t cost anything to open accounts on the different social media platforms, and many of the digital marketing tools you need are free to use or have a free version.

Data analytics tools allow you to research the market, identify a target audience, and tailor your message directly to them. Engagement tools let you interact with potential customers, get important feedback, see what your competitors are doing, and change your campaign as you need to. Social media marketing creates and maintains a community through regularly posted, high-quality content.

It can take a bit of time to see organic results, but you can use paid advertising to speed things up. Advertising increases engagement and is a good investment. Social media marketing tools allow you to pinpoint your audience and advertise just to them.

Live Online Social Media Marketing Training

Certificate programs are designed to give you the skill set you need to succeed as a Social Media Marketer. Many schools offer online courses in social media marketing, some of them as asynchronous classes that you can take in your spare time. Certificate programs are intensive courses focusing exclusively on social marketing subjects and take two to four months to complete.

Noble Desktop offers a Social Media Marketing Bootcamp covering the tools and techniques you need to succeed in social media marketing. This course covers the social media giants, including Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn, and introduces students to the optimal social media strategies for brand building to enhance a business. Topics include social media strategy development, content creation, brand building, analytics, and conversion optimization. This program also includes a free retake option so you can come back within a year to refresh the material.

You can also take a Social Media Marketing Certificate through Noble Desktop. The course curriculum includes a LinkedIn Marketing Bootcamp, YouTube Marketing, TikTok Marketing, Social Media Content Marketing: Blogs and Twitter, Instagram Marketing Bootcamp, Facebook Marketing Bootcamp, Streaming for Social Media, and Social Media Industry and Portfolio. This class will give you the tools and techniques you need to succeed in social media marketing. In addition to the interactive training, you get four 1-on-1 mentoring sessions that you can use for a portfolio review, review challenging concepts, polish your resume and LinkedIn profile, get advice from a marketing professional about applying for jobs, and ensure you are on track with your learning goals.

You can take live online classes from anywhere in the world with a set-up similar to in-person instruction. A real-time, remote instructor can answer questions and has the ability to share your screen to show you how to do things. You get the same level of attention as in in-person classes. When you complete the course, you will receive a verified digital certificate of completion licensed by the New York State Department of Education.

On-Demand Social Media Marketing Classes

There are other online classes that could be useful for Social Media Marketers. Noble Desktop’s Dominate Local Search with Google My Business is a free video class that covers how important Google My Business is to the success of local businesses. The tutorial begins by demonstrating how to set up a Google My Business profile so that the student's business can be linked to Google Maps and Google's local search functions. Students learn about the key features of a successful Google My Business listing and how to tailor their profile to attract customers. By the end of the seminar, students are equipped to make regular updates to their Google My Business listing to maintain and improve their search ranking.

Noble also offers some courses on Search Engine Optimization, a skill that can be very helpful for Social Media Marketers. Noble’s SEO Level 1 is an introductory SEO class where participants will gain a better understanding of search engines and how to optimize their sites for better search rankings. This course covers search engine basics, keyword research techniques, competitive analysis, on-page SEO, off-page SEO, and link building. Students will walk away from this 1-day course with a solid foundation for SEO and strategies to implement for their websites. Noble’s SEO Level 2 is an advanced SEO class that builds off on the basic knowledge of SEO taught in Level 1. Students learn advanced techniques and strategies to outperform the competition in search ranking. Students will dive deeper into link-building strategies, learn competitive research techniques, master more optimization techniques, and learn how to measure SEO success and performance. Both courses include a free retake so students can refresh the course material.

Skillshare has several SEO tutorial options, including The Ultimate SEO Training 2022 + SEO for WordPress Websites, Introduction to SEO: Tactics and Strategy for Entrepreneurs, and SEO Today: Strategies to Earn Trust, Rank High, and Stand Out. Udemy offers SEO 2022: Complete SEO Training + SEO for WordPress Websites, and Simplilearn has a Search Engine Optimization (SEO) Training Course.

Other options for online social media marketing classes include Facebook Ads and Facebook Marketing from Coursenvy, Powerful Social Media Marketing for Beginners from Skillshare, and Social Media Marketing for Small Business from LinkedIn Learning.

Free Intro Courses & Tutorials

Free courses can give you a brief introduction to some aspects of social media marketing. This can help you decide if you want to pursue the field further. If you are not ready to commit to the time and expense involved with a bootcamp or certificate course, you can find free introductory video courses and tutorials. Noble Desktop offers Intro to Social Media Marketing, a seminar that introduces students to social media marketing and how to successfully leverage it to increase the reach of their brand. The tutorial emphasizes the importance of choosing the right social media channels for the right message and cultivating an authentic brand voice. Students learn to research what works and what doesn't for their brand, then discover what makes for good storytelling in a social media context. By the end of the tutorial, students will have a firm understanding of social media marketing and how to create an action plan to generate organic brand engagement.

Some other free online introductory courses and tutorials include What is Social? from Coursera, WordStream Learn’s PPC University, Social Media Quickstarter from Constant Contact, and Google Analytics Academy, a series of free classes about Google’s measurement tools.

There are many options for free social media marketing tutorials on YouTube. Simplilearn offers a six-hour Social Media Marketing Full Course tutorial for beginners. Neil Patel has several free tutorials on learning social media marketing and other digital marketing topics. Other YouTubers offering free online tutorials include Maggie Stara, Jordan Platten, Dan Lok, and Santrel Media.

Comparing Online Methods with In-Person Learning

You can learn social media marketing in different environments: in-person, live online, or on-demand online. Each setting has its own advantages and disadvantages, and your choice of how to study social media marketing will depend upon your comfort level, the time you have to devote to study, and how much you want to interact with students and an instructor. Don’t worry that you won’t learn as much in an online class as you would in an in-person class. Research shows that students learn just as well (and sometimes even better!) when taking virtual courses.

In-person instruction and live online classes are the most engaging and interactive formats. Students can ask questions and receive immediate feedback, receive guidance on building portfolios, and interact with like-minded peers. Face-to-face training offers additional bonuses like networking opportunities and computer labs with up-to-date software.

Live online social media marketing classes, bootcamps, and certificate programs provide the same advantages as their in-person counterparts: they’re interactive, comprehensive training courses led by expert instructors. Virtual courses offer flexibility for attendees who may not be able to travel to in-person classes, so students have the chance to master digital marketing from the comfort of their homes or offices. Thanks to virtual options, you can benefit from online classes taught anywhere, no matter where the school is based.

On-demand learning is typically the most affordable option and can be a good way to start learning the basics, but this method doesn’t offer the benefits of live instruction and has the potential to be outdated. You can watch videos at your own pace from anywhere with a stable internet connection.

Tips to Succeed When Learning Social Media Marketing Online

If you decide to learn social media marketing by taking a class online, here are a few tips to help you get the most out of the experience.

• Make a commitment - You will need to commit to attending class and completing assignments just like you would in person.

• Check your equipment - Make sure your device is up to streaming the class and working on any assignments required.

• Be sure your internet is reliable - A stable internet connection is very important for an online class. If you don’t have a strong connection at home, you can buy a wifi booster or take your class from another location. Some companies will let you take classes from work, or you can go to a cafe with good wifi.

• Set up a study area - If you don’t already have a home office, set up an area where you can stream your class. Be sure you have a comfortable chair and sufficient lighting. Choose a quiet area with minimal distractions where you are unlikely to be interrupted.

• Set up a study plan - Make a plan and stay organized. Note when assignments are due, and be sure to start early enough to complete work on time.

• Take part in discussions - Make the most of opportunities to connect with the instructor and other students. Not only can this help you understand the information better, but it may be a chance for you to do some networking in your field.
• Give yourself a treat - Pushing yourself to get through a course can be tough, so it is a good idea to schedule treats to keep you motivated. Go for a walk during a break to stretch your legs and get some fresh air. Pick up a cup of coffee and go watch the sunset in a park. Reward yourself for your efforts!

Learn Social Media Marketing with Hands-on Training at Noble Desktop

Noble Desktop’s social media marketing courses teach skills that can help you start a career in the industry. Classes are small, with expert instructors, and you can retake a course for free up to a year after you take it. Those ready to dive into the field can attend in-person classes at Noble Desktop’s New York City location or attend live online social media courses from anywhere in the world.

In Noble Desktop’s Social Media Marketing Certificate, you can master successful social media marketing tools and techniques. You will learn about strategy development, content creation, brand building, analytics, and conversion optimization.

Noble Desktop also offers more detailed courses for those looking to hone their skills on specific channels, such as Facebook Marketing, email marketing, Social Media Content Marketing: Blogs & Twitter, and Video Marketing: TikTok & YouTube, or go for a Social Media Marketing Certificate. Other Noble Desktop resources that can help prepare for a career in digital marketing include its digital marketing blog, which has detailed articles about social media marketing, SEO, and other essential tools for digital marketers. Further resources include Noble’s seminar on YouTube entitled The Pillars of Digital Marketing Success.

Key Insights

• If you want to study social media marketing and switch to a new career, there are many options for online classes available.
• You can choose from social media marketing bootcamps and certificate programs.
• Some are paid courses, and others are free.
• Noble Desktop offers live online classes with a real-time instructor
• Live online classes are similar to in-person classes in that you can interact with the instructor, but you can take the class from anywhere you want.
• There are also many free classes and tutorials to introduce you to social media marketing.
• You can receive comprehensive Social Media Marketing training through an in-person or live online course with Noble Desktop.