Social media marketing is a powerful tool that enables businesses to connect with their audience on a personal level. Companies can build relationships with their customers through social media channels and establish a strong brand presence online.Once you’ve decided to learn social media marketing, the next question is determining how you plan to learn these skills. Most students find they learn better through guided training, and there is no shortage of options for students to receive quality instruction.

Read on to learn more about the different social media marketing training options and the advantages and disadvantages they carry with them.

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. Nearly 4.5 billion people use social media, making social media marketing a smart choice to help drive traffic, build a brand, and gain revenue. A solid social media marketing campaign consists of several steps. They include activities like deciding what type of content will attract your audience, regularly publishing content to maintain consistency, monitoring changes in the market, and analyzing data from social media channels so you understand what is working.

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

What Can You Do with Social Media Marketing Skills?

Social media marketing is a powerful way to get the word out about your product or message, and you can do it for free. It doesn’t cost anything to open accounts on social media platforms, and many of the tools you need are free to use or have a free version. Analytical tools allow you to identify a target audience and tailor your message 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 allows you to pinpoint your audience and advertise just to them.

Why Training Format Matters

When learning about a topic as broad and complex as social media marketing, it’s important to reflect on your learning needs and professional goals before diving in. Do you prefer engaging with peers and instructors in person, or are you more of an introvert who thrives in online courses where you can learn from home? Can your current schedule accommodate a lengthy, full-time program, or would you be better off attending a few shorter courses to get the basics? Assessing your priorities will help you enroll in the style of training that fits you best. 

Types of Training Formats

Regarding training formats for social media marketing, there are four main categories: in-person, live online, on-demand, and free classes. You can learn more about each one below to better understand which may be best for your career. 

Live In-Person Classes

Attending an in-person marketing class can give you an excellent opportunity to get to know other aspiring marketing professionals, build relationships, and expand your professional network. You'll also be surrounded by other learners who are also motivated to learn and collaborate. This creates a stimulating environment that fosters knowledge-sharing and mutual support. Live classes are taught by instructors in real time, so you can immediately access support if you have questions or get stuck. 

However, in-person classes generally have a set schedule, which may not be flexible enough for some students. If you have a busy schedule or other commitments, you may find attending all of the sessions difficult. Some students also struggle to find time to drive or find public transportation to a physical classroom, especially if they live far away from a major city or lack time to drive to another location after work. 

Live Online Classes

Like their in-person counterparts, live online classes provide a hands-on learning experience, which can help you develop practical skills that you can apply immediately to your job. This environment allows students to get immediate support and feedback on their work or if they get stuck and still provides real-time interaction with peers. 

Depending on their social needs, some students may find online learning difficult or distracting. While working from home is a preference for many, others struggle to stay focused when their home blends with their work too much. Also, live online classes still require students to attend at specific times, which may be challenging for those with unpredictable schedules or busy family lives. 

On-Demand Classes

On-demand social media marketing classes are also available, usually through a subscription to a website like Coursera or LinkedIn’s learning platform. It generally consists of a series of video lessons that users can access whenever it is convenient for them. This format allows learners to set their schedule and learn at their own pace, which can be helpful for those with busy schedules or irregular work hours. Self-paced learning also encourages learners to take ownership of their education and develop the self-discipline needed to succeed in their learning journey.

It’s important to remember that self-paced learning often lacks the structure and support provided by classroom-based learning, which can be challenging for many learners. These classes cannot provide immediate feedback like live classes, making it difficult for learners to know if they are progressing in the right direction or need to adjust their approach. While on-demand learning can help students develop a high level of self-motivation, learners may be distracted by other activities or responsibilities and struggle to stay on track.

Free Courses

Free social media marketing classes are just that— free. They are similar to self-paced courses in that they are usually a series of video tutorials. The most obvious perk of free learning is the price (or lack thereof), as there are no tuition fees or travel costs. Free tutorials can be accessed from anywhere with an internet connection, making education accessible to people who live in remote areas or have limited mobility.

Learning a new skill through free online videos can be quite isolating since learners do not have the opportunity to interact with peers and instructors in real time. They also cannot get their questions answered when they encounter a challenge, forcing them to search for a solution independently and possibly find incorrect information. Additionally, free classes will not lead to formal credentials or certifications that are recognized by employers, which can limit job opportunities.

Depth of Training Formats

Whether you want a quick overview of social media marketing or you’re looking for a deep dive into the whole topic, there is a training format to help you meet your goals. See below to learn more about the typical length and cost of each type. 

Certificate Programs

Of the common training formats, certificates are generally the longest and most comprehensive. These courses are designed to help students learn an entirely new skill set to prepare them for a new career. Noble Desktop offers a Social Media Marketing Certificate for those wanting an entry-level job in this area. This program covers marketing techniques for today’s most commonly used social media platforms. The school also has a Digital Marketing Certificate, which covers analytical tools like search engine optimization (SEO) and Google Ads, in addition to platforms like Facebook, TikTok, and Instagram. 

Certificate programs at Noble Desktop also give each student several one-on-one career mentorship sessions with an expert instructor. These meetings can include support with editing their resumes, creating their professional portfolios, and interview tips to stand out in the job search. These courses also provide a free retake within one year, an excellent opportunity to gain more practice and complete more advanced projects. 

Training Bootcamps

Bootcamps are typically designed to be immersive and intensive, providing you with a comprehensive overview of the subject matter in a short time. This can be particularly advantageous if you need to quickly gain a deeper understanding of marketing techniques.

Shorter and less expensive than a certificate, a training bootcamp usually covers one skill related to a particular topic. Training bootcamps provide a solid overview of a specific topic or program, but a person may need to enroll in multiple bootcamps before they’re prepared for a career change. Bootcamps are also an excellent choice for those who need the basics or are self-taught and need a refresher.

At Noble Desktop, students can find a bootcamp tailored to the platform (or platforms) they want to learn more about. For instance, the school offers both an Instagram Marketing Bootcamp and a Facebook Marketing Bootcamp. These programs guide students through creating high-quality content that will grow an audience and encourage engagement. For students who want to learn more about the analytical processes involved in marketing, they can check out Noble’s Google Analytics Bootcamp or the SEO Bootcamp. Both of these courses provide a thorough overview of some crucial marketing tools. 

Introductory Courses

Just as the name implies, these classes provide the most basic information on a given topic. They are usually short and relatively inexpensive, costing a few hundred dollars per student. Introductory courses are well-suited for people who aren’t sure about a particular career path and want more of an overview before diving into a completely new field. 

Noble Desktop offers several beginner-level social media marketing classes. For example, there is a TikTok Marketing and a YouTube Marketing class. Both programs last just a few hours and give students foundational information about marketing strategies for these video-based platforms. 

Learn Social Media Marketing Skills with 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. In the Social Media Marketing Certificate, 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. Further resources include Noble’s seminar on YouTube entitled The Pillars of Digital Marketing Success.

Key Insights

• There are multiple ways to learn social media marketing, which is how businesses advertise their products and services on platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

• The training format you select will depend on your budget, schedule, and professional goals. 
• Live classes, whether in person or online, are the most interactive, but their rigid schedules can be a drawback for students with limited availability.
• On-demand classes and free tutorials are suitable for foundational knowledge, but they lack the guidance and structure of live instruction.
• There are also different lengths of courses that teach various subjects, depending on the depth of knowledge you require. 
• Noble Desktop provides comprehensive training in all aspects of social media marketing. These courses are available both online and in person.