The Covid-19 pandemic has changed almost every aspect of our lives. One area that it has seemingly not impacted is our love for learning. Many of us have become passionate about learning new things in the face of difficult circumstances. This has also led to a boom in online courses, some of which are related to SEO, digital marketing and social media. One of the most in-demand courses is social media marketing. If you’re looking to learn more about this subject, this blog post will help you decide if an online course is right for you.

Why Should You Study Social Media Marketing?

Although the pandemic has passed, the world still needs good marketers. The demand for social media marketing specialists is set to rise by 25% in 2021. The job prospects are looking good too with 68% of employers looking for marketing professionals saying they’ll be training more staff in the next year.

Being able to learn from the best is one of the primary reasons why you should study SOCIAL MEDIA MARKETING. You’ll learn the ins and outs of creating engaging content that attracts, retains and communicates with customers on different platforms.

Where Can I Learn Social Media Marketing?

With so many options online, it’s easy to learn whatever you want, whenever you want. This is especially beneficial if you’re looking to further your studies during a time when most colleges are closed. There are tons of platforms, such as YouTube, for example, that let you practice and learn at your own pace. You’ll find many free courses as well as some that come with a low price tag. Here are a few of the best platforms for you to study social media marketing.

Coursera

Coursera is one of the most popular MOOC (Massively Open Online Courses) providers. They offer an incredible number of courses, many of which are free, for students to learn and expand their knowledge base. One of the best things about Coursera is that, along with providing a large number of courses for free, they also offer professional development certificates that you can take advantage of. The certificate program is called Coursera PD and focuses on giving you the tools you need to become an effective digital marketer. You’ll learn SEO, social media, analytics and more.

EdX

X.ai is a company that specializes in online learning. The platform they develop allows users to access over 500,000 courses from leading universities and educational institutions worldwide. Many of these courses are completely free. You’ll need to register with X.ai to take part in these free courses. However, you can also choose to pay a small monthly fee for additional benefits such as: access to exclusive training materials, quiz questions, forum discussions, and much more.

Udacity

Udacity is one of the most popular platforms for online learning. They offer a range of courses from beginner to expert that can help you improve your knowledge base and develop new skills. Like Coursera, they also provide a platform for you to access these courses for free, however, there is also a payment option should you want something more than the free material.

LinkedIn Learning

LinkedIn is one of the biggest providers of professional development training. Their Learning section offers a huge array of courses that you can take from anywhere, at any time. Many of these courses are designed to help you develop essential skills such as digital marketing, SEO, content creation, and much more. You can take these courses for free, or you can choose to pay a small fee for access to premium content.

HootSuite

HootSuite has created a podcast about SEO, which you can easily find by entering the keywords “SEO podcast”. The platform’s goal is to provide you with all the tools you need to grow your business using digital marketing. They want to make sure you succeed as a business owner, so they include a massive library of courses that you can access for free.

What Is the Cost of Learning Social Media Marketing?

Just because you’re learning online, it doesn’t mean the costs are zero. While some of the courses mentioned above are free, the majority of them require you to either pay or have access to a credit card. The exact cost of each course varies from $0 to $500, with most costing around $100-$300. Remember, the cost of your education is priceless, but the cost of your learning tools is not.

Is an Online Course Right for Me?

Considering all the benefits above, it’s easy to see why so many people are flocking to online courses. With a few exceptions, most of the courses on this list are designed for beginners and those who haven’t studied marketing in particular. If you’re looking to study a more advanced subject, such as psychology or neuroscience, you might want to consider a hybrid course that combines in-person learning with online learning. This allows you to get the best of both worlds.

Is a Social Media Course in a Vacuille Worth My Time?

While you’re on the subject of cost, let’s discuss the value of a social media course in a vacuum. If you’re looking for a single course that will give you all the knowledge you need to become a social media marketing expert, then it’s well worth the cost. However, if you have a busy schedule and want to gain practical knowledge, you might want to consider a YouTube channel instead.

The Bottom Line

Taking a course doesn’t necessarily guarantee that you’ll become an expert, but it certainly gives you a better chance at becoming one. Regardless of whether you decide to pursue a career in digital marketing or not, having a sound knowledge of social media marketing can only serve you well during these times when the world is seemingly shifting to a digital sphere.