Are you looking to take a class or course on social media marketing (SMM)? While there are plenty of accredited in-house social media courses available, many businesses are turning to online learning platforms (OLPs) to provide the flexibility to learn at home. There are a variety of online classes or courses that you can take to grow your business through SMM, and while some are more relevant to digital marketers, social media managers, or business owners, you can tailor the curriculum to meet your specific needs.
Why Online Learning?
The demand for online learning continues to rise as more and more students are looking for flexible learning options. In fact, an online learning platform (OLP) has been identified as the preferred delivery method by 61% of adult learners worldwide.
With adult learners now making up a larger portion of the online learning audience, marketers should take note and explore the benefits of delivering learning content online.
Increased Accessibility
Accessibility is also a major driving factor for online learning. In 2019, over 80% of adult internet users reported that they would prefer to learn via a video rather than a textbook. And, while many traditional classroom courses allow for access to online study resources, the majority of online learning platforms limit access to premium content – which can be costly for students. In 2019, unlimited access to premium content through an OLP was valued at nearly $57 billion worldwide – a figure that is projected to reach $102.3 billion by the year 2025.
Flexibility
Flexibility is arguably the biggest selling point of online learning. Thanks to technology and the internet, we now have the ability to learn at our fingertips. With a few simple taps, you can connect with a tutor who can help you succeed in your studies. In contrast, many traditional classroom courses teach at a pace that is suitable for existing education systems. When combined with a limited access to learning resources, this can make it quite difficult to keep up with – especially as many businesses are now experiencing an increase in work-related stress. Online learning helps to combat this by providing students with the flexibility to learn in their own time-zone and at a pace that suits them. This coupled with the ability to re-watch videos as many times as needed, help to create a sense of community and offer students the opportunity to ask questions and get expert answers – all while staying at home and feeling comfortable.
Saving Money
Students can also save a lot of money by taking online learning classes rather than traditional classroom courses. Thanks to the growing popularity of MOOCs (massive open online courses) and the increasing trend of people paying for online courses, students have access to a world of learning content without having to spend excessive amounts of money on travel, food, and accommodation. In 2019, over 250 million learners took part in over 1.7 million MOOCs – with the vast majority (61%) of those participating in free courses. In fact, over the last three years, the average cost per student of taking an online course through a MOOC provider like Coursera or EdX has been found to be around $10/mo – compared to around $40/mo for a similar in-person course offered by a university. Plus, taking an online course through a MOOC can often mean having access to a massive pool of tutors – with many providers such as Coursera or EdX enabling students to connect with a personal tutor for extra help if needed.
Continuing Education
A recent Gallup report also found that 69% of American workers feel that they need to continue their education in order to remain competitive in the workplace – with over half of those (52%) responding that they would like to learn something new about digital marketing. This is great news for marketers since it shows that we are starting to see a broader interest in learning new things – rather than just applying what we know already. Thanks to technology and the internet, there are now countless ways for marketers to continue their education – with virtually no limits to the amount of knowledge that can be accessed through online resources.
If you’re looking to take a digital marketing course, consider all of the above and how it can benefit you and your business. While there are plenty of accredited in-house courses that you can take – it may be beneficial to learn from experts who can increase your knowledge base and help you develop new skill sets that can improve your performance as a marketer.