Why study social media marketing?

All you need to work in social media is a love of Facebook, a sense of humour and a lot of followers, right? Not quite.

While having a passion for posting is a good start, to be a skilled and highly effective Social Media Marketer, you need to have a full understanding of how to plan, manage and execute a social media strategy. Studying for a qualification will give you knowledge of the fundamentals of social media marketing, as well as the specific skills to create successful online campaigns.

Find out more about who should study this rapidly expanding industry and what you’ll get out of it.

Social media is powerful

The invention of social media has radically changed the way we interact with the world, including the way we get news, make and keep friends, find out about products and services, and where we spend our money.

In fact, nearly one third of the entire world’s population uses social media regularly!

What this means is that social media wields incredible influence. It can make or break businesses overnight.

A career in social media is not just about messing around on Facebook, and it is not something that anyone can just “pick up”.

Social media marketing roles require specific skill and knowledge sets that involve psychology, sociology, statistics, analytics, and a strong understanding of marketing principals.

So, what kind of people would benefit from having a deeper understanding of social media marketing?

1. Current marketing professionals

If you already work in marketing it is likely you have noticed the increasing power of social media. Workplaces are increasingly looking for people with social media expertise to harness this power.

At present, Australia has around 10,000 job opportunities for people in digital and social media marketing.

See how a qualification could make you a real contender for these in-demand roles.

The benefits of a qualification for marketing professionals

• Designed by industry leaders, Open Colleges’ Diploma of Social Media Marketing will help you to understand where social media sits in the marketing landscape and how to best utilise it in your marketing plans.
• You will learn to understand the social marketplace, build strategy, plan and execute effective campaigns, analyse successes and failures, and implement improvements.
• You will also master multiple social media platforms as well as social media management sites, like Hootsuite.
• So whether you’re taking on more responsibility for social media in your current role or are looking to get promoted to a new position, an accredited qualification will start you off on the right foot.

2. Those who love social media and want to make it a career

If you love social media, then studying social media marketing could be the first step towards turning your obsession into an exciting new career.

Whether you have just left school, or you are looking for a new direction, social media marketing is a career that can offer you a whole host of engaging opportunities.

The benefits of a qualification if you’re looking for a new career

• Studying the Diploma of Social Media Marketing will take you from a beginner to a marketing professional.
• You will learn the principles and foundations of marketing, how social media marketing fits into this landscape and how to plan successful campaigns.
• You’ll also get to find out whether a career in social media is really for you, or if this is one passion that should be kept as a pass time.

3. Small business owners

If you own a small business, understanding and utilising social media can not only improve your relationship with current customers, it can also help you to reach new clients and grow your business.

Your business may already have a presence on social media, or you may be holding off until you know you can really make an impact. Starting with a nationally recognised qualification will give you a full understanding of the medium and the ability to develop the social media skills that will have the most value for your business.

The benefits of a qualification if you own a small business

• During your study you will learn how to use social media as a marketing tool to generate more revenue.
• To achieve this you will learn to develop a comprehensive social media marketing strategy for your business which looks at brand and content marketing, multiple social media channels, implementation, budgeting, content development and reporting and analytics.

What are you waiting for?

Written by three leading social media experts from around the world, Open Colleges’ Diploma of Social Media Marketing is currently the only approved formal qualification for social media marketing in Australia.

So whether you are looking to expand your marketing skillset, secure a promotion, launch a brand new career, or improve your small business marketing reach, you will get the skills and knowledge you need with this accredited qualification from Open Colleges.