You don’t necessarily have to dish out thousands of dollars to learn essential social media marketing skills that will help you advance your career or grow your business. Here are some options that are free (or available with other subscriptions, so not entirely free, but also kind of.)
Benefits of social media marketing courses
The thing with social media marketing is, social media changes all the time. All. The. Time. (This really needs some emphasis.)
So, by the time you finish the school that you went to to learn all about it, it will probably change multiple times over.
Of course, the main principles of digital marketing and social media marketing specifically stay the same. But what changes all the time is:
- the tools,
- the algorithms,
- the features social media platforms introduce,
- the way people interact with brands on social media,
- the way you can make money on social media,
- and so much more.
And that’s when social media courses come in handy. By taking one (and I’ll give you some suggestions for the best social media marketing courses later on in the article), you can:
- keep up to date with what’s going on in the world of social media
- learn specific social media platforms and tools in greater detail
- and land better jobs or promotions by getting more expert knowledge of social media marketing.
Let’s face it, the last one is pretty important. And while some employers or clients will not pay attention to certifications, all of them will pay attention to your knowledge and skills (well, at least in theory.) Which is why growing those skills to stay competitive in the social media job market is something you should keep doing – probably throughout your entire career.
That’s why it’s also so important to choose the right social media marketing course. Best social media marketing courses are those that are not a waste of time (and/or money if you’re additionally paying for them out of pocket) and let you progress as a social media professional.
What should you look for in a social media marketing course?
These days, anyone can make a course and sell it (or offer it for free.) So, how do you choose a course that’s guaranteed to teach you what it promises? What are the signs to look out for when selecting a reliable course from a trusted provider?
Here are a few things to watch for:
- Who offers this course? Is it a renowned author or a trusted provider? What reasons do you have to believe they’re experts in this field? Take a look at who teaches in those courses, too.
- What credentials do they have? Check for testimonials, reviews from people who have completed it, and so on. That’s the best indication of whether a course does what it says it does on the website.
- What’s inside? Take a closer look at the contents on the website (which, by the way, shouldn’t be a “secret”.) Social media marketing includes many different aspects of knowledge, so decide for yourself whether that’s what you’re looking for at this stage of your career.
- How can you apply it? I.e., the level of practicality. There are tons of courses for social media that you take just for the certification, which is fine, really, as long as that certification opens doors for you career-wise. What’s more important is the real-life use you’re going to get out of that course.
- What’s the level of expertise? Depending on where you are in your social media marketing career, look for courses that teach you things you don’t know but also are not way ahead, missing important chunks of information you first need to learn to benefit from them. (I guess it’s a long way of saying you should adjust the level to your current knowledge.)
- What’s the course formula? Is it self-paced, or do you have to attend live online meetings at certain times? This might seem like a detail, but it is absolutely important to consider if you want to make sure you actually stick with the course and complete it with everything on your plate. (Who hasn’t started at least one online course and then abandoned it?)
- How long is it? Similar to the above, find a course that gives you enough information but is also doable in your current circumstances.
- How much is it? Is it free or paid, is the price worth it considering what you’ll learn, and how it can help you advance in your career? In fact, let’s take a look at the price issue a little closer.
Difference between free and paid social media marketing courses
Though not unimportant, the price of a course is secondary (especially if it’s your company that pays ;)) What’s much more important is what you get out of the course.
Also, some free courses can give you heaps of practical and helpful knowledge for free (because, for example, they’re backed up by companies that can afford to offer it to their customers.)
So, the main difference lies in what use you get out of the course – like, for example, industry-recognized certifications. If in doubt, consider the points in the previous sections, and then consider whether the price (or lack thereof) seems fair.
6 best social media marketing courses
NapoleonCat Academy
What’s inside and who it’s for
NapoleonCat’s Academy currently offers several free courses related to social media (with more in the works.)
- NapoleonCat Certification Course certifies that you’re an expert in using the tool to manage social media comprehensively, including moderating comments, planning and publishing social media content, analyzing results, and reporting on them.
It’s designed for team leaders, teams, social media professionals, business owners, and also NapoleonCat users (for example, at agencies or eCommerce companies) wanting to make the most of their NapoleonCat subscription. Anyone who wants to become an expert in this particular platform.
The course ends with a certification you can use, for example, in your job hunt in case anyone needs proof of your experience with social media tools like NapoleonCat.
- Mastering Social Media Leadership is a series of courses for social media leaders and managers looking for more advanced skills in all things social media management.
The course covers two modules so far. Cross-functional Collaboration for Social Media Teams will take you through the essentials of efficient team collaboration in the social media context, including communication, conflict resolution, and defining project roles and responsibilities.
The second module, Clear Roles and Responsibilities, focuses on defining the social media workflow in the organization, and is run by none other than Marcos Bravo.
- The Academy also includes a full NapoleonCat demo for beginners, which walks you through all the features of the platform step by step.
Where it’s at
The courses are completely free and self-paced, and you can sign up here: https://academy.napoleoncat.com/
Master Social Media Marketing – Free Courses
Unlock the secrets to growing your social media accounts with expert-guided lessons. Learn strategies for managing engagement, boosting posts, and optimizing your presence across all platforms – enroll in NapoleonCat Academy today 🎓
Meta Social Media Marketing Professional Certificate
What’s inside
This is an official Meta-endorsed social media marketing course on Coursera, teaching you job-ready skills, including AI skills to help you grow your social media marketing career.
The course includes:
- A professional-level training from Meta
- An employer-recognized certificate from Meta
- Skills needed to become a Social Media Manager, Social Media Specialist, or Social Media Coordinator
- Career resources after you complete the course
- College credit eligibility at participating U.S. colleges and universities
Who it’s for
The course is beginner-level. The authors mention enthusiasm for social media and basic internet navigation skills as a requirement, as well as having a Meta account.
Where it’s at
The course happens online in 6 series over five months, and this edition has just started (September 3). It takes 10 hours a week, but you can learn at your own pace.
There’s a 7-day free Coursera trial with access to other courses, and after that, you pay $49 a month for using the platform. (So yes, technically not a free course, but included with your Coursera subscription.)
Social Media Strategy / Google Digital Garage
What’s inside:
Google has tons of digital marketing knowledge to offer, and this is one of the available courses within the Google Digital Garage, which is oriented at both career building and business building. In 60 minutes, you’ll learn all about:
- How to reach new customers online using social media
- What are the building blocks of a simple social media strategy
- Some tools that can help you save time when creating social posts
Who it’s for
It’s an introductory training session for beginners who want to learn the essentials of creating a social media marketing strategy.
Where it’s at
The training takes place on YouTube for free, and you can sign up here: https://rsvp.withgoogle.com/events/gdg-social-media-strategy-2024.
Other training sessions include “Writing for social media” and “Digital marketing strategy”. You can also enroll in Google’s Digital Marketing and Ecommerce Professional Certificate on Coursera.
Career Foundry’s Digital Marketing Short Course
What’s inside:
Career Foundry’s Digital Marketing course offers hands-on skills a marketer needs, social media included, e.g.:
- Planning digital marketing campaigns
- Creating digital content
- Social media marketing strategy and analytics
- Paid advertising
- Community management
- Cross-channel campaigns
The full course is paid (and it’s pretty expensive, too), but there’s a free short version available to get the basics right.
Who it’s for
The full version is a comprehensive digital marketing course, so it’s definitely for those who want to understand digital marketing in greater detail and grow their careers in the field. And the free intro version is great for absolute beginners wanting to get in the field of digital marketing.
Where it’s at
The full course takes several months to complete, and you can learn at your own pace. The short free version is available after you sign up with your email address on their website.
LinkedIn Learning courses
LinkedIn has tons of educational courses available, so I’ll talk about the opportunities in general.
What’s inside:
LinkedIn offers several courses on social media marketing, from the fundamentals of social media marketing to strategy to content creation, to advertising on individual platforms like, for example, TikTok.
The courses come with certificates that you can also showcase directly on your LinkedIn profile. Handy during that job search!
Who it’s for
With plenty of courses you can choose from, you can find a course that fits your needs and level of profficiency.
Where it’s at
All the courses are available on LinkedIn – you do need to have a LinkedIn subscription, so they’re not technically free. But if you already have one or can convince your boss to get one for your team, you can take advantage of many available courses.
Hubspot Social Media Certification
What’s inside:
Hubspot offers a free social media marketing certification course for those who want to get certified in social media strategy. The course includes:
- Building an inbound social media strategy
- Social media listening and monitoring
- Building a content strategy for social
- Measuring results
Who it’s for
The course is intended for small business owners, social media marketing managers,, and marketing managers who want to build their social media skills.
Where it’s at
The course happens online over the course of 9 lessons and a little over 5 hours, and you can sign up for free.
FAQ
What is social media marketing?
If you’re only just looking to go into the field and have zero experience, here’s social media marketing in a nutshell.
Social media marketing is a way for businesses and brands to reach their customers with products and services on social media platforms and:
- interact with their customers and build engaged communities of social media users who like the brand
- advertise their products and services on social media platforms and drive sales to their eCommerce stores or physical locations
- work with influencers to promote products and services across different social media audiences
- support other marketing activities like paid advertising, email marketing, or offline events.
Level up your social media marketing skills
Take control of your brand's online presence by mastering social media strategies. Enroll in NapoleonCat Academy 🎓 and learn how to effectively grow and manage your audience, increase engagement, and tackle online challenges with ease.
You may also like:
- The 8 Best Marketing YouTube Channels To Follow
- 10 Best Social Media Marketing Books to Read Next
- Ready-To-Use Social Media Marketing Strategy for Small Business
- How to Plan a Social Media Marketing Campaign
- 8 Social Media Marketing Tips for Small Businesses
- How to Create a Social Media Strategy
- Why is Emoji a Vital Part of Marketing Communication?
