{"id":7044,"date":"2018-06-28T09:48:54","date_gmt":"2018-06-28T13:48:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.brainstation.io\/?p=7044"},"modified":"2020-11-20T17:53:14","modified_gmt":"2020-11-20T22:53:14","slug":"why-a-social-media-marketing-certification-is-worth-it","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/brainstation.io\/blog\/why-a-social-media-marketing-certification-is-worth-it","title":{"rendered":"Why a Social Media Marketing Certification is Worth It"},"content":{"rendered":"

BrainStation is now offering a part-time <\/span>Social Media Marketing course<\/span><\/a> online and at our campuses in Toronto and Vancouver. <\/span><\/p>\n

The goal of this course is to help companies and individuals implement a data-driven approach to social media marketing. If you\u2019re not sure why that\u2019s important, or whether you even need social media training, we\u2019ve put together the following blog post. <\/span>
\n<\/span>
\n<\/span>Here are a few reasons why a social media marketing certification is worth it. <\/span><\/p>\n

Social Media is Now Mainstream Media<\/h2>\n

There are now <\/span>3.196 billion global social media users<\/span><\/a>, with the number of people using it increasing by almost one million every day in 2018. Facebook alone counts 22 percent of the world\u2019s total population in its base of users (and 68 percent of U.S. adults).<\/span><\/p>\n

If that doesn\u2019t illustrate the reach social media, consider this: YouTube <\/span>reaches more 18-49 year-olds than any cable network in the U.S.<\/span><\/a> In fact, YouTube is now used by nearly three-quarters of U.S. adults, and 94 percent of 18- to 24-year-olds. <\/span>Snapchat, meanwhile, reaches 41 percent of all 18- to 34-year-olds<\/span><\/a> in the US.<\/span><\/p>\n

Social media is now <\/span>the<\/span><\/i> medium in which the world consumes pop culture and news. This is especially true when you consider how ingrained it is in the daily life of younger age groups: <\/span>88 percent of 18- to 29-year-olds<\/span><\/a> are now using social media. <\/span><\/p>\n

In other words, if you\u2019re not using social media, you are missing out. <\/span><\/p>\n

Social Media Trends are Always Changing<\/h2>\n

While the popularity of social media is unlikely to change, it\u2019s clear that the popularity of individual platforms <\/span>will;<\/span> it already has. Facebook, for example, is losing younger users \u2014 despite their global reach. According to eMarketer,<\/a> the number of Facebook users younger than the age of 11 is expected to decline by 9.3 percent in 2018. The number of users aged 12 to 17, and 18 to 24 will also decrease by 5.6 and 5.8 percent, respectively.<\/span><\/p>\n

So what are they using? 32 percent of teenagers<\/span><\/a> now consider Instagram the most important social network, which makes sense: 90 percent of Instagram users<\/a> are younger than 35. <\/span>Americans between the ages of 18 to 24 are also more likely to use Snapchat, Instagram, and Twitter than people in their mid-to-late 20s. <\/span><\/p>\n

The emergence of new platforms and technology, and changing demographics, tastes and trends will continue to change with time. Staying informed on the latest developments, concepts, and best practices, and adopting a data-driven approach to social media marketing, are two ways to stay ahead of the game, ensuring that you’re always making the best use of your campaigns and resources.<\/p>\n

Social Media is Essential for Branding and Marketing<\/h2>\n

50 million small businesses are now using Facebook Pages, and for good reason: A full 74 percent of Facebook users say they visit the site daily, with 51 percent saying they do several times a day. <\/span><\/p>\n

This is a large, captive audience, but they do have expectations with regards to the way companies handle social media. In fact, 78 percent who complain to a brand via Twitter expect a response with an hour, and 71 percent of consumers who have had a good social media service experience with a brand are likely to <\/span>recommend it to others<\/span><\/a>. <\/span><\/p>\n

Outside of customer service and experience, social media platforms are also playing a direct role in direct purchasing decisions. A whopping <\/span>93 percent of Pinterest users<\/span><\/a>, for example, use the platform to plan or make purchases, and the platform actually <\/span>drives 25 percent<\/span><\/a> of all retail website referral traffic. <\/span><\/p>\n

You Need to Measure the ROI of Social Media Marketing<\/h2>\n

Despite its ubiquity, and the sheer amount of businesses using social media for marketing and branding, there is a perception that the effectiveness of social media is difficult to measure. <\/span><\/p>\n

According to <\/span>eMarketer<\/span><\/a>, 61 percent of marketers say measuring ROI is their top challenge. Funnily enough, three other challenges in the survey\u2019s top five are directly related to ROI measurement, and would help solve the issue if implemented properly: <\/span><\/p>\n