Social Media Management from Coursera

This course equips you with critical content creation and management skills. You’ll learn how to create effective social media posts and how to create a strong brand to help you build a social media presence. You’ll also learn how to establish an ongoing process to manage your content. This includes setting up a content calendar, managing and moderating your posts, analyzing data for insights and iteration, and how to increase post effectiveness. You will end the course with real-world application of your skills through a content management project.

By the end of this course, you will be able to:

• Establish and manage a social media presence

• Create a Facebook business page and an Instagram account for business

• Understand how and why to create content for social media

• Create a brand, tone, and voice for a social media presence

• Manage a content calendar for your social media presence

• Evaluate the performance of your content on social media to iterate and optimize the performance

• Create a content calendar for your social media presence

• Manage social media content using real world data

This course is intended for people who want to learn how to create and manage a business presence on social media, including creating content, interacting and engaging with customers on social media and evaluating the results of different posts.

Learners don't need marketing experience, but they have basic internet navigation skills and are eager to participate and connect in social media. Having a Facebook or Instagram account helps and ideally learners already completed course 1 (Introduction to Social Media Marketing) in this program.

What's inside

Syllabus

Establish Your Presence

In week 1, you will learn how to establish your business presence on social media, and practice doing so, and how to create a brand using the EPIC brand framework.

Traffic lights

Read about what's good

what should give you pause

and possible dealbreakers

Develops effective social media marketing skills, knowledge, and tools

Emphasizes social media foundational concepts for beginners wanting to get into social media marketing

Taught by Anke Audenaert, a recognized professional in social media marketing

Provides hands-on, real-world experience through a content management project

Highly relevant to business and marketing professionals

Reviews summary

Practical foundation for social media management

According to learners, this course offers a practical and actionable foundation for managing social media, particularly lauded for its hands-on activities like building a content calendar and the culminating content management project. Many find the instructor's explanations clear and the material well-structured, making it ideal for beginners and aspiring professionals. While older feedback noted a basic pace and some outdated content, recent students highlight that the course has been significantly updated, especially in areas like analytics and current platform features, making it more relevant. However, those with prior marketing experience might find some sections less detailed than desired, suggesting it's primarily suited for those starting out.

Instructor provides clear and easy-to-understand explanations.

"The instructor's explanations were clear and easy to follow."

"The material is well-structured..."

"The module on evaluating efforts using real-world data was particularly strong."

Course material has been updated to be more current.

"This course has been updated! I took it last year and felt it lacked some current trends. Re-taking it now, I see improvements..."

"...especially regarding analytics tools and updated platform features. It's much more relevant now."

"It feels very current and relevant."

Provides a solid foundation for new social media marketers.

"Highly recommend for beginners!"

"It's okay for absolute beginners, but I was hoping for more depth."

"A solid course for getting started... covers the core aspects well."

Focuses on actionable skills and real-world projects.

"This course is a goldmine for anyone starting out in social media management. I found the practical exercises extremely useful..."

"The content management project was challenging but incredibly rewarding. This course provided practical, actionable steps."

"I particularly appreciated the focus on creating a strong brand voice. I'm now confidently managing my client's social media."

May not challenge those with prior marketing experience.

"I felt some parts... could be more detailed for someone already familiar with basic marketing concepts."

"It's okay for absolute beginners, but I was hoping for more depth."

"The course is quite basic... if you have any prior knowledge of social media, you might find yourself fast-forwarding through a lot."

Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in Social Media Management with these activities:

Connect with experienced social media professionals

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Seeking guidance from experienced professionals can provide invaluable insights, accelerate your learning, and expand your network.

Browse courses on Networking

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Identify social media professionals you admire and respect.
Reach out to them via email, LinkedIn, or social media.
Request a meeting or mentorship opportunity.

Review course materials and compile key concepts

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Regularly reviewing and organizing course materials will enhance your comprehension and retention of key concepts.

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Review lecture notes, readings, and other course materials.
Identify and extract key concepts and ideas.
Organize and summarize the concepts in a logical manner.

Follow industry blogs and thought leaders

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Staying updated with industry best practices and insights will keep your knowledge sharp and ensure your strategies remain relevant.

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Identify reputable social media blogs and thought leaders.
Subscribe to their blogs and social media channels.
Regularly consume and engage with their content.

Six other activities

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Write engaging social media posts

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Mastering the art of writing engaging social media posts will captivate your audience and drive engagement.

Browse courses on Content Creation

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Identify the key message you want to convey.
Use a strong hook to grab attention.
Incorporate visuals and multimedia to enhance engagement.

Join a social media marketing study group

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Engaging with peers in a study group will provide opportunities to share knowledge, learn from different perspectives, and reinforce your understanding.

Browse courses on Collaboration

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Find or create a social media marketing study group with peers.
Set regular meeting times and prepare discussion topics.
Actively participate in discussions and share your insights.

Develop a social media brand style guide

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Creating a brand style guide will ensure consistency in your social media content, establishing a recognizable and professional brand identity.

Browse courses on Brand Identity

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Define your brand's mission, values, and personality.
Develop a color palette, typography guidelines, and image style.
Create a style guide document outlining your brand's visual identity.

Create a social media content calendar

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Developing a content calendar will help you plan and organize your social media content, ensuring a consistent and engaging presence.

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Define your social media goals and objectives.
Identify your target audience and their interests.
Research and gather content ideas.
Schedule your content using a social media scheduling tool.

Attend social media marketing workshops

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Participating in workshops provides an immersive learning experience, allowing you to interact with experts and gain practical knowledge.

Browse courses on Networking

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Research and identify relevant social media marketing workshops.
Register for the workshop and prepare for active participation.
Attend the workshop and engage with the speakers and attendees.

Analyze social media performance metrics

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Regularly analyzing social media metrics will provide valuable insights into your audience and content effectiveness, enabling data-driven improvements.

Browse courses on Social Media Analytics

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Identify key performance indicators (KPIs) for your social media goals.
Use social media analytics tools to track and measure your KPIs.
Analyze the data to identify trends and patterns.

Career center

Learners who complete Social Media Management will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

Social Media Marketing Specialist

Graduates from the Social Media Management course will be well-suited to jobs in the field of social media. This course covers a wide range of skills needed to succeed as a Social Media Marketing Specialist, including content creation, management, and analytics. By the end of this course, you will be able to plan, execute and monitor successful online marketing campaigns across various social media platforms. Whether you work as part of a marketing team in a large corporation or as an independent contractor, this course will provide the skills necessary to succeed.

See salaries and explore the career path for Social Media Marketing Specialist

Digital Marketing Manager

The Social Media Management course is a great way to get started in digital marketing. While the course focuses on social media specifically, many of the skills learned in the course are also applicable to other areas of digital marketing, such as SEO and SEM. This course provides a foundation for developing and executing effective marketing campaigns across multiple channels. The course is most beneficial to roles that focus on marketing and may have a team to help with campaign execution, allowing a primary focus on campaign development and analysis.

See salaries and explore the career path for Digital Marketing Manager

Social Media Manager

The Social Media Management course covers a wide range of skills needed to succeed as a Social Media Manager, including content creation, management, and analytics. By the end of this course, you will be able to plan, execute and monitor successful online marketing campaigns across various social media platforms. The course is particularly helpful for those newer to the job seeking roles where they may be solely responsible for social media campaign creation, execution, and analysis, as well as team leadership.

See salaries and explore the career path for Social Media Manager

Marketing Manager

While the Social Media Management course focuses specifically on social media marketing, the course may be helpful to those wishing to be Marketing Managers, particularly for small to mid-sized businesses. The course covers a wide range of skills that are also applicable to other areas of marketing, such as content creation, management, and analytics. Though this course is helpful, it will be more beneficial for those in entry level marketing roles seeking to expand into leadership roles and management of teams.

See salaries and explore the career path for Marketing Manager

Content Writer

The Social Media Management course can be helpful to those wishing to become Content Writers, particularly for roles focused on online content. The course covers the creation of effective social media posts, which includes writing engaging and informative content. Whether working independently as a freelance writer or as part of a content writing team, this course can provide the knowledge on how to write content that succeeds on social media platforms.

See salaries and explore the career path for Content Writer

Search Engine Optimizer (SEO) Specialist

While the Social Media Management course focuses on social media specifically, the course may be helpful to those wishing to be Search Engine Optimizer (SEO) Specialists, particularly for those working with small businesses that do not have the budget for a full marketing team. The course covers content creation and management, which are both important aspects of SEO. This course may be particularly helpful for those seeking entry-level roles in SEO, as it provides the basics of content creation and management, as well as some information on social media marketing.

See salaries and explore the career path for Search Engine Optimizer (SEO) Specialist

Community Manager

The Social Media Management course can be helpful to those wishing to become Community Managers, particularly for those who are new to the field. The course covers a wide range of skills needed to succeed as a Community Manager, including content creation, management, and analytics. This course would be most valuable for those seeking roles managing smaller online communities that do not require in-depth analysis of metrics or building and managing marketing campaigns.

See salaries and explore the career path for Community Manager

Public Relations Specialist

While the Social Media Management course focuses on social media specifically, the course may be helpful to those wishing to be Public Relations Specialists, particularly for those working with small businesses. The course covers content creation and management, which are both important aspects of public relations. This course may be particularly helpful for those seeking entry-level roles in public relations, as it provides the basics of content creation and management, as well as some information on social media marketing.

See salaries and explore the career path for Public Relations Specialist

Brand Manager

The Social Media Management course can be helpful to those wishing to become Brand Managers, particularly for those working with small businesses. The course covers brand building and management, which are both important aspects of brand management. This course may be particularly helpful for those seeking entry-level roles in brand management, as it provides the basics of content creation and management, as well as some information on social media marketing.

See salaries and explore the career path for Brand Manager

User Experience (UX) Designer

While the Social Media Management course focuses on social media specifically, the course may be helpful to those wishing to be User Experience (UX) Designers, particularly for those who are new to the field and those specializing in digital platforms. The course covers content management, which is an important aspect of UX design. This course may be particularly helpful for those seeking entry-level roles in UX design, as it provides the basics of content management, as well as some information on social media marketing.

See salaries and explore the career path for User Experience (UX) Designer

Market Research Analyst

While the Social Media Management course focuses on social media specifically, the course may be helpful to those wishing to be Market Research Analysts, particularly for those who are new to the field and those specializing in digital platforms. The course covers analytics and reporting, which are both important aspects of market research. This course may be particularly helpful for those seeking entry-level roles in market research, as it provides the basics of analytics and reporting, as well as some information on social media marketing.

See salaries and explore the career path for Market Research Analyst

Copywriter

The Social Media Management course may be helpful to those wishing to be Copywriters, particularly for those interested in digital marketing. The course covers content creation, which is an important aspect of copywriting. While this course would provide a solid foundation, additional education in copywriting would be needed to ensure success in the field.

See salaries and explore the career path for Copywriter

Journalist

While the Social Media Management course focuses on social media specifically, the course may be helpful to those wishing to be Journalists, particularly for those who are new to the field and those specializing in digital platforms. The course covers content creation, which is an important aspect of journalism. This course may be particularly helpful for those seeking entry-level roles in journalism, as it provides the basics of content creation, as well as some information on social media marketing.

See salaries and explore the career path for Journalist

Public relations manager

While the Social Media Management course focuses on social media specifically, the course may be helpful to those wishing to be Public Relations Managers, particularly for those who are new to the field and those specializing in digital platforms. The course covers content creation and management, which are both important aspects of public relations. This course may be particularly helpful for those seeking entry-level roles in public relations, as it provides the basics of content creation and management, as well as some information on social media marketing.

See salaries and explore the career path for Public relations manager

Marketing Communications Manager

While the Social Media Management course focuses on social media specifically, the course may be helpful to those wishing to be Marketing Communications Managers, particularly for those who are new to the field and those specializing in digital platforms. The course covers content creation and management, which are both important aspects of marketing communications. This course may be particularly helpful for those seeking entry-level roles in marketing communications, as it provides the basics of content creation and management, as well as some information on social media marketing.

See salaries and explore the career path for Marketing Communications Manager