Social Media Management Education, the Latest Secret to Online Branding

Apr 28, 2014

Social media is here to stay for long and the year 2014 is no different! No prizes for guessing that social media platforms like Facebook, YouTube, LinkedIn or Instagram will keep dominating the market. However, whichever topic is trending, every domain demands professionals with core knowledge and skill sets to manage social media platform. The article discusses about how social media management programs are taking over other conventional management courses and how they provide the industry with the valuable consultants and entrepreneurs!

Social media has taken over all sorts of platforms when it comes to expressing yourself or contacting people. It is no longer a buzzword, but it is the innovation, which suggests how businesses are conducted today. Look at the markets, where almost everyone is talking about the products that are available online. It is not mandatory that the conversation is always positive. Now the question arises that how can companies harness and manage the conversation and engage more and more users? The answer lies in the fact that hiring of marketing managers who specialize in social media can make a big difference. So, who are they? They are the individuals with an impeccable command over social media and marketing.

Why social media?

With the increase in the number of social media platforms, the need to establish internal and external business strategies, policy and culture also increases to build a competitive advantage. The ranges of social platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, LinkedIn, Instagram, Pinterest, Foursquare, and Blogs, among others are struggling to make sense of it all.The top reason that has made social media a preferred platform for marketing of the products is the incredible speed in which they move as well as their reach to individuals and companies.

Different social media platforms provide you with new ways to engage with the clientele, brand promotion, and product marketing. On social media, you are the owner, publisher, disclaimer, deal with customers’ information and the one responsible for the defamation also, so it is very important that you are aware of the tactics followed in social media, and this defines the importance of education in this field.

Cat Vs Gmat

Image courtesy: marketingprofs.com

82% of the management schools have plans to increase their stakes in social media over past few years, and agree on the point that education in the field of social marketing is worth the investment. The management courses in Social Media Management not only equip you with the skills of social media marketing, but also provide you with a strong base of business knowledge. To establish the name of the company or brand on the social platforms, you would need an understanding of economics, contract negotiations, social media culture,as well as promotinga venture and international business on such platforms.

What do Social Media Management programs offer?

Mainly, the course comprises of topics dealing with development of consumer audiences, understanding consumer behavior, wide market research, demand and supply analysis, strategic planning, social media marketing campaigns, consumer-enterprise relationship, advertising, market study, cost volumes and profits, and other areas aiding in social medial marketing.Other important points to be addressed are:

  • Cyber law and ethics
  • Online marketing
  • Psychology of social media
  • Writing for online audiences

Some other related topics are leveraging listening channels, market crises, content development, ROI, social media platforms, mobile opportunities and change management.

The students participating in the programs are usually taught with the business objectives at par with the current social media trends and make strategies and tactics to top the platform. The most popular ways adopted by the experts is educating the students through case studies, interactive sessions, and class exercises. This interesting subject engages the students with the latest research in the field of social media marketing and the best practices prevailing in the industry.

Specialization in a particular domain does not mean that you will gain the subject matter expertise from the start itself! The first year of the MBA degree covers traditional business subjects like:

  • Accounts
  • Finance
  • Admin
  • Risk management
  • Human resources
  • Conflict management

After finishing your first part of the MBA degree, the curriculum will start focusing more on social media or digital marketing.

The common topics are:

  • Social Media Organization
  • Social Media Marketing Strategy
  • Social Media Channels
  • Social Media Crises, Privacy and Security
  • Social Media Power and Influence
  • Social Platforms and Business Strategy
  • Mobile Social Media Marketing

Are you making a right choice by opting for social media MBA?

It will not be a wise move to run with the crowd. Enter this field only if you have your goals set in your mind. Having focus is the most important point. If your aim is to manage the business traditionally, then the traditional MBA makes sense in your case, but if you are focused to work for digital media, then MBA in social media marketing could be a great fit!

Such programs are designed for executives or professionals who have active participation in fields like in marketing, advertising, PR, branding or sales. It is perfectly suitable for those who wish to enter the world of social media to further their individual careers.

Who’s hiring?

2013 was the year belonging to social media. A study by UMass – Dartmouth reveals that 2013 witnessed the maximum increase in Fortune 500 social media accounts since 2008. Over 77% of the Fortune 500 companies have their active Twitter accounts, while 70% have their own Facebook pages run by the active members. Not less than 69% of these companies had YouTube accounts, and most of them have been active in blogging too.

Social media management education is trending these days, and the market is all set to welcome the fresh graduates holding the degree.If you are already working for marketing firms or in the companies, which deal with online branding, then social media management education could be perfect for you. This would not only sharpen your skills but also make you even more valuable to companies today!

A professional writer, Rashmi Karan writes for Shiksha.com, India’s leading online education portal for the higher education aspirants. She also offers suggestions to all education related queries and dilemmas.

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