Social Media Management Free Course For Beginners

Introduction

This beginner-level course is designed to teach learners social media content management through a series of modules that will help them grow a strong online presence for their business. Participants in this course will develop a firm understanding of social media management, content creation, and marketing strategies. They will also learn how to schedule posts and use post analytics to evaluate performance. Furthermore, they will be introduced to generative AI and how it can be used in social media marketing.

What Will You Gain from This Course

Upon the completion of the social media management course, participants will:

1. Learn how to create a social media presence for their business on various platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, etc.
2. Be able to build a unique brand identity for their social media presence.
3. Understand how to set up a content calendar for efficiently organizing and scheduling content to ensure timely posting.
4. Gain insight into key metrics and data points that show how the content is being received by the target audience.

Skills Acquired

1. Social Media Marketing
2. Marketing Content Development
3. Content Management
4. Content Development
5. Content Marketing

Who Is This Course For

This course is designed for:

1. Beginners with minimal internet navigation skills and no necessary prior marketing experience.
2. Participants with an existing social media account on Facebook or Instagram and a strong willingness to learn will have a relatively easier time grasping the course outlines.
3. Individuals who want to establish a social media presence for their business or start-up.
4. Individuals who want to advance their understanding of content performance.

1. Individuals who want to learn how to analyze metrics to determine how well their content is performing and use data insights to refine future content, better meeting the demands of their target audience.

Course Content

5 Modules – 57 Videos – 20 Readings – 4 Quizzes – 8 Assignments – 3 Peer Reviews – 5 Discussion Prompts – Certificate of Completion

Establish Your Presence

In the introductory module of the course, participants will be taught how to set up their business's social media page on Facebook and Instagram. They will also learn about the importance of a brand and how to create one using the EPIC framework.

This section includes multiple videos about the basics of social media management, as well as the concept of branding. It teaches them the purpose of a brand and how they can create a unique brand identity to represent their business and effectively connect with the target audience. Additionally, participants are quizzed on the course content to ensure active learning and discussion prompts further allow engagement.

1. 15 Videos
2. 8 Readings
3. 1 Quiz
4. 1 Assignment
5. 1 Peer Review
6. 2 Discussion Prompts

Social Media Content

The second module focuses on what makes a good post, including text and visually appealing images. Participants will learn that the general anatomy of a post varies from one social media platform to another. They will also understand the crucial role of text, images, and videos attached to a specific post and how the correct choice of each element can impact post interaction and metrics. Additionally, participants will be tested on their understanding of social media content building blocks. Finally, an FAQ session following a ‘Create a Post’ project will help participants get more clarity.

1. 11 Videos
2. 1 Reading
3. 1 Quiz
4. 1 Assignment
5. 1 Peer Review
6. 1 Discussion Prompt

Social Media Content Management

In this section, participants will learn all about content management. Over time, running a social media page can become overwhelming, hence it is crucial to know strategies for efficiently managing content.

Participants will get to brainstorm ideas for posts and learn how to use storyboards to design the content. They will gain deeper insights into the nature of viral posts and learn techniques to replicate such posts. Participants will be shown a practical demonstration of building a content calendar. Finally, this section concludes by teaching participants techniques on how to repurpose content, engage with the audience through comments and polls, and build a loyal following on social media.

1. 14 Videos
2. 3 Readings
3. 1 Quiz
4. 1 Assignment
5. 1 Peer Review
6. 1 Discussion Prompt

Evaluate Your Efforts

Participants will be taught how to assess and optimize their social media marketing strategies. They will use real-world data to analyze and improve their social media content.

This section delves deeper into post analytics, teaching learners how to evaluate their social media performance. Participants will learn to study page insights on Facebook and Instagram and use that data to tailor future social media content. They will also learn how to iterate on their content calendar.

1. 8 Videos
2. 2 Readings
3. 1 Quiz
4. 1 Assignment
5. 1 Discussion Prompt

GenAI in Social Media Marketing

The last module is optional and is an advanced discussion on generative AI and its use. It is primarily centered around the applications of GenAI in various business scenarios and addresses some concerns regarding its usage. Participants will understand how to leverage generative AI to refine their social media strategy, tailored specifically for their target audience. They will also be introduced to powerful AI tools provided by Meta.

Important subjects covered in this section include different types of GenAI technologies and their applications in business, as well as GenAI tools for content creation. Participants will be taught how to integrate these tools and techniques into social media strategies and streamline content creation.

1. 9 Videos
2. 6 Readings
3. 4 Assignments

Description

This five-part course starts with a general overview of social media management, careers in digital marketing, and the importance of a strong brand for building a social media presence. There is a more detailed discussion on the characteristics of a good post, topics for social media content, and techniques for planning your content. Participants practice building a content calendar to efficiently manage social media content. The final section on generative AI will interest learners who want to advance their social media management skills by utilizing Meta’s AI tools.

Throughout the course, participants are given readings to further enhance their knowledge, which they can apply in the quizzes and assignments. Discussion prompts also encourage participant interaction.

Meet the Instructor

Anke Audenaert - Adjunct Professor of Marketing - UCLA Anderson School of Management

Anke Audenaert is currently the CEO and Co-founder of an online education production company called Aptly, which trains learners in topics such as Digital Marketing, Marketing Analytics, Google Marketing Tools, Meta Advertising Tools, and Design Thinking. She has vast experience in digital marketing and is an adjunct professor of marketing at the UCLA Anderson School of Management. She also founded the School of Business at Udacity, where she developed business programs, designed the curriculum, and was responsible for student acquisition and retention. Additionally, she served as the vice president of market research at Yahoo! and founded JumpTime (now acquired by OpenX).