Do you think you have what it takes to turn your love of social media into a successful, paying career?

Right now, social media marketing skills are in high demand. So if you’ve been thinking about pursuing a career in this industry now’s the time to do it.

But is a social media marketing course really worth it if you already know the ins and outs of the world’s most popular platforms?

Read on to discover what’s in it for you when it comes to studying a social media certification.

Are social media marketing skills in demand?

Social media is a powerful marketing tool. And businesses can’t afford to lag behind when it comes to social media marketing. This means that there is growing demand for qualified professionals who are social media marketing specialists and expert content creators.

According to LinkedIn’s ‘Jobs on the Rise’ report, Social Media Marketers, SEO Specialists and Content Designers will be roles to watch.

The report states that demand for social media marketing professionals has been driven, in part, by the COVID-19 pandemic. The ability for businesses to communicate directly with their customers – even if the physical doors to their stores were closed – was more important than ever. And with people spending more time on social media, the most obvious way to communicate with customers is through the social channels they use most.

According to B&T, four in five Australians are now active on social. The average time spent on social media each day is one hour and 46 minutes, which equals around one-third of total online time. YouTube is the most used social channel, with 78.2% of Australians logging on each month. This is followed very closely by Facebook (77.7%) and then Instagram (55.3%).

Why should I work in social media marketing?

Here are the top three reasons why we think pursuing a career in social media marketing is a good choice:

1. It’s a growing industry.

Social media use is growing all the time. In Australia alone, there are 20.5 million social media users as of January 2021. This equals almost 80% of the country’s entire population. And with a higher number of users across the company, there will be an increasing number of job opportunities for skilled social media professionals.

2.  Social media marketing skills are in demand.

According to LinkedIn, social media marketing is an essential skill to have in the digital age. To be a successful Marketer, you have to have an understanding of social media and how it works, and how you can use it to your advantage. This is what employers will be looking for when hiring potential new team members.

3. Salary expectations are competitive.

The Australian government’s Job Outlook website lists the average yearly salary for Advertising and Marketing Professionals at $1,737 per week, which is much higher than the national average of $1,460. Keeping in mind that your salary will also depend on your training, experience and time in the industry.

Can a social media marketing certification really help me?

If your status updates attract plenty of engagement; if you live and breath social media; if you love finding out how brands communicate with their customer base, then you might find a career in social media marketing highly rewarding.

But just because you use social media a lot doesn’t mean that you’re ready to pursue a career. That’s why studying a course can be so valuable – it can help you hone your existing skills, learn new things and formalise your experience. A social media certification proves to employers that you have the job-ready skills and knowledge they’re looking for.

Even if you feel like you already have the know-how to jump into a social media marketing job, a course in this field can help you hone existing skills and learn new ones.

A nationally recognised, accredited social media marketing can help in the following ways:

• Build hands-on experience – Gain job-ready, first-hand experience building measurable, end-to-end campaigns.
• Get familiar with a range of different platforms – Studying a course can teach you the ins and outs of different channels, not just the ones you have previous experience with.
• Understand when to use paid advertising – Learn how to plan, manage and optimise paid social media ads.
• Hone your writing skills – Connect with your audience through persuasive copy that speaks to them on the same level.
• Learn how to conduct an audit – If you’ve only ever used social media in a non-business setting, chances are you haven’t had to conduct a social media audit. A social media marketing course can reach you how, and why social media audits are so crucial.

What kind of jobs require social media expertise?

With the rise of social media, there are now a wide range of jobs you could pursue that require social media marketing skills and knowledge.

If this is your forte, here is a list of jobs that require social media expertise to get you inspired. This list is by no means definitive, but should give you a basic idea of the different kinds of jobs that are out there. And a course in social media marketing could help you make your career goals a reality.

1. Social Media Co-ordinator

As a Social Media Co-ordinator, you’ll be in charge of maintaining a company’s social media presence. This means you’ll need to be across the latest trends to make sure you’re always up to date. You’ll also need to research and post content that’s relevant to the target audience and encourages community engagement. Often, you’ll need to post across a number of different platforms. This means you’ll need to understand how the different platforms function, how to make the most of different automation tools (such as Hootsuite) as well as how to utilise different analytics tools.

2. Community Manager

Growing, managing and maintaining a community (online and offline) can be a full-time role. That’s where Community Managers come in. It’s their responsibility to establish and grow a business’s community; and this can be done through a number of different ways. For example, through encouraging people to participate in online competitions and share posts with a specific hashtag.

3. Social Media Consultant

If a business is in need of a social media overhaul, they may reach out to a Social Media Consultant for assistance. This could be because the business is brand new; because they’re an existing brand but their current social media strategy is not working and they need professional help; or because they’re an existing brand that’s ready to step up their social media to the next level.

Social Media Consultants may operate as freelancers, or they may work for an agency. They could be hired as an outside resource for a specified period, or in an ongoing role. Their job is usually to create a social media marketing strategy and oversee an end-to-end campaign that drives the results the client wishes to see.

4. Digital Marketing Specialist

A Digital Marketing Specialist is someone who needs to be across multiple areas of the digital marketing space, and this often includes social media.

It’s usually the responsibility of the Digital Marketing Specialist to create a digital marketing campaign which encompasses different types of digital marketing, including social media, that all work to complement one another.  

5. Chief Marketing Officer

If you’re intent on climbing the ladder all the way to the top, you could reach the rank of Chief Marketing Officer (CMO). The CMO oversees all aspects of marketing for a company, which means they need to have their finger on the pulse at all times. A strong working knowledge of digital, social and traditional marketing is imperative.

A social media marketing course is worth it       

If you’re looking to pursue a career in social media marketing, then studying an accredited qualification is worthwhile.

Even if you already consider yourself a social media guru, studying a course will help you to perfect existing skills while also mastering new ones. Plus, an accredited course can help to formalise your existing skills and make your resume stand out to potential employers.

OC offers the 10904NAT Diploma of Social Media Marketing as an online course, which means you can study at your own pace in the comfort of your own home instead of commuting to classes.

Social media marketing is one of the fastest-growing industries and an increasingly vital skill set. Studying a course now can help to future-proof your career.

So enrol today with OC and discover where your career in social media could take you!