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Your #Career : 37 Free Online Marketing and Social Media Classes to Elevate Your Skills…Where Can you Go For the Best, Most Useful Marketing Information? Check Out these Free Resources.

When I first started out with digital marketing, I was blown away by the sheer amount of online marketing resources and social media classes.

I read hundreds of articles and enrolled in as many marketing courses that I could possibly get my hands on. Even today, millions of resources continue to be published online every month.

 

Related: 15 Social Media Podcasts to Take Your Marketing Skills to the Next Level

Where can you go for the best, most useful marketing information? I’ve had the chance to test out and research a huge amount of resources, and I’m excited to share with you 37 free marketing and social media classes that you can enroll in to upgrade your skills across the board.

 

The list here includes free online courses in a number of social media-related topics and disciplines. If you’d like to dig into one area in particular, here’s a quick table of contents so you can jump to the section that’s most important to you:

Free online courses to learn and improve your social media marketing skills

1. What is Social?

Offered by: Coursera

Created by: Northwestern University

Topics include:

  • Social trends
  • Defining target audiences
  • Data analysis

Skill level: Beginner

About this course:

“What is Social?” is a massive open online course (MOOC) for business owners, executives and marketing professionals who want to significantly improve their abilities to grow their social media strategyusing effective, proven methodologies. In short, it’s a really awesome, action-based intro to social media.

The exciting part with this hands-on class is that you not only get to hear about ways to grow your professional persona using social media, but you will actually do it! “What is Social?” is the first in a six-course specialization offered by Northwestern University (a top university in the United States). Once you finish this first course, you can continue on with the next steps of the track: Social Media Marketing: How to Profit in a Digital World. (The first course is free; the full track costs $426.)

2. Diploma in Social Media Marketing

Offered by: Alison

Created by: Advance Learning Academy

Topics include:

  • Twitter
  • Facebook pages
  • Blogging and podcasting
  • Social media images
  • Email list growth
  • Affiliate marketing

Skill level: Beginner

About this course:

Alison is a similar to Coursera as a site that offers a huge range of classes and certifications, including several in the marketing space. Their free social media class covers the use of email marketing, affiliate marketing, using social media tools such as Twitter, blogging and podcasting, and how to use Facebook to create a business page and get it noticed by current and potential customers. So you’re likely to get a social media foundation plus a handful of other digital marketing skills to boot.

3. Social Media Monitoring

Offered by: Coursera

Created by: Eric Schwartzman

Topics include:

  • Keyword filtering
  • Google related searches
  • Using Google Alerts and its benefits
  • Identifying influencers and content curation possibilities
  • Monitoring strategies for Facebook, Twitter and more

Skill level: All Levels

About this course:

This free social media class on how to monitor what your audience and customers are saying online is for marketers looking to keep a finger on the pulse of their community. Whether you’re just starting out in social media or are a seasoned veteran, this course has actionable social monitoring takeaways for people of all skills levels.

The course provides detailed examples of monitoring in action, allows you to get an overview of the different social media monitoring toolsavailable for use, and strategies for how you can use what you’ve learned and apply it to your own social media program.

4. The Business of Social

Offered by: Coursera

Created by: Northwestern University

Topics include:

  • Discovering where social media “fits in”
  • How to tie social media to real business results
  • Managing and measuring a successful social media program

Skill level: Beginner – Intermediate

About this course:

“The Business of Social” is for businesses owners, marketers and social media managers looking for ways to tie social media directly into real business growth objectives. In other words, those looking to drive real, measurable value from a social media strategy and program.

Instead of focusing on how marketers can create great content for social media, this class more focuses on how exactly to measure your social investments in terms of time, cost and opportunities.

5. Social Media Ethics

Offered by: Coursera

Created by: Eric Schwartzman

Topics include:

  • How to use good judgement when using social media for work
  • What constitutes ethical behavior on social media
  • Demonstrating consideration for others on social media

Skill level: Beginner

About this course:

Have you ever wondered what it means to use social media effectively and ethically? This free course on “Social Media Ethics” provides the framework for social networking and engaging in ethical conversations online for all professionals and employees. Touching on local, state and federal laws, it takes the guessing game out of what is and is not legal on social media for employees of businesses.

6. Advanced Social Media Marketing for Picking up Clients

Offered by: Udemy

Created by: Brian Yang

Topics include:

  • Common social media myths and mistakes
  • The art of using Facebook Groups
  • Attracting YouTube subscribers and creating engaging videos
  • Creating quality (not spammy) content for social media

Skill level: Intermediate

About this course:

The tagline for this social media class is “picking up clients with social media in 48 hours or less.” Which points to the fact that this instructor dives into intermediate social media strategies. Moving beyond more beginner tactics like setting up social media accounts and basic posting strategies, this class assumes that you already know those things and provides details on how to best use the channels that you’re already familiar with.

All you need for this course is an active Facebook, YouTube and Reddit account and you’ll be on your way to learning the secrets behind picking up clients on social media.

7. Facebook Blueprint

Offered by: Facebook

Created by: Blueprint eLearning

Topics include:

  • Facebook terminology and know-how
  • Best practices for Facebook and Instagram posting
  • Optimizing Facebook and Instagram advertising
  • Creating a quality Facebook page and experience

Skill level: Beginner – Advanced

About this course:

Perfect for small businesses, marketers, agencies and advertisers, Facebook Blueprint is your one stop shop for everything there is to know about running successful advertising campaigns using your Facebook Business Page. This huge resource of free, self-paced social media classes will cover best-practices and top strategies used by the world’s largest brands.

With Facebook becoming very much a “pay-to-play” platform, this is the perfect opportunity for businesses and marketers to fully grasp everything there is to know about ensuring that your advertising dollar stretches as far as possible.

8. Social Media Quickstarter

Offered by: Constant Contact

Created by: Constant Contact

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
  • Pinterest
  • Instagram
  • Snapchat
  • And more!

Skill level: Beginner

About this course:

All social media managers and marketers start somewhere. This free social media class from Constant Contact is a great resource for those who are looking to dive into the world of social media without all of the complications. It offers a step-by-step guide to building a presence on almost every social media platform you can think of.

For those unsure if social media is right for you or for your business, this class is a great way to dip your toes in and start small with social media marketing. Who knows, you may find that social media is just right for you!

Free online courses to boost your digital marketing know-how

9. Email Marketing for E-Commerce

Offered by: Skillshare

Created by: Mailchimp

  • Email marketing automation
  • Email marketing optimization
  • Email marketing personalization

Skill level: Intermediate to Advanced

About this course:

Marketers and social media professionals with a basic understanding of how email marketing works will love this free online course from Mailchimp. Perfect for those of you on the go, it’s a 25-minute, highly tactical class on developing the basic email marketing principles that you may already be familiar with.

By the end of this email course, you’ll have a great understanding of how to create engaging email marketing campaigns and how to optimize your strategy in order to increase business revenue.

10. Marketing in a Digital World

Offered by: Coursera

Created by: University of Illinois

  • How tools such as smartphones and 3D devices are changing the marketing sphere
  • How power is shifting from companies and brands to consumers
  • Offering product ideas that stick in a digital world

Skill level: Beginner

About this course:

“Marketing in a Digital World” is one of the most popular free marketing courses on Coursera — with more then 100,000 students enrolled to this date. Taught by a professor at the University of Illinois, this class focuses on the transformation of marketing strategies an tactics into a digital-first world. Specifically, how technology is putting the power of marketing into the hands of the consumer.

This course is perfect for marketers looking to understand where the marketing field is today and how you can leverage new-age strategies to attract customers. And for those who are keen to continue their learning, this course is part of a larger Digital Marketing Specializationfor the University of Illinois.

11. QuickSprout University

Offered by: QuickSprout

Created by: Neil Patel

  • Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
  • Link building
  • Content marketing
  • Social media
  • Paid advertising
  • And more!

Skill level: Beginner – Advanced

About this course:

This awesome (or should we say huge?) set of classes from the one and only Neil Patel is a great place for marketers looking to learn about a huge variety of online and digital marketing tactics. Class topics range from beginner SEO and content creation strategies to advanced social media, email marketing and paid advertising.

What makes this course is that Neil Patel presents the information in very easy-to-learn and snackable ways. The lessons are presented in video format and range anywhere from 3:00-12:00 minutes. Each video also comes with a full transcript allowing more visual learners to follow along.

12. Inbound Marketing Certification

Offered by: HubSpot

Created by: HubSpot

  • Inbound marketing
  • Email marketing
  • Inbound sales techniques
  • Content marketing
  • Growth-driven design

Skill level: Beginner – Advanced

About this course:

HubSpot’s Inbound Marketing Certification is full of super actionable, hands-on learning material that allows marketers to take their general inbound marketing know-how to the next level. The certification consists of 12 different classes and more than 4.5 hours of learning material in both video and text format.

You’ll learn all about SEO, blogging, landing pages, lead nurturing, conversion analysis and reporting come together to form a modern-day inbound marketing strategy. This free online marketing course is presented in different modules, where after successful completion of all the lessons and tests, you’ll be HubSpot certified!

13. Viral Marketing and How to Create Contagious Content

Offered by: Coursera

Created by: University of Pennsylvania

  • What makes ideas sticky
  • How social influence shapes behavior
  • The power of word of mouth

Skill level: Beginner – Intermediate

About this course:

Taught by University of Pennsylvania Professor and best-selling author, Jonah Berger, this free online marketing course helps to answer the mystery of why some ideas and products become popular and why others do not. It’s perfect for social media managers and marketers looking to put a “science” behind their content marketing method.

You’ll start with an understanding of why things catch on in the first place and how you can use those lessons to create viral content online. Then, you’ll move on to spreading your new and creative ideas through social media and other digital marketing channels.

14. Pay Per Click (PPC) University

Offered by: WordStream

Created by: WordStream

  • All about PPC (What it is, basic terminology, structuring)
  • Keyword research
  • Landing page optimization
  • A/B testing
  • PPC for lead generation and B2B

Skill level: Beginner – Advanced

About this course:

PPC University is a fully free online learning resource created by WordStream, to help build your PPC and digital marketing skills. The format is presented in three streams of learning plans which offer lessons for beginning to advanced users, with additional modules for social advertising.

Related: The Power of Emojis in Marketing and How to Use Them Efficiently

You can also access a number of webinars and white papers to enhance your digital marketing expertise, and best of all, everything’s mobile-friendly so you can learn on the go, whenever you have time!

15. Diploma in E-Business

Offered by: Alison

Created by: Google

  • Introduction to Google Webmaster
  • Using Google AdWords
  • Understanding and using Google Analytics Data
  • Conversion reports and collecting actionable insights

Skill level: Intermediate

About this course:

This “Diploma in E-Business” course is a comprehensive resource for marketers, business owners and advertisers who would like to get the most out of their digital marketing efforts. You’ll learn things like the fundamentals of promoting your business online, using various Google-powered tools and how to track and make sense of the vast amounts of data available to you.

Whether you have a deep knowledge of how to market your business online or are just getting started, this course is an awesome way to strengthen your digital marketing skills.

16. Google Digital Marketing Course

Offered by: WordStream

Created by: WordStream

  • All about PPC (What it is, basic terminology, structuring)
  • Keyword research
  • Landing page optimization
  • A/B testing
  • PPC for lead generation and B2B

Skill level: Beginner – Advanced

About this course:

Learning the ins-and-outs of all of the marketing tools that Google offers is quite the task. But marketers and business owners have seen the direct benefits of mastering the various Google advertising platforms in terms of business ROI. This course offers a direct line to always-updated resources for everything Google.

This course is also a part of a Online Marketing Challenge from Google. Students that plan to take the Online Marketing Challenge are encouraged to complete the Digital Marketing Course first. Marketers looking to learn everything there is to know about Google (and advertising), this is a great place to start!

17. Buffer’s Week of Webinars on Digital Marketing

Offered by: Buffer

Created by: Buffer

Topics include:

  • Content curation and sharing on social media
  • Getting your content seen on Facebook
  • Instagram Marketing to boost your business
  • Branding and PR outreach
  • Getting started with social media data

Skill level: Beginner – Intermediate

About this course:

While not a social media “class” in a traditional sense, Buffer’s Week-of-Webinars covers everything from content curation to social media analytics to getting your content seen in the Facebook News Feed.

The great thing about this series of online marketing webinars is that no registration is required to sign up and you can view all five of the videos at your own convenience. And we’d love to hear what you think of these webinars in the comments below!

Free online courses to level up with marketing analytics and data

18. Introduction to Analytics and the Language of SAS

Offered by: Udemy

Created by: Jigsaw Academy

Topics include:

  • What “analytics” means
  • What the field of analytics is and why it’s booming
  • Popular analytics tools and applications
  • Introduction to the language of SAS

Skill level: Beginner

About this course:

This “Introduction to Analytics” course is a great starting point for marketers looking to understand what the field of analytics is all about and how to apply it to a variety of businesses and situations. If you’re looking to go beyond the very popular marketing spreadsheets, this course is perfect for you.

This class is broken up into 12 videos of varying length — anywhere from 5-30 minutes and will take you about 2 hours to complete from start to finish.

19. Google Analytics Academy

Offered by: Google

Created by: Google

Topics include:

  • Digital analytics fundamentals
  • Google Analytics platform principles
  • Ecommerce analytics
  • Mobile app analytics
  • Google Tag Manager

Skill level: Intermediate – Advanced

About this course:

Google Analytics Academy is an incredible online resource for marketers looking to up their game in everything Google-related. With the importance of tracking and incorporating data into your marketing strategy, there has never been a better time to learn all you can about one of the most data-rich resources in the world.

Some of the most popular modules from the Google Analytics Academy include Digital Analytics Fundamentals and Google Analytics Platform Principles. Both of those courses will give you a solid foundation of how to implement data into your strategy and how you can use the platform to best inform your decisions moving forward.

20. An Introduction to Consumer Neuroscience and Neuromarketing

Offered by: Coursera

Created by: Copenhagen Business School

Topics include:

  • What Neuromarketing is all about
  • Attention and consciousness
  • Sensory neuromarketing
  • Emotions, feelings, wanting and liking

Skill level: Beginner – Intermediate

About this course:

I put this fantastic course on Neuromarketing under the Analytics and Data section because it really gets into the nuts and bolts of why people make the decisions that they do online and in real life. Understanding that can help marketers and business make decisions based on data and research.

You’ll be taken on a journey through the basic brain mechanisms in consumer choice, and how to stay updated on these topics. The course will give an overview of the current and future uses of neuroscience in business and how you can apply it to your own social media and marketing strategy.

21. Data Analytics with Excel PivotTables

Offered by: Udemy

Created by: UpSkill Ladder

Topics include:

  • Intro to business analytics
  • Understanding Excel and PivotTables
  • Getting started with PivotTables
  • Terms such as Grouping and Custom Calculations

Skill level: Advanced

About this course:

I have the tendency to cringe when I hear the words “Excel PivotTables.” But I also understand how important the use of PivotTables can be in diving into your analytics and making informed decisions about marketing.

This course will teach you how to do Data analytics with Excel PivotTables effectively and efficiently. At the end of the lessons, you will understand the concept, various scenarios and types of Business analytics. Along with that you will learn, how to use one of the strongest features of Microsoft Excel, which is the PivotTables.

22. Digital Analytics for Marketing Professionals

Offered by: Coursera

Created by: University of Illinois

Topics include:

  • Data collection, analysis and visualization
  • How data fits into a company’s marketing strategy
  • Making informed marketing decisions based on data

Skill level: Advanced

About this course:

Taught by Kevin Hartman, Head of Industry at Google, this free marketing course on “Digital Analytics” focuses on the specific data collection, analysis and visualization techniques used by the world’s top brands. Unlike some of the other analytics classes offered online, this one focuses specifically on marketing.

This course will set you up with a full understanding of how to properly approach data analytics in marketing and how to make informed decisions based on your finding. In short, you’ll be a data wizard!

23. Marketing Measurement Strategy

Offered by: edX

Created by: University of California at Berkeley

Topics include:

  • How to identify marketing trends
  • How to predict future market conditions
  • An understanding of metrics used to measure marketing success

Skill level: Intermediate

About this course:

In this marketing class, you’ll learn the best approaches and practices for marketing measurement, including how to use metrics to measure success. The professor, Stephan Sorger, presents hands-on examples of how to identify market trends, how to predict future conditions and how to put those into action.

24. Social Media Analytics

Offered by: Quintly

Created by: Quintly

Topics include:

  • Introduction to social media analytics
  • The social media landscape
  • Differentiation between social networks for data collection
  • Finding KPIs that fit your goals

Skill level: Beginner

About this course:

As social media continues to drive traffic and revenue for businesses, the need for marketers to fully understand the “why” behind social success (or downturns) will increase.

This free social media class from Quintly covers the basic principles of social media analytics both for beginners and for marketers who want to refresh their knowledge. It aims to help anybody involved in social media analytics, no matter whether you are working for a brand, an agency or in the media.

Free online courses to get up to speed on content, blogging and SEO

25. SEO Training

Offered by: Udemy

Created by: Eric Schwartzman

Topics include:

  • Integrating SEO in offline and online marketing activities
  • The vocabulary of search engine optimization
  • Most effective SEO strategies
  • White hat vs. black hat SEO

Skill level: Beginner – Intermediate

About this course:

This SEO Training class is perfect for social media managers, executives and entry-level employees. This SEO course will help you increase the search rank of your corporate website, your blog or LinkedIn profile.

Learn how to figure out which terms your customers actually search and how to create online content that is most likely to rank high in Google search engine page results. For most organizations, search engine optimization presents a greater conversion opportunity that social media outreach.

26. Writing for the Web

Offered by: Open2Study

Created by: Frankie Madden

Topics include:

  • How to structure a web page
  • Considerations for search engines and accessibility
  • Making your content scannable
  • Using keywords, headings, lists and links

Skill level: Beginner

About this course:

Knowing how to write well is an important skill for just about anything, but knowing how to write for the web is a whole different ball game. It takes clear and concise copy to gain the attention of your readers in just a few seconds.

This course will help just about anyone — from journalists to technical writers to developers to aspiring bloggers — create content that really engages and converts online. It also will teach you the skills needed to accommodate the requirements of online readers through web design, writing style, structure and SEO.

27. Writing for Brands: Freelancing in the Age of Content Marketing

Offered by: Skillshare

Created by: Contently

Topics include:

  • What content marketing entails
  • The basics of writing for, and working with brands
  • Marketing yourself as a writer
  • How to craft the perfect pitch to a brand

Skill level: Beginner

About this course:

Have you ever wondered how all of those great bloggers get writing gigs for brands online? This course provides the framework for starting a successful freelance career if that’s something you’d be interested in. Taught by Brian Maehl of Contently, “Writing for Brands” is an actionable, 30-minute writing course that breaks down the process into simple steps.

Whether writing turns into a full-time career for you or just a fun project to tackle on the side, the folks at Contently are happy to help prepare you to pitch your content ideas to brands both big and small.

28. SEO Training Course

Offered by: Udemy

Created by: Moz

Topics include:

  • Building a monthly SEO plan
  • 5 ways to use social media profiles for SEO
  • Link building with Twitter
  • Mapping keywords to content

Skill level: Beginner

About this course:

Optimizing a web site for search engines requires looking at a ton of unique elements both on and off your website. This course on SEO from the folks at Moz will help you to start making sense of it all. Most importantly, it will help you form consistent SEO habits that you can implement long after this course is over.

If you’re interested in getting started with optimizing your website for search engines and how social media has the power to fit within that strategy, this is a great place to start for beginners.

29. Content Marketing for B2B Enterprises

Offered by: Udemy

Created by: William Flanagan

Topics include:

  • End-to-end B2B marketing tactics and strategies
  • Content creation that converts
  • Identifying industry influencers
  • Building a data system to foster improvement

Skill level: Intermediate – Advanced

About this course:

B2B companies, products and services often require a slightly different approach to content marketing. Customer sales cycles are more drawn out and require various, targeted content types to help assist decision-makers to the next stage.

The entire set of classes in this content marketing course lasts roughy 35 minutes. You’ll learn how to get inside the mind of your market and build content that interests them in a short period of time. Allowing you to get back to running your business!

30. High-Impact Business Writing

Offered by: Coursera

Created by: University of California at Irvine

Topics include:

  • Introduction and basics to business writing
  • Various business document types
  • Informal and social media communication

Skill level: Beginner

About this course:

Writing great copy that is meant to drive people to take a specific business action is a unique and valuable skill to have for marketers and business owners alike. This “High-Impact Business Writing” course is aimed at helping you get your thoughts on paper in a clear and concise manner.

Related: The Ultimate Guide to GIFs: How to Create Them and When to Use Them

Structured as a 4-week class, you’ll start with the basics of businesses writing, including why it’s important, and move to more advanced topics such as preparing business documents and translating ideas to more informal channels such as social media. In short, helping to to become a business copy whiz!

31. Internet Marketing for Smart People

Offered by: Copyblogger

Created by: Copyblogger

Topics include:

  • Introduction and basics to business writing
  • Various business document types
  • Informal and social media communication

Skill level: Beginner

About this course:

With the tagline, “you don’t have to be a genius to master internet marketing,” this 20-part email course from the folks at Copyblogger offers a great starting place for those new to the marketing field. What’s unique about this course is that it digs deeply into the areas of direct response copywriting and relationship building.

It’s set up in “4 Pillars” takes you through various topics such as customer relationships, writing, content marketing and delivering something that’s worth selling.

Free online courses to learn marketing design and imagery

32. Graphic Design Basics: Core Principles for Graphic Design

Offered by: Skillshare

Created by: Smithsonian Design Museum

Topics include:

  • Identifying and defining basic design principles
  • Effectively critiquing your own work for balance
  • Applying what you’ve learned to your own projects

Skill level: Beginner

About this course:

Have you ever wanted to get started with design so that you can create your own images for social media and marketing? This “Graphic Design Basics” from will set you up with a solid foundation to branch out as a beginner designer.

In this 35-minute class designers Ellen Lupton and Jennifer Cole Phillips walk students through what it takes to create great designs. Including, the 5 important and fundamental aspects of design and how you can apply those to every one of your projects moving forward.

33. How to Create Better Graphic Design

Offered by: Udemy

Created by: Inoshiro Design

Topics include:

  • Identifying and defining basic design principles
  • Effectively critiquing your own work for balance
  • Applying what you’ve learned to your own projects

Skill level: Beginner

About this course:

Did you know that in 2016, visual content is more than 40 times more likely to get shared on social media than other types of content? Today, it’s becoming important, even crucial for marketers to have at least some basic knowledge of key design terms.

This course does a deep dive into the five steps for better visual communication. These components include creating ideas and applying them to your design, communicating ideas effectively within the design and having a consistent design look and feel.

34. The Landing Page Conversion Course

Offered by: Unbounce

Created by: Unbounce

Topics include:

  • Landing page 101
  • 5 core landing page elements
  • The psychology of conversion

Skill level: Beginner – Intermediate

About this course:

Curious about the power of landing pages in marketing campaigns? Unbounce has the art of a perfect landing page down to a science. And in this comprehensive online marketing class, they share all of that knowledge with you, no questions asked.

The Landing Page Conversion Course takes you from “Landing Page 101” right on down to “Copywriting” and even “Testing and Optimization.” If you’ve ever been curious about the power of landing pages and how they can help you grow your business, this course is the perfect one for you.

35. Visual and Graphic Design

Offered by: ALISON

Created by: XSIQ

Topics include:

  • Using various design elements
  • Drawing and production systems in design
  • The production process for designers

Skill level: Beginner

About this course:

Great design starts with the fundamentals. The free course from ALISON examines various design elements including line, shape, form and texture and design principles, covering composition, balance, contrast and hierarchy. If you’re interested in exploring graphic design, industrial design or the design process in general, this free graphic design class is perfect for you.

36. Graphic Design 101

Offered by: Udemy

Created by: Design and Art Direction Mason Gentry

Topics include:

  • Concept-driven design and implementation
  • Why some design mediums need to communicate more quickly than others
  • Thinking behind great graphic design
  • A birds eye view of the entire field of graphic deisgn

Skill level: Intermediate

About this class:

Are you interested in deepening your knowledge of graphic design or how graphic design can be applied in the real world? The class “Graphic Design 101” is specifically for developers who may know a little about graphic design, but would like to learn more.

Many students who take this class have the ability to recognize a good design when they see one, but may not know why it’s a good design. This free online design class looks to help answer the “why.”

37. DIY Viral Video: A Class on Making iPhone How-To Videos

Offered by: Skillshare

Created by: Nicole Farb

Topics include:

  • Setting up for a great video
  • Tools and techniques for shooting a video
  • Finalizing and sharing a videos online

Skill level: Beginner – Intermediate

About this course: Video marketing is making a huge splash online and on social media. But one thing what we consistently hear is that marketers aren’t quite sure where to start. Yet, videos have the potential to engage an audience in new and exciting ways — just look at BuzzFeed Tasty for an example of the power of video!

In this short class, Nicole Farb shows how you can create your own video in a scrappy, easy and high-quality way and how she has seen huge success with it in the past. Perfect for marketers and social media managers just getting started with video.

 

Entrepreneur.com | December 12, 2016 | Brian Peters

 

#Leadership : 15 Social Media Podcasts to Take Your Marketing Skills to the Next Level…Take it From the Pros — these Podcasts will Help Boost your Social Media Presence.

What should you do if you want to become the best at what you do?  There’s probably a long list, with lots of options. One thing we’re particularly fond of at Buffer when it comes to improving ourselves is listening to podcasts relevant to our niche and industry.

Free- Coffee with Laptop

In our case, that means social media podcasts!

What we love about podcasts is that they make it easy to hear from industry leaders and talented folks about their experiences and advice (which we might not be able to read about anywhere else). There are so many of these voices in the marketing space that have been influential for me and the team!

Related: How to Promote Your Podcast

So the big question is: Where to start? Which podcasts should I try? What episodes should I listen to?

I have the same questions in mind whenever I find the time to listen to podcasts. Rather than spending your podcast time finding a podcast episode to listen to, I’d love to help you skip that step and go straight to listening. Here’s a list of 15 top marketing podcasts, covering three areas of social media marketing, with some top episodes from each podcast to check out!

To make it easier to find the parts of this post that are most helpful, here’s a look at all we’ll cover:

Psst! Our new podcast, The Science of Social Media, is live in iTunes.

This is our newly-launched social media podcast for marketers and brands interested in learning about new and exciting ways to implement social media marketing across a variety of platforms and industries. Every week, Hailley Griffis, Brian Peters and Kevan Leeinterview some of the best marketers around in quick, 30-minute episodes.

Here are some recent episodes you might like:


9 Top social media marketing podcasts

1. Social Pros by Jay Baer and Adam Brown

Real people doing real work in social media. Social Pros, recently named the best marketing podcast at the Content Marketing Awards, dives into the inside stories and behind-the-scenes strategies of how huge companies and brands like Ford, Dell, IBM, ESPN and more manage and measure their social media programs.

Hosts: Jay Baer (President of Convince & Convert) and Adam Brown(Executive Strategist at Salesforce)

Format: Interviews (with its ‘The Big Two’ questions at the end: 1. What’s your one tip for becoming a social pro? and 2. If you could do a Skype call with any living person, who would it be?)

Duration: Ranges from 30 to 60 minutes

Recent episodes you might like:


2. Social Media Marketing with Michael Stelzner of Social Media Examiner

In his weekly podcast, Michael Stelzner interviews social media experts to find out how successful businesses run their social media and uncover strategies and actionable tips to improve one’s social media marketing.

For each episode, there’s a very detailed blog post about the content of the interview so that you don’t have to take notes while listening.

Hosts: Michael Stelzner (Founder of Social Media Examiner and the Social Media Marketing World conference)

Format: Interviews (with a quick social media discovery of the week at the start)

Duration: 45 minutes

Recent episodes you might like:


3. The #AskGaryVee Show by Gary Vaynerchuk

For each episode of #AskGaryVee, Gary Vaynerchuk answers a question from his audience about marketing, social media, entrepreneurship and startups based on his lifetime experience of building successful, multi-million dollar companies. If you tweet him your question with #AskGaryVee, you might get on the show!

The show originally started as YouTube videos only, and Gary turned them into podcasts too so that his audience can listen to them on the go. If you usually listen to podcasts on your computer or prefer to watch the video, you might find the #AskGaryVee Search Engineuseful!

Hosts: Gary Vaynerchuk (CEO of Vayner Media and co-founder of Vayner Sports)

Format: 1-2 questions from his audience and answers from Gary

Duration: Ranges from 15 to 45 minutes

Recent episodes you might like:


4. Social Media Social Hour by Tyler Anderson

This is a podcast for marketers and entrepreneurs looking to get on the social media fast track. Each week, Tyler Anderson interviews people behind top brands and influencers to discuss social media, tech and online marketing. Tyler also shares tools and processes he personally uses (like Focus Booster) to help him with social media management, marketing, productivity and more.

Hosts: Tyler Anderson (Founder and CEO at Casual Fridays)

Format: Interviews

Duration: Ranges from 20 to 50 minutes

Recent episodes you might like:


5. Online Marketing Made Easy by Amy Porterfield

In her podcast, Amy Porterfield shares how to monetize your online marketing and blogging efforts using her own tested, actionable lead-generation strategies. Amy creates educational content on social media marketing, freelancing and several other areas of online marketing and even shares free cheatsheets and guides so that you can follow along while listening to the podcast. Sometimes, she’s joined by a Facebook ad expert, Rick Mulready, to discuss all about Facebook ads.

Hosts: Amy Porterfield (Social media strategist and co-author ofFacebook Marketing All-In-One for Dummies)

Format: Mix between interviews and solo podcasting on Facebook ads, online marketing and blogging

Duration: Ranges from 30 to 50 minutes

Recent episodes you might like:


6. Social Zoom Factor with Pam Moore

With 100,000 downloads per month, Social Zoom Factor is one of the most popular marketing podcasts. The show is hosted by Pam Moore of Marketing Nutz, a company with clients like IBM and Adobe. Pam covers topics such as social media, experiential branding, digital marketing and more.

Related: How to Curate Content and Grow Your Online Following

If you are an auditory learner and prefer listening versus reading blog posts, this might be the podcast for you!

Hosts: Pam Moore (CEO and Founder, Marketing Nutz)

Format: Solo podcasting on social media strategies

Duration: About 30 minutes

Recent episodes you might like:


7. #TwitterSmarter by Madalyn Sklar

In this podcast dedicated to Twitter, Madalyn Sklar interviews amazing movers and shakers in the world of social media and online marketing to discover the best Twitter insights, information and resources.

If you are into Twitter chats, Madalyn also hosts a weekly #TwitterSmarter chat — a Twitter chat to connect, learn and share Twitter tips — every Thursday at 1:00 p.m. ET/10:00 a.m. PT.

Hosts: Madalyn Sklar (Twitter marketing strategist)

Format: Interviews

Duration: Ranges from 10 to 30 minutes

Recent episodes you might like:


8. Hashtagged by Jordan Powers

Hashtagged is a podcast all about Instagram. In each episode, Jordan Powers interviews a member of the Instagram community to uncover insights to growing a following, building a community and making an impact.

Hosts: Jordan Powers (Photographer and co-founder of Made in Mankato, a video production company)

Format: Interviews

Duration: Ranges from 30 to 60 minutes

Recent episodes you might like:


9. Manly Pinterest Tips with Jeff Sieh

In this podcast mainly for everything about Pinterest, Jeff Sieh explores best practices, strategies and demonstrations with several Power Pinners. Once in a while, Jeff will cover other social networks like Facebook, Twitter and Instagram too.

Hosts: Jeff Sieh (Social media consultant and speaker)

Format: Interviews and answering questions from the community during the interviews

Duration: Ranges from 40 to 60 minutes

Recent episodes you might like:


Paid social marketing

1. The Art of Paid Traffic by Rick Mulready

In The Art of Paid Traffic, Rick Mulready reveals the best paid traffic tips, tactics and strategies for generating leads and sales on autopilot for your business. Together with expert guests such as Massimo Chieruzzi, founder & CEO of AdEspresso, Rick dives into Facebook ads, YouTube ads, Twitter ads, Google Adwords, retargeting and more.

Hosts: Rick Mulready (Expert in Facebook ads and marketing strategies for small businesses)

Format: Mix of interviews, case studies and solo podcasting

Duration: Ranges from 20 to 50 minutes

Recent episodes you might like:


2. Perpetual Traffic by Keith Krance, Molly Pittman and Ralph Burns

Perpetual Traffic podcast covers actionable strategies mainly for advertising on Facebook, with occasional mentions of YouTube, Twitter, Google AdWords, LinkedIn and more. Keith, Molly and Ralph interview business owners on how they overcame struggles with digital marketing and online advertising.

Hosts: Keith Krance (Founder and president of Dominate Web Media),Molly Pittman (Vice President and Traffic Manager, Digital Marketer) and Ralph Burns (Managing Partner at Dominate Web Media)

Format: Interviews and discussions on digital marketing and online advertising

Duration: Ranges from 20 to 40 minutes

Recent episodes you might like:


3. Social Media Pubcast with Jon Loomer

In each episode of Social Media Pubcast, Jon Loomer invites an industry expert to his virtual pub to discuss Facebook marketing and advertising over a beer. Jon also records audio versions of his blog posts for people who want to listen on the go.

Jon manages an exclusive community for advanced Facebook marketers, Power Hitters Club, which I thought is pretty awesome (says the Community Champion in me)!

Hosts: Jon Loomer (Founder of Jon Loomer, For Advanced Facebook Marketers)

Format: Mix of pubcasts with guests and audio version of blog posts

Duration: About 40 minutes for pubcasts and 10 minutes for audio recordings of blog posts

Recent episodes you might like:


Community building and customer support

At Buffer, the distinction between marketing and community is very blurry. In fact, we believe they belong together! An example is how our awesome social media manager, Brian Peters, has built an engaging community on Instagram.

Related: A Complete Guide to Instagram Marketing

Here are two podcasts with a strong community focus, plus a bonus third podcast with ties into customer support (a really great skill for social media marketers to have).

1. The FeverBee Podcast by FeverBee

While this show has stopped for a while now, the archive is a treasure trove of information! The podcast covers the latest in community management, social science and FeverBee news. In each episode, a community manager or social media manager of a well-known brand joins the show to share their knowledge.

Hosts: Caty Kobe (previously Head of Training, FeverBee)

Format: Interviews

Duration: About 30 minutes

Recent episodes you might like:


2. Community Signal by Patrick O’Keefe

Community Signal is a weekly podcast for community professionals, which is very community-focused. Patrick O’Keefe believes that social media is a set of tools for building a community and while “marketing brings new customers, community helps you keep them.”

Hosts: Patrick O’Keefe (Managed communities for more than 16 years)

Format: Interviews

Duration: About 30 minutes

Recent episodes you might like:


3. Support Ops by Chase Clemons

I believe it’s quite common for social media managers to receive support requests on their social channel. If that’s the case for you and if you are wondering how to get better at that, Support Ops might be just for you! This weekly podcast aims to help you deliver a better support experience to your customers.

Hosts and team: Chase Clemons (Support, Basecamp), Carolyn Kopprasch (Chief Happiness Officer, Buffer), Chase Livingston(Happiness Engineer, Automattic) and Jeff Vincent (Product, Wista)

Format: Discussions on customer support among the team, sometimes with guests

Duration: About 30 minutes

Recent episodes you might like:

 

Entrepreneur.com | October 20, 2016 |  Alfred Lua – Community and Marketing at Buffer

Your #Career : 17 Tricks for Landing a Job that Isn’t Advertised … or Doesn’t Exist….There’s a “Hidden Job Market” with Tons of Unadvertised Jobs. And as it Turns Out, There are some Easy Ways to Crack It.

“This is good news for job seekers who are a little adventurous but also strategic,” explains Lynn Taylor, a national workplace expert and author of “Tame Your Terrible Office Tyrant: How to Manage Childish Boss Behavior and Thrive in Your Job.” “A hidden market affords you endless opportunities to pursue your dream job. Whether a job is unadvertised or hasn’t even been created yet, by being proactive and pursuing the companies you want to join, you’ll increase the odds of finding what you want. And if the stars line up, you may even have limited or no competition.”

Free- Lock on Fence

With any job search, networking is critical, but especially if you pursue this alternative tactic,” Taylor adds. “If you know any insiders who either work or have worked at the companies you’re interested in, that’s great news. Or, you may know an industry contact who can refer you to such a person. But remember that if you’re casting a wide net and are still employed, you must use a lot of discretion.”

Your “hidden job search” will require a lot more research, tenacity, and emotional intelligence than a traditional one, she says, “because you typically have to do more persuading and take the time to package yourself extremely well when you’re trying to land an unadvertised, or non-existent job.” But the effort can be well worth it, she adds.

If you’re up for the challenge, here are 17 tricks for landing an elusive, hidden job:

1- Work on mastering your soft skills.

Taylor says you’ll need: good communication abilities, strong drive, excellent street smarts and instincts, great networking skills, diplomacy, intellectual curiosity, persuasiveness, an ability to articulate your pitch, passion, and creativity.

Aside from having a competitive, marketable skill set, these are some soft skills that can make a huge difference when trying to tap the hidden job market.

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2- Find your ‘unique selling proposition’ and master your elevator pitch.

You can’t be all things to all people, so zone in on your brand and “unique selling proposition.”

“Who are you in your industry sphere? What have you accomplished that makes you unique? Where are these skills most needed?” Taylor asks. “Make your elevator pitch powerful and succinct. Once you have your packaging complete, this kind of targeted search will be much more efficient.”

 

“When pursuing hidden jobs, this is more true than ever,” she explains. “Your question should initially be about whether they can help steer you in the right direction. Informational interviews are a foot in the door, too. They may be arranged because the hiring manager views them as a safe approach to keep your expectations low.”

3- Do your homework.

If and when you decide to pursue this type of job search, the onus is on you to conduct extensive research. “You have a little more latitude when there’s a published opening, but this requires a deeper understanding of the industry, company, their mission, department, specific contact names and duties, as well as knowledge of how you can contribute in a meaningful way,” Taylor explains.

Use keywords and the company name not only on LinkedIn, but through a general search, she suggests. “This way, you’ll find endless information on companies, people, strategies, news, and more.”

Roll up your sleeves and become a job sleuth. “Read news releases. Look for people with common interests and think out of the proverbial box. If one of your prospective hiringmanagers plays on a local golf team or is involved with your favorite charity, for instance, forge ahead and leverage commonalities. If they had an anniversary or major achievement in the press, mention that in your pitch,” she says.

 

“Since job networking has virtually become synonymous with LinkedIn, and networking is a huge part of your strategy, take advantage of this critical tool,” she says.

4- Network non-stop.

Spread the word about your job search on social media, talk to colleagues, reconnect with former colleagues, attend industry meetings and conferences, and talk with relatives and friends to get the word out. “Just be sure to thank your contacts along the way and offer to helpthem if they need anything,” she says. “Pay it forward.”

If you tell enough people about what you’re looking for and the value you can bring to a company, someone may say, “Oh, I think a job like that might be opening up at my company soon,” or a startup founder may hear about you and say, “We could probably use someone like that on our team.”

“With any job search, networking is critical, but especially if you pursue this alternative tactic,” Taylor adds. “If you know any insiders who either work or have worked at the companies you’re interested in, that’s great news. Or, you may know an industry contact who can refer you to such a person. But remember that if you’re casting a wide net and are still employed, you must use a lot of discretion.”

 

5- Stay on top of industry and company news.

Your homework is never done.

Set up alerts and stay on top of company and industry news. “It will help open doors and elevate your personal brand with prospective hiring managers,” she explains. “Google alerts is a must-have, but so are those from job-related apps. Openings for similar jobs at companies can give you a sign that your timing is good. Just be sure not to become overwhelmed with every app on the planet, especially if you’re easily distracted. Be focused and selective.”

6- Watch for companies in ‘hiring mode.’

When you read stories of companies hiring in your field, that’s a clue you have an above-average shot at either filling an unadvertised position, or potentially having one created for you, Taylor says.

 

7- Zero in on your dream job or company.

Finding a hidden job is more laborious, but your approach here is quality, not quantity. “So before you launch your campaign, have a clear idea of the position and companies that most appeal to you,” Taylor suggests. “Then scour their websites to familiarize yourself with their goals and people.”

8- Become a LinkedIn Guru.

“Since job networking has virtually become synonymous with LinkedIn, and networking is a huge part of your strategy, take advantage of this critical tool,” she says.

Learn the ins and outs of it; add meaningful connections; explore the benefits of LinkedIn Premium; post helpful articles to your page and groups; engage with members who might help you; look at your connections and their connections; offer to help others; write to employers; and regularly look at job postings on the site.

 

9- Ask for guidance, not jobs.

People are much more receptive when they’re not put on the spot.

“When pursuing hidden jobs, this is more true than ever,” she explains. “Your question should initially be about whether they can help steer you in the right direction. Informational interviews are a foot in the door, too. They may be arranged because the hiring manager views them as a safe approach to keep your expectations low.”

 

10- Volunteer and join committees.

Not only does volunteering with a charity help you give back, it can also establish trust, strong professional bonds, and friendships, she says. “If there’s an industry association that accepts volunteers and you can join a committee, you will interface with people who instantly have common interests. Job seekers who give back to their community have an edge in hiring, too, all things being equal.”

 

11- Call and email.

Did you need to read that twice? “In this day and age, calling a perfect stranger at a company with anything having to do with a job seems risky,” says Taylor. “However, that could be the very reason that you stand out. Some added ammunition: You know someone in common, you’re highly diplomatic, you have a competitive skill that’s in demand, and you understand their mission and corporate culture.”

Your email can acknowledge that they have no openings, but your background can be described as mutually advantageous for specific reasons. “This is where your deep knowledge of the firm can reap major rewards.”

12- Go as high as you can.

Depending on how senior you are and the size of the company, don’t be afraid to reach out and reach high in the organization.

“If you’re a mid-level IT manager, it may make perfect sense to target the CIO or CTO, especially if you have a very marketable skill. If you start too low, you may have to deal with the ‘fear factor’: No one wants to help a job candidate who could threaten their job security,” she says. “Accessing the email can be tricky, but there are ways to figure it out, and beginning with the appropriate admin can at least get you in the door.”

 

13- Consider project work or a temp job.

One way to land a job when there’s no advertised opening is to offer your services as a project worker, consultant, or high-level temporary worker. “If a full-time position is in the offing, you’re already well situated,” Taylor says.

14- Be kind to the gatekeeper.

“Most of the corporate positions I accepted were never advertised,” Taylor says. “I targeted companies with whom I wanted to work. I also believe that administrative assistants are the unsung heroes of today’s companies. They’re often the trusted confidantes of C-suite executives.”

Many job seekers make the mistake of overlooking this vast resource and try to circumvent them in emails or calls. But consider their knowledge and influence, she advises. “Executives who are told by their admins that a great candidate contacted them are much more likely to show interest than if the job seeker is evasive. This is where your people skills can shine, as you show respect for the very people who can be invaluable allies.”

 

15- Have a thick skin and remain positive.

No matter how diplomatic you are, you’ll run across people who will turn you down. “It’s fine. You’re not here to please everyone and you just became one person closer to landing a great, unexpected interview,” she says. “Negativity can drag anyone down, but if you remain tenacious, you will get traction.”

 

16- Be patient.

If you need a new job fast, this isn’t necessarily the way to go about it. But if you have the luxury of time, it’s an excellent approach.

However, you need to be patient. You’re trying to find jobs that are not advertised or may not even exist yet, so the process may be challenging and can take a while. Don’t give up too easily.

17- Assume an entrepreneurial mindset.

Tell yourself, “They need me more than I need them” until you believe it.

“View yourself as a catalyst for the company’s growth,” says Taylor. “Put yourself in the shoes of the manager and market yourself accordingly.” How will they advance their mission with you on board? What unique abilities do you bring to the table? Consider that you’re offering something they need versus asking for a favor.

“When conducting your job search, it’s wise to pursue the obvious: publicly posted openings,” she says. “But when you expand your options to the ‘unseen,’ the possibilities are only limited by you.”

 

 

Businessinsider.com | February 19, 2016  |  

Your #Career : New Year, New Strategy, New Job…So the Good News for Job Seekers is that Many People are Looking & Planning to Leave their Current Positions, which in Turn Creates Turnover

Whether you are thinking about finding a new job or contemplating a career shift to another field, the start of a new year is actually a good time to embark upon your search. Making a career change ranks high on many people’s list of New Year’s resolutions. A large spike in people searching on-line job boards, reaching out to contacts on various social platforms, and applying for new positions has marked the first week in January during the last three years.

Free- Lock in Door

So the good news for job seekers is that many people are looking and planning to leave their current positions, which in turn creates turnover and an enormous number of openings. The number of people leaving their jobs voluntarily in the U.S. has been increasing steadily. Once the impact of these resignations is felt, many companies will be searching for new talent to fill these vacant slots and it is expected to create a very robust job market in a wide range of industries.

There is also a sense that this year, more young and mid-level professionals will be looking for the “next” job or making a change, faster than previous generations. As Millennials are now the largest generation represented in the work-place, there is a great deal of evidence to suggest that Gen Y professionals get “job restless” quickly, especially if they feel under-valued, perceive that they don’t have enough visibility, and don’t feel that they are challenged and are learning enough from their current employer. Quite frankly, even if they are happy and like the people they work with, Millennials are often seeking to make a change because they have FOMO (fear of missing out) more than any other generation in history.

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Whether you are part of this demographic or not, all of this means an extremely positive outlook for would-be job seekers. So now that the conditions are positive for your job search, how do you make it happen? What will it really take? Here are some tips that should help you land a great new job in the New Year: 

  1. First, even though there are positive conditions for job seekers, don’t be over confident and make the mistake of under preparing or under estimating the amount of time and energy a true job search takes.
  2. Do your research when you are applying for jobs and demonstrate a real interest and knowledge of the employer. Elevate this to an even higher level of preparation for an interview. Recruiters are completely turned off when you don’t even know what the company does.
  3. Make sure that you have “good job search habits”. What I mean by this is that you should view your search as a job that you literally get up for each day of the week, get dressed and get to work. You set goals for the day of applying for positions that aren’t random, but you are truly interested in and qualified for and you keep a record of these and dates to follow up. You reach out to a number of contacts in your network and set up as many calls and “coffees” as possible.
  4. If you haven’t already, establish an email account that is professional and can handle large files. If you have been using your nickname @ AOL AOL +%, it’s time to set up a Gmail or similar large email account with your real name.
  5. Make sure you name your resume with your actual name, not “my resume”. You would be shocked at how many job seekers don’t do this and then wonder why they never hear back on a job they seem qualified for. It’s often because recruiters can’t find them.
  6. Master social. Utilize social media in strategic ways. Find companies and organizations that you are interested in and follow them on Twitter TWTR +0.00% andLinkedIn LNKD +0.00% and comment appropriately. Look out for tweets or job announcements and follow up.
  7. Utilize your college/university connections. The career center, alumni relations, and LinkedIn university pages are fantastic ways to find alumni from your Alma Mater who may be working in companies or industries that you are interested in. They can often offer advice and support as well as help connect you to additional opportunities.
  8. Speaking of networking, do it in person as well as online. Getting in front of people and being able to articulate what you are interested in, and a little about your background in a short amount of time (60-90 seconds), is an important “pitch” strategy to develop.
  9. Always be ready. Whether it’s a phone call, text, or other communication. In other words don’t pick up the phone if you are half asleep or at some loud social gathering. Rather, let the call go to your professional voice mailbox and then call the recruiter back when you have had a cup a coffee and are in a quiet area with strong cell phone reception.
  10. Keep up your energy, determination, and positive attitude. Job searching can be a very humbling experience, but no one wants to hire someone who appears frustrated and desperate.  Demonstrating your genuine interest and enthusiasm are key. Exercise, get plenty of sleep and talk to friends and job search professionals to get encouragement, vent and keep up your spirits.Depending on what positions and organizations you are applying for, your geographic location, and your flexibility, job searches can take a while. The good news is that there is a great deal of movement and opportunity on the horizon, and if you follow these tips, you can land that great new job in 2016.

    Forbes.com | January 13, 2016 | Trudy Steinfeld @nyuwasserboss