Social Media for Business Certificate

Get in on this exciting and growing way to communicate, market and serve your customers and clients. For businesses, nonprofits, government, and other organizations. From Facebook to Twitter, blogging, YouTube, LinkedIn, and more, discover the new principles of communication that apply across all networks and how these specific social networks work and the possible uses for your organization.

Learn how social media is used to develop a two-way communication and marketing strategy for your organization. Then find out what you can be doing, what you should be doing, and take back a plan to integrate social media into your communication and marketing.

Whether you are new to social media or already involved, you will come away with both an understanding of social media and practical, how-to techniques to integrate social media into your organization or business. Your instructors are outstanding practitioners who also speak, write, and train others on social media.

Online, Three one month courses; Just $629 total; Jennifer H. Selke and Suzanne Kart, instructors.

Introduction to Social Media

Get involved in the move from in-person to online communication. Learn what social media are and their role in your business and personal life. Find out the top sites and how businesses are using the sites for communication, customer retention, branding, marketing, market research, needs assessment and serving customers and clients. Explore the options for your organization. Look at case studies of what other organizations are doing. Let your instructor guide your exploration of Facebook and YouTube. For anyone interested in social media.

Your instructor is a nationally known speaker, consultant and trainer on social networks and social media.

Course Outline

Unit 1.
What is Social Media Marketing
Definition of social media 
The evolution of social media
Tools and technology available
The logistics of time and resources

Unit 2.
How Online Communities Have Changed Marketing and Branding
Marketing and branding online
Engaging users online 
Top sites for business and work in social media
Common misconceptions and mistakes in using social media

Unit 3.
Business and Work Applications of Social Media
A review of various social media and their characteristics
Business uses of social media
Strategies for social media and work
Examples and case studies of work applications of social media

Unit 4.
Using Facebook to Promote Your Brand and Engage Your Customers
Setting up a Facebook Account
How to interact with others using Facebook
Creating networks and communication using Facebook
Business uses of Facebook

Marketing Using Social Media

Develop a two-way communication and marketing strategy for your organization using social media. Let your instructor guide you in exploring major social media, including Twitter, LinkedIn, and blogging. Learn quick, easy ways to use Twitter, blogs and LinkedIn to engage your customers or clients and keep them interested in your organization or business. You’ll find out the advantages and disadvantages of each, and learn what’s right for your work and kind of organization.

Your instructor is a director of marketing for a national association, and writes and speaks on the topic.

Course Outline

Unit 1. 
Social media as two-way communication
The customer-business relationship 
The power of viral marketing
Building customer loyalty with social media
Using social media to brand your organization

Unit 2.
Creating, marketing and communicating using Blogs
How blogs got started
Writing blogs for work and business
Marketing and promoting your blog
Business strategies for blogs

Unit 3.
How to use Twitter 
Uniqueness of Twitter
Creating tweets and messages
Doing research and information gathering with Twitter
Integrating Twitter with other publicity

Unit 4. 
LinkedIn: a social media for professionals
Why businesses and professionals use LinkedIn
How LinkedIn distinguishes itself among social networks
Getting connected with LinkedIn
Case studies and examples of business and professional uses

Integrating Social Media in Your Organization

Take away a practical strategy and techniques for implementing social media for your organization or business. Learn how to create your own private social media using Ning, work socially using Google Docs and calendars, and move your web site to an interactive Web 2.0 site.

Then your instructor will help you choose which social media tools are right for your situation, and then integrate them into your web site to develop a social media strategy for your organization.

Find out what you can be doing, what you should be doing, and take back a plan to integrate social media into your communication and marketing.

Course Outline

Unit 1.
Creating Your Own Social Media with Ning
How private social media differ from public networks
Creating a Ning account
Unique uses of private social media
Integrating a private network into your organization

Unit 2.
What Tools to Use for Your Organization
Choosing social media tools
Analyzing your goals and objectives
Creating your own organizational strategy
Staffing and management support

Unit 3.
Integrating Social Platforms into Your Web Site
Moving your web site to 2.0
Designing web sites for interaction and engagement
Technical considerations
Management strategies

Unit 4.
Developing a Manageable Work Flow
Time, resources and budgets
Evaluating your success with social media
The future of social media

About Your Instructors

Jennifer Selke is a nationally known expert, speaker and consultant in the area of social media. She is a faculty member in the University of California Berkeley Graduate School of Education and is affiliated with the Berkeley Center for New Media. She speaks at national conferences on the subject of social networks, writes articles on the subject, and conducts webinars for professionals on the topic.

Suzanne Kart is Director of Marketing for the Learning Resources Network, a national association in lifelong learning. Her current work involves Twitter, eMarketing, social networks, and blogs, as well as traditional print and direct marketing.

Kart is a national expert on generational communication, having written articles and contributed to two manuals on the subject. She does training and seminars throughout the United States and Canada on generational communication, eMarketing, marketing and social networks.