Social Media Training For Rookies

Social media training is one of the best professional development exercises you could possibly go through. Developing and implementing a social media marketing plan will require some good training if it’s going to be effective. But it doesn’t stop there. The opportunities are constantly expanding, rules are changing, and the rewards go to those who stay current.

Here are some ideas on how you can gain great training inexpensively, quickly, and easily. But before you begin, it’s important that you understand that social media marketing doesn’t outsource well. It doesn’t even “insource” well. The best success is coming from businesses that are embracing social media at all levels, not just using a “Hey you, do our social media marketing!” approach. It’s best done as a team sport.

Before you go buy the latest shiny, expensive course, here are a few tips that can really help you get a self education without spending a time:

– Search your specific key terms and competitors on the major social media sites, namely YouTube, Twitter and Facebook. Through simple observation you can pick up some great ideas.

– Use the tools yourself for fun and business. Do you even have accounts with the top social networks? If so, are you really using them every day? Being engaged is critical to your success. You will pick up great ideas on social marketing just from being engaged and aware of the advertising going on within the networks.

– Subscribe to high level social marketing blogs. Some of these blogs have more quality content on them than any ten of the expensive paid courses being offered.

Another often overlooked opportunity for social media training is to be a good student of your existing social marketing tools. Chances are, you already have some tools or software in place. Often, the written and video training for these services contains invaluable intel that can make a big difference in your marketing.

The last option is of course paid training courses. And some of these are well worth the price. But make sure and do some solid homework on the course and trainer before you invest. Many of these people are rookies with no real world experience or resume in social media. Make sure the content is based on real world success, not theory they picked up from the same sources you could.

The last thing I recommend is to commit to a daily routine of professional training. I spend just twenty to thirty minutes a day studying and learning some aspect of social marketing, and over time it has paid great dividends.

I hope these tips help you develop a simple, affordable training program that will help you master social media!