Social Media Marketing Certificates Dallas, TX

Social media marketing is the use of social media platforms like Instagram and YouTube to connect with an audience, market products or services, and boost sales and traffic. Billions of people around the world use social media—4.9 billion according to a recent Forbes Advisor article—making social media a great way to connect with consumers. Adobe explains, “There are many advantages to social media marketing, including brand recognition, audience engagement, and increased website traffic.” In fact, it adds, “Businesses failing to use social media marketing successfully are missing out on what could be a valuable part of their overall marketing strategy.” Since social media constantly changes, so do social media marketing strategies. That means that as a Social Media Marketer, it is important to keep up-to-date on current trends.

Most people believe that the first social media site was Six Degrees, which was launched in 1997. This site got its name from the “six degrees of separation” theory, which is the idea that a person can be connected to any other person in the world through a chain of six or fewer social connections. Six Degrees was soon followed by several other sites including MySpace and Friendster. Today, some of the most popular social media sites are Facebook, LinkedIn, X (formerly Twitter), and YouTube. The Pew Research Center estimates that seven in ten Americans use social media.

Why Become Certified in Social Media Marketing?

If you want to work in social media marketing, getting certified can be a great way to start learning the skills you’ll need. Social media marketing is widely considered to be an essential marketing tool, and you’re likely to find a lot of job opportunities in this field. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics is a federal agency that measures and analyzes labor market information for the United States, and it reports a promising future outlook for marketing jobs. The agency doesn’t track social media marketing specifically, but it has a category for Advertising, Promotions, and Marketing Managers, which is likely to include a lot of social media marketing since this type of marketing is so common. It reports that over the next ten years, jobs in this field will increase by 6 percent, which is double the average job growth rate of 3 percent. It also predicts that the majority of this growth will occur in digital media campaigns in particular.

While social media marketing is a needed job skill at present, experts report that employers are looking for people who have a good understanding of the field. In a recent LinkedIn report, the author explains that while social media marketing is an in-demand skill, employers are looking for people who are well-educated and know how to create effective campaigns. She explains, “Employers aren’t just looking for someone to keep their various accounts up-to-date, however. They’re looking for social media strategists: marketers who understand how to use social media presence in conjunction with the rest of their organization’s tools to forward business goals in meaningful, concrete, and measurable ways.”

What You’ll Learn While Becoming Social Media Marketing Certified

Social media marketing certificate programs vary by school. For example, some programs take weeks to complete, while others take months, and every program has its own unique curriculum. However, many certificate programs do have several things in common. For instance, no matter what program you choose, you’re likely to learn about marketing strategies, as well as major social media platforms. In addition, you’re likely to learn about how to use paid advertisements and analytics. Finally, in many certificate programs, you’ll also learn how to create a portfolio.

Marketing Strategies

When you market something on social media or elsewhere, you need to have a strategy. This is a game plan about what your goals are, and how you plan to achieve them. Most certificate programs will teach you about how to develop effective strategies in social media marketing.

About Major Social Media Platforms

Any social media marketing program is sure to cover the major social media platforms out there. You might learn about the history of these platforms, in addition to how they work, and how marketers can utilize them to reach customers. Different sites can require distinct strategies.

How to Use Paid Advertisements

Social media marketing can include unpaid posts. However, companies can also pay money to have their brands promoted on social media sites, in what is called paid advertisements, and you’re likely to learn about this in a social media marketing certificate.

How to Use Data Analytics

An important part of social media marketing is using data to learn more about things like the needs of your audience, and current trends, so that you can create more effective campaigns. In addition, you can learn how to use data to measure the success of your campaigns.

How to Create a Portfolio

In most social media marketing classes, you’ll learn about how to create a portfolio. This is an important part of finding a job. You’re also likely to work on projects that you can include in that portfolio.

Social Media Marketing Industries in Dallas

Dallas has a large and thriving economy, and is widely reported to be a good place to live and work no matter what your interests. The City of Dallas explains that diversity is one of the things that Dallas is known for. It states, “Dallas’ diverse business environment offers almost any career the opportunity to grow. Over 65,000 businesses call the City of Dallas home, including global leaders such as Texas Instruments, AT&T, Comerica, and Southwest Airlines. Dallas’ 59,000 small businesses offer numerous employment opportunities.” The Dallas Chamber of Commerce also stresses that diversity is one of the area’s key assets, explaining, “Scanning the roster of major employers located in DFW [Dallas–Fort Worth], it’s easy to see the diversity of the business community, from high-tech, telecommunications, logistics, and finance industry leaders to consumer brands that impact the daily lives of households across the globe.” Social media marketing is needed in many different industries, so if you’re planning to live in Dallas, you’re likely to have a lot of options.

Dallas is also known for its tech scene. Built In explains, “Prioritizing its local talent and tech community, Dallas has become a sought-after destination on a national and international level. Tech companies are moving their headquarters to Dallas, bringing fresh jobs and opportunities to the city. With its infectious maverick mentality, Dallas has joined the ranks of the tech elite while blazing trails for others to follow.” CompTIA rates the best places to live and work in tech in the United States in its Tech Town Index. It recently placed Dallas in the number three spot.

Social Media Marketing Careers in Dallas

People who work in social media marketing hold several different job titles. A Social Media Marketer is someone who specializes in marketing campaigns that take place through social media. A Social Media Strategist also works on social media marketing; however, they typically focus more on long-term strategies and goals. Payscale is a website that provides salary estimates for many different jobs in Dallas. It reports that a Social Media Strategist working in Dallas earns about $57,000 per year. Another job that involves managing social media marketing activities is a Social Media Marketing Manager. Payscale finds that in Dallas, the average salary for a Social Media Marketing Manager is $51,000 per year.

Some social media experts work in jobs that also involve marketing through other digital media, like websites. For example, a Digital Marketer creates and manages digital marketing campaigns, including, but not limited to, social media. Another person who works on digital marketing campaigns, including social media, is a Digital Strategist. According to Payscale, in Dallas, a Digital Strategist earns about $59,000 per year. A Digital Analyst is someone who analyzes and interprets digital marketing campaigns. In Dallas, a Digital Analyst earns approximately $60,000 per year as reported by Payscale.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics tracks job information for people who work as Advertising, Promotions, and Marketing Managers, which includes working through social media, and predicts a strong future in this field. It says that most of the growth in this industry will be related to social media and other digital media, stating, “The demand for advertising and promotions managers is expected to be concentrated in industries that rely on these workers to create digital media campaigns that target customers through the use of websites, social media, or live chats.” The BLS also finds that Dallas has a significant share of these jobs. For example, the city ranks in the top ten for the highest employment levels of Marketing Managers, and also for Advertising and Promotions Managers.

Should You Pursue a Certificate or Certification

Some people use “certificate” and “certification” interchangeably; however, these two qualifications are very different. A certificate is something issued by an academic institution after you finish a specific program of study. Every institution has its own unique certificate programs. In contrast, a certification is issued by an industry- or career-related organization and is a standardized credential that is the same no matter where you get it. To earn certification, you will usually need to pass a standardized test to prove your knowledge. In a recent LinkedIn article, the author explains that certification is generally more difficult to achieve, stating, “Certification… is a more rigorous and formal process that verifies an individual's knowledge, skills and abilities in a specific profession or industry.”

Both a certificate and a certification can help you move ahead in your career; however, most people pursue them for different reasons. Most certificate programs are designed for beginners and cover a broad range of different social media marketing skills. You can enroll in a certificate program to prepare for an entry-level job in social marketing. If you already have a lot of expertise in social media marketing, a certification can be a good way to stand out from your competition. Certification proves that you have a certain level of knowledge, and certifications are often attractive to employers.

Top Social Media Marketing Certificate Programs in Dallas

Social media marketing is currently an in-demand skill, and a social media marketing certificate is a great way to gain the knowledge you’ll need to work in this field. There are several different certificate offerings in the Dallas area. You’ll find both part-time and full-time options, in addition to in-person and online courses.

Digital Media Marketing Specialist Certificate

This certificate is offered by Dallas College, which is one of the largest community colleges in Texas. Founded in 1965, the school has seven campuses in the Dallas area. 18 credit hours are required to earn this certificate. Tuition at Dallas College is $79 per credit hour for Dallas County residents, and $135 per credit hour for out-of-county residents.

The certificate is designed to get students ready for a career in digital marketing. The required courses are: Principles of Marketing, Ecommerce Marketing, Strategies in Social Media Marketing, Marketing Research and Strategies, Advertising and Sales Promotion, and Digital Marketing.

Digital Marketing Certificate

The Digital Marketing Certificate is a Continuing Education course at Collin College. Collin College has multiple campuses in the Dallas area. Students need to take eight classes to earn this certificate. Tuition for Collin College is $60 per credit hour for Collin County residents, $115 for Texas residents, and $185 for out-of-state residents.

This course starts with four core classes: Business Intelligence Using Google Analytics, internet Marketing Using Google Ads, WordPress, and Search Engine Optimization. After that, students can choose four elective courses. Overall, the class is intended to provide skills in Search Engine Optimization, AdWords, Google Analytics, and Social Media. It is intended for small business owners, marketing professionals, web developers, and entrepreneurs.

Social Media Marketing Certificate

The Social Media Marketing Certificate is a live online course offered by coding and design school Noble Desktop. There are 72 hours of instruction, divided into 12 class sessions. Tuition is $2,495. The course is licensed by the New York State Department of Education and is intended for anyone who wants to work in social media marketing.

Students learn about major marketing platforms including TikTok, Facebook, LinkedIn, and YouTube. Instructors cover the history of the platforms, how marketing on each platform works, and the benefits of marketing on the different platforms. Students also learn about how to identify and engage with an audience, and how to expand their research. Finally, throughout the course, they work on a professional portfolio that they can use to showcase their social media marketing skills.

Digital Marketing Certificate

The Digital Marketing Certificate is an online bootcamp-style course offered by the Digital Workshop Center. Students learn how to use marketing analytics and how to create content that targets customers. There are 100 hours of instruction in this 6-month course. Tuition is $5,799, or there is a $200 discount if students pay in full upfront. The school also offers several different payment plans.

Specific skills covered in the program include conversion rates and benchmarks, the process of testing, exploring different social channels, best practices of Search Engine Optimization, Pay-per-click Ad Campaigns, tracking progress and ROI, and understanding customer engagement and retention. Students also work on a capstone project, from concept to delivery. In addition, the Digital Workshop Center offers career coaching, including mock interview workshops. Finally, the school has a partnership with Parker-Dewey that allows them to offer micro internships to students. These are short, paid professional assignments where students can learn and demonstrate skills, network, and explore a variety of career paths.

Social Media Marketing Certificate

eCornell is Cornell University’s external education unit, and its Social Media Marketing Certificate is an online class that takes three months to complete. The class was developed by Cornell University faculty and is led by a social media marketing expert. Students should expect to spend five to seven hours each week on coursework. Tuition is $3,750 for upfront access to the entire course, or students can make 6 monthly payments of $675 or 3 monthly payments of $1,300.

Instructors cover social media marketing best practices, designing a marketing strategy, and creating a marketing campaign. Students also learn to create a cross-platform social listening and community management system so that they can measure the success of their marketing campaigns. This course is intended to leave students with a fully integrated social media campaign that they can launch in the market.

Digital Marketing Program

El Camino College is a public community college in Torrance, California. It offers a variety of virtual courses in addition to in-person instruction. The Digital Marketing Program is an online class that is intended to get students ready for an entry-level job in digital marketing. As part of the course, students also create a portfolio. There are 19 class sessions, and tuition is $3,745.

Instructors cover a variety of different digital marketing concepts including market research, branding, digital advertising, organic and paid media, and competitor analysis. Students also learn about Google Analytics, SEO, advertising strategy, website analytics, and customer persona. They will become proficient in several advertising platforms including Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn.