Social Media Marketing Certificates Houston, TX

Social media marketing is a type of marketing done through social media platforms. Marketers use these platforms to connect with consumers, market a variety of different products and services, and boost sales and traffic. The first social media site was called Six Degrees. It was launched in 1997 and was named for the idea of “six degrees of separation, ” which is a theory that every person can be connected to any other person in the world through a chain of six or fewer social connections. Other early sites include Friendster and MySpace. Today, some of the most popular social media sites are Facebook, Instagram, X (formerly Twitter), LinkedIn, and YouTube.

Social media marketing has become widespread because so many people now use social media. Forbes Advisor reports, “The number of social media users worldwide has swelled to a record 4.9 billion people globally. What’s more, this number is expected to jump to approximately 5.85 billion users by 2027.” Recognizing how important social media has become, many businesses have embraced it as part of their marketing strategy. According to the Forbes Advisor report, 77 percent of businesses now use social media to reach customers. Another reason for the popularity of this type of marketing is that Social Media Marketers have access to a huge amount of user data that they can use to get a better understanding of how to engage with users. In addition, they can measure the success of their marketing campaigns by analyzing this data.

Why Become Certified in Social Media Marketing?

If you want to work in social media marketing, it's important to get a good education first, which is why certification can be a good idea. In a recent LinkedIn article, the author reports that digital marketing is one of the top ten in-demand skills for marketing professionals. She explains, “It’s not hard to see why: Virtually no business could operate today without an extensive digital marketing strategy.” However, she adds that these businesses are looking for marketers who have a good understanding of how to utilize social media and other digital platforms. She says, “The more important those strategies become, the more important it is to have an expert guiding them.”

While lots of people use social media for fun, utilizing it in a marketing campaign is completely different and requires some specialized knowledge. The author of a recent Forbes Advisor article explains, “While it may be tempting to post on a few social media platforms whenever you feel like it, doing so isn’t recommended. To truly make the most out of social media marketing and increase its chances of success, you need a solid social media strategy.” When you enroll in a paid course like a certificate program, you’ll learn all of the tools that will allow you to create such a strategy.

What You’ll Learn While Becoming Social Media Marketing Certified

Every school has its own unique social media marketing programs, and programs vary by length and by the specific content that is covered. Many certificate programs do have several things in common, though. Every program will cover marketing strategies, in addition to the major social media platforms. Most also teach students how to use analytics and paid advertisements. Another thing that you’re likely to learn in a certificate program is how to create a portfolio.

Marketing Strategies

An important part of any marketing campaign is strategy. Marketers create a plan about what their goals are and how they plan to achieve them. Learning about how to do this is a central part of most social media marketing courses.

About Major Social Media Platforms

In order to effectively market on social media, you need to understand the various platforms. When you take a social media marketing class, you’ll learn about the major social media platforms, how they work, and how to best reach their users. Since social media sites all work in slightly different ways, you're likely to need a unique marketing strategy for each different site.

How to Use Paid Advertisements

Some social media marketing involves the use of unpaid posts; however, most marketers also use paid advertisements. Paid advertisements are where marketers pay to have their brands promoted on various social media sites. Most certificate programs cover paid advertisements.

How to Use Data Analytics

Social media marketers utilize data so that they can learn about trends and audience needs to create more effective advertising campaigns. They also use data to measure the success of their campaigns. Most social media marketing certificates cover these skills.

How to Create a Portfolio

In addition to earning a certificate, if you’re looking for a social media marketing job, you’ll probably need a portfolio. This is a way to show your skills to potential clients and employers. In a certificate program, you’re likely to learn about how to create that portfolio, in addition to working on projects that you can include in it.

Social Media Marketing Industries in Houston

With more than three-quarters of businesses utilizing social media in marketing, social media marketing jobs are found across a wide range of different industries. No matter where you’re looking to work, you’re likely to find many opportunities in Houston. This city is the fourth largest in the United States and has a staggering regional GDP of $490 billion. The Greater Houston Partnership explains some of the reasons for its busy economy, saying, “Houston is pro-growth, with low costs and low regulations, and with no corporate or personal income tax at the state level, companies operating in Houston enjoy one of the lowest overall tax burdens in the country.”

Some of the key industries in Houston include energy, manufacturing, life sciences, and logistics. The city also has a thriving tech scene. In addition, Houston is home to many large national companies. The Greater Houston Partnership reports that it ranks third among U.S. cities for having the most Fortune 500 company headquarters. Those companies include ExxonMobil.

Social Media Marketing Careers in Houston

When you look at careers related to social media marketing, you’ll find several different job titles. There are both similarities and differences between various social media marketing roles. A Social Media Marketer is a person who specializes in marketing campaigns that are carried out through social media. Like a Social Media Marketer, a Social Media Strategist also works on social media marketing; however, this role typically includes more of a focus on long-term strategies and goals. The Payscale website has Houston salary estimates for many different jobs related to social media. It finds that a Houston Social Media Strategist earns about $49,000 per year. Another job that is centered on social media marketing is a Social Media Marketing Manager. According to Payscale, in Houston, the average yearly salary for a Social Media Manager is about $50,000.

There are also many jobs that involve marketing through other digital media in addition to social media. One example is a Digital Marketer, which is someone who creates and manages digital marketing campaigns, which typically include social media. A Digital Strategist also works on digital marketing campaigns. Payscale reports that in Houston, a Digital Marketing Strategist earns about $55,000 per year. Digital Analysts analyze and interpret digital marketing campaigns and earn about $81,000 yearly, according to Payscale.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (the BLS), there is a strong future for Advertising, Promotions, and Marketing Managers, which includes people who work with social media. It predicts that overall, there will be a 6 percent increase in jobs in this field over the next ten years, which is twice the average growth rate of 3 percent. The BLS also ranks Houston in the top ten metropolitan areas in the country for the highest employment levels of Advertising and Promotions Managers.

Should You Pursue a Certificate or Certification?

While certificates and certifications do have some things in common, there are a lot of differences between the two. A certificate program is a comprehensive course that generally takes weeks or months to complete and provides training in all the skills you need for an entry-level job in social media marketing. Each educational institution has its own unique certificate programs. For instance, Noble Desktop’s Social Media Marketing Certificate follows a unique curriculum that you won’t find anywhere else. Compared to a certificate, a certification is generally focused on a much narrower set of skills. To earn a certification, you may have to complete a set number of hours of training. In most cases, you also need to pass a standardized exam at an approved testing center. While certificates vary from school to school, certifications are the same no matter where you get them.

Both a certificate and a certification can be beneficial to your career. They demonstrate that you have mastered certain skills and that you are serious enough about what you do to take the time to improve your skills. However, most people pursue them for different reasons. A LinkedIn author explains how they differ, stating, “If you are looking to gain basic knowledge in a specific area or field, a certificate program may be a good fit. If, however, you are looking to establish yourself as an expert in a particular profession or industry, certification may be the way to go.”

Top Social Media Marketing Certificate Programs in Houston

Getting a social media marketing certificate can be a great way to prepare for a job in this field. Most certificate programs are designed to get you ready for an entry-level job in social media marketing within a matter of weeks or months. If you’re based in Houston and you want to sign up for a social media marketing certificate program, you’ll find several different options, including both in-person and online instruction.

Digital Marketing Certificate

This program is offered through the C.T. Bauer College of Business at the University of Houston. Tuition is $4,950. Classes run from 9 a.m. To 5 p.m. Each day. The University of Houston was founded in 1927. It is located about ten minutes out of downtown Houston.

The program takes four days to complete, with a total of five different courses. In Search Engine Optimization, students learn about using SEO for marketing. Search Engine Advertising covers practical search marketing information that can be used to increase website traffic. In Content Marketing, students learn to build a content marketing campaign. Web Analytics covers the use of various tools and metrics. Finally, Social Media Marketing is focused on using a variety of social media tools and platforms to promote your brand.

Digital Marketing Boot Camp

This bootcamp is a part-time program designed to teach students about marketing strategy, digital advertising, and campaign development. It is offered through the Susanne M. Glasscock School of Continuing Studies at Rice University, and runs in an online format. Classes run three days a week from 6:30 p.m. To 9:30 p.m., and the course takes a total of 18 weeks to complete. Tuition is $11,995.

Students learn about digital marketing including content strategy, data strategies, and digital marketing channels. The course also covers digital advertising and automation, which includes topics such as display advertising, retargeting, marketing automation, and paid search. The third area that instructors focus on is optimizing campaigns and websites, where students learn about things like website creation, website analytics, and content optimization. There is also an optional pre-course called Marketing Fundamentals. In addition, students have the ability to take part in paid micro internships.

Social Media Marketing Certificate

This program runs virtually through Noble Desktop, which is a New York City-based design and coding school. It is intended for anyone who wants to work in social media marketing. There are 12 sessions, with a total of 72 hours of instruction, and tuition is $2,495. Students also have the option of a free retake within a year. The course is licensed by the New York State Department of Education.

Students take eight different units: LinkedIn Marketing Bootcamp, YouTube Marketing, TikTok Marketing, Social Media Content Marketing: Blogs & X (formerly known as Twitter), Instagram Marketing Bootcamp, Facebook Marketing Bootcamp, Streaming for Social Media, and Social Media Industry & Portfolio. In these units, instructors cover the history of the platforms, how marketing works on each one, and the platform benefits. Students also learn how to identify and engage with an audience, and how to expand their reach. In addition, they work on a portfolio of projects that can be used to showcase their skills to employers or clients.

Digital Marketing Certificate

This course runs through the Digital Workshop Center, a tech school that offers a variety of different tech-related classes, including certificate programs. Tuition is $5,799, or $5,599 if paid in full upfront, and the course takes six months to complete. The Digital Workshop Center has a partnership with Parker-Dewey where students can also take part in micro internships, which are short, paid professional assignments where they can learn and demonstrate skills, and explore different career paths.

The certificate program covers a long list of digital marketing skills including conversion rates and benchmarks, exploring different social channels, best practices of Search Engine Optimization, Pay-per-click Ad Campaigns, tracking progress and ROI, understanding customer engagement and retention, storytelling and persuasion marketing, and understanding marketplaces. Students also work on a real-world project from concept to delivery, with guidance from the instructor.

Digital Marketing Program

El Camino College’s Digital Marketing Program is intended to prepare students for an entry-level job in digital marketing. It has 19 class sessions and costs $3,745. El Camino College is a public community college in Torrance, California, that offers both in-person and virtual classes.

Students who take this course learn a variety of different digital marketing concepts including digital advertising, market research, branding, organic and paid media, and competitor analysis. In addition, they learn about Google Analytics, SEO, advertising strategy, website analytics, and customer persona. After finishing the course, they will be proficient in using several advertising platforms including Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn.

Social Media Marketing Certificate

This certificate program is offered by eCornell, which is Cornell University’s external education unit. It costs $3,750 for upfront access to the entire course. Another option is to make 6-monthly payments of $675 or 3-monthly payments of $1,300. The course takes three months to complete, with five to seven hours of work required per week. ECornell programs are developed by Cornell University faculty. Students learn as part of a cohort of 20 to 30 other students.

This certificate is designed to leave students with a fully integrated social media campaign that they can launch in the market. It is made up of six courses: Social Media Strategy, Social Media Marketing Across the Purchase Funnel, Creating Effective Content Marketing, Building the Brand Through Influencer Marketing, Social Listening and Community Management, and Measuring Social Media Marketing Success. In addition, students get free access to Symposium for a year, where they can attend live Zoom sessions on marketing, with Cornell faculty experts.