Digital marketing in general, and social media marketing in particular, have become ubiquitous.
But if you aspire to become a social media marketer, is a social media marketing degree absolutely necessary? And, if so, how does it help your career?
In this guide, we’ll explore the pros and cons of a social media marketing degree and highlight four ways you can receive a social media marketing education. To wrap up, we’ll assess whether you can become a social media marketer without a degree.
Let’s begin!
A social media marketing degree prepares you for a career as a social media specialist in various industries like entertainment, journalism, politics, and business.
Courses typically cover topics such as business, marketing, strategic communications, social media measurement, public relations, interactive advertising, and might also include third-party certifications like Google Analytics.
For bachelor’s degrees, social media marketing is often a specialization within general marketing degrees. The advantage of these degrees is that you have a more comprehensive range of career options, such as marketing analyst or digital marketer.
Typically these degrees include core topics like marketing research, strategic marketing planning, brand management, and consumer behavior. Students can then specialize in social media marketing with modules in social media marketing strategy and social media management.
The same scenario applies to digital marketing degrees, except the core focus shifts to digital branding, digital advertising, and digital promotions, plus the option for social media marketing.
Whether you opt for a social media marketing, digital marketing, or generic marketing degree, bachelor’s degree programs take four years. And, if you want to study further, master’s degree programs and MBAs generally require one to two years.
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As with most things in life, there are pros and cons to a social media marketing degree.
On the one hand, a social media marketing degree will give you a strong foundation so that you can:
On the other hand, a social media marketing degree might not:
Ideally, you want a mix of both – a social media marketing degree plus “real-life” experience with the latest technology.
Here are four ways you can get some form of social media marketing education, from completing courses to getting platform-certified or obtaining a degree.
Graduating with a social media marketing degree from a university is the highest recognized academic achievement. Many universities now offer online and/or on-campus courses so that you can tailor studies to your requirements.
For undergraduates, you could study for a bachelor’s degree in either Social Media Marketing or (Digital) Marketing with an emphasis or specialization in social media marketing:
For graduates, you could study further for a masters degree in Social Media Marketing or a more generic subject, such as Communication, that focuses on social media marketing:
For those individuals who have a degree in another field or wish to gain a specialist qualification, many universities offer online courses leading to a social media marketing certificate.
A social media marketing certificate prepares you for various roles, including social media manager, social media strategist, community manager, social media marketing coordinator, and social media consultant.
Aside from universities, various online education platforms offer social media marketing courses and certificates. These courses are ideal if you want to add a social media qualification to your resume without investing four years in a bachelor’s program.
Most social media networks have their own online training and professional certification programs for their platform. These courses are handy if you want to get up to speed on a particular platform or add a niche specialization to your resume.
Bottom line: There’s a course and qualification to fit everyone’s career.
In short: Yes, you can.
It’s fair to assume that you could apply similar figures to social media marketers in particular.
It’s a known fact that many people find themselves in jobs that are totally unrelated to their university education, and social media marketers are no different.
You can become a social media marketer with no degree, a non-related degree, or a related degree in business administration, PR, communications, or journalism.
If you don’t have a degree, you’ll need to offer relevant “digital marketing skills” plus “soft skills” to a social media marketing role.
For example, here’s our take on the 18 most in-demand marketing skills that brands want in their teams:
Soft Marketing Skills
Hard Marketing Skills
Organizational Best Practices
Finally, if you don’t have a degree, the best way to demonstrate your social media skills is by promoting your personal brand. A living, breathing online portfolio will showcase your desire and experience to become a social media marketer.
As social media marketing has grown over the years, so too has the number of social media marketing degrees. Many universities now offer social media marketing degrees or marketing degrees with an emphasis on social media.
Having a social media marketing degree is undoubtedly a big plus, but it’s not the only way to become a social media marketer. You can gain relevant marketing certificates from online learning portals and social media platforms.
Even without a degree, all is not lost, as long as you can prove your worth as a social media marketer.