Program helps students become social savvy in rapid-moving medium
KENNESAW, Ga. (July 17, 2014) – Kennesaw State University’s College of Continuing and Professional Education has announced the next offering of its Social Media Marketing course will begin Aug. 11. The course is designed to provide students the knowledge and skills to effectively use social media in business marketing. Instructed by Tyra Burton, an early adopter of blogs and podcasts, the program assists students in understanding how to create brand platforms and capitalize on their social media presence.“I think what people don’t understand about social media is that it’s not going away,” Burton said. “It’s also something that regardless of your target market, more than likely they are on social media. So whether it’s somebody’s grandpa or grandson, they are on social media and there is a platform that caters to them.”
The course has drawn a diverse group of students ranging from recent college graduates, people starting new careers, those learning how to market themselves, social media representatives from existing companies, and bloggers in their 70s.
With global social commerce revenues expected to reach an estimated $30 billion by 2015 (mediabistro), more companies are utilizing social media than ever before. Of the Fortune 500 companies, 77 percent are active on Twitter, 70 percent have a Facebook page, and 69 percent have YouTube accounts (c|net).
"I loved the instructor and the energy of the class,” said Barbara Collier, recent program graduate. “It was great to learn about the evolution of social media and the benefits each platform provides. As a writer, this class helped me successfully use social media to market my new book, The Turning of Leaves."
The next course runs from Aug. 11 through Sept. 8, and costs $999. The class consists of eight, three-hour sessions and meets on Mondays and Wednesdays from 6 to 9 p.m. at KSU Center, 3333 Busbee Drive in Kennesaw. A free information session will be held on July 31 from 8 to 8:30 p.m. in conjunction with a Career Training Expo. For more information, email kmoble10@kennesaw.edu, visit ccpe.kennesaw.edu/social or call 770-423-6765.