UCT and GetSmarter present most comprehensive portfolio of marketing short courses yet

The University of Cape Town and online education company, GetSmarter, have recognised the growing need for insightful marketers who are able to adapt to the changes in this challenging yet lucrative field. From the time that it was introduced, the UCT Marketing short course has been a year-on-year success. It offers students a firm grounding in the most essential marketing principles and how they relate to the various available mediums.

To compliment the UCT Marketing short course, GetSmarter launched the UCT Internet Marketing short course, which has seen such high demand that the company decided to increase the number of presentations it offers. As more brands and businesses look to take their marketing efforts online, digital mediums are becoming increasingly competitive. As such, the UCT Internet Marketing short course offers traditional marketers a broad skill set to effectively transition into the online space.

Possibly the most exciting developments in online marketing are taking place in the social space. According to the most recent social media statistics by Chatterbox Digital, 91% of South Africa internet users have a Facebook account and 50% of these users access the platform via their mobile phones. There is no doubt that the age of social media marketing is upon us, with big international brands like Coca Cola showcasing a gargantuan online community of over 50 million fans. This trend is certainly catching on in South Africa, with ad agencies all vying for the social accounts of big locals brands. In line with these developments, GetSmarter launched the UCT Social Media short course in August 2012 to an overwhelming response. Students on the first presentation of the course walked away with the most up-to-date and comprehensive skill set in community management, online reputation management, customer relationship management, measurement and more. Offering practical experiences ranging from Twitter debates, sourcing online influencers and exposure to marketing on new platforms like Pinterest and Google Plus, the UCT Social Media short course allows students to fully immerse themselves in social media marketing.

Of course, many of these trends in online marketing have opened up room for brand scrutiny and two-way communication. Brands can no longer approach Public Relations in the strictly traditional sense, and there is an increased focus on the need for effective communication plans and policies. As such, two welcome additions to GetSmarter's burgeoning course portfolio are the UCT Public Relations short course and the UCT Copywriting for Online Marketing short course. Together with the new UCT Sales Management short course, this brings GetSmarter's portfolio of marketing courses to a grand total of six.

GetSmarter short courses are presented entirely online and are designed for working professionals and those with busy lifestyles. Each course results in a certificate through the University of Cape Town. To view the marketing courses offered by GetSmarter or any of the other 30 courses in the company's course portfolio, visit www.getsmarter.co.za.