In this first course in Northwestern University's Social Media Marketing Specialization, Professor Randy Hlavac gives an overview of social audiences and the ways we can use social media to build successful marketing strategies.

From influencers to affiliates, there's a lot that's rapidly changing in the world of social marketing.

But at the end of the day, the underlying principle remains the same: social marketing is a great way to network, share, and build meaningful relationships with other professionals and develop your desired markets.

Randy Hlavac is a renowned social and integrated marketing expert who teaches graduate and undergraduate courses on social and mobile marketing at Northwestern University.

In this program offered through Coursera, Hlavac helps you hone your expertise to develop profitable social marketing programs for your organization, regardless of its size.

In order to succeed, you'll need to focus your resources in three core areas: building your professional persona, managing your organizational persona, and getting the right social strategies in place for optimal growth.

Whether you work at a startup or a large multinational corporation, it's never been a better time to learn about social marketing.