The National Institute for Social Media (NISM) today announces a new partnership with Logical Operations. NISM is the #1 resource for educational standards in the field of social media, and provides an expert-facilitated social media training program and certification credential geared to help businesses use social media effectively and hire qualified social media practitioners

“As the premier social media certification body and only organization to develop educational standards for social media marketing, the National Institute for Social Media is clearly at the forefront of social media innovation and education,” said Bill Rosenthal, CEO, Logical Operations. “We are excited to partner with NISM to jointly create an expert-facilitated certification training program, the Social Media Strategist (SMS) Certification 5-day course, which will provide students with the skills and knowledge needed to successfully utilize social media to improve their business’s bottom line.”

The Harvard Business Review states that over 79% of companies are currently using or planning to use social media as part of their marketing strategy, making it is clear that social media is here to stay. Social media has now become a vital tool for businesses small and large to promote and grow their brand by engaging directly with their customers. Despite the fact that so many companies are using social media marketing, it’s not a simple task; it takes time and skill to develop and execute a successful social media strategy that positively impacts your business in a real way. Until now, the social media field lacked both an industry educational standard and an expert-facilitated training program to help professionals use social media most effectively.

“NISM’s goal is to bring a standardized certification credential to social media industry practitioners,” said Eric Mills, President of the National Institute for Social Media (NISM). “There is a great need for organizations to find qualified talent to support their social media efforts. NISM-certified professionals have proven themselves to be well-adapted to meet those needs. Together with Logical Operations and their NISM-endorsed Social Media Strategist certification training course we will continue to expand our reach, and grow a community of certified professionals.”

Now in its 30th year, Logical Operations helps organizations and individuals maximize training with an adaptable expert-facilitated learning experience. Its more than 4,000 titles are available through flexible delivery platforms that are designed for any learning environment. For more information, connect with Logical Operations at http://logicaloperations.com and on Twitter @logicalops.

The National Institute for Social Media (NISM) is dedicated to social media education and certification for professional social media practitioners. The organization’s mission is to provide premier, vendor-neutral public education and resources related to social media. In addition, its Industry Advisory Committee defines and supports certification and continuing education standards for social media professionals in a manner that upholds industry standards for competent practice. For additional information, call 763-200-6476 or visit http://www.nismonline.org.