As the National Institute for Social Media continues to grow and an increased number of educational opportunities appear in the social media space, certified Social Media Strategists (SMS) are more often finding themselves wondering, “Does this count as continuing education?” And we are so glad people are asking! After all, certified professionals uncovering creative education options means that they are excited about their field and looking for ways to stay at the top of their game. That’s exactly what we want in our community!

What does count as a CEU?

We keep a running list of ideas for our social media strategists. You can find them here.

What definitely doesn’t count as a CEU?

While we always encourage people to ask (because you never know), there are a few areas of professional development that don’t count as continuing education.

      – Material that is more of a sales pitch than an educational session.

      – Topics that are too basic – even if it’s the right level for you.

      – Presentations delivered by you (that didn’t require original research).

How do I prove what I learned?

Not every amazing educational experience you have will be able to be measured with a pre- and post-test!

We recognize that there are a lot of amazing workshops and seminars that are available for social media marketing professionals. If you’d like to receive credit for one of these workshops/seminars, complete the following steps.

1. Complete the New Item Approval Process before you attend. Approval is not guaranteed, so please verify eligibility before you attend.
2. Complete one of the following steps to verify your attendance.

1. 1. Take a photo of yourself at the event and share the photo or the link on social media where you posted the photo. Be sure there is something in the photo that indicates where you are!
   2. Have the speaker or event coordinator sign your meeting agenda and submit the agenda as proof of attendance. Please have them print their name and title with the signature.

When choosing workshops and seminars, consider the following:

• Only the actual educational portion is eligible for credit. Meals, networking, etc. does not count toward your CEUs.
• Each event is capped at 5 CEUs, so a 2-day training with 10 hours in a classroom would be 5 CEUs, not 10.
• Avoid workshops that are primarily selling something. These tend to be too little education and too much of a sales pitch and are unlikely to be approved.

Now go out and enjoy your continued education opportunities! Any upcoming opportunities you want to share with other certified professionals?  Share them below or add them through the  New Item Approval Process.

 

Author: Amy Jauman

Dr. Amy Jauman, SMS, is the Chief Learning Officer at the National Institute for Social Media and author of the Comprehensive Field Guide for Social Media Strategists. Amy is also one of 58 members representing 12 countries in the inaugural class of the Prezi Educator Society. Previously she was the Social Media Director for Women Entrepreneurs of Minnesota (WeMN) and she currently serves as the marketing director for the Minnesota Chapter of the National Speakers Association. She is also an adjunct professor in the St. Catherine University Business Department and the St. Mary’s University of Minnesota MBA program.