From the marketing tactics to platform algorithms, the world of social media is constantly changing. Whether you are a new small business just beginning to tap into all of the possibilities digital marketing has to offer or you are a social media manager for your company, it is crucial to stay current on the industry’s latest trends and each platforms’ latest updates.

As a social media marketer, I follow many different groups, accounts, and blogs to make sure I always know when something changes that would affect the way I handle my clients’ accounts.

This list is in no way comprehensive; there are a plethora of resources available online, and it is important that you don’t rely on any single one for all of your information. Check the reputability of your source, and compare what you find with multiple sources.

Facebook Groups

Facebook Groups have grown in popularity in the past year – membership is up 40% in the last year alone with 1.4 billion active monthly group users. Groups are places for people to share common interests and express their opinions on pretty much anything. Anyone can set up and manage their own; and as a Facebook user, you can join up to 6,000 Groups! Groups may be public (anyone can join) or private (members must be approved by an admin).

Here are a few groups that have social media knowledge and insight as a main objective:

Podcasts

Podcasts have been around for a while now, but they are still a very popular way to learn about a variety of subjects. Throw one of these on while you get ready for work, on your morning/afternoon commute, or whenever you have some downtime. Most social media podcasts are not only run and moderated by social media professionals, but they also bring on experts on specific topics as episode guests.

These are great podcasts for all things social media:

Websites/Blogs

For new and up-to-the-minute information, there’s really nothing better than a good old fashioned blog. The following are the best blogs for breaking news, social media resources, expert opinions, and so much more. Many of these blogs you can also subscribe to so that the valuable information is sent to your email inbox.

Use this list as a starting point to knowing more about the digital marketing industry. Succeeding in social media is about working smarter, not harder. These resources can help you do just that.