Facebook today unveiled Facebook Studio Edge, which includes modular, interactive courses available to agency partners who are participating in the beta release.
Facebook launched the Studio Edge beta in June, when its Global Director of Creative Solutions Mark D'Arcy said "The more Facebook can listen to the agency community and arm them with more information on the latest our platform has to offer, the more creativity we will see come to Facebook."
Perhaps Facebook needs the education from agencies. Business Insider describes a "friction" with Facebook, which uses its own jargon and metrics—likely contributing to its revenue growth decelerated for seven quarters (despite the IPO).
Nevertheless, Facebook is attempting to demystify itself. "The interactive learning program was designed to help you and your teams stay on top of the latest product updates and best practices for marketing with Facebook," writes the company on its Facebook Studio blog. Topics include the latest on Facebook Pages, ads and social technology; and Studio Edge courses cover topics "relevant to a wide range of agency audiences" (e.g., creative teams to media planners and technologists).
Learners can access Facebook Studio Edge by clicking on the Education tab on Facebook Studio, then earn "badges" as they progress through the courses, which appear next to their names on their Facebook Studio listings. (So, are status-oriented and non-material; still, you’ve learned something.)
Facebook promises learners "We’ll let you know when new courses have been added, so you'll always have the latest training content as soon as it’s available, and you can upload new case studies of your work on an ongoing basis," thus contributing to the Facebook canon of success stories—again, for the immaterial reward of status. "Your teams and your agency show off your expertise in marketing with Facebook."
Agencies that are participating in the beta may start simply by adding their agency email addresses to the Studio Edge page; those not participating will be added to a waiting list.
