Once considered a way to spread brand awareness, second-fiddle to old school media like print and television advertising, digital marketing has quickly become an integral part of every business. The industry has been steadily growing since the start of the dotcom bubble in the late 90s, when interest in technological stocks skyrocketed and computers found their way from corporate offices into millions of homes. But today, it’s more important than ever. In fact, the very survival of many companies now hinges on ecommerce and digital marketing, with online platforms giving COVID-effected businesses a chance to find and service customers remotely.
Futurist and best-selling author, Bernard Marr, wrote for Forbes that he believes now is the time for businesses to focus on their digital channels. ‘[This] could be as simple as giving your website and social pages a refresh, or a more innovative approach.’
With this increasing demand for digital marketing services come opportunities. More companies than ever before are looking for skilled marketers to join their team; in many regions, there are more jobs than there are specialists to fill them.
Whether you’re seeking a new career in a booming industry, or simply wish to upskill, these five free digital marketing courses will give you the head start you need to get a job in 2021.
HubSpot is an American software company behind popular sales, inbound marketing and customer service products. But in addition to their flagship customer relationship management (CRM) products, they also have HubSpot Academy – an online learning platform. The academy offers countless courses on a range of digital topics, but the Content Marketing Certification is undoubtedly one of their most popular.
This free, 12-module course is designed for both beginner and intermediate learners and covers all the pillars of effective content marketing, from the creation of a content strategy to analyzing the success of campaigns. After completion of the program, students receive a certification for their efforts.
The concept of search engine optimisation – or SEO – strikes fear through the heart of many new marketers. But despite its intimidating reputation, optimising your website for search engine visibility isn’t as scary as you may think. If you’re looking to dip your toes into the SEO waters, industry stalwart Kate Toon offers a great introductory program.
SEO Nibbles is a mini course designed to take students through the basics of optimisation. It covers topics like rankings, key factors of SEO and the mechanics behind search engines. Unlike some other courses, Toon’s approach is jargon-free, making it an easy way to get acquainted with such a technical concept.
There are many comprehensive, free marketing courses online, but Internet Marketing for Smart People by Copyblogger is certainly among the best. This 20-part training course focuses on four key pillars of digital marketing: relationships, direct response copywriting, content marketing and having something worth selling. Each week, a new lesson is delivered straight to your email inbox, allowing you to learn in your own time.
The team behind the course are no strangers to online marketing, either. Content has been the focus of their brand since its inception in 2005, and was the cornerstone of founder Brian Clark’s career before that.
Another fantastic course from the digital brainstrust at HubSpot is the Social Media Marketing Certification. This program is several hours shorter than the Content Marketing course mentioned previously, but no less informative. It covers everything from devising a multi-channel social media strategy to building your audience online and the basics of paid social advertising.
After completion, participants receive a certification that will surely impress recruiters on a resume.
Any marketer will affirm that the secret behind every successful digital strategy is great content. You can build the world’s most comprehensive advertising campaign, but without well-written copy, your efforts are likely to go unrewarded. Google seems to agree, as the search engine continues to prioritise quality content with each algorithm update. So, it’s fair to say skills in copywriting will go a long way to helping you land a coveted digital marketing job.
Belinda Weaver is a California-based copywriter from Australia who understands the importance of good copy more than most. Her business, Copywrite Matters, offers a 3-tip Copywriting Essentials Mini Course that serves as an ideal introduction to the craft. It focuses on three key areas – extracting benefits, writing customer-focused copy and editing – and gives students practical tips on improving their work.
The team at Digital Marketing Directory have many other useful articles that relate to Digital Marketing Education.
