In today’s social media era, digital marketing skills are one of the most coveted skills one can acquire that can reap the rewards and display your talent and creativity. Over the last decade, digital technology has grown by leaps and bounds, with the world witnessing the impact of technology intertwined with our existence.
Today, the term ‘brand’ is not just associated with a company, a particular product, or a celebrity; rather, thanks to the power of social media, any individual has the potential to establish themselves as a global brand. With the advent of the latest technological gizmos, anyone can create content on social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube, and using the right marketing skills and technological tools, advertise and promote themselves or their products, thus garnering viewership from millions around the world and generating revenue.
However, with such a massive playing arena and so many people invested in online activities, only someone with the right digital marketing skills and knowledge can position themselves as an indispensable tool in an organization’s marketing team or use these skills to design their own personal path to becoming their own boss. However, learning digital marketing on your own can be time-consuming and daunting, so enrolling in a digital marketing certification course can help you gain knowledge and clarity.
So, what exactly is digital marketing? Digital marketing is an act of advertising and promoting merchandise and services through various marketing strategies by leveraging the power of the internet, social media, mobile apps, search engines, SEO, email, and so on. Digital marketing refers to any marketing strategy that employs the use of digital media.
Digital marketing skills acquired in an advanced level of training
A career in digital marketing combines knowledge of traditional marketing with social media marketing, SEO, content writing, and many other skills. Among the competencies required for a digital marketer are:
- Data analysis
- Inbound Marketing
- Paid marketing
- Web analytics
- SEO and SEM
- Content creation
- Leadership and communication skills
- Social media knowledge
- Organizing, managing and carrying out digital marketing campaigns
Best ways to learn Digital Marketing
Books and educational institutions are no longer the only places where people can learn. As a result, if you want to know the nuances and intricacies of digital marketing, you can take advantage of a plethora of free and pay offline – online courses, the internet, and various social media platforms, among other resources, to gain the necessary skills and meet your goal. However, suppose you are a newcomer to digital marketing. In that case, it is best to first gain foundational knowledge, which can help you gain clarity in terms of your goal and the skills you will need to master to become a successful digital marketer. The following are some of the best ways to enter the digital marketing arena and help you level up:
- Books on digital marketing
- YouTube Videos
- Podcasts on digital marketing
- Following social media influencers
- Participating in digital marketing Facebook groups and forum
- Create your own blog
- Participating in webinars and seminars
- Online digital marketing courses, free or paid
Best way to learn advanced digital marketing skills
The sources mentioned above are all excellent for gaining foundational knowledge; however, for learning the complexities and finer points of digital marketing, enrolling in an online or offline course that offers advanced-level skills is the best way to go. Not only will you gain advanced knowledge of digital marketing, but you will also receive certification that validates your digital marketing skills, which will make your resume more appealing to recruiters.
If you already have a graduate degree in digital marketing and want to pursue a master’s degree to gain advanced knowledge, there are numerous institutes that offer master’s level programs in digital marketing. A master’s degree in digital marketing typically takes one to two years to complete, and you can choose to specialize by getting an MBA, which will give you the perfect foundation for launching a lucrative career. However, if you are a working professional looking to learn advanced-level skills in digital marketing or shift gears into this area, enrolling in an online course offered by a digital platform can help you avoid time constraints that do not require you to compensate on your job will be the best course of action.
For example, Simplilearn’s online digital platform offers an excellent master’s program called Digital Marketing Specialist, with certification aligned to top digital marketing certifications like Facebook Blueprint, Online marketing certified professional (OMCP), Google Ads and analytics, Hootsuite, and HubSpot. The program combines all Google digital marketing tools, Hootsuite software, and even Analytics, AdWords, Facebook AI, and other tools, displaying an all-encompassing approach that binds different tools and strategies in use in the industry today.
If you are wondering what the significance of the above certifications is, they are all among the most coveted and popular digital marketing certifications available globally. These credentials serve as a benchmark for industry best practices and a testament to your advanced level of expertise in the field of digital marketing.
These advanced-level courses have a carefully curated curriculum that meets industry standards and are designed by experts in the field to help you gain in-depth and advanced-level knowledge of the eight most important digital marketing domains, namely:
- Search Engine Optimization
- Pay-per-Click
- Social Media Marketing
- Content Marketing
- Email Marketing
- Mobile Marketing
- Marketing Analytics
- Affiliate Marketing
Another important aspect of these courses is that most of these online programs are created in collaboration with social media giants like Facebook and Google, so you get to train under the mentorship of experts from these social media platforms in addition to the convenience of self-paced live study classrooms that online platforms offer. You will also learn the ins and outs of the digital marketing realm, as well as the various top marketing tools and strategies that are used today.
These courses give you plenty of opportunities to work on real-world projects and case studies, preparing you to start a successful career right away. Because advanced-level programs provide training in all areas, you can further validate your skills and knowledge by passing qualifying exams that provide Google Analytics certification, Hub Spot certification, and Facebook Blueprint certifications, allowing you to become a certified professional.