Digital marketing is a form of marketing that involves the use of digital platforms—like social media, email, and websites—to reach an audience. Digital Marketers follow many of the same principles used in traditional marketing; however, this type of media also comes with unique advantages and challenges. An advantage of marketing on digital channels is that messages can be tailored to specific audiences. Another advantage is that there are a variety of tools that can be used to track the effectiveness of digital marketing campaigns. A challenge involved in digital marketing is that there is a huge amount of digital content already out there, with more being added each day, making it difficult to stand out.
What Can You Do with Digital Marketing Training?
Digital marketing is an in-demand skill that can lead to a variety of job opportunities. In addition, this field is expected to have strong future job growth. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics is a federal agency that tracks labor market data for a variety of different professions, including a category called Advertising, Promotions, and Marketing Managers. This includes people who work in digital marketing. Over the next decade, it predicts 8 percent job growth in this category, which is higher than the average U.S. job growth rate of 4 percent. In a September 2023 Indeed article titled, “Is Digital Marketing a Good Career Path? (Pros and Cons), ” the author explains that digital marketing experts are becoming more sought after as an increasing number of industries embrace digital marketing. It says, “As more companies switch to digital marketing methods to reach their consumer base, the demand for careers in this field continues to rise.”
What Will I Learn in a Digital Marketing Class?
Marketing Strategy
A marketing strategy is a plan that includes your marketing goals and how you intend to achieve those goals. It’s an important part of marketing and will be covered in a digital marketing class. By creating a strategy, you can use your resources efficiently, track and measure your progress, and create consistent campaigns that will build brand recognition.
How to Use Data Analytics
Data analytics is the process of collecting and analyzing data to make better marketing decisions. By analyzing information about users, marketers can gain a better understanding of potential customers and how to connect with them. They can also better understand market trends and track the effectiveness of marketing campaigns.
Social Media Channels
When you take a digital marketing class, you're likely to learn about some of the most popular social media channels such as Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), and Instagram. Social media is an important part of digital marketing, and each channel is unique, which means that you’ll need to learn how each one works and the best way to connect with its users.
How to Create a Portfolio
In the competitive world of digital marketing, a strong portfolio can help you stand out. A portfolio is a collection of real-world projects that you’ve completed, and it’s a way for you to showcase your skills to potential clients and employers. In most digital marketing classes, you’ll work on projects that you can use to build your portfolio.
Communication
Communication is a critical part of any type of marketing, including digital marketing. When you take a digital marketing class, you’ll work on your communication skills, learning how to clearly and effectively present your ideas to both clients and co-workers.
How Hard is It to Learn Digital Marketing?
According to most people who have already gone through the learning process, digital marketing does involve a lot of new concepts but is not so challenging that it can’t be mastered fairly quickly by most people. Taking a live class is a great way to learn since you’ll receive guidance and feedback from an expert. Industry experts can also be a valuable resource. If you feel like there’s just too much to cover, one common piece of advice is to start by focusing on a few basic concepts, and then slowly building up to more complex topics after you have mastered the basics. Another suggestion is to focus on skills like SEO and analytics, that will have the most impact on your marketing.
What Are the Most Challenging Parts of Learning Digital Marketing?
One thing that many people find challenging about learning digital marketing is that trends and technologies in this field change quickly and constantly. This means that you’ll never be finished with the learning process. Instead, you’ll constantly need to keep working to stay informed about new marketplace developments. In addition, experts advise keeping an open mind and not being afraid to experiment with new techniques.
How Long Does It Take to Learn Digital Marketing?
Many people report that the digital marketing learning process is relatively quick compared to some other types of programs. While the length of time it will take you will depend on many factors such as your related experience, most people say that you can master many of the techniques and tools used in this field in a matter of months. If you plan to work as a digital marketing professional, it’s likely to take longer to get to a professional level though; maybe a year or more.
Should I Learn Digital Marketing in Person or Online?
If you want to learn digital marketing, you may find that you can choose between an in-person or online class. Each format has advantages and disadvantages. In-person learning is typically very engaging, and some students find that it can be an easier way to learn challenging concepts. Instructors also say that this format makes it easier for them to see when students need extra help. In-person learning takes place in a classroom that is dedicated to education and is free from most distractions. The biggest downside is that you have to commute to class. Another downside is that you’re limited to classes that run in your immediate vicinity.
If you need more flexibility, you may want to consider an online class. When you learn online, you don’t need to commute. Instead, you simply attend via computer, from a location of your choosing. One of the most popular online formats is the live online class, which takes place in real-time with an instructor who provides a live lecture and can answer questions and give feedback on your progress. Since there is no commute, a live online class typically allows a much greater number of course options. A downside is that when you learn online, you’ll have to provide your own equipment and software. Another online format is the on-demand class. This provides the greatest flexibility because it is pre-recorded, and you work through the content at your own pace. The biggest downside is that there is no live instructor. On-demand learning also tends to require a higher level of motivation since you can set the pace of your learning.
Can I Learn Digital Marketing Free Online?
You can learn a lot about digital marketing from free online resources. You’ll find hundreds of free videos on YouTube, and you’ll also find free content posted on many school websites. These free resources can be a good way to learn a new skill or to get a better understanding of a specific facet of digital marketing. For instance, Noble Desktop has free seminars that provide an overview of many topics related to digital marketing. These include Intro to Social Media Marketing with Video and Intro to Facebook Marketing. If you want a comprehensive digital marketing education, however, you’re unlikely to get that through free resources. Instead, you’ll probably need to enroll in a formal class where you can follow a structured curriculum that covers all of the principles and skills that you’ll need to know if you want to become an expert in this field. With a formal class, you can also be confident that you’re using accurate and up-to-date learning resources.
Industries That Use Digital Marketing
Digital marketing is used in a wide range of industries, including retail, real estate, entertainment, and healthcare. Dallas has a large and diverse economy that includes many opportunities to work in digital marketing. According to the City of Dallas website, “Over 62,000 businesses call the City of Dallas home, including global leaders such as Texas Instruments, AT&T, Comerica, and Southwest Airlines.” It reports that the city’s leading employers include UT Southwestern Medical Center, the Dallas Independent School District, the City of Dallas, Southwest Airlines Co, and Parkland Health and Hospital System. In addition, it says, “Dallas is one of the world’s leading corporate headquarters centers, with 11 Fortune 500 companies headquartered in Dallas and 22 Fortune 500 companies based in Dallas-Fort Worth.”
Digital Marketing Job Titles and Salaries
Social Media Specialist
Businesses can communicate directly with customers through social media marketing. Since social media is so widely used, so is this type of digital marketing. A Social Media Specialist aims to increase brand interest and engagement through campaigns on multiple social media sites. People who work in this role have a strong understanding of how each social media site works and understand the most effective strategies for each site. With more experience in this position, you could become a Social Media Manager. Indeed reports that in Dallas, the average yearly salary for a Social Media Strategist is about $53,000.
Email Marketing Specialist
Email marketing is another type of digital marketing. Email Marketing Specialists design and manage email marketing campaigns that will get the attention of customers. Some of the tasks they might work on are creating graphics and writing emails, building email lists, and analyzing the performance of their campaigns. As reported by Indeed, the average yearly salary for a Dallas Email Marketing Specialist is almost $67,000.
SEO Specialist
Search engine optimization (SEO) is the process of improving website visibility in search results. SEO Specialists focus on creating content that will rank highly in search engines. This can help drive traffic to a site. Some of the factors that they consider include the usability of a webpage, keywords, website speed, and mobile accessibility. A higher-level role in this field is that of SEO Manager. Indeed reports that in Dallas, the average annual salary for an SEO Specialist is $83,000.
Content Strategist
Content marketing involves creating marketing content for digital media, which includes many different types of media. A Content Strategist generates new ideas for digital marketing campaigns, creates marketing content for social media and websites, and analyzes the performance of marketing content. With more experience, a Content Strategist could move up to become a Content Manager. The average annual salary for a Dallas Content Strategist is $45,000, according to Indeed.
Digital Marketing Classes Near Me
There are several in-person class options if you’re based in Dallas and want to study digital marketing. SMU Continuing and Professional Education offers several different programs in the Dallas area including a Digital Marketing Certificate. The certificate takes several months to complete and is designed to help students gain up-to-date digital marketing skills. Courses are taught by industry experts and cover a variety of skills such as social media, mobile marketing, and search engine advertising.
Dallas College, which has multiple campuses in the Dallas area, offers a Digital Media Marketing Specialist Certificate. In this program, students learn about online consumer behavior, market research and planning, search engine optimization, web analytics, and social media. There are five courses, plus a capstone course.
The University of Texas at Dallas runs a class called Digital and internet Marketing, which is a marketing class focused on digital media. Students learn about different platforms, email best practices, search engine optimization, web analytics, paid search, and social media. They will also learn to create a paid search advertising campaign using Google AdWords.
You can also learn digital marketing by taking a live online course. Noble Desktop—a New York City-based school—offers many digital marketing classes in a live online format. This school is licensed by the New York State Education Department. All of its classes come with the option of a free retake within six months, which is a great way to refresh your skills. One popular Noble option is the Digital Marketing Certificate. In this multi-week course, you’ll learn to create digital marketing campaigns. Instructors will cover a variety of essential techniques in social media, analytics, and search engine optimization. You’ll develop foundational marketing skills, work on campaigns, and learn to track performance. The course includes six one-on-one mentoring sessions.
Another Noble Desktop certificate option is the Social Media Marketing Certificate, which covers trends and skills in social media marketing and prepares you to use social media marketing effectively. There are eight different units in this course: LinkedIn Marketing Bootcamp, YouTube Marketing, TikTok Marketing, Social Media Content Marketing: Blogs and X (formerly known as Twitter), Instagram Marketing Bootcamp, Facebook Marketing Bootcamp, Streaming for Social Media, and Social Media Industry and Portfolio. Overall, the course covers social media marketing skills for the major platforms, including Facebook, YouTube, LinkedIn, and TikTok. You’ll learn to create targeted campaigns, boost engagement, measure success, and leverage market positioning and insights. Four one-on-one mentoring sessions are included.
Noble Desktop also offers short classes where you can learn a variety of digital marketing skills. In Digital Marketing Strategy and Web Fundamentals, you’ll learn about creating a successful digital marketing strategy and implementing it. Covered topics include techniques for optimizing a website and strategies for converting visitors into sales. You’ll also learn how to identify your audience and goals. Another short class option is the Google Analytics Bootcamp. This class focuses on Google Analytics and its applications. You’ll learn how to set up an account and will gain an understanding of what to track. You’ll also learn about optimizing your data so that you can use it to your advantage.
Digital Marketing Corporate Training
Almost any company can benefit from employees who are trained in digital marketing, and Noble Desktop offers several easy training options. Experienced instructors can provide corporate digital marketing training either onsite or in a live online format. Content can be customized to meet your needs, and scheduling options are flexible. In addition, all employees receive handouts, access to videos, and other post-training support to help them retain what they have learned and answer any additional questions they might have.
Another way to train a group of employees in digital marketing is to purchase vouchers for Noble’s regularly scheduled group digital marketing classes and let your employees enroll individually. This option provides an added level of flexibility that some employees prefer. Noble Desktop offers a discount with bulk voucher purchases. To get more information about corporate digital marketing training options or to schedule a free consultation, contact Noble Desktop.