What Are the Most Valuable Marketing Courses to Take Right Now?
The marketing industry changes quickly, and so do the requirements of what’s in demand. For this reason, it’s vital to stay on top of the latest trends and industry developments, so you can get ahead of the game and find yourself in high demand in the job market. In order to find out which courses are currently most valuable, we asked three marketing professionals with different backgrounds which courses they would recommend in 2017, and why they chose those particular programs. Here’s what they had to say...
1. Courses on Instagram marketing
With over 800 million monthly active users, Instagram has come a long way from being just a photo-sharing app. It is now a major marketing platform that rivals Facebook, Twitter, and Snapchat in some respects. For example, it has much stronger ties with its users than other social media platforms do (for example you need to be logged into your account for Instagram ads to work). The most important thing about Instagram for businesses today is that there are more opportunities for marketing and advertising than ever before.
2. Facebook advertising
Online marketing is more critical than ever with so many marketers trying to vie for people's attention. Facebook advertising is one of the best places for marketers to reach their audiences on a budget. But you'll want your ads to be as effective as possible and here are a few Facebook ad best practices:
1) Keep it simple. The last thing anyone wants is clutter! Your campaign should stand out and convey a clear message, just in case there's some confusion about what you're trying to say.
3. Create your own product
Marketing can be a daunting field. But I don't know about you, I'm feeling up for the challenge! To help me out, I've found some of the best courses on marketing and they are as follows But before I begin my journey into entrepreneurship, there's one thing I should mention: Successful marketers are creative thinkers who know how to develop new ideas that people want to buy. They're also great storytellers and their product has an emotional resonance with potential customers.
4. Copywriting
One of the most important areas in marketing is copywriting. Effective copywriting can make all the difference when trying to grow your business. The key to effective copywriting is being able to tailor it so that it gets the desired result, such as convincing someone of what you're selling or getting them interested in learning more about a topic. There are many books on this subject, but two you may want to look into are Writing that Works and Maximum Lead Generation: The Ultimate Sourcebook for Creative Copywriters.
5. Data analysis
Marketing has a difficult and always-changing landscape, but there are some good sources of resources and insight into what marketers need to know in order to stay competitive.
Here are three online marketing courses that provide education on topics worth studying:
- - A free three-hour course from MIT on digital marketing
- - General Assembly's 12-week online course on marketing analytics
- - Skillshare's introductory curriculum in analytics from leading experts
6. Email marketing
In an email marketing course, you'll learn about designing campaigns and establishing a marketing team.
This isn't just for marketers; other people who work in businesses or are running startups can also benefit from this type of training.
Here are four types of e-mails you may want to send:
- post-engagement
- lead nurturing
- company announcements
- product updates
In addition, there are several ways to plan your emails, such as dividing them into welcome emails and thank you emails. If that doesn't sound like enough, consider adding modules on optimization strategies and managing sales data so that your campaigns run smoothly and don't take up too much time or money.
Since email is a universal form of communication these days - not just limited to companies - it's important that everybody have some basic knowledge on how to design one well.
7. Finding influencers
Determining who your influencers are and how you can target them will help you better measure marketing success. And it's easier than you think. Put on your detective hat and ask yourself: Who is my customer? and Where do they hang out? What social media platforms do they use, what blogs are they reading, and what magazines do they subscribe to? What websites have they been browsing on their phone while waiting in line at Starbucks?
8. Running your own business
One thing I would recommend for anyone just starting out in business is to start teaching what you know. As a marketer, there are so many marketing courses you can take, but it all depends on what your strengths are and what type of business you want to work with. If you have an idea for a business and want to focus on digital marketing or social media, there are different courses that can help make your idea a reality.
What Do You Think?
Every marketer has their own unique talents, strengths, and areas of expertise. One important thing marketers should do, though, is stay on top of trends in the field by taking courses in marketing. We can't predict the future or guarantee which marketing courses will become valuable in a few years' time. But we can say that in today's marketplace, these are some of the most valuable courses for you to take:
1) The fundamentals of digital marketing
2) A basic understanding of data analytics
3) Social media strategy
4) Creating compelling content
Conclusion
If you're looking for an easy answer, keep in mind that everyone's situation is different. What worked for me might not work for you, and vice versa. The best advice I can give you is to be open-minded and consider all your options before making a decision about what marketing course will help you best achieve your goals.
