Online marketing definition
Online marketing, also known as internet marketing or digital marketing, refers to all marketing activities including advertising which involve web and email efforts to drive sales and increase traffic of websites.
Its main areas are Online Advertising (also known as PPC from Pay Per Click) through search engines, display network, and social media channels, Search Engine Optimization, Email Marketing, and Content Marketing.
Picture this – 10 years ago there were no such jobs as a Digital Marketer, Social Media Marketer, Content Marketing Specialist or SEO / SEM specialist. However, when the online advertising environment developed, all these jobs popped out of nowhere.
So who taught them how to do their job?
Every single pioneer in a field is a self-taught specialist, who has read a lot, tested and then applied the knowledge.
[Tweet “A pioneer is a self-taught specialist. Learn something new daily!”]As a self-taught marketer, I look back and understand that it was a challenging path of discovering and filtering the best resources. And, oh, boy, how I wish I had found an article like this to make this path easier.
Brace yourselves, and join the ride of discovering flawless, online, and rich in knowledge digital marketing courses. It could actually change your career path in a matter of months.
COURSE: Academy for Ads – Free and Easy Google Training
Everybody talks about being a Certified Partner with Google Ads, former Google AdWords. As we all know, online advertising starts with Google. There are lots of videos and courses online covering all topics, from Fundamentals to Mobile and Doubleclick, but I recommend to:
- Create a Google Ads account;
- Learn the Assesment Study Guides and the Video Tutorials in Your guide to Google Ads . Also, check the Learning Centre, while practicing.
After all, practice is the best of all instructors.
I suggest to learn by yourself for free, and when you know the basics and when you want more insights on a specific industry — only then consider using paid content.
Also, follow the official Google Ads Blog, and keep abreast with the latest changes in this field!
Another resource you can use is PPC University – clean and concise lessons to guide your path from an absolute beginner to an advanced professional.
COURSE: Online Marketing Challenge by Google – Experiential learning for students
When it comes to digital marketing, Google is your go-to guy. They are not just early adopters, but they are actually shaping the industry. Make sure you follow the Online Marketing Challenge.
You have a pre-course preparation to get your account up and running, and the main course, later on, that includes Introduction To Digital Marketing, Search Engine Marketing, Search Advertising, Display Advertising, Mobile, Social, Analytics, and Video.
COURSE: Facebook Blueprint by Facebook
Before I even started working full time in marketing, I’ve been offered to go to an offline course to learn Facebook Ads. Back then, I have gone through all the classes on Facebook Blueprint and that was absolutely insightful.
Today, Facebook Blueprint has over 100 courses in which you can enroll depending on the needs you have as a marketer. You have Introduction to Facebook, Best Practices, and you can learn how to Manage Ads and even Webinars.
All over the internet and also offline, you’ll find lots and lots of courses to teach how to promote your business on Facebook.
Also, to help you become an expert, Facebook For Business is where the company is pouring with updated information in the ad industry.
Everything you need to know is right in front of you — and you’re already logged in there!
There’s no better love story than the story between conversions and a landing page. So, your blog is up and running, you are making yourself heard on Social Media, and you also run an Ad campaign – but what is the ultimate goal? The ultimate goal is to drive your users to a landing page.
COURSE: The 7-Day Lead Gen Landing Page Course Free email course by Unbounce
Unbounce is one of the big names in the landing page industry that deliver both a great product and insightful content. Short, simple and helpful — these would be the words to describe this course on how to get leads like a pro.
COURSE: Get Higher Conversions From Landing Pages by Unbounce
Generating leads is nice, but having a converting Landing Page is even nicer. You probably have a good amount of conversions, but let’s be honest, you can never have too many conversions. Do check out this course and keep your conversions high.
COURSE: Google Analytics Academy
The Google Analytics for beginners course provided by Google is a must. If you can’t measure results than your marketing efforts are futile. Google Analytics is such an important and indispensable tool for marketers — it’s almost ridiculous not to be familiar with it. Of course, for more advanced marketers I also recommend the entire suite, it’s completely free.
BLOG: Think With Google
Speaking of blogs – Think With Google is a gold mine to an updated marketer. Here you have Planning Tools that teach you more than any real-life teacher could ever do: like this Customer Journey Tool that provides you with purchase decision insights for a Small company from Brazil specialized in Internet & Telecom services.
COURSE: Analytics Academy by Segment
An email-based course that is sent to you each week by Segment, where you learn how to think about the right analytics that would help you level-up your strategies. Each week, you will receive an access link by mail to take you to the next course. This course has 4 chapters, with 7 lessons each. Right now there’re 2 chapters available Intro to Analytics and Collecting the Right Data.
For me, this was the most insightful course I’ve taken in order to know how I can collect my data (the right data), which metrics to follow, and how to link everything in a report that would prove that my work is actually worth something.
Naturally, as Google is the most used search engine, your SEO skills should be on point. This is why Search Engine Optimization is a must. I’ve selected a few courses and blogs I learned this skill from:
COURSE: SEO for SEO beginners on Udemy
Here you have 16 hours of SEO fundamentals to get to know the definitions, and how Keyword Research, On-Page optimization, and Off-Page optimization works.
COURSE: Advanced SEO Tactics and Strategy on Udemy
In seven lectures that make up 1 hour of video, you’ll be diving deeper in understanding SEO concepts and integration of SEO with overall marketing strategy. What I like about Udemy is that this is instant learning, where you can learn it anywhere and apply it as soon as possible.
GUIDE: The beginner’s guide to SEO by MOZ
10 chapters of detailed and in-depth information about how to scale from beginner to advanced in SEO – from “How Search Engines operate” to “Tracking and Measurement”.
Hats off and get it going!
COURSE: Content Marketing Mastery by CopyBlogger
Content Marketing was some sort of Alien Marketing for me when I entered this world. Luckily, the guys at CopyBlogger have developed an incredible database of 16 ebooks to get your way through the industry. Download them and use your commute to re-learn how this is to be done.
COURSE: Beginner’s Guide to Content Marketing by MOZ
MOZ is such a dedicated resource center for content marketing tips, that their academy comes right in hand in content marketing. In the 9 chapters of the Academy, you start from the basics and gradually build a marketing strategy.
Of course, 5 chapters are about how to create kick-ass content that actually sells!
GUIDE: The Definitive Guide to Growth Hacking by Quick Sprout
If there’s one person in this industry who is growing even in crisis times, that is Neil Patel and his team. A natural growth hacker that explores even what is unthinkable to explore — the only one to learn how to scale with your marketing strategy.
For those passionate about offline, commute or an evening read, you have the option to download the 247MB course and get your growth off the ground.
COURSE: Social Media Quickstarter by Constant Contact
This online tutorial is an all-in-one class to build your social media presence across all of the top social networks. All the 101s are about: Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Instagram, Google+, Youtube, Snapchat and Blogging.
Each of the chapters has a rich range of resources — they all start with a glossary and follow you to creative ideas and insightful tips and tricks.
So, you have a nice list of emails from people who are interested in your blog, product or service. Well, it’s about time to share your educational, inspirational and creative content through email!
COURSE: Introduction in Email Marketing by Skillshare – Learn with MailChimp
MailChimp is between easy and hard, but only because of the possibilities it gives you. What would you say if there’s a course that both the creative and technical part of this mysterious land called email marketing? You’d say nothing, but immediately signed up!
COURSE: Email Marketing Course by HubSpot
Hubspot’s Email Marketing Course will teach you how to segment your target, the lifecycle of email marketing, email design, how to analyze and optimize your emails… A lot.
See for yourself how great it’s presented and then apply the knowledge to your email list!
COURSE: Banner Design Academy by Bannersnack
Some say the banner ad is dead — but those who know better say “creative banner ads are still alive”. If banner ads were dead, would Google still be the most successful “ad agency”?
That’s what we thought, at Bannersnack, too when we created the 8-chapter course on how to build a banner that would attract, convert and sell more.
Learn how to make people love your banner ads and defy banner blindness.
BONUS BLOGS for lifelong learning
…because professional marketers never stop learning and they want to get better and better day by day.
To be updated to the industry’s pace, I follow a lot of blogs, but my morning routine starts with the following:
Contently is the Bible for any Content Marketer. Period.
Search Engine Journal is my nomero uno for SEO, SEM, Social Media, PPC and life hacks.
Marketing Land is the 6AM industry news I check, love and apply in my job — refreshing content, great design, and great guides and ebooks.
Social Media Examiner is like the God of everything — a must for every marketer interested in social media!
Marketo has launched guides and reports that make lead generation a pool game
Tapinfluence has everything you need to know about Influencer marketing
SmartBug is the blog where inbound marketing is so easy to learn — I am amazed myself of the things I know sometimes
IgniteVisibility talks about SEO. A lot of SEO!
Mediative‘s insights are my weakness to read and my pleasure to apply.
… THE LAST ADVICE
Just how easy and accessible is information online, just as much there is the temptation to start things and… never finish them because there are so many many courses to start.
Online information is easy and accessible for everyone. You know it, I know it, we all know that it can be a tad tricky to get yourself out of the procrastination, and actually start learning online.
There are just too many distractions and we all get sidetracked.
However, try to get things started by completing just one of the courses. You’ll learn a lot, and you will be one step ahead of the competition.
If there is something that we missed, or if you have anything to add to this article, use the comment section below.