So you’re interested in becoming a digital marketer, or maybe you’re even thinking about becoming one. Fantastic! There are many fantastic opportunities out there, and the best news is that you can attain the certification necessary to embark on your new career with ease.
As you might imagine, achieving certification as a digital marketer is no simple task. It requires a strong commitment to continuous learning, and it also demands that you put in the time to study for and take the exams. Luckily for you, we’ve got some fantastic tips on what to look out for when choosing a digital marketing course to study for certification. So without further ado, let’s get into it.
Pick A Specialization
If you’re looking for a generalist certificate, then you might want to look into other areas of marketing or digital marketing. Alternatively, if you’ve got a specific focus on Inbound marketing and want to specialize in that area, then you might want to look into the IM certificate or the Digital Marketing Specialization. (You can also find more specialized certifications like SEO, content marketing, and analytics, as well as a few technology-specific certifications like E-commerce, software development, and IT security).
The reason why we suggest you consider getting specialized in digital marketing is that, while there are certainly similarities between online and offline marketing, the skills and the tools are completely different. Offline marketing is about generating brand awareness and capturing customer interest through a variety of traditional channel strategies like advertising, PR, and sales events. With regard to digital marketing, your main focus will be on marketing to and analyzing the audience within the digital sphere – the internet, social media, and mobile. As a generalist who’s just entered the field, you might not yet have these skills mastered, but it’s important that you develop them.
Keep Your Ear To The Ground
As we’ve established, marketing is extremely varied, and so is digital marketing. Just remember that every industry and every company is going to use digital marketing to some extent, whether directly or indirectly. This means that the skills you gain from specialized courses aren’t just limited to your career in digital marketing. If you keep your ear to the ground, you’ll be able to identify various opportunities that you can pursue and adapt your skills accordingly. For example, if you attain a generalist certificate and find yourself in a marketing role that doesn’t require certification, then you can use your new found skills to pursue other marketing-related roles, even if they don’t require certification. This is probably the most important tip we can give you, because if you want to be able to jump into the field and be a valuable asset to an employer, then you should specialize in digital marketing, but that doesn’t mean that you have to limit yourself to that area only. Think of all the skills you’ve developed along the way and how you can put them to use in a variety of settings.
Think About Timing
Another important consideration when choosing a course is when you’ll be able to use the skills you learn. Just because you specialize in digital marketing doesn’t mean that you have to limit yourself to working only within the digital sphere. If you’ve got a good networking and business mindset, then you can find yourself a job in a traditional marketing role, even if the role itself isn’t actually related to digital marketing. (Be careful not to confuse a marketing role with that of an advertising or sales role).
As a generalist, if you want to specialize in digital marketing, then you’ll have to take into consideration when the jobs are available, as well as what skill sets you need to succeed in order to be able to jump into those roles. If you’re in an area where there aren’t a lot of jobs, then you might want to consider going to graduate school or taking a job in a more traditional role, even if it means a bit of a detour.
When choosing a specialized course in digital marketing, make sure to consider the following: – When will you be able to use the skills you learn? – Is your intended career relevant to the times we’re in? (Especially considering the Covid-19 pandemic)