Whether you are just getting started or already have experience in online marketing, there is always more to learn. With that in mind, here are five solid resources for online marketers to learn and grow from.
1. MarketingCharts
MarketingCharts offers an abundance of data on digital marketing through free surveys, market research, and company information. One of the cool things about this resource is that you don’t just learn about digital marketing, you can apply what you learn in real life.
For example, you can use the free version of MarketingCharts to build a marketing plan or use the paid version to track actual performance. There is also a free trial available, so you can try out the tool without spending a dime. You can contact them via email at info@marketingcharts.com or call them at (888) 266-8888.
2. HubSpot
You’ve probably heard of HubSpot, as it is one of the biggest names in the digital marketing world. With that size comes an abundance of blogs, case studies, and videos to teach you all there is to know about marketing on a digital level.
One of the unique things about HubSpot is that it was originally designed for inbound marketers, but anyone can use it to market products or services and learn how to do it well. What differentiates HubSpot from other platforms is that you don’t just learn digital marketing, you can practice what you learn in real life through the use of case studies and examples of best practices.
From the very beginning, when you access the HubSpot dashboard, you are presented with a variety of inbound marketing tactics such as blogging, video creation, and content curation. Inbound marketing focuses on engaging and inspiring people to take action, rather than selling to them. With that in mind, if you are new to digital marketing, start with HubSpot and then branch off to other platforms to learn about the different tactics.
3. MarketingProfs
MarketingProfs is a similar resource to HubSpot, except it is more focused on marketing and business management. Like HubSpot, MarketingProfs is a great place to learn about inbound marketing. You get a robust dashboard where you can see all the key stats about your campaign from email opens and clicks to conversion and growth metrics.
One of the key features of MarketingProfs is that you can set up automated email campaigns, importing contacts from various platforms like LinkedIn or Gmail. You can use MarketingProfs to track the effectiveness of email blasts, identify the best times to send them, and engage with your audience through digital marketing platforms such as Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.
4. The New Marketing Guide
The New Marketing Guide is a community-supported resource for marketers. It was founded in 2011 and is owned and operated by Wistia. The New Marketing Guide breaks down digital marketing in an easy-to-follow manner, offering both beginners and experts an abundance of valuable information.
What differentiates The New Marketing Guide from similar platforms is that it was designed with a heavy focus on content and social media. In other words, The New Marketing Guide is a combination of Google Books and Wikipedia, but for marketing information.
Besides the wealth of valuable information provided in the form of articles and videos, The New Marketing Guide also offers several inbound marketing tools, such as a marketing calendar and a marketing journal. These tools help you organize your content and keep track of all the details of your marketing strategy.
5. MarketingSherpa
MarketingSherpa focuses on marketing analytics and dashboards. What differentiates it from other platforms is that it offers integrations with 3rd party tools like Marketo, HubSpot, and Salesforce. In other words, you can use the free version of MarketingSherpa to track the performance of your marketing campaigns on a variety of platforms like TV, radio, and the internet.
To access the dashboard, simply visit marketing-sherpa.com and click the Get Started button. Once you are on the dashboard, you can choose either the free or paid version. Paid version offers detailed analytics and integrations with the platforms mentioned above. Free version provides a wealth of useful information about your campaigns, including the number of visitors, followers, and engagement on social media platforms like Twitter.
The bottom line is that these five resources cover almost every aspect of digital marketing, from inbound marketing, to SEO, to content strategy, and more. If you are just getting started or are looking for a quick way to learn the ropes, these five platforms are a great place to start. With that in mind, let’s get to the good stuff and take a closer look at each one.