In an era of cut-throat competition and more-than-abundant product offerings, marketing goes a long way in determining the success (or failure!) of a brand/company. Whether you’re into fashion design, photography, or even real estate, the way you use your marketing can make or break you. Therefore, modern-day marketing professionals are expected to be good at a range of things, from copywriting to sales to digital media to analytics to creative direction — the list doesn’t end there; it can seem quite endless! Sure, you can pick up these skills by investing in a college degree, but what if you don’t have the time or money for that anymore? Do you turn to social media influencers or closely follow industry experts?
Well, you could, but the chances are that the amount of knowledge you can gain by enrolling in an online marketing course can’t be gained from merely following industry experts and influencers. Online courses are fast and effective, catering efficiently to a constantly changing market. Given the pace that global markets are running at today, you’ll need to constantly adapt to changing marketing trends; a possibility that online courses offer without bankrupting you (most of them are even free!).
Whether you’re a professional looking to refresh your learning or maybe the world of marketing has you fascinated, here’s a roundup of our top marketing courses!
Digital Marketing Specialist Master’s Program — Simplilearn
Simplilearn’s Digital Marketing Specialist is aimed at getting students ready for the industry by training in a wide range of topics spread over 9 comprehensive full-length courses that cover the ‘A to Z’ of digital marketing. This includes web analytics, SEO, content and email marketing; students can also access the foundational Digital Marketing Certified Associate course on enrolling for this one, as well as over 45 projects, MimicPro Simulation and over 75 live online classes led by efficient instructors. Even better, students get the opportunity to be mentored by industry experts on a monthly basis. On completing the course, students earn a degree completion certificate from Simplilearn (OMPC accredited).
Digital Marketing Specialization — Coursera
Of course, no list of online courses could probably be complete without Coursera featuring in it! The Digital Marketing Specialization program on the world’s largest MOOC platform features 7 courses and a hands-on capstone project that earns students a certificate from Coursera (if paid for). The program covers a range of topics such as SEO, social media and analytics, and is designed primarily for beginners, introducing them to the world of digital marketing in a systematic way.
SEO That Works — Backlinko
SEO That Works Course” class=”wp-image-1171″/>Who said good marketing courses are restricted to universities and MOOC behemoths such as Coursera and Udemy? Here’s a standalone marketing course from one of the best SEO marketers in the world — Brian Dean. The “SEO That Works” course will teach students how to direct traffic that’s more organic in nature to their websites; even if you’ve never heard of the term “SEO” before, enrolling for this course will have you SEO marketing like an expert post a few sessions! The course material is spread over 4 modules, each comprising 3-4 lessons, as well as exclusive “Insider Sessions”, where Brian Dean answers SEO marketing FAQs in audio sessions. With high-quality videos, downloadable transcripts, worksheets and slideshows that you can revisit as you wish, this course is a great bet for SEO marketing. However, admissions open only at specified times.
Mastering Drip
Another standalone course, “Mastering Drip” is all about becoming marketing automation wizards. The founder, Brennan Dunn, brings his impressive record in the industry to the course, helping students learn how to set up Drip to get the maximum returns possible. The course is broken up into Basic, Advanced and Mastery levels, with 20-30 minute videos in each section accompanied by foundation theory and Drip terminology (the sections are sequential). In the advanced section, students also learn personalization strategies and gain access to email templates. They also get access to Drip Pro Tools and Webinar Template; two really cool marketing tools that allow personalization of email sequences and easy setting up of webinars.
Masters in Digital Marketing — Market Motive
Having been around since 2007, Market Motive is a leading trainer in online digital marketing, trusted by universities and enterprises around the world alike. Their “Masters in Digital Marketing” program lets students access over 250 hours of training centered around areas such as SEO, social, mobile, email and conversion marketing, analytics, PPC and content marketing. The course instructors are Silicon Valley experts; the course follows an interdisciplinary approach to learning with access to over 20 digital marketing projects as well as access to an expert’s forum. Additionally, there’s a 100% money-back guarantee if you don’t achieve the desired results. The course is open to learners of all skill levels, regardless of their background or experience; there’s a little something for everyone!
Marketing Tutorials at Lynda.Com
If you don’t want to follow a rigid, structured approach to learning marketing, Lynda’s website is a great option; you can browse and learn what you want when you want. However, doing so requires you to have a monthly LinkedIn subscription; the subscription is affordable, making it a good option for beginners who want a taste of the marketing world (there’s also a one-month free trial). This standalone course offers training videos in a wide range of digital marketing topics, practice files for using offline, transcripts, and certificates for each course.
Digital Marketing eLearning Certificate — AMA
If you want to learn more about marketing but literally have just an hour on your hands, head over to the American Marketing Association’s website for their modules on Digital Marketing eLearning Certificate. This course covers everything from analytics to online advertising to content marketing to SEO to social media marketing to email marketing. Learning is quick and easy thanks to interactive material with knowledge checks and case studies and the course even count for CEU towards the institute’s own Professional Certified Marketer credential. Though this course is designed for beginners in the digital marketing field, it may not be your best bet for highly detailed explanations and breakdowns of topics.
SEO 101 — DistilledU
Run by Will Critchlow, SEO extraordinaire, DistilledU’s SEO 101 covers the core skills that all SEO-marketing-aspirants require. The topics cover analytics, video, outreach, and SEO tools, with industry experts and consultants stepping in as tutors. The modules are interactive, with multiple-choice tests and quality video content; students can access over 133 hours worth of lectures, slides, and presentations. The course works on a subscription basis. You get access to 3 demo modules before payment
Viral Marketing and How to Craft Contagious Content — Coursera
If you’re “woke”, “viral” isn’t a new concept to you at all! Why are some things more popular than others? If you want to get to the bottom of this mystery, this course is for you. Professor Jonah Berger teaches students successful strategies to make their campaigns go viral, whether it’s social media or otherwise, in this course offered by the University of Pennsylvania. By the end of the course, students will be better equipped to craft contagious content, get ideas and products to catch on and build better messaging, as well as learning how to increase their influence and generate more word-of-mouth publicity. The course is spread across 4 weeks with each module taking about an hour to complete, each week.
Introduction to Marketing — Coursera
Last but in no way the least is the very basic “Introduction to Marketing” course offered by the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School, perfect for those who’ve never ventured into marketing prior to this. Taught by the school’s top 3 marketing faculty (in a marketing department consistently ranked first in the world, effectively making them the best 3 in the world, even!), this course explores branding, positioning, marketing strategy, customer centricity, the fundamentals of pricing models and repositioning strategies; there’s also an optional module on applied marketing that students can take. A great course for beginners or those looking to refresh their marketing basics!
The Final Word
Marketing isn’t restricted to only professionals and college-degree holders; with these courses and determination, discipline and dedication, anyone can become a great marketing professional without the investment of time, effort and money that a college degree requires. The courses we’ve picked are a combination of standalone courses, master’s degrees and basic courses, which cater to a wide range of skill levels and backgrounds. Start on one of these courses today for some deep diving into the world of marketing!
