Are you looking to break into digital marketing? I’m excited to share these resources with you because I know firsthand how a digital marketing job can open the door to working remotely and exploring the world.
If you’re wondering how to pivot into a digital marketing career, I’m right there with you! I used to think that a Master’s degree was the only way, but that isn’t exactly the most accessible, time or money-wise. I still remember being heartbroken after turning down acceptance to a program in Ireland because I couldn’t afford it. But my current job hired me in good faith, with the requirement that I complete training to upskill myself. From paid ads to graphic design to SEO, I realized there was a whole wealth of free resources to learn digital marketing out there!
Now, I firmly believe you don’t have to go into debt to get an education in digital marketing. Explore these free resources so that you can get skilled, get certified, and get hired!
1. SEO (Search Engine Optimization)
Understanding search engine optimization (SEO) has become essential for individuals and businesses aiming to improve their online visibility and drive organic traffic. SEO is the practice of optimizing web pages to improve their rankings on search engines like Google.
Moz’s Beginner’s Guide to SEO
Moz, a renowned authority in the SEO industry (for real! I try to start each workday by reading one of their articles!), offers an exceptional Beginner’s Guide to SEO. It covers all the fundamental concepts of SEO, from keyword research and on-page optimization to link building and analytics. This comprehensive guide is perfect for beginners and provides a solid foundation for anyone looking to dive into the world of SEO.
HubSpot’s SEO Training Course
I really enjoy Hubspot’s courses because of how visually they’re structured–it makes it thirlling to track my progress! This course covers everything from the basics of SEO to advanced strategies. It includes video lessons, practical examples, and quizzes to test your knowledge. The course is suitable for beginners and intermediate learners.
SEMrush Academy
SEMrush, one of the industry’s SEO giants, offers a wide range of free courses through its SEMrush Academy. These courses cover various aspects of SEO, including keyword research, on-page optimization, backlink analysis, and competitor research. With video lessons and quizzes, SEMrush Academy provides a hands-on learning experience.
Google’s Search Engine Optimization (SEO) Starter Guide
Who better to learn SEO from than the search engine giant itself? Google’s SEO Starter Guide provides valuable insights into optimizing your website for Google’s search engine. It covers topics such as creating unique and descriptive page titles, improving site structure, and writing effective meta descriptions. Although it can be a little dense, Google’s guide is a must-read resource for anyone looking to understand SEO best practices.
2. Graphic Design
Graphic design is an important aspect of digital marketing because it helps to create visual content that stands out and grabs the attention of potential customers. I used to be so intimidated by this medium because I thought I had to become a Photoshop expert or nothing at all. Thankfully, there is a wealth of resources!
Adobe Education Exchange
As the creators of Photoshop and Illustrator, Adobe’s Education Exchange is an invaluable resource for learning graphic design. It offers a vast collection of free courses, tutorials, and downloadable project files. From basic tools and techniques to advanced design concepts, the interactive lessons provide hands-on experience and insights from industry professionals, making it an ideal starting point.
YouTube
No surprise here, YouTube is a treasure trove of graphic design tutorials and walkthroughs. Numerous creators and experts share their knowledge on channels dedicated to Photoshop and Illustrator. Some noteworthy channels include:
– Photoshop Training Channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/photoshoptrainingch
– Adobe Illustrator: https://www.youtube.com/user/AdobeIllustrator
Canva Design School
While not as intricate as the Adobe tools, you can still accomplish quite a lot with Canva, and it’s developing new tools all the time. The Canva Design School features free tutorials, articles, and design courses suitable for beginners and intermediate learners. You’ll find comprehensive guides on graphic design principles, typography, color theory, and much more.
Envato Tuts+
Envato Tuts+ is a comprehensive online learning platform that covers various creative disciplines, including graphic design. Its library of free tutorials for Photoshop and Illustrator covers a wide range of topics, from basic tools and workflows to advanced techniques. The platform also offers premium content for those looking to dive deeper into specific areas of design.
3. Social Media Management
Social media is inescapable in the digital marketing world, and if you’re like me, you might find keeping on top of it a little intimidating. But these courses can help you find your specialization and build your skill set!
Buffer’s Social Media Library
Buffer, another popular social media management tool, provides an extensive library of educational resources on their website. I really appreciate the helpful tips you can find on their blog, not to mention their comprehensive guides, webinars and case studies, that cover a wide range of social media topics.
Google Digital Garage
Google Digital Garage offers a range of free courses on digital marketing, including social media management. Their courses provide an understanding of social media platforms, content creation, analytics, and advertising techniques. The courses are self-paced, making it convenient for you to study at your own pace.
HubSpot Social Media Marketing Certification Course
HubSpot Academy offers free online courses on various aspects of inbound marketing, including social media management. Their courses cover topics like social media strategy, content planning, community management, and analytics. The platform also provides certifications upon completion, which can enhance your professional credibility. (I’m not the biggest LinkedIn girl, but I love being able to add HubSpot badges/certificates to my profile!)
Facebook Blueprint
Facebook Blueprint offers a variety of free courses designed to help you succeed in social media marketing. The courses cover a range of topics, including Facebook and Instagram advertising, audience targeting, content creation, and analytics. With Facebook being one of the largest social media platforms, mastering its marketing tools is quite useful.
4. Copywriting
Copywriting is a powerful skill that can make or break a marketing campaign. It’s the art of persuasive writing that drives conversions, engages audiences, and brings brands to life. (Also, this happens to be my favorite digital marketing path, so I may be a bit biased 😉 )
Neil Patel’s Blog
Neil Patel, a renowned digital marketer, offers valuable insights and resources on his blog. I’ve watched more hours of this beautiful bald man’s content than I can count–he’s thorough! I love that he has an extensive video library of many of his blogs, so you can listen to them on the go or in the background. I’d suggest looking at his content marketing course.
Copyblogger
Copyblogger is a renowned online resource that offers a wealth of information on copywriting, content marketing, and online business. Their blog covers a wide range of topics, including headline writing, storytelling, persuasive writing techniques, and more. Visit their websitento access their extensive library of articles, tutorials, and free e-books.
5. Email Marketing
Email marketing remains a vital tool for businesses to engage with their audience, drive conversions, and nurture customer relationships.
HubSpot Email Marketing Certification
HubSpot’s Email Marketing Certification offers a comprehensive course that covers various aspects of email marketing, including deliverability, contact management, segmentation, design, and analytics. The certification includes video lessons, practical exercises, and a final exam. Upon completion, you’ll receive a recognized certification to showcase your email marketing expertise. We love a reason to spiff up our LinkedIn profile!
Mailchimp Email Marketing Guides
Mailchimp, one of the leading email marketing platforms, offers an extensive library of guides and resources to help you understand email marketing concepts, best practices, and strategies. Their guides cover everything from building an email list and designing effective campaigns to analyzing metrics and automating workflows. I especially appreciate their articles because they give context to the email marketing beast. Dive in!
Really Good Emails
Really Good Emails is a curated collection of, well, really good emails. They spoil you with templates, which I find really helpful because you don’t have to start from scratch. This resource provides inspiration by showcasing email designs from different industries and purposes. Here, you can explore creative ideas, design trends, and effective copywriting techniques. By analyzing successful email campaigns, you can gain insights into what works and apply those principles as you start to build your own campaigns
Moz’s Beginner’s Guide to Email Marketing
Moz, renowned for its expertise in search engine optimization, also offers resources about email marketing. The articles cover essential topics such as list building, writing effective subject lines, crafting engaging content, and optimizing for conversions. Although it’s not a comprehensive guide, these resources provide a good background for those new to email marketing.
6. Paid Ads
Paid advertising has become an integral part of modern marketing strategies. Whether you’re a virtual assistant helping a blogger get her content out there, or an ads specialist helping a local business target their best customers, let’s learn how to get those clicks up!
Google Skillshop
Google Skillshop provides free online courses and certifications covering various Google products and services, including Google Ads. You can learn about keyword research, campaign optimization, ad creation, and much more. Completing these courses and earning certifications can significantly boost your credibility and showcase your expertise. Get those badges and gussy up your LinkedIn profile!
Facebook Ads Blueprint
Facebook Ads Blueprint is a comprehensive learning platform that covers various aspects of Facebook advertising. It offers free courses and certifications, including beginner, intermediate, and advanced levels. You’ll gain insights into ad targeting, ad formats, campaign management, and measuring ad performance, all while understanding the best practices for advertising on Facebook and Instagram.
WordStream PPC University
WordStream’s PPC University offers a wealth of educational resources for paid advertising. Their comprehensive guides cover topics like keyword research, campaign optimization, ad copywriting, and bid management. Additionally, they provide industry updates and host webinars to keep you up-to-date with the latest trends and strategies. They have so many guides to dive into–have fun!
You don’t need to shell out a bunch of cash to become a digital marketer. From SEO to graphic design, social media management to copywriting, email marketing to paid ads, there are so many paths you can choose. I hope you can use these resources to start your journey of becoming a digital marketing expert, and eventually unlock the freedom of a remote job.
I’m rooting for you!
Xx Denae
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