Surviving and thriving as a marketer in the competitive and ever-evolving world of digital marketing is undeniably a great challenge. One way to stand out is by keeping yourself updated on the latest trends, techniques and technologies. Online learning courses have been a boon to digital marketers to educate themselves on the latest developments — professional education via e-learning has become a valuable, convenient and comfortable experience for both employees and employers across the globe.
According to the 2018 Digital Trends Report by econsultancy and Adobe, top-performing companies are twice as likely as their mainstream peers to classify themselves as digital-first (18% versus 9%). The findings in this report are a clear indication of the vast and continual changes in the field of digital marketing and prove that constant learning is what will help you stay ahead of the curve. Read on to for some motivational tips and handy ways to stay alert and updated:
Why do you have to keep learning as a digital marketer?
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- To protect your existing customers: Competition is tough, and you don’t want your customers to go to your competitors. You can improve your digital marketing business by learning and implementing new techniques, which will help you stay on par with the ever-changing world of digital marketing.
- To attract new customers: When you get real-time statistical data through your digital marketing campaigns, you will be able to organize your content or product more strategically, thereby being able to target potential customers.
- To enhance your presence among your key targets: Increased online presence helps to gain more awareness among your prospects, customers and clients. Keep your eye on latest trends to keep up-to-date about the transitions made within industry verticals.
The purpose of marketing is to make your business appealing and valuable to your key prospects and customers. As a marketer, you have to be able to adapt to stay on top of the digital marketing world. All the above mentioned level-ups are only possible if you stay a step ahead and revolutionize your business.
Here are a few tools and tips to stay ahead of the curve:
- Social Media: There are now nearly three billion people around the globe using social media platforms like LinkedIn and Facebook for enhancing their business relations. What was originally a platform for online professional profiles and resumes, LinkedIn has evolved into the world’s largest professional online community and a vast B2B content marketing platform with more than 467 million member profiles and 26 million company pages. Since its launch in 2002 — less than 20 years ago, LinkedIn has become an indispensable platform for marketing advice and trends by experts in digital marketing. These huge numbers are an indication that you can find experts in your field across various social media platforms and follow them to stay up-to-date on the latest trends and best practices. Also, you can ask questions and get advice from peers and experts.
- Google Alerts: Google Alerts are another easy way to stay up-to-date with the latest developments in the digital marketing world. You just need to type in your field of interest in the search bar and there you go; you will get a list of latest happenings in the respective field. You may also set it up for email alerts to get all the latest industry news sent directly to your inbox.
- Online Courses: One of the easiest ways to enhance your knowledge of digital marketing is to enroll in a certified online course. The availability of online learning authoring tools has accelerated the development of online courses and curriculums. The interactive, flexible, and strategically planned eLearning course structures have made eLearning easy.
- Microlearning is the method of learning small yet conceptual chunks of data at one time and is highly suitable for people who cannot spend hours together in traditional courses. Moreover, a study reveals that employees waste about 21% of their time due to inadequate skills to keep up with current trends. So marketers may cheer up, as you can now train yourself or your employees and improve your business with micro-learning without wasting time unnecessarily.
- Blogs and online publications: Social media platforms may be immensely helpful in getting valuable pieces of advice from experts, but blogs and online publications are another great resource to keep up-to-date on digital marketing. You just need to find a few that suit your interest, and you’ll easily stay updated with everything that’s new and fresh.
- Conferences, Events and Networking: Though the availability of online tools has made it easy to develop online courses, the knowledge gained through face-to-face engagements and real-life experience is what will help you most in the long run. Attending digital marketing conferences, seminars and workshops will not only enhance your knowledge, but will also increase and expand your professional network.
Conclusion
Remember, what was prevalent and worked yesterday is not necessarily effective today. To stay ahead in this frenetic digital marketing race, it is essential that you gear yourself up with current events, news and the latest trends. Your business is your asset, so you must invest in it. Follow this list of tips, and get rolling on your journey of knowledge and growth.