Struggling to beat the competition? These 12 digital marketing resources might just be the key to helping your company stand out from the crowd.
Digital marketing holds the key to success for any business. It not only facilitates communication between you and your target audience, but it’s also cost-effective, measurable, and helps you generate quality leads and build meaningful relationships with both existing and future clients.
There are several types of digital marketing to leverage, from search engine optimisation (SEO) and search engine marketing (SEM) to social media, performance, and influencer marketing.
The good news is, whether you’re a beginner or a professional marketer, there’s a huge pool of resources out there for you to learn from and further hone those all-important digital marketing skills.
Read on to discover the 12 best digital marketing resources in 2020. Study up on these and with a little patience, time, and effort, you and your business will be reaping the rewards in no time.
Google Analytics Academy
It should come as no surprise that Google Analytics is by far the most widely used web analytics tool on the digital market. After all, it’s Google, which means it’s trusted, robust, and super easy to integrate with other platforms. The platform keeps all website traffic data in one place, tracking everything from the number of page views and time spent on site per visit to important audience demographics, ad campaign performance, and much, much more.
Being able to understand this data is the key to formulating an effective digital marketing strategy, as the data essentially tells you what is working and what is not in your business.
To help you get the most out of Google Analytics, Google Analytics Academy offers online courses on everything from a beginner’s guide to using Google Analytics to advanced tips on how to track business performance and identify areas for improvement. The best part? It’s free.
HubSpot
Marketing has changed immensely over the past decade. It’s no longer about disruptive advertisements that seek out customers, but rather the formation of meaningful interactions to attract customers.
Known as the pioneer and global leader of inbound marketing, HubSpot provides a whole host of resources to help guide you through the vast and complex world of digital marketing.
For those looking to take their skills up a notch and brush up their resumes, consider partaking in a certification course from HubSpot Academy. These certifications only require a few hours of your time to complete, but provide a great overview of all things digital marketing, and can really help to further you in your career. Highly rated and completely free, you’d be remiss to miss out on this badge of honour.
Google Webmasters
As we all know, Google is the king of search engines – according to StatCounter, Google had an 88% share of the United State’s search market in 2019. That’s why, when it comes to search engine optimisation (SEO), it’s probably best to get your advice straight from the largest and most popular search engine in the world.
Ranging from clips of past Google Webmaster Conferences to in-depth, myth-busting discussions on SEO, Google Webmasters is a super engaging YouTube channel that provides its followers with all the information and tools they need to understand and improve their site on Google Search.
Moz
A wildly successful search marketing analytics company, Portland-based Moz provides you with everything you need to know about SEO, from advice on link building to tips and tricks for effective keyword research.
What’s great about Moz is that there’s something for everyone, regardless of what stage you’re at. For SEO beginners, we highly recommend checking out their extensive Beginner’s Guide to SEO and completing their SEO Essentials Certificate course. If you’re short on time or just need a refresher, be sure to check out their tremendously comprehensive video series that perfectly condenses everything you need to know about SEO into six hour-long videos.
Ahrefs
A leading SEO toolset provider platform, Ahrefs has a great blog which compiles all the definitions and guides you need to know to get better at SEO and marketing.
If videos are more of your forte, however, they also have a YouTube channel featuring videos with actionable SEO tips to help you increase your organic search traffic and beat the rankings on Google.
Search Engine Land
The digital marketing business is constantly evolving – which is why when it comes to learning about search engines, it’s so important that marketers not only master the ins and outs of SEO and SEM, but also stay on top of the latest trends and news in the search engine industry.
Search Engine Land allows you to do exactly that. A news and information site providing breaking headlines that cater towards the search engine industry, Search Engine Land makes sure you are kept up to date with the latest search news so that you are able to adapt your SEO/SEM strategy accordingly.
Neil Patel
As Forbes Top 10 Marketer and a New York Times bestselling author, Neil Patel is the authority on digital marketing, not to mention the brains behind Crazy Egg, Hello Bar, and KISSmetrics.
From guides on building a successful website to advice on how to win the game of SEO, Neil Patel’s blog and his Marketing School podcast cover every single facet of information you need to know for success. Not sold yet? Well, consider this. When it comes to bridging the gap in marketing knowledge, this guy’s been recognised as being Barack Obama AND the United Nations’ pick. Pretty neat, eh?
Google Digital Garage
Aimed at beginners, small businesses, and entrepreneurs, Google Digital Garage offers free online introductory courses for everyone and anyone to learn about the fundamentals of online marketing.
Our top pick? Their Fundamentals of Digital Marketing course. With 26 modules covering everything from social media and local advertising to display ads and email marketing, this easy-to-follow course is packed full of practical exercises and real-world examples to help you turn your knowledge into action.
Social Media Today
When it comes to digital marketing strategy, we really cannot stress enough the importance of social media. An estimated 3.6 billion people are now using social media worldwide, spending an average of two and a half hours on these platforms every day. If you can successfully leverage that number, just imagine how many potential clients you can gain!
Of course, social media marketing comes with its own difficulties – it can be hard to get a firm grasp on the ever-changing algorithms, and the time and effort spent may not necessarily guarantee a positive return. Social Media Today, a news page that keeps you in touch with the most current social media trends, is here to guide you through the world of the unknown. There’s even a whole page dedicated just to keeping up with the algorithms.
CopyBlogger
As under-appreciated as it is, content marketing forms the backbone of every digital marketing strategy. Effective content catches people’s attention, increases engagement, and builds a great impression for your brand.
CopyBlogger is here to teach you everything you need to know about content marketing. Skim through one of their articles or tune into their podcast to learn how to go about transforming your writing into actual marketable content.
AdEspresso
As much as we hate to admit it, advertising works. In fact, the most successful marketing campaigns can often get stuck in your head. The best part about digital advertising is the ability to target the exact audience that’s most likely to convert and become a potential customer.
To learn more about digital advertising, check out AdEspresso. From its blog and guides to ebooks and webinars, it’s got you covered on ways to optimise your digital advertising campaign on Facebook and Google Ads. What we truly love about AdEspresso, though, is its use of real-world examples to help bring the subject matter to life and drum the message home.
Search Engine Journal
Similar to Search Engine Land, Search Engine Journal is an online platform that offers news, interviews, and how-to guides from marketing experts around the world.
Aiming to cover every single facet of digital marketing in one easy-to-access domain, the platform provides marketers with the most up-to-date news and information on everything to do with social media, search engines, and website builders. To hear directly from marketing experts, simply register for one of their many webinars where they regularly cover all the hottest marketing trends.
Wrapping Up
While the world of digital marketing can certainly feel like a minefield – especially at the beginning – it doesn’t necessarily have to stay that way. Leverage all the resources out there, and you’ll quickly find yourself to be a bonafide digital marketing expert in no time.
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