Digital marketing qualifications update

Posted on: June 16, 2014

At last week’s half day “Up to speed in digital marketing and social media course” http://www.pmforum.co.uk/training/ several delegates asked for my opinion on the various digital marketing qualifications available.

Back in 2012, I wrote the following blog about the main digital marketing qualifications: http://kimtasso1.wpengine.com/old-and-new-digital-marketing-qualifications/

Here is some recent feedback from people I have spoken to about other courses:

Digital Marketing Institute (Irish) http://digitalmarketinginstitute.com/uk/

• 12 weeks – including a week’s boot camp.
• Takes place in Central London – near Old Street
• 30 attendees (example: Google, Sony) – practitioners and good networking opportunities
• Cost: £1,400 and assignment included

Structure/content:

1. What is digital? (process) includes email marketing
2. SEO and SEM (PPC) covering tags and keywords – http://www.screamingfrog.co.uk/seo-spider/
3. Display advertisements and mobile marketing
4. Social media
5. Analytics – mostly W3 and Alexa http://www.similarweb.com/
6. Strategy

My contact commented: “Really good and intensive course. Covered Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube.  Took delegates on the customer journey. Infographics were not covered. Content management needed a separate course. No infographics covered. I’m keen to put my new skills into practice”.

Google Squared Online http://www.wearesquared.com/

• Developed with Google and endorsed by the IPA
• Five sequential modules taught live online over 5 – 6 months
• Each week there’s one evening class and you need to dedicate 8 hours to the programme
• Modules:
  • A Connected World
  • Think Commercial
  • Think Like A Brand
  • Think Optimised
  • The Ongoing Revolution
• Entrance criteria:
  • first or second class university degree, or
  • either of the following:
    • over 3 years work experience (ideally in marketing/advertising)
    • a Level 4+ marketing qualification (e.g. CIM Professional Certificate in Marketing)
    • Prices: Employer funded places are £1,449 (ex VAT).  There’s an instalment option if paying for yourself

The attendee I spoke to commented:

“Initially I thought it was brilliant in that it was really practical and that you got to work on projects. You have to go and get the information as they don’t spoon feed you like on CIM. In that regard you need to be very disciplined and dedicated. I think it’s a good overview of the various areas although I wouldn’t say that I’m an SEO expert now – in some areas it didn’t really drill down enough. We were organised into groups and had to do Google Hangouts to work on projects together – it could be challenging to find times when we were all available. We did the projects (like developing a multi-channel campaign) and then talked about it. All the tutors were experts in their fields. The qualification is certainly recognised in the creative industries – I’m not sure about others. If they did a further level course I would do it”. 

Product Management http://www.productfocus.com/?gclid=CMSQ06DI7L4CFanpwgod1kUAbw

And while this isn’t digital, I thought it might be of interest to some. It’s designed for telecoms, IT and software sectors. I’ve written before about ITSMA http://kimtasso1.wpengine.com/book-review-marketing-technology-as-a-service-proven-techniques-that-add-value-by-laurie-young-and-bev-burgess/

3 days in Central London  http://www.wallacespace.com/

Cost: £1,700

• Covers the basics in pricing
• Worked in groups
• Good tutor
• Good coverage of value propositions
• Received a memory stick containing all the tools including the pricing models
• Quarterly journals considered “really good” by my contact
• Optional 90 minute exam to gain a certificate

Please let me know if you have insights or experiences to share on any digital marketing courses – kim@kimtasso.com