30+ Must Have Tools For Any Digital Marketer

Online marketing involves knowing a good amount about a whole lot of things; it’s sort of a jack-of-all-trades type of business. It requires the marketer or business owner to have a whole toolbox full of handy things to help them promote their content, improve website traffic, increase conversions, and more.
To help digital marketers save time and fill their toolbox with everything they need, we’ve rounded up thirty must-have online marketing tools for small and big businesses alike. This list includes links to tools from important aspects of digital marketing, such as SEO, social media marketing, content marketing, and analytics. Some of the tools are complex and involved, some are pretty basic. Some of the tools are free, some are not, and some are a bit of both.
Whichever aspect of digital marketing you need the most assistance with, check out the list and you’re bound to find the tool you’ve been missing.

SEO Tools

 1. Google Suggest

Cost: FREE
Google Suggest is an absolute must-have online marketing tool when it comes to finding keywords or content topic ideas. These suggestions can vary by search history, region, and language, but they all come from how people actually use the search engine. So, rather than offering suggestions worded in a way that is best for robots, they word them in a way that is best for people actually conducting the searches.
For example, type in the phrase “pet food coupons” and Google suggests:
1.   Pet food coupons online
2.   Pet food coupons printable
3.   Pet food coupons 2016
4.   Pet food coupons Canada
Try it with just “pet food coupon” and Google offers:
1.  Pet food coupon
2.  Pet food coupon deals
3.  Pet food coupon code
4.  Pet food coupons printable
These are all genuine searches conducted by other people, ranked by popularity. If there are lots of people doing searches for “pet food coupons” and then go type “pet food coupons printable”, that can help make “pet food coupons printable” appears as an autocomplete suggestion.

2. Anchor Text Over Optimization Tool

Cost: FREE
This online marketing tool functions exactly like it sounds, and is a must-have if you’re worried about Google penalties. The Anchor Text Over Optimization Tool allows the user to search for and identify any over-optimized anchor text links on external sites. This is good, because these types of links tend to look unnatural to Google and can end up getting flagged. The tool also lets the user send in a change request directly to the site webmasters.

3. Domain Hunter Plus

Cost: FREE

The Domain Hunter Plus is a free Chrome plugin that lets the user scan the page for any dead links and available domains. It can crawl hundreds of links on just one page, and provides error status codes to make your diagnostic process easier, and even lets the user export results in .csv format.

4. Ubersuggest

Cost: FREE

Ubersuggest is a super handy tool that lets you quickly find a whole batch of new keywords you wouldn’t normally find when using the common Google Keyword Planner (which is still a great tool!). They also have a free KeywordEverywhere extension for both Chrome and Firefox.

5. KeywordTool.io

Cost: Basic is FREE, but the Pro version has several plans, ranging from $48/month to $88/month.
KeywordTool.io is a free online marketing tool lets you get up to 750+ long-tail keyword suggestions for each search term you enter. They’re based on Google searches and the language you select. This tool is a great way to increase your content marketing, especially if you’re trying to drive more people to your website. By using this tool, you get insight into what they are searching for on Google and what they are looking to buy. You can create product offers or content that directly reflects these trends (using these keywords!), which would draw more people to your website.

6. Website Grader

Cost: FREE
Website Grader is a free online marketing tool that scans and grades your site, and then sends the results to you in an email. It evaluates your site based on key metrics like performance, SEO, security, and mobile optimization. If you’re trying to improve your site, boost your SEO, and increase your website traffic, this is a must-use tool.

7. Website SEO Score Checker

Cost: FREE
Its name may be long, but the Website SEO Score Checker tool from Small SEO Tools is easy to use. Just enter in your domain or a website’s URL, check the box to let them know you’re a real person, and then click on “Check SEO” to get a full report. If you’re trying to figure out what you need to improve in order to grow your online presence, this online marketing tool is a must-have.

8. Keyword Density Analyzer

Cost: FREE
The Keyword Density Analyzer from SEOBook lets you find the most commonly used keywords and phrases on any given page. If you’re trying to include enough keywords to boost your content’s SEO, but don’t want to overdo it, this tool is a must-have. It’s also great for learning from your competitor’s, and getting an idea of what keywords they’re ranking for.

9. SimilarWeb

Cost: Trial is FREE, plans are not.
SimilarWeb lets you compare two websites side-by-side. This is great for gaining insight about competitors, and figuring out how you can step up your SEO game.

10. Browseo

Cost: FREE
Browseo lets you see your website in the same way a search engine would. It’s helpful when you want to see the hierarchy you’ve assigned to certain elements of your site, even if you weren’t aware of it. You can also get insight into your website and that of your competitors.

Social Media Tools

11. Hootsuite

Cost: FREE for limited use, but they have plans that start at $9.99/month.

Hootsuite is one of the most popular and widely used online marketing tools for social media management. It has virtually every function you could possibly need, all presented within an easy-to-use format.

12. TweetDeck

Cost: FREE
If you’re going to focus your social media marketing efforts on Twitter, TweetDeck is a definite must-have tool to store in your proverbial toolbox. It makes it easy to see everything at once, manage multiple accounts at once, follow certain tags, check your notifications, and post new Tweets.

13. Buffer

Cost: Limited use is FREE, but plans start at $10/month and go up to $399/month
Buffer makes it easy to share any article/post/webpage you’re currently reading. You can also schedule your own content to be shared across your connected social media accounts.

14. Paper.li

Cost: Basic plan is FREE
Paper.li lets you share content from your own site, or that of others within your industry, and then publishes it in the format of an online newspaper. This is a great way to get your content seen by a new audience, as well as get it in front of others within your target audience.

15. Bitly

Cost: FREE
Honestly, what would a social media tools section be without Bitly? This link shortening tool is incredible useful for posting updates on Twitter, and saves on character space. It also just makes your update look less cluttered!

Content Marketing Tools

16. Prezi

Cost: Plans start at $4.99/month
Prezi lets you create a slideshow presentation that isn’t yawn-inducing. It’s easy to use, and has plenty of templates to choose from. It makes it easy to share information in a visual way, rather than just relying on written content.

17. Blog Topic Generator

Cost: FREE
This content marketing tool does just what it says it will do – it generates topics when you’re stuck in a blog post rut. The Blog Topic Generator is easy to use, and has some great topic ideas.

18. CoSchedule

Cost: Plans start at $60/month
CoSchedule is a must-have online marketing tool that makes it easy to schedule your content across various social media platforms. It also has a handy Headline Analyzer to help you measure how effective your headline is.

19. SlideShare

Cost: FREE
SlideShare functions a lot like a social network for presentations. It’s a great way to put together content for webinars, lectures, and conferences. You create the presentation, and then share it with your audience.

20. Social Studio FX

Cost: $49 One Time ($99 Optional Template Upgrade Available)

Social Studio FX is a simple yet powerful way to make your graphics for your social media and advertising. Easy to use point and click interface, combined with a ton of images and templates, it’s a powerful and highly recommended. Also a best seller of Snaptactix!

21. PicMonkey

Cost: Basic plan is FREE
PicMonkey is a great tool for creating or editing images and website/blog graphics. It’s easy to use, and they have different themes and special fonts and graphics available for different occasions, holidays, and needs.

22. Quora

Cost: FREE
It may not be the first site that comes to mind when talking about online marketing tools, but Quora can be a gold mine for content marketing. You can answer questions others may have, and then link to relevant pages on your site. You can showcase your industry authority by offering expert advice or solutions, and you can drive traffic to your site with blog posts and links.

23. Google Alerts

Cost: FREE
As simple as it is, Google Alerts is one of the best online marketing tools to have when it comes to your content marketing. It lets you keep up on the latest trends and happenings within your industry, providing you with an immediate look into what’s going on. Your brand will be up-to-date on all of the latest information, as it’s published, and able to create or share relevant content.

24. Evernote

Cost: Basic plan is FREE, other plans are $34.99/yr and $69.99/yr
If you tend to have multiple folders with bits of research or notes scattered about your computer, Evernote is a must-have online marketing tool. This lets you save practically anything you find online into a completely personalized folder arrangement that syncs across all of your devices.

25. Twitter Chats

Cost: FREE
Now, Twitter may be a social media site and tool, but the Twitter chats serve as a great resource for your content marketing. You get into discussions with other industry experts and brands, get a feel for what’s trending right now, and find out what the hot issues are. It also helps you see what your prospects are currently interested in, what they’re struggling with, and what solutions they are looking for. It gives you a focus for your content, and provides an excellent way of demonstrating your brand’s value.

26. Pixel Studio FX

Cost: $67 (one time only!)

Pixel Studio FX is a user-friendly web app makes it easy to create eCovers for your online marketing business. It also includes an Enterprise/Commercial license for free, so you can sell these designs as your own and still keep 100% of the profits.

Analytics Tools

27. Google Analytics

Cost: FREE, but premium plans are available
The biggest name in analytics, Google Analytics has everything you could possibly need to track the effectiveness of your website content, campaigns, and other types of marketing collateral. You can see how many people access your site, where they come from, how long they spend on each page, how many pages into your site they venture, and more. It’s a complex online marketing tool, but designed in a way that makes it extremely user-friendly.

28. ClickTale

Cost: Free demo, priced plans
ClickTale is a handy online marketing tool that provides video recordings of real user sessions. This lets you go through and see what people clicked on, what they didn’t, and what they interacted with the most.

29. SubjectLine

Cost: FREE

If your subject line isn’t compelling enough, your subscribers or other recipients probably won’t bother to open them. So, how do you know whether or not your subject line is enticing? SubjectLine is an easy-to-use online marketing tool that will analyze your subject line and tell you where to improve.

30. Formisimo

Cost: FREE trial (7 days), plans range from $50/mo to $180/mo or POA/mo
Formisimo picks up where other analytics tools leave off. They can tell you which pages were visited, where your visitors came from, and what they did on your site. What they can’t tell you is why your visitors left without converting to customers or subscribers. This online marketing tool can tell you exactly that.

31. Piwik

Cost: FREE, but you must download it and host it on your own server
Piwik offers a lot of the same features other analytics tools do, including visitor maps, keyword search, and session tracking. However, this tool takes things one step further by offering a mobile app and unlimited data storage. The setup is pretty complicated, and the program is a bit involved, but the dashboard can be customized to fit your preferences and needs.

32. ClickPerfect

Cost: FREE for 30 days, $19/month after

ClickPerfect is custom software was built from the ground up, designed as an easy-to-use click tracking click targeting platform. This tool lets you mask/cloak links and track their clicks in real time. Tracking every click on your site can help you maximize your audience reach and revenue, making this tool an absolute must-have.
Choose an online marketing tool from each section to try out.
Oh and don’t forget to like this article and share with your fellow digital marketer.
If you found a new tool from our TOP 30 list to help in your marketing efforts, I’m sure they will too!
Make sure you let us know which tools you use and which ones you plan to get in the comment section BELOW!

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Feed the Content Monster with the Help of a Closed-Circle Content Loop

If there is one thing search engines love more than anything, it is fresh content — and algorithms continue to get better at finding and ranking it by the minute.

But what content marketer has enough time to dedicate to feeding the content monster all day, every day?

To keep up with search engines and still preserve your time, you have to create a closed-circle content loop for your content marketing strategy. Let’s look at how to do that.

What is a closed-circle content loop?

A closed-circle content loop is an inbound content system that focuses on both the atomization of brand-new content and the repurposing of old content.

By generating many different types of new content while also recycling old content in new and relevant ways, you can ensure that your brand always has a body of fresh work to feed to search engines.

Using this two-pronged approach, you effectively close the gap in your content strategy (hence the name) and answer the struggle all content marketers face every day: so much work to create and not enough hours in the day to make it happen!

Create a variety of brand-new content

While text content like articles and blog posts may be your content strategy’s bread and butter, feeding the content monster means adding a little more spice to your recipe. Podcasts, presentations, infographics, photos, ebooks, and videos are all important for generating a diverse content offering and boosting your SEO.

But content creation is a necessary ongoing investment. Creating all those pieces takes up time and money, whether you’re doing the work yourself or hiring a writer to do it for you.

Enter atomization.

When you take one big piece of new content and repurpose it in a variety of ways, you’ll cut down on the time and cost of creating fresh work.

Say you own a construction consulting business. You could create an in-depth 10-page ebook to teach customers how to renovate a master bathroom. That ebook can also work as an infographic, a series of “quick tip” social media posts, a video series on YouTube, and more.

By publishing in a variety of formats, one piece of content can multiply into many fresh avenues to connect with your customers. And that means fresh content for search engines.

Recycle old content

Unfortunately, nothing stays fresh forever — all types of food (even Twinkies!) have expiration dates. To feed the content monster, you’ll have to continuously revisit your old work.

Create a content calendar that resembles the table of contents for a book or user guide. Decide when each piece of content will become outdated and in need of a reset, and mark it on the calendar.

By keeping track of your publication dates, you’ll be able to recycle content many times over using the same atomization strategy you use for new work.

5 hacks for creating fresh content

These tips will help you create more effective content for your closed-circle content loop.

1. Focus on quality and quantity

Many experts have weighed in over the years about whether quality or quantity matters more for content marketing.

I’m here to tell you, when it comes to your SEO, the answer is actually both. If you want to see real results in search engines, you’ll need to post quality content in higher volumes. For a small business, this usually means creating something fresh once a week or every other week.

2. Pay attention to your title and keywords

Sure, you’re creating fresh content for search engines, but so is everyone else. In such a saturated market, sometimes your title is the only tool you have to attract readers to click on a results page.
Make it count.

Keywords can help. From your title to your body text to your captions and video descriptions, all of your content needs to contain the right keywords for SEO to make sure you are found by the right people in the first place.

3. Curate as well as create

Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, and that goes for content inspiration as well. SEO-savvy content marketers undoubtedly have a list of fellow influencers and websites that they trust for insider knowledge. Use it!

Most of your content will be created from scratch, but you can also create original work that is inspired by your favorite work online.

Did another business in your industry release an annual report jam-packed with awesome research? Consider writing an article that highlights the best pieces of data and add your personal insights to what that data means for businesses.

4. Invite your community to join you

If you want variety, get different writers. Boost the amount of content you’re churning out by inviting your community to become guest contributors.

Your biggest advocates will gladly create content in exchange for exposure. Plus, user-generated work creates a fresh dynamic for your brand and encourages other fans to engage with your company.

5. Measure, measure, measure

Don’t waste time on content that doesn’t convert. Track everything you publish, and note the pieces your customers clearly respond to.

Knowing what your audience wants to read or watch online will help you create new content in the future that speaks to their needs, and it will make sure you don’t waste time repurposing and recycling content that doesn’t actually work.

Feed the content monster

Content is the heart of your online lead generation efforts. Its impact on SEO is crucial to the success of your website, and ultimately, your business.

But creating enough fresh content to satisfy search engines can be tedious and time-consuming, especially for smaller businesses with limited resources. As a content marketer, you need to know time-saving content generation tactics and hacks that will feed your content monster, helping you boost your rankings fast and well.

By using a two-pronged, closed-circle content loop strategy, you’ll make the most of your content creation efforts and ensure that nothing you write (or design or record or film) ever goes to waste.


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Are You Fascinating Enough to Be a Content Marketer?

If you work closely with someone with bright pink hair, you might begin to question whether you are interesting enough to contribute your thoughts to the topic at hand.

Followings on the internet are built on memorability, right?

I mean, if you don’t give high-energy talks like Gary Vaynerchuk, dress on-brand like Mari Smith, or sport a high-voltage cranium like Michael Port, how will people know you exist?
Not that I’ve ever had any of those thoughts.

Is having an indelible personal brand a requirement for content marketing success? If you don’t have that, should you throw in the towel before you start?

Building a platform around your personality

There’s a conversation I’ve had multiple times with some of the most well-known people online.
People who — if you met them — might make you a little nervous. You might feel like you were in the presence of a celebrity!

Here’s how the conversation goes:

“I know I’m well-known within this group. But my family still doesn’t understand what I do. I talk to my neighbors and they say, ‘So, you make money on the internet? How does that work?’ And if all my ‘fans’ could see me in my day-to-day life they wouldn’t get so nervous talking to me.”

The internet gives us a place to build our own mini “kingdoms” of celebrity that we reign over. This process was much more difficult to do just 10-15 years ago. But now, we can gather our tribes, build our audiences, and develop our fan bases using strategic content marketing.

It’s a valid approach to an online business. But it’s not the only one.

Building a platform around your business idea

Traditionally, brands were developed to depict a product, service, or a movement — not a person.

In this more traditional approach to brand building, you identified a group you wanted to serve and you developed a brand they could connect to emotionally. The brand represented a series of experiences that would be delivered by interacting with the business.

This approach to brand building has some distinct advantages and some challenges.

The advantages:

You can craft a brand name that markets your business

When you carefully develop your brand name from scratch, you can easily associate it with the benefits you’ll deliver.

It’s less expensive to market the business

Proper names don’t say anything about your business offering, so you’ll need to spend more time and money establishing what the business is about when you base it on a proper name.

Brands built on a business idea (rather than a name) are easier to sell

If your long-term plan is to build a business you sell, it’s easier to sell a business that’s not associated with a proper name.

There are some challenges to think about with each approach:

It’s more difficult to put a human face on a set of words

When your business is built around your proper name, all you have to do is show up and the human face of your business shines through. Not so with a more traditional brand.

You have to be relentlessly present in your business when it revolves around your name

So you built a brand based on your own name. Need a vacation? Want to take a break? The show cannot go on without you. No pressure, but … it’s all riding on you.

Can you build a brand that’s the best of both worlds?

Yes, you can. And this is where content marketing comes in.

If you decide to avoid the sticky challenges that come with building a brand around your name, you can go the traditional route and build a brand around what you’ll deliver to your customers.

Examples:

Wellness Mama: Simple answers for healthier families
The Creative Penn: Resources to help you write, publish, and market your book
No Meat Athlete: Runs on plants
Copy Hackers: Convert like a mofo

These brands state exactly what they deliver in their names. And they back that up with consistent, high-quality content marketing that delivers on the promises made by the brand names and taglines.

That’s the way to have the best of both worlds: create a brand name based on a promised experience, then use content to deliver your promise today, tomorrow, and next year.

How to 10x your fascination quotient in one easy step!

You may not have vibrant pink hair on the top of your head. And you may not be beautifully bald, either.

Those qualities help your audience pick you out in a crowded room. But online, you know what really stands out?

Content that’s in tune with what an audience needs. Content that consistently serves the people who read it. Content that delivers time after time.

Feeling like you’re not quite fascinating enough to make it as a content marketer?

Find a way to be of service. Create useful, engaging, high-quality content. Go above and beyond to stand out from the crowd with your in-depth, helpful information.

That’s the brand of fascinating we need more of online.

PS: I just finished writing a book called Master Content Marketing: A Simple Strategy to Cure the Blank Page Blues and Attract a Profitable Audience. It will be released next month. Until then, I’m going to share excerpts and ideas from the book so you can start benefiting from it now. Watch this space.


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Explore the Content Editor Cosmos to Produce Out-of-This-World Writing [Infographic]

“Words are flowing out like endless rain into a paper cup. They slither wildly as they slip away across the universe.” – The Beatles, “Across the Universe”

 So, who’s responsible for taming wild words and presenting them in a straightforward format that’s engaging and educational? 

Content editors, of course. 

 A content editor aids in the effortless comprehension of a writer’s message, and in today’s infographic, we’ll explore the content editor’s universe to discover key takeaways you can use the next time you review and refine a piece of writing. 


 

Like this infographic? Get more from Copyblogger in our new, free WORD ebook that features our best advice for writers.

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How to Craft a Marketing Story that People Embrace and Share

You’re telling a story.

Whether you know it or not, or intend to or not … you absolutely are.

Everything you do to market your business is another paragraph, page, or chapter in the story people hear from you. And the story people hear is the one they act (or don’t act) on, and repeat (or don’t repeat) to others.

Now, it’s not necessarily fatal if you’re not aware you’re telling a story, and you’ll never completely control your story anyway. But purposeful storytelling is the mark of the great novelist, screenwriter, and playwright — and purposeful marketing stories are a sure sign of a great content marketer.

So why not tell your story on purpose? Here’s how.

1. Know your audience

The battle is won or lost, right here. Put me up against the greatest writer in the world, and if I understand the audience better, I will kick his or her ass every time when it comes to connection, engagement, and conversion.

What do you need to know? You need to know whom they admire, and what they aspire to, despise, fear, and cherish.

Instead of sitting around dreaming up content you guess people might react favorably to, you tell an educated story based on one or more archetypal individuals who represent the whole.

Understanding your audience at such an intimate level makes creating buyer personas important. It also helps you be a part of the market you’re speaking to, which results in a more authentic story and easier leadership of the community you form.

Research doesn’t sound sexy, but it’s the foundation of any smart marketing plan. The more time you spend understanding the people you’re talking to, the better story you’ll tell them.

2. Select your frame

When you know your audience well, what you’re really tuning in to is the way your people view the world. And when you understand the worldview your prospects share — the things they believe — you can frame your story in a way that resonates so strongly with them that you enjoy an “unfair” advantage over your competition.

Consider these competing worldviews, framed differently by simple word choice:

• Fitness Enthusiast vs. Gym Rat
• Progressive vs. Moonbat
• Businessman vs. The Man

These are extreme examples, and you can cater to audience beliefs and worldviews without resorting to name-calling. For example, the simple word “green” can provoke visceral reactions at the far sides of the environmental worldview spectrum, while also prompting less-intense emotions in the vast middle.

Framing your story against a polar opposite, by definition, will make some love you and others ignore or even despise you. That’s not only okay, it’s necessary.

You’ll likely never convert those at the other end of the spectrum, but your core base will share your content and help you penetrate the vast group in the middle — and that’s where growth comes from.

3. Choose your premise

The premise is the way you choose to tell the story so that you get the conclusion you desire. It’s the delivery of the framed message with dramatic tension and one or more relatable heroes so that your goals are achieved.

• It’s the hook, the angle, the purple cow.
• It’s the difference between a good story and an ignored story.
• It’s the clear path between attention and action.

It’s important to understand the difference between the beliefs or worldview of your audience (the frame) and the expression of that belief or worldview back to them.

Think about your favorite novel or film … the same information could have been transmitted another way, but just not as well. In fact, stories have been retold over and over throughout the ages — some are just better told than others.

The premise is essentially the difference between success and failure (or good and great) when it comes to copywriting and storytelling.

Content marketing as storytelling

“Marketing succeeds when enough people with similar worldviews come together in a way that allows marketers to reach them cost-effectively.” – Seth Godin

That’s exactly what content marketing allows you to do. In fact, it’s the most cost-effective (and just plain ol’ effective) online marketing method ever devised when done properly.

Even better, people aren’t just coming together. They’re coming together around you.

You’re telling a story.

Why not make it remarkable?


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That Exhilarating (and Terrifying) Feeling of Learning a New Skill

“¿Qué quiere para su desayuno?” she asked, inches from my face.

I thought as quickly as I could, and managed to haltingly request a piece of toast. “Pan tostado, por favor.” It was the only breakfast food I could remember from Spanish class. It ended up being all I ate for breakfast for the next week.

It was the first of many frustrations I faced that year. And it taught me an important lesson about embracing that terrifying feeling of being way out of my depth.

Do you know that feeling? If you’re doing any kind of content marketing, I’m betting you do.
In this article, we’re going to talk about how to make the most of it.

I curled beneath the covers with a pounding headache each of the first few nights I spent in Bogotá.
Trying to think and speak in another language was physically painful. Of the six Americans going through exchange student orientation that year, my Spanish was the worst of the bunch.

Those first weeks I spoke like a four-year-old. It was excruciating, especially for someone who took pride in her communication skills.

Despite the painful beginning, I learned a valuable lesson that year. It didn’t have anything to do with the Spanish language. It had to do with losing my fear of looking like a fool.

Public humiliation and newfound courage

If you’ve ever tried to make yourself understood in a language you’re just learning, you’ll know what I mean.

You’re proficient in your native language, but to learn a new one you need to start from the beginning. You have to be willing to speak like a toddler for a while.

Once you’ve learned some basic vocabulary, you might begin to speak like a young child. All the while, you mangle words, raise eyebrows, and send people into fits of laughter several times a day.

It’s the public humiliation aspect of learning a new language that no one ever mentions. You’ve mastered your own language, but to master a new one you have to be willing to look like a fool for a while.

And when you realize you can tolerate the laughter and the raised eyebrows, you gain courage you can apply to every aspect of your life.

A fool with a tool

Fast forward … let’s say “many years.” As a content marketer, I’ve realized that the courage to make a fool of myself in public is incredibly useful.

The internet is a decidedly public venue to make beginner mistakes in, but the only way to become an experienced content marketer is to be a beginning content marketer for a while.

You publish a draft post by mistake. You send out a link that doesn’t work. You discover — too late — that you’ve left out a crucial piece of information.

The only way to get past content marketing mistakes is to make them in the first place.

And it all happens in public. But each failure gets us closer to success, even if the only thing we learn is what doesn’t work.

A learner’s mind is fearless

Children are wired to learn, which is why they make such huge developmental strides in their first years of life. In the space of a year, they go from unable to hold themselves upright to running, from crying to expressing their needs quite clearly.

They fall, shed a few tears, pick themselves up, and keep going. They don’t worry about what people will think — they don’t give it a thought. All the while, they’re learning and making great progress.

As content marketers, we can also apply this attitude to the new skills we’re learning. We can expect mistakes and embrace them when they happen. We can pick ourselves up, brush ourselves off, put our chins up, and keep going.

How to shorten the learning curve

Content marketing, social media, and online business represent great opportunities for us. You can avoid some of those beginner mistakes by studying them before you start doing them.

But you can’t vault yourself from beginner to expert just by reading about them. You have to take the first steps, and prepare for the inevitable bumps and bruises that come with making real progress.

It’s the only way to learn, really. And it’s the only way to get past plain toast for breakfast every day.


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Two Essential Elements of Irresistible Content

I once asked on social media:

What’s your biggest challenge when creating compelling content?

I didn’t treat it as a poll with various challenges. I wanted pure, unfiltered responses.
And the number one answer was:

Keeping it original and interesting.

So, let’s talk about that today.

Meaning + fascination

The two elements that lead to reader engagement, social media sharing, and the “gotta have it now” impulse are meaning and fascination. But you knew that from the subhead.

Let’s unpack each a bit.

Meaning: This is the informational aspect of your content that your regular readers, listeners, or viewers expect from you. This is also a topic that matters to the prospective audience you’re trying to reach through social media sharing.

Another way to think of this important aspect of your content is relevance. Content must be highly relevant to your existing and prospective audience, but I prefer meaning, as it implies an extra level of value that makes people treasure you.

Fascination: The fascinating element of your content is where your creativity shines. It’s the fun, shocking, or entertaining aspect of your content that makes people pay attention and share with their friends and colleagues.

Often you’re using an analogy, metaphor, or simile to make an associated connection between something cool and an important topic that might otherwise be pretty boring.

Not only does this attract and hold attention, it also aids in comprehension and retention for your audience, which in turn increases your subject-matter authority with them (because they actually learn something).

Here are two examples from Copyblogger (meaning in italics, fascination in bold):

How I Became a Better Writer Thanks to Distracted, Hungover College Kids

This article took a highly improbable source of fascination to deliver the meaning readers of Copyblogger seek — how to write better.

5 Things a Bad Dog Can Teach You About Writing Good Copy

It’s pretty easy to spot the meaningful and fascinating elements in that one, right?

(Don’t fear) fascination

Many people, especially in professional services or conservative industries, are afraid to go out on a limb and throw in that fascinating aspect. I’d argue that these are the types who have the most to gain from breaking out of stodgy convention and shaking that moneymaker a bit.

You can get a lot of mileage out of industry inside jokes and references that are completely obscure to outsiders. Remember, you don’t care what anyone else thinks other than your target audience.

And from post to post, you may only bond strongly with a small segment of the people you talk to. One article speaks strongly to some, the next to others.

The point is to bond strongly with someone rather than boring everyone.

Bonus points if you got that the subhead for this section is a terribly clever Blue Öyster Cult and Human League reference: (Don’t Fear) the Reaper + (Keep Feeling) Fascination.

Also, if you have to explain your terribly clever reference, it’s too obscure. Clarity matters more, no matter how cool the author thinks it is.

Ultra-meaning can be fascinating

It’s true that you can intrigue people with an overwhelming amount of relevant meaning, to the point that it becomes fascinating in and of itself. This is the realm of list and how-to articles that go viral on sheer value alone.

The key to this type of engaging content is specificity. The more specific the value you promise and provide, the more fascinating people deem it.

Check out these examples:

• 109 Ways to Make Your Business Irresistible to the Media
• 5 Remarkable Qualities of Effective Online Content
• The 4 Words That Will Get Your Email Opened

Hopefully you feel the same way about this article.

Yep, this is also how you write great headlines

In each example I’ve given, you can spot the intersection of meaning and fascination from the headline alone.

That’s why meaning + fascination = the secret to engaging content and great headlines.

Remember, the title of your article is simply a compelling promise of what your content offers. When I say write your headline first, I mean come up with an intersection of meaning and fascination, reduce it to a working title, then deliver on the promise by crafting the content.

If you find you can’t deliver on the promise, you’ve got to scrap that idea and find another.

Don’t strain to make a bad analogy work; simply look for another pairing of meaning and fascination — they’re everywhere once you understand what you’re looking for.


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25 Ideas to Transform Ho-Hum Infographics into Something Extraordinary

A few weeks ago here on Copyblogger, Demian Farnworth presented the infographic as the Salvador Dalí of content marketing — the most interesting person at the cocktail party.
More than just a superficial presence, an infographic is a significant asset pillar with diverse possibilities that help you grow your media empire.
Today, let’s equate the Internet to the world of pop music. In this case, infographics are The Beatles.
They’re irresistible. They create massive hits. At their best, they balance style and substance.
They can be relentlessly imaginative. And like John, Paul, George, and Ringo, they can communicate sophisticated ideas to a mass audience.
Yep, they’re lovable. How lovable?
The factoid below comes from a 2012 infographic by NeoMam Studios.



Even stories about infographics sizzle. I wrote “The Most Important Thing You Need to Know About Infographics” and it climbed to the number one spot on my chart last year.
Before we brainstorm infographic ideas, let’s discuss why infographics work.

Why do we love infographics?

Here are 15 reasons I’ve assessed:

1. They’re so webable. First, I must offer my theory and ask you to live with my funny new word. Although data visualizations exist in traditional media, they’ve exploded in the digital age because they perfectly suit new media and the devices we use to consume information.
2. We’re visual creatures. The fun, interactive infographic, “13 Reasons Why Your Brain Craves Infographics,” makes this case with powerful data points.

3. They simplify complex ideas. Infographics aid comprehension by pairing text with straightforward pictures.
4. They’re easy to share. We love to share information we find valuable. It feeds our appetites for being conduits of wisdom. Creators and publishers of infographics encourage you to share their content and often simplify the process by providing code you can embed on your website.
5. They’re familiar. The general recipe for infographics features ingredients we’re comfortable with: illustrations, icons, charts, diagrams, and captions. The familiarity speaks to us and obliterates any objections.
6. They travel well. Infographics are multi-screen portable. They translate nicely to slides and also tend to work on paper.
7. They’re fast. Up above, in Number Two, you see an interesting data point about how fast we’re able to process visual information. The process of reading takes time. Given our short attention spans, the speed with which we can absorb visual information makes infographics attractive.
8. They’re less taxing. A related, but slightly different idea than the one above about speed is we give ourselves a little break when we digest information aided by visuals. We encounter a lot of information daily. We can only read so much. The data below comes from:
   • Welcome to the information age — 174 newspapers a day, The Telegraph.
   • Measuring Consumer Information, International Journal of Communication, Vol 6.
   • How Little Do Users Read?


9. People thrive on data. We’re drawn to data and proof points. I like this presentation from Juice, Inc. that explains how data drives exploration, understanding, presentation, discovery, motivation, learning, and above all, “doing.”
10. They tell stories. A lot of infographics use storytelling tactics including characters, conflicts, problems, and resolutions. Stories hold our attention as we relate to characters and go on journeys with them.
11. They promote branding. When infographics are republished, a brand travels with the image, which usually includes a logo and URL.
12. People search for them. Because they’re so useful (and often entertaining), people search for infographics, as evidenced in the statistic presented above. Since search engines can’t index the content within an image, headlines often appear with the explicit label “Infographic”.
13. People collect them. Do you do this? I sure do. I stash infographics for safekeeping on Pinterest and in my swipe files if I suspect I’ll want to reference them (or use them) again in the future.
14. They dominate the page. I believe one of the many factors that make infographics appealing is they tend to dominate a webpage.
15. They’re generally large and colorful. Unlike plain text, infographics defeat distractions and help us focus on the content.

Ready to create your own infographic?

Here are 25 infographic types, themes, and concepts:

1. Process. Create an infographic to explain a process. They’re ideal for breaking down and simplifying a multi-step process that may otherwise appear intimidating.
2. Comparison. These images may include sections such as: before and after, this vs. that, old way vs. new way, us and them, etc.
3. Timeline. Infographics help illustrate the evolution of a subject matter.
4. Roundup. Various types of roundups, such as quotes, reviews, favorites, etc. can be presented as a collection.
5. Components. Just as it’s useful to break down a process into steps, you can decouple the components of just about anything to aid understanding, i.e., an engine, recipe, or team.
6. Instructions. Use an infographic to simplify complex tutorials or communicate how to complete a task.
7. Charts and tables. Simple charts or tables featuring icons or images representing a topic create visual interest.
8. Categories. Take any category of interest to your audience and tell a story with an infographic. Check out one of my favorites, “The Genealogy of Pop/Rock Music”. Amazing.
9. Study of a “universe.” Produce massive visual collections on: beers, bands, books, bikes, beaches, etc. Here’s The Ultimate Infographic on Infographics from Curata.
10. Warnings. This popular article style tends to be irresistible. A list of dangers, myths, or mistakes is a powerhouse for infographics, too.
11. Metaphor. I love it when an interesting metaphor presents a concept. I bet you do too.
12. Résumé. Job hunting? The résumé as an infographic is such an engaging idea, services such as vizualize.me and kinzaa.com have sprung forth.
13. Report. Research and survey results offer great value in traditional report formats, but the same information, or highlights from it, make compelling infographics.
14. Product or service. You may not score a viral hit with an infographic that showcases what you sell, but you’re likely to have an engaging tool that presents your goods to potential buyers.
15. Trend. Showcasing a trend in an infographic makes a newsworthy story even more fun.
16. Past to present. This is another timeline idea that displays the history of a topic.
17. Place or event. Any place (from a nation to a campground) or any event (from a war to a conference) can be summarized in an infographic.
18. Guide. A rather obvious theme, I know, but any “how to” begs to be transformed into an infographic.
19. Family tree. These can be downright intoxicating. You can use a tree, flow chart, or similar symbols to explain relationships.
20. Cause and effect. You probably see a “this caused that” form of presentation more than you realize. It’s simple and smart.
21. Biography. Perform a search for “biography of Steve Jobs infographic” and you’ll discover some amazingly creative graphics. Study them for inspiration.
22. Story. Simple one here. Tell a story, like a picture book.
23. Manifesto. This approach can be a stellar branding tool. Write a manifesto that defines what you stand for and have a great designer create an infographic that makes you proud.
24. List. Don’t ignore this age-old, can’t-miss tactic for communicating fascinating, useful content.
25. Acronym. Spell out an acronym or abbreviation, with pictures, of course, and you’ll have a double-whammy simplification of a robust idea.

Grow your audience with infographics

Which type of infographic will you make to reach and educate a larger audience?


Flickr Creative Commons Image via Saad Faruque.
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Connection Steps that Lead to Customers

Once upon a time, there used to be a division in how people saw the web.

(Way back in 2009, I wrote a blog post about this, calling the two points of view “the cool kids” and “the internet marketers.”)

That division drew a line between online communication that intended to connect and online communication that intended to persuade and sell.

And that distinction was, of course, completely bogus.

As it happens, Brian Clark, Copyblogger’s founder, was an early heretic trying to show people that there was no difference between connection and persuasion.

Connection and persuasion belong together — because they work better together, and because it’s a natural, normal way to communicate and do business.

But as we all know, people don’t just land on your website, feel an instant sense of connection, then rush to your shopping cart and buy something. Although that would be very cool.

As a content marketer, it’s your job to build relevant paths for people to walk through your site, get a sense of what you do, and — if it’s a good fit — go on to become happy, loyal customers.

Connection matters

Good salespeople have always known that connection matters in commercial relationships.

There’s the creepy kind of salesperson who tries to connect but just comes across as clumsy and predatory. And the great kind of salesperson who actually gives a damn about prospects and long-term relationships.

Here’s the great big secret of selling online:

Internet-savvy prospects don’t have to put up with aggravating sales pitches.

Annoyed online users will block your ads. They’ll mark your irritating email as spam. Or they’ll just close the tab and never see you again.

The web gives us wonderful tools to mute the volume on people who get on our nerves. And the first targets for those tools were the salespeople and ads that tried to take our attention for granted.

How do you make that connection that keeps you out of the dreaded spam filter? It starts with being human and helpful.

Becoming a friendly authority

You might notice that we use the term “friendly authority” quite a bit around here.

To clarify, a friendly authority is:

• Not an entertaining train wreck (they’re amusing but untrustworthy)
• Not a monologue-spewing blowhard (they’re boring and offensive)
• Not a pseudo-therapist (they’re unethical and creepy)

Instead: A friendly authority is an intelligent, reasonably sane human being who clearly communicates solutions to problems in your topic.

You don’t have to over-share, and you don’t have to pretend that you’ll never sell anything. (Both of those are actually counterproductive.)

You just have to be useful, interesting, and human.

The conviction bump

If you want to go a step beyond a simple connection of one human to another, you can start thinking about how you communicate your values and the values of your organization.

It makes me sad that “values” have become a cheap buzzword.

I blame horrible mission statements like:

To be the world’s foremost provider of premier product excellence with world-class service and passion, embracing financially responsible frameworks within an optimized matrix that challenges limitations and nurtures creative solutioning …

At best, that gains an eye roll.

But those abstract nouns we call values or beliefs are also what give our lives meaning. They bring organizations and communities together.

Good businesses live by values — whether or not those values are spelled out.

But beyond that, as a writer and content creator, you have values that will help you get better at everything you’re doing today.

If you want a quick exercise you can start right now, pick five values that matter to you. These are concepts like “Family,” “Integrity,” “Freedom,” that kind of thing.

They don’t have to be terribly noble. “Fun” works. So does “Mischief.”

Write a couple of paragraphs about one. Do that with a different value every week. Maybe on Monday mornings.

When you spend a small amount of time thinking about your values, those values will start to make themselves felt in your work. Your writing, your videos, your podcasts, your graphic design, will start to resonate with something beyond the nuts and bolts of your topic.

When you’re connected with your values, you communicate with conviction.

When you communicate with conviction, others feel it — and often they’ll want to connect further.

Conversion follows

Content marketing’s purpose is to make it a whole lot easier to sell stuff.

Thoughtful, well-executed content paves the way for what we want our audience to do — whether that’s buying something, opting in, or some other activity.

We use content to create a context of persuasion, so that when we move toward a business transaction, it makes sense and feels logical and natural.

Does that mean content marketing doesn’t do any selling? Well, only if you absolutely don’t care what your audience does next.

If you’re crafting content as a hobby or to gain attention for something fun, that’s fine.

If you’re crafting content to support a business, it would be great if people bought stuff.

Conversion is what happens when interest turns into action.

Our friends the traditional copywriters are excellent at this step. They have a lot to teach about persuasive language, clear calls to action, reduction of risk, and all those other excellent copywriting topics.

We try to make those topics user-friendly and accessible (even for those who are a bit nervous about selling) right here on Copyblogger.

Conversion uses a different toolkit than connection and conviction do … but that doesn’t mean you’re going to throw your values and your relationships out the window.

Remember that making sales online — particularly in a world of spam filters and ad blocking — is about constructing paths that lead people to your business. All of the stones in each path should fit together.

The more strategic content you create, the more paths you build — and the more business you’ll attract and convert.

If you’re terrific at creating content for the relationship part of the path, but your conversion steps are clumsy or awkward, your users will stumble … and they won’t move forward.

Get education for the whole path, not just one stone

Some marketing education focuses just on conversion techniques — crafting great ads, landing pages, and sales sequences.

Some marketing education focuses just on connection and conviction techniques — earning and nurturing relationships, without any of that pesky selling.

If you want to create content that markets a business — whether it’s your own business, a client’s business, or an organization you work for — you need to hone your skills for the whole path.
That’s what we designed the Authority community of content professionals to do for you.

Our online master classes cover a wide range of topics, including:

• Persuasive copywriting and site design
• The structure of effective content
• Content creation that attracts new customers
• Strategies to nurture prospects and create a better bond with existing customers
• Productivity and mindset management
• Improving the quality of your writing
• Search engine optimization for lasting results

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25 Online Marketing Courses That Will Make You a Better Affiliate Marketer

 Want to become better at affiliate marketing? Improve your skills by taking an online marketing course.

There is no shortage of useful, well presented and actionable information out there that can help you learn a new digital marketing skill set or help you dial in your game even better. 

After all, the better your marketing skills, the better you will be at driving traffic to your website.

But never fear: we’ll show you how to sort through the jungle of online marketing programs to find the one that is perfect for you.

How to Choose the Right Marketing Courses for You

Online marketing courses require an investment of some sort. Even if they are free or low-cost, you’re still investing your most precious resource: time.

So, before you just dance with the first good-looking gal at the ball, take a step back and really think about what you need from your course. 

• Would you be willing to pay for a course or do you prefer a free option? 
• Are you primarily looking to gain knowledge about Internet marketing as a whole?
• Are you looking to zero in on one method, like social, mobile, SEO, or paid traffic?
• Do you want/need some sort of formal certification?
• What level of expertise (beginner, intermediate, advanced) are you hoping to achieve from your course?
• Would you prefer a regular classroom environment or are you more comfortable learning at your own pace?

Once you know the answers to questions like these, you can start to sort through your options. 

Some of your biggest choices will be:

Free or Paid Courses?

There are plenty of great free or low-cost courses out there, but typically speaking, the best information comes from behind a pay wall. 

Free courses often offer some great and very useful information but you may find that if you're looking for advanced knowledge, you are better off paying for a quality course. 

General Info or Highly Focused?

If you’re just getting started, a broad-based, general style digital marketing course is probably the way to go. This will give you an idea of various types of online marketing.

However, if you already have a solid base but really want to dive into the minutiae of something like PPC, then a more specific course is what you need.

Informal Course or Certificate Program/Degree?

Are you hoping to gain a certification, diploma, or degree from your course? 

If you're doing these courses with the goal of bettering your affiliate marketing efforts, a certification is not going to be of much importance. But if you'd really like one, make sure to pick a course that offers this.

Beginner, Intermediate, or Advanced?

What level of knowledge are you seeking from your marketing course?

Are you interested in learning advanced SEO techniques? Then sign up for a course designed for people who already have some SEO knowledge.

However, if you are a complete newbie, your best bet is a course that will hold your hand and guide you through the basics of online marketing. 

Live or Self-Paced?

Do you prefer a course with a real, classroom-like environment? You should opt for a live course in that case. While you will be studying from home, these courses will require you to log on for live sessions and finish your homework. In general, they are a bit more demanding.

If you would rather study on your own, pick a course that is self-paced. You can read and review the course materials when it suits you and can study at your own speed. 

25 Online Marketing Course Options For You

Once you have analyzed your needs based on the above requirements, you will probably have a better idea of exactly what type of course you want to do.

Below is a list of courses, divided into free and paid categories, as this is often the most important criteria. Within each of these categories, the courses are further divided into the type of marketing skills you will acquire upon completion of the course. 

Free Online Marketing Courses

There is no lack of quantity when it comes to free online marketing courses and programs. The real trick is finding the quality ones.

There’s nothing worse than investing the time and effort into a course only to finish it and think, “Well @$%*! I knew all of that already!” To keep you from throwing monitors through windows, here are a few free online marketing courses worth your time: 

General Online Marketing

1. Google's Online Marketing Challenge

Where better to learn about online marketing than from Google itself? This digital marketing course very comprehensively covers search engine marketing, search and display advertising, mobile, social, analytics and video. 

Level: Beginner

Cost: Free

2. Hubspot Academy's Inbound Certification

If you’re looking for a free course from a trusted online marketing source that covers all of the bases, then stop drilling; you’ve hit oil, friend! Hubspot will help you break into the world of online marketing with modules on everything from SEO to conversion optimization. Even better, once you get the basic course out of the way, there's a paid option as well.

Level: Beginner

Cost: Free

3. Diploma in E-business

ALISON is a great resource for free training in online business. The E-business course helps newbies understand the basics of online marketing and how to make the most of Google Adwords, Analytics, AdSense and more. 

Level: Beginner

Cost: Free

4. Affilorama Free Lessons (shameless plug) 

If you didn’t know it already, here at Affilorama we offer a pretty awesome online marketing course — all designed with affiliate marketers in mind.

When you join our site, for free, you get a wealth of actionable knowledge that will help you build your online business including: the Affiliate Marketing Quick-Start Guide, a downloadable Roadmap to Success and 120 video lessons on topics such as content creation, SEO, PPC and more. 

Level: Beginner

Cost: Free

 

Pay-Per-Click Advertising

5. AdWords Certification Exams

If you'd like to learn all the nitty-gritty of online advertising, Google's Adwords certification courses are an excellent resource. The courses are each designed for you to be able to study and take the certification exams once you're ready. I recommend having at least a basic familiarity with Adwords before attempting the exams. Each exam has extensive study guides so you will be well versed with Adwords fundamentals, search advertising, display advertising, mobile advertising, video advertising, and shopping advertising. 

Level: Intermediate/ Advanced

Cost: Free

6. PPC University

Best known for its AdWords campaign grader, Wordstream is one of the most popular names in paid search content creation. This course is free and perfect for beginners in paid search. Even seasoned pros can pick up a few lesser-known tactics. 

Level: Beginner/ Intermediate

Cost: Free

 

Search Engine Optimization

7. SEO Training Course

This Udemy course, instructed by Moz is the ideal starting point for SEO beginners. The course will take you through the basics of SEO strategies. It's also useful for understanding how effective use of social media can also influence search rankings.

Level: Beginner

Cost: Free

8. Advanced SEO: Tactics & Strategy

This Udemy course, also instructed by Moz is ideal for those who want to gain a deeper understanding of some tactical SEO methods. While the course description says it's suitable for all levels, I think this course will be more useful if you already have a basic understanding of SEO. 

Level: Intermediate/Advanced

Cost: Free

 

Social Media Marketing

9. Social Media Quickstarter

This Constant Contact course is the ultimate overview of what you need to do establish a presence for your business on the top social networks. Networks covered include: Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Instagram, Google+, and YouTube. There is also additional advice for blogging and online reviews. 

Level: Beginner

Cost: Free

10. Diploma in Social Media Marketing

Another ALISON course, this self-paced offering is perfect if you want to gain an understanding of the basics of social media strategy for your business. In addition to Facebook and Twitter marketing, the course also covers podcasting, blogging and email marketing basics. 

Level: Beginner

Cost: Free

11. The Fundamentals of Social Media Marketing

Created by social media management platform Hootsuite, this six-part course will introduce you to social media marketing principles, strategy, content marketing, community management, social advertising, and more.

Level: Beginner

Cost: Free

Copywriting & Content Marketing 

12. Internet Marketing for Smart People

When it comes to content creation and online marketing, you’ll be hard pressed to find people doing it better than Brain Clark and the team over at Copyblogger. The course is heavily focused on quality copywriting and content marketing, and how to bring it all together to improve your Internet marketing efforts. 

Level: Beginner/ Intermediate

Cost: Free

13. Copywriting 101

Another Copyblogger course. This one is available as a free e-book download, and it's the ideal starting point to understand what makes effective, compelling copy. If you're not a writer but want to improve the quality of your content, start with this mini course.

Level: Beginner

Cost: Free

14. Writing for the Web

Ever wondered how writing for the web is different to other types of writing? This is the course for you. Created by a user experience consultant, this Open 2 Study course, will give you an understanding of online reader behavior, how to structure web pages, how to write SEO-friendly content, and how to create effective, user-friendly content.

Level: Beginner/ Intermediate

Cost: Free

 

Google Analytics

15. Digital Analytics Fundamentals

Understand the core principles of Google Analytics and how to use it to measure and improve your website's performance with the help of this course from Google's Analytics Academy. When you develop a better understanding, there are several more advanced courses available as well. 

Level: Beginner

Cost: Free

Paid Online Marketing Courses

There are no lack of options when it comes to paid online marketing courses, either. You will find courses that can range from $20 to a few thousand dollars. Here are a few courses that you have to pay for, but promise a lot of bang for your buck. 

General Online Marketing

16. Internet Marketing Classroom

This Udemy course is perfect if you want an overview of how to set up a website and drive traffic to it with the help of Internet marketing. There are 10 modules and almost 300 lectures covering topics such as content creation, blogging, social media marketing, sales copywriting, WordPress setup, SEO, and more.

Level: Beginner

Cost: $127

17. Hubspot Academy's Contextual Marketing Course

This is ideal for you if you use Hubspot and want to learn how to personalize your audience's experience on your website. This self-paced course is broken up into four pre-recorded webinars and focuses heavily on using content and engineering the user experience. 

Level: Intermediate/ Advanced 

Cost: $500

Pay-Per-Click Advertising

18. Adwords 101: Get More Customers With Search Marketing

This reasonably priced Udemy course is a great starting point if you want to understand how to use Google AdWords to reach your customers. From creating your own campaigns and writing ads to seeing your ads live in Google, this course is a great starting point for AdWords newbies. 

Level: Beginner

Cost: $23

19. Bing Ads Essential Training

PPC isn't just limited to AdWords, of course. If you're interested in learning more about Bing Ads, this Lynda course will show you how to reach your customers across the Yahoo-Bing network. You will learn the difference between Bing and Google, as well as how to set up your campaigns, create effective ads, optimize your campaigns, and more. 

Level: Beginner

Cost: $19.99 - $29.99 monthly membership fee for Lynda.com.

 

Search Engine Optimization

20. SEO Fundamentals

This Lynda course is designed to be a beginner's guide to search engine optimization and how to increase your visibility on Google and Bing. In addition to an overview of SEO, the course also covers keywords, content planning optimization, the basics of technical SEO, and link building, as well as analyzing and measuring the effectiveness of SEO campaigns.

Level: Beginner

Cost: $19.99 - $29.99 monthly membership fee for Lynda.com.

 

Social Media Marketing

21. The Complete Social Media Marketing and Management Course

Take this Udemy course to learn what works best for success on Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, LinkedIn, Google+, Pinterest, and Instagram. More than 98 lectures to help you build a community on the right channels and maximize social media marketing for your business.

Level: Intermediate

Cost: $25

22. Social Media Marketing Specialization

Learn how to create profitable social media strategies and grow your business with the help of this Coursera course created by Northwestern University. You will learn how to create and optimize social campaigns, grow your brand and create content that sparks conversations. 

Level: Intermediate

Cost: $59

 

Copywriting and Content Marketing

23. Marketing Writing Bootcamp

This 13-class course by Marketing Profs University is designed to be the ultimate course for you to become a better writer. From blog posts to social media, sales copy to email writing, this course promises to make you better at communicating your brand message to your customers.

Level: Intermediate

Cost: $595

24. Content Marketing Crash Course

Also from Marketing Profs University, this 11-part course aims to help you take your content marketing strategy further. The course is designed to give you an insight into understanding your audience and how to create content that interests them. 

Level: Intermediate

Cost: $595

Email Marketing

25. Email Marketing Basics

This Lynda.com course is also designed for beginners and will take you through the basics of building an email list, creating emails with valuable offers, sending emails and more. Lynda.com also has several other email marketing courses available.

Level: Beginner

Cost $19.99 - $29.99 monthly membership fee for Lynda.com

5 More Resources for Online Marketing Learning

Obviously, it's near impossible to list all the courses available online. So, here is a list of resources where you can find more courses and classes on online marketing to further your learning. 

1. Courses on ALISON

• Online Marketing
• E-Business Online
• Social Media Marketing

2. Courses on Coursera

• Digital Marketing
• Public Relations for Digital Media
• Foundations of Marketing Analytics

3. Courses on Lynda.com

• Content Marketing
• Email Marketing
• Lead Generation

4. Courses on Online Marketing Institute

• All courses
• Digital Advertising & Affiliates
• Mobile Marketing

5. Courses on Udemy

• Analytics and Automation
• Digital Marketing
• Search Engine Optimization

Hope you find this list useful to further your digital marketing skills. If you do sign up for any of these courses, be sure to come back and let me know how you fare.

If you have a suggestion to add to this list of online marketing courses, please leave me a comment and I will definitely check it out. 

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