If you’re thinking about a career in digital marketing, you’re no doubt considering various routes into the field. Should you do a digital marketing internship? Or would your time and money be better spent on a digital marketing course? To help make the decision easier, we explore and compare both options in this guide.
By the end of this guide, you’ll have a much clearer idea of what to expect from both a digital marketing internship and a digital marketing course—and, hopefully, a better understanding of what’s right for you.
Why do a digital marketing internship?
Internships can be incredible opportunities for people looking for hands-on experience at a real organization.
What is a digital marketing internship?
A digital marketing internship will take place at a marketing agency or as part of an in-house team. Unless it’s a huge company with its own digital marketing department, you’ll most likely be working with the marketing team.
Digital marketing internships may be paid or unpaid. Generally speaking, smaller companies are less likely to pay interns, but plenty of small to midsize companies do offer compensation. An internship can last anywhere from a few weeks to a few months.
What can you expect to gain from a digital marketing internship?
Responsibilities can vary, but if it’s a high-quality internship, you’ll learn about the main digital marketing channels and get hands-on training that you can employ in a future job. You may get to write advertising copy for ads on digital marketing channels (like paid search or social media) or create design assets that will be used for digital promotion. You might be expected to write blog posts or email copy as well.
What are the pros and cons of a digital marketing internship?
At best, an internship will give you insight into what it’s like to work in digital marketing, and you’ll leave with new knowledge and valuable skills under your belt. You may get a job offer or get introduced to others in the field who may help you find a job in digital marketing. If you don’t have any work experience, an internship is a great way to pad out your resume.
However, not all internships are created equal. Before taking on a digital marketing internship, it’s important to be clear on what your role and tasks will be. Will you be shadowing someone with experience in the field and learning from them? Or will you be taking on mundane tasks with no real relation to digital marketing?
You can minimize your chances of enduring a less-than-stellar internship by speaking to past interns, researching company reviews online, and establishing a clear understanding of what the internship will involve before you begin.
Why take a digital marketing course?
If you’re not keen on the idea of a digital marketing internship, you may choose to go down a different route. A digital marketing course is a great option for people looking for everything from an introduction to the field to a full-on certification.
What are your options for a digital marketing course?
Thanks to the internet, there are myriad options for digital marketing courses, programs, and bootcamps. These include:
- Short and intensive. People looking to burnish their resumes with certifications and brush up on their skills are usually the best fit for this type of program. While it’s possible to absorb substantial knowledge in a few weeks, newbies may find that they need continuing hands-on experience to acquire the skills they need to succeed in a new position. However, if you are starting with some basic knowledge (perhaps you’ve taken a free course or two), shorter digital marketing courses may give you the fundamental skills (and the confidence) you need to secure an entry-level position.
- Longer, more comprehensive digital marketing programs. Programs or bootcamps that last six months or more are geared toward individuals who need flexibility due to familial or job obligations. These programs often better prepare people for a genuine career change simply because of the duration and time spent learning. With a more prolonged course, you’ll have more time to absorb concepts, ask questions, and practice your skills. The longer programs also tend to be more hands-on, involving project work as well as theory.
- Online digital marketing courses. Online programs offer exceptional convenience, especially if you reside in a location that does not have the type of program you’re interested in. With today’s video-conferencing technology, some online programs are comparable to in-person ones, especially if you’re matched with a mentor and have adequate access to your trainers and a solid support network.
- On-site courses. Many higher education institutions will offer digital marketing programs, courses, or bootcamps on their campus. These are great for people who have the flexibility to travel, move, or happen to live close by. An on-site program will probably have the same type of curriculum as online programs, but you’ll have the advantage of meeting your peers and teachers in person. For some people, this provides a better learning experience. It may also be easier to network in person.
What can you expect to gain from a digital marketing course?
At the end of the day, a digital marketing course or program should deliver substantial value for its students. Whether that’s a certification to help boost their resume, mentorship, a portfolio they can show off to potential employers, or other key benefits, be sure to consider exactly what you want out of your course before you sign up!
Here are some of the top advantages of a digital marketing course:
- Certification or recognizable qualification. If it’s from a trusted source, a certificate or another type of accepted qualification can set you apart from the competition. It communicates to employers that you’ve achieved a level of competence that will make you a valuable asset to their organization.
- Hands-on experience. Quite simply, nothing compares to hands-on experience. You can watch someone perform a task multiple times, but until you do it yourself, you won’t know if you can actually achieve the same result! A digital marketing program should give you ample opportunity to get your hands dirty on different digital platforms like paid search and social media so you can familiarize yourself with the interfaces and put your newfound skills to work. Not only that, but hands-on experience guarantees you’ll be working with the most up-to-date versions of the platforms you’re learning about.
- A marketing portfolio. Today’s competitive job market often demands proof that you actually possess the skills you tout on your resume. A marketing portfolio is an excellent way to showcase your prior work to potential employers and prove that, yes, you are genuinely as good as you appear to be on paper!
- Job guarantee. The ultimate brass ring for a digital marketing course is a job guarantee. If your program can ensure you’ll be gainfully employed in the digital marketing field, definitely give it some serious thought. But before you sign on, take a hard look at the fine print to make sure you understand precisely what the bootcamp is promising.
What are the pros and cons of a digital marketing course?
The pros of taking a digital marketing course are myriad. You’ll acquire the skills you need to be successful in a digital marketing role, meet people with whom you can share your frustrations and joys, expand your skill set, and ideally land a job as a digital marketer upon completion!
But no course is perfect. Those without job guarantees may provide you with the skills you need, but without real work experience, finding employment may be difficult, regardless of how stellar your portfolio is. You may realize halfway through your course that you’re really not all that interested in digital marketing (which is why taking a free class to start is always a good idea). If you choose a course that doesn’t fit with your financial, job, or family situation, it could end up being a stressful experience.
Free Online Courses for Digital Marketing
- Fundamentals of Digital Marketing
Offered by Google
There’s no better way to learn digital marketing than through the company that started it all. Google’s free online digital marketing course ranks right at the top of our list with good reason; it covers all aspects of digital marketing for beginners as well as intermediate users and it comes with free certification. Industry-recognized certification through Google is an ideal way to get your profile noticed and add to your skill set.
This 40-hour free online course in digital marketing features 26 modules and can be completed at your own pace wherever and whenever you want. Each module consists of several lessons that include text, video, and quizzes to test your knowledge. If you don’t want to progress through the entire course you can pick and choose which lessons to add to your individualized learning plan. However, we highly recommend starting from the beginning and progressing step-by-step so you can receive certification.
While we won’t list each module, some of the subjects covered include:
- Building your web presence
- Planning your online business strategy
- Understanding search and how to improve your campaigns
- Getting noticed locally
- Building an online store
- Expanding internationally
- Social media marketing
- Mobile marketing
- Content marketing
- Email marketing
- Advertising and analytics
- Inbound Marketing Free Certification Course
Offered by Hubspot Academy
Hubspot Academy’s Inbound Marketing Free Certification Course is a four-hour industry-recognized program meant for digital marketers who want to focus on their inbound efforts. The comprehensive curriculum consists of 10 lessons, 34 videos, and 9 quizzes and is designed for beginners. During the free online digital marketing course, students will learn about:
- The fundamentals of inbound marketing
- Planning a long-term content strategy
- Creating blog posts
- Understanding social media promotion
- Developing a conversational growth strategy
- Understanding and creating a conversion optimization strategy
- Lead nurturing
- Aligning sales and marketing
- Applying a customer marketing approach
Upon successful completion, students will be awarded official certification from HubSpot to display on their LinkedIn profile, portfolio, resume, or CV.
- Free Diploma in E-Business
Offered by Alison
Alison was developed in 2007 by Mike Feerick and was the first massive online open course (MOOC) platform on the web. With more than six million students registered on the site, this is one of the best free online course providers you will find.
The Diploma in E-Business course helps students build marketing skills through learning Google Analytics and AdWords, search optimization, revenue metrics, analysis, campaign tracking, digital measurement, and more. Over 84,000 students have enrolled in the free online digital marketing course, which takes between six to ten hours to complete. You will need to pass the final assessment with an 80 percent or better grade. Upon completion, you will receive a Learner Achievement Verification Report, or you can opt to purchase a certificate from the site’s online shop for around $20.
- Become an Online Marketing Manager
Offered by LinkedIn Learning
This 24-hour course offered through LinkedIn Learning provides students who already understand digital marketing with the skills they need to move up the corporate ladder into management roles. In this free digital marketing online course, students will learn best practices for online marketing, using the latest tools to implement a digital marketing strategy, and how to advertise effectively on social media platforms.
The course features 11 modules covering advanced aspects of marketing including:
- Growth hacking
- Advanced branding
- SEO foundations
- Email and newsletter marketing
- Google analytics
- Google AdWords
- Facebook and Twitter
- Sketch for UX design
You can take the course for free if you already have a LinkedIn premium membership (most marketers do) or sign up for a trial and access the classes at no charge for a month.
- Digital Marekting Strategy
Offered by The University of Edinburgh
This thorough digital marketing course is offered by one of the top universities in Scotland through Edx. By engaging in the training for four to six hours a week, the course can be completed in about 8 weeks. The syllabus is comprehensive. Students who are looking for the most inclusive free curriculum on digital marketing will find this to be one of the top choices.
Certificates for the course can be obtained at the paid level of edX, which is also part of professional certification. However, the lessons of each module can be audited for free. Auditing the course allows you to read and view all of the content.
The program is designed to teach users a general understanding of digital marketing at the strategic level as it relates to business. Taught by two instructors from the University of Edinburgh, it’s an ideal course to add to your resume or CV.
- Digital Strategy and Action
Offered by Babson College through edX
Digital Strategy and Action is a fascinating free online course that will introduce marketers to what big businesses like Amazon, Facebook, Netflix, and Google have in common when it comes to digital strategy. In it, students will learn how the CEOs of these giants pivoted from a simple idea to billions in revenue, and how they keep growing.
The course features inspiring in-depth case studies, including stories about Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos and Netflix CEO Reed Hastings as well as tons of tips, tricks, and advice.
If you’re an entrepreneur or marketer who dares to dream bigger, the course will provide insight into how the world’s biggest leaders in marketing have stayed at the top.
Students can opt for the paid version, which gives them an instructor-signed shareable certificate with the Babson University logo, but this is not a requirement. It can also be taken in its entirety in the audit version for free.
