Digital marketing bootcamps can take place online or in-person at a physical location.
The course material is typically in a class or lecture-type setting, whether live or virtual.
There are often assignments and projects for the students to complete to help them better understand the material.
Many digital marketing bootcamps have limited enrollment. Because of this, you need to apply to join and only a certain number of applicants are able to enter the program.
What is covered in a digital marketing bootcamp?
Digital marketing encompasses a wide range of disciplines, usually the same as digital marketing degrees. Marketers can work on everything from search engine optimization (SEO) to running paid advertisements or managing social media profiles.
Each different area of digital marketing requires its own set of skills.
Digital marketing bootcamps tend to cover a broad range of digital marketing topics. The lessons explain the core concepts for each area and usually do not go into deep detail for a particular focus area.
Some of the skills commonly taught in digital marketing bootcamps include:
- Marketing strategy: How to conduct market research to develop the business overall plan to reach customers through online channels.
- Analytics and reporting: How to analyze important metrics to see the effectiveness of your digital marketing strategy and where you can make improvements.
- SEO: How search engines work and how you can perform keyword research to build a strategy for growing organic traffic.
- Content marketing: How to use different forms of content to provide value and engage with your audience.
- Social media marketing: How to create a social media marketing strategy to increase brand awareness and engage with your audience.
- Email marketing: How to get more email subscribers and build email campaigns to target people at various stages in your marketing funnel.
- Paid marketing: How to develop and execute effective advertising campaigns for pay-per-click (PPC) and other marketing channels.
How much do digital marketing bootcamps cost?
The cost to attend a digital marketing bootcamp is between $2000 to $15000. The price varies depending on the duration of the program and the topics covered.
BrainStation Digital Marketing Bootcamp
The marketing bootcamp from BrainStation is an online digital marketing bootcamp available through their website. The bootcamp has limited capacity so only a certain number of applicants are able to join.
The course covers branding, strategy and marketing planning, search marketing, social media marketing, content marketing, and analytics and reporting.
There is a full-time program in which you take classes Monday through Friday from 10:30 AM to 6:30 PM as well as a part-time program with classes on Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday.
The program runs for a total of 11 weeks. In addition to lessons, there are projects and one-on-one coaching sessions with a member of the BrainStation education team.
To apply, you first need to speak with a learning advisor. You can then submit an initial online application.
If you make it to the next step, you will receive an invitation to interview. From there, you need to complete an admissions challenge before an ultimate decision is made on whether or not to accept you to the program.
The bootcamp is not cheap as it costs $15,000 to enroll.
New Apprenticeship Bootcamp
New Apprenticeship is an online digital marketing bootcamp taught over an eight-week period.
There is also a 12-week program with additional training and job preparation resources for students.
The program consists of a mix of team sessions, coaching calls, lessons, and weekly marketing sessions. Students have to submit various assignments throughout the program.
Some of the topics covered in the bootcamp include:
- Inbound marketing strategies to identify and create buyer personas for a target audience
- Email and social media marketing for lead generation and brand awareness
- Using Google Analytics to measure inbound marketing campaigns
The eight-week program costs $2,000. If you want to enroll in the 12-week program it will cost $3,200.
Jelly Academy Digital Marketing Bootcamp
Jelly Academy is another digital marketing bootcamp available online. Unlike some other bootcamps, Jelly Academy does not follow a formal admissions process, meaning it is open for anyone that wants to enroll.
The program runs for a six-week period. It includes lessons on the following topics:
- Social media
- SEO
- Google Ads
- Facebook + Instagram Ads
- Google Analytics
- Public Relations
Lessons take place virtually, over three-hour Zoom sessions. These classes occur Wednesdays from 9 AM to 12 PM PST for the duration of the course.
In addition to the lessons, there are also plenty of assignments and homework for students to complete.
Jelly Academy offers various career services to students to help them prepare for interviews, network with other marketers, and land jobs at marketing agencies.
While more affordable than some other bootcamps, the program is not cheap and will cost you $4,000.
Boot Camp Digital
Boot Camp Digital is an online marketing bootcamp and in-person training service.
One of their most popular programs is the four-day intensive digital marketing virtual bootcamp.
The training runs from 9 AM to 5 PM each day as the experienced instructors provide action-oriented guidance to help develop your marketing expertise.
Some of the key digital marketing topics covered in the course include:
- Building a digital marketing strategy from the ground up
- The role of your website in digital marketing and how to create an effective site
- Planning for usability and conversions
- Creating a mobile marketing strategy
In addition to the lectures, students also receive a set of templates, checklists, and tip sheets to use for their own marketing efforts.
The four-day workshop costs $2,497. While it is a virtual event, only 25 participants are allowed entry in order to provide a more engaging learning environment.
Digital Marketing Bootcamp Benefits
Digital marketing bootcamps are designed to give students a starting place to learn digital marketing.
They may not be the most comprehensive or efficient learning method, but they can help provide some foundational knowledge to those that are new to the field.
Marketing bootcamps also afford a few other benefits less common with other types of learning.
This includes:
- Networking
- Career services
- Structured Learning
Networking
Digital marketing bootcamps can be an effective way to network with other digital marketing professionals. If you attend an in-person training event, you can meet marketers like you that are looking to advance their knowledge and career.
You can also connect with the instructors to gain more tips and insights into how digital marketing works.
The connections that you make can benefit you throughout your digital marketing career as you look to secure different positions and clients.
Career services
A good digital marketing bootcamp offers plenty of career services in addition to its course material.
Many popular bootcamp providers have a large number of hiring partners to help students land digital marketing positions.
Other career services can include helping with improving resumes and preparing for interviews.
Structured learning
The learning format for digital marketing bootcamps is more akin to traditional education methods than it is to newer online courses offered today.
Many have lessons, projects, and coaching sessions that take place at scheduled times.
For some students, this structured approach to studying is helpful for staying on top of the material.
General social media marketing courses online
- Digital Marketing Program (CareerFoundry)
Price: $6900 (additional payment and discount options available)
Duration: Up to 4 months studying full-time, or up to 7 months part-time
Level: Beginner
Certification: Yes
While social media is key to digital marketing, it’s not the only skill you’ll need to thrive in this industry. With that in mind, CareerFoundry’s Digital Marketing Program offers a comprehensive introduction to everything you’ll need to become a fully-fledged digital marketing professional in as little as four months.
If you’re looking for a quick and easy tutorial that only covers the basics of social media marketing, this might not be the course for you. However, Achievement 3 of CareerFoundry’s Digital Marketing Immersion Program hones in on social media marketing and branding.
Among other topics, you’ll learn about social media marketing strategy, content planning, and community management, all topped off with a tutor-reviewed capstone project that you can add to your social media portfolio. In addition, you’ll pick up many other digital marketing skills along the way, including content marketing, SEO, and marketing analytics.
- Social Media Quickstarter (Constant Contact)
Price: Free
Duration: N/A
Level: Beginner
Certification: No
Before diving in with an in-depth online course, you might decide to check that social media marketing is really for you. After all, while many of us use social media in our personal lives, its uses in digital marketing can be quite different. For a quick and easy introduction, we recommend Constant Contact’s Social Media Quickstarter.
This free online resource is mostly article-based and not interactive, but it covers the basics of Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Google Business. As a dip-in reference guide, it’s helpful if you have a specific question or want to get the broad lowdown on each platform’s functionality.
To be clear, this is very much beginner stuff, such as how to set up a profile and carry out fundamental social media functions. For instance, how can you use Facebook to grow your email list? What are lists on Twitter, and how do you create them? And what’s the best way to grow positive Google reviews? Nevertheless, it’s an excellent free resource if you don’t want to fork out right away for a paid social media marketing course online.
- Social Media Marketing – Complete Certificate Course (Udemy)
Price: $24.99 for a Udemy subscription
Duration: 2.5 hours of video content
Level: Beginner
Certification: Certificate of completion
Another excellent (and affordable) starter course is Udemy’s Social Media Marketing complete certificate. If you prefer learning by watching (as opposed to reading), this course offers a more visual intro. It includes two and a half hours of video tutorials, supporting articles, and additional resources for those using social media for business. Learn the foundations of social media, how to audit your existing social accounts, and apply this to planning, devising, and executing a strategy.
The course covers the core aspects of blogs, and platforms like YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. While it’s pretty high-level in terms of content, its strength lies in outlining the broader scope of social media, including the risks and opportunities it presents and how content marketing feeds into social media strategy.
Since you’ll already have a subscription, we recommend browsing Udemy’s back catalog, perhaps following up with their Social Media Marketing Mastery course, which will teach you how to use social ads on 10+ different social media platforms.
- Social Media Marketing Specialization (Coursera)
Price: $49 per month (subscription-based content)
Duration: 7 months, studying 2 hours per week
Level: Beginner
Certification: Yes
When you’re ready to dive in with a more comprehensive course of study, Coursera’s Social Media Marketing Specialization is a great option and excellent value for money. Comprising 7 months of study (2 hours per week), this is a solid and comprehensive course.
Created in partnership with Northwestern University, learn about social media from the ground up. Start with an introduction to social media before progressing to the practical analytics tools you’ll need to become a social media manager. As you move through the specialization’s six courses, you’ll develop deeper knowledge while accessing the resources necessary to devise your own social media marketing strategy.
The course ends with a capstone project and certification you can add to your portfolio. If you want to forgo these, though, you can also access (or ‘audit’ in Coursera lingo) all the course content for free.
- Social Media Marketing Certification Course (Hootsuite Academy)
Price: $299
Duration: 6 hours
Level: Beginner / Intermediate
Certification: Yes
Who better to offer a social media marketing course online than one of the experts? Hootsuite, which provides one of the marketplace’s most popular social media tools (of the same name) offers training via its dedicated Hootsuite Academy. Their Social Media Marketing Certification Course is developed in close partnership with social media strategists and other professionals in the field, meaning you can be sure the content is up to date.
Throughout the course, you’ll learn how to optimize your social media channels (on different networks) before progressing to intermediate-level content. That includes creating a social media strategy, engaging with influencers, building online communities, and how to produce content marketing strategies across different channels. You’ll also learn how to use social ads on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Google.
- Social Media Marketing Course (HubSpot Academy)
Price: Free
Duration: 4 hours
Level: Beginner
Certification: Yes
Another course similar to Hootsuite (but free!) comes from HubSpot Academy. HubSpot, like Hootsuite, also offers a popular social media management tool. Their Social Media Marketing Course is aimed at aspiring and existing digital marketers and contains four hours of video tutorials with quizzes. It will help you develop an engaging and effective social media strategy for your business, including developing an inbound strategy that meets customers’ needs while also helping boost your own profits.
For a free course, we would consider this one of the better options. It dispenses with the basics of social media, diving straight in with strategy planning. It also introduces the concepts of social media listening, content strategy advertising, and how to measure return on investment. While you won’t come away as a total expert, you’ll have a clear idea of all the different aspects of social media marketing, while the quizzes along the way break the content up nicely.
If you like the course, HubSpot Academy also offers additional platform-specific courses, including how to create different strategies for Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.
