Getting Started With Digital Marketing: A How-to Guide!

“How to get started with Digital Marketing?” “How do I get into Digital Marketing?” “Start a career in Digital Marketing?”

Phew!

Only if I had a penny for every time I get asked this question and I would have been typing this down while holidaying somewhere fancy. Leaving aside my remote-working-by-the-beach-fantasy, I can be of some help in getting you started with Digital Marketing.

First things first, It isn’t rocket science. So, don’t get overwhelmed with it. But it isn’t easy if you’re not very keen to dive into the digital ocean. Also, Digital Marketing is not one thing or one concept. It is an umbrella term for a variety of concepts that it encapsulates.

So, what all does Digital Marketing comprises of?

  1. SEO (Search Engine Optimization)
  2. SEM/PPC (Search Engine Marketing/Pay-per-click)
  3. Social Media
  4. Content Marketing
  5. Web Analytics
  6. CRO (Conversion Rate Optimization)
  7. Mobile marketing/ App Marketing/ASO (Appstore Optimization)
  8. Digital PR (Public relations)
  9. Affiliate Marketing
  10. Influencer Marketing

And there can be multiple other disciplines (other than the 10 I’ve listed above), depending on the criteria chosen to differentiate these segments of Digital Marketing.

But, oh wait, don’t get overwhelmed.

The purpose of Digitortoise is to simplify the learning process and that’s what we’ll do. Let’s go the tortoise way. Learn it slowly. Alright, alright? (Read this in Matthew McConaughey voice)

via GIPHY

Let’s get started, then.

Here’s how you can get started with Digital Marketing in (just) 5 Easy Steps:

  1. Create a Digital Environment: Learning Digital Marketing, like anything else, requires you to be in an environment which comprises people who are into/ interested in Digital Marketing and you invest your time in reading, watching, discussing and even writing about all things Digital. The more you immerse, the more you’ll unearth and start understanding this world, our digital world.
  • Start networking with fellow learners
  • Join various Digital Marketing groups on Facebook or Linkedin
  • Follow every possible Digital Marketer you know on Twitter
  • Be part of communities like Growthhackers and try and engage with community members whenever you can
  • Be part of the chatter going around and be in the knowledge of ‘what’s going on?’

2. Create a List of 10 Digital Marketing Gurus: There are plenty of them out there and based on your instinct, just select 10 and stalk them! (Poor choice of words, but, you know what I mean). Follow them on their social channels, subscribe to their blogs and read whatever they have on offer. There’s no need to subscribe to paid courses at this stage from these influencers, rather just dip your feet into their articles, guides, videos, and even their tweets to be updated about the world of Digital Marketing.

Here is a list of 50 top Digital marketers created by OneClickLindsey which you can check here.

3. Create a Blog: Go on, create a Blog. This is the most important advice I give to anyone looking to learn digital marketing. It is just like creating your Facebook profile, don’t get scared. Just create an account on WordPress or Blogger. Take that first step. Create a blog about something about which you’re passionate because that’ll help you regularly update it. It can be about Books, Movies, Travel. My advice is to start one on WordPress. If things go well, you also have the possibility of turning it into a full-fledged website as well.

[Related Read: Step-by-step guide for a WordPress blog to be created]

4. Create Content and Promote it: Now, once your blog is up and running, first pat your back, you’ve done the hard part! Yay!

Now, create content by following basic SEO guidelines and promote them in the best possible way. Where and how you’ll promote? That’s covered in the next point.

5. Create a presence on all major Social Networks: Social Media is now our viewport to information rather than just connecting with your friends. Register on all major social networking platforms and simply explore the medium.  Every social network has its way of functioning. Understanding how the platform functions, is key to cracking Digital Marketing. This understanding will help later when you’re analyzing numerous other segments. When you start promoting your blog’s content on social media, you’ll understand user behavior and how it varies based on each platform. This’ll help grasp expectations and also give you constant feedback on how you’re doing. Do remember to not be disheartened when you’re not getting the attention you think you should. Organic reach of these platforms is constantly on the decline, however, growing your audience will help you understand user-behaviour is.

And those were the 5 ways to kick-start your career in Digital marketing!

Congratulations! You’re now a Digital Marketer!  (Just kidding).

These 5 steps will just help you get started in the long and arduous journey of Digital Marketing. And many fail in crossing this itself. But, if you complete these 5 steps, you’ll fall in love with it.

So, if you are serious about building a career in Digital Marketing, use this as a test to ascertain yourself on whether you like/want to get into this field. If, during the completion of this process, you find yourself trying to better yourself into achieving more, then maybe you’re there.  And if you aren’t, you’d know that as well.

There are a lot of things you can learn by doing all of the five steps, but the most important of it all will be to help you get started. The gurus you select can help clear your doubts and help you understand the nuances while also contribute to building a learning environment. At the same time, creating and promoting your blog is a sure-shot way to self-learning into what the purpose of digital marketing truly is.

If you are a beginner and would like to learn more about anything in particular, please don’t hesitate in commenting on your queries.

[Related Read: Here’s a list of Free Digital Marketing courses]

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