Have you ever considered doing a Digital Marketing apprenticeship but don’t know if it’s right for you? Carry on reading to delve into our top 5 reasons why it could be ideal for you!
In our digital-driven world, Digital Marketing is more important than ever and businesses are hunting for the next person to help them stand out. An apprenticeship can give you professional experience and introduce you to different marketing methods. Plus, giving you practical experience for a full-time career and the bonus part of getting paid to learn!
Hands-On Learning in a Digital Marketing Apprenticeship:
Digital marketing apprenticeships throw you into action from day one where you’ll tackle roles like collecting analytics, planning campaigns, and Improving a website’s ranking with SEO. Also, you will be gaining industry skills and receiving support from your employer to progress. Read more here about the education specifications for a digital marketer.
Opportunities for Advancing Your Career:
The industry is seeking talented young professionals wanting to grow and starting an apprenticeship throws you in the mix, where you’ll set yourself up for a successful career. With salaries starting at £25,000, you can dive into various roles like:
Analytics Executive
Marketing Assistant
Marketing Executive
Marketing Co-ordinator
Campaign Executive
Social Media Executive
Content Co-ordinator
Email Marketing Assistant
SEO Executive
Discover more job opportunities after completing your apprenticeshiphere.
Industry-Relevant Skills:
During a digital marketing apprenticeship, you’ll learn diverse skills like managing social media, creating content, mastering SEO, crunching analytics, and more. Employers across numerous sectors highly seek these skills.
Connections and Networking in Digital Marketing:
Joining an apprenticeship lets you link up with pros, mentors, and fellow apprentices in the industry. It’s like joining a big club! Building these connections can open doors to future job opportunities.
Head here to sign up for our monthly networking event to meet other aspiring apprentices.
Financial Benefits:
Unlike sticking to the same traditional education paths, apprenticeships offer the advantage of getting paid while you learn. You can rack up real-world experience without drowning in student debt!
Check out this link here to discover the wages an apprentice can earn!
Conclusion
The decision to become an apprentice isn’t a career choice, it’s an investment in your future and a journey of exploration, growth and creativity! Get in touch here to embrace your digital wave and seize a local opportunity near you.
Don’t forget to check out our most recent bloghere where we talk about a level 7 Regulatory Affairs Specialist.
Introduction to the Digital Marketing Apprenticeship
In the ever-evolving world of digital marketing, finding the right path to kickstart your career can be a daunting task. This is where a Level 3 Digital Marketing Apprenticeship comes into play. Designed to blend education and practical experience, this apprenticeship offers a first step into the industry. Here’s why it stands out as a great gateway into a career in digital marketing.
Hands-on Experience in the Digital Marketing World
One of the key benefits of a Level 3 Digital Marketing Apprenticeship is the opportunity to gain hands-on experience. Unlike traditional education routes, apprenticeships allow you to work within a real-world environment. This means dealing with actual clients, real campaigns, and genuine business challenges. Such experience is not only invaluable for learning but also makes you more employable in the long run.
Learning While Earning
As an apprentice, you will be employed and receive a salary. This practical approach provides financial independence. It’s a significant advantage over traditional study routes which often involve significant student loans.
Tailored Curriculum
The Level 3 Digital Marketing Apprenticeship curriculum is carefully tailored to cover a wide range of skills needed in the industry. You will learn about SEO (Search Engine Optimization), content marketing, social media strategies, email marketing, and much more. The curriculum is designed to be dynamic, updating frequently to keep pace with the latest trends and technologies in the digital world.
Networking Opportunities
Being an apprentice opens numerous doors for networking. Working alongside professionals in the field, attending industry events, and collaborating on projects will help you build a network of contacts. These connections can be crucial for future job opportunities and professional development.
Mentorship and Support
Throughout the apprenticeship, you will work alongside professionals in the field. This mentorship is important for personal and professional growth. You can learn from their experiences, ask for advice, and receive constructive feedback on your work.
Conclusion
A Level 3 Digital Marketing Apprenticeship is more than just an educational pathway; it’s a comprehensive experience that equips you with the skills, knowledge, and connections needed to succeed in the digital marketing world. It offers a unique blend of practical experience, learning, and personal development. For anyone looking to jumpstart their career in digital marketing, it presents an opportunity that shouldn’t be overlooked.
For more information on what a Level 3 qualification is click here
Apprenticeships are an excellent pathway to starting a successful career, offering practical experience while learning about the industry. Apprenticeships have gained significant popularity in recent years, providing individuals with invaluable hands-on training and industry-specific skills. We will discuss the steps required to secure an apprenticeship and maximise your chances of landing the opportunity of a lifetime.
How To Choose The Right Apprenticeship
Before beginning your journey, it’s important to identify the type of apprenticeship you wish to pursue. There is a wide range of apprenticeships in various sectors, including business, engineering, healthcare, IT, and more. Begin by researching different apprenticeship programs to determine the one that aligns with your interests, goals, and skillset. Here is an excellent blog post on some of the apprenticeship sectors and the skills and interests that you may have and which apprenticeship would be best suited for you.
Research Digital Marketing
Once you’ve decided on a specific apprenticeship, research the employer or training provider offering the opportunity. Make sure you are familiar with their values, goals, and the industry. This knowledge will not only help you during the application process but also during interviews or assessments. Tailor your CV and cover letter to highlight relevant skills, experiences, and your genuine interest in the field.
You can also use dedicated apprenticeship websites such as ours to learn more about the industry you are interested in and about how to get ahead of the competition with professional qualifications.
Applications
When applying for an apprenticeship, ensure that your application is polished and professional. Pay attention to grammar, spelling, and overall presentation. Highlight your qualifications, achievements, extracurricular activities, and any work experience that you have done. Be sure to mention transferable skills such as teamwork, communication, problem-solving, and adaptability.
Prepare for Interviews
If your application is successful, you may be invited for an interview or assessment. Research common interview questions and practice your responses. Demonstrate your passion for the industry and provide examples of how you’ve exhibited relevant skills in previous experiences. Also, be ready for any assessments or aptitude tests that may be part of the interview process.
Conclusion
Securing an apprenticeship requires determination, perseverance, and a strategic approach. By exploring available opportunities, conducting thorough research, and preparing meticulously, you can significantly increase your chances of landing an apprenticeship that aligns with your career aspirations. Remember to stay positive, embrace learning opportunities, and never hesitate to seek guidance from professionals who can support you throughout the journey.
In today’s digital age, businesses must have an online
presence to stay competitive. Digital marketing refers to the use of digital
channels to promote products or services to potential customers. The goal of
digital marketing is to reach as many people as possible through various
digital platforms, including social media, search engines, and email.
One of the primary benefits of digital marketing is that it is cost-effective. Compared to traditional advertising methods like television or print, digital marketing channels are much less expensive. Additionally, digital marketing allows businesses to target specific audiences, which can lead to higher conversion rates.
Digital Marketing Tools: A Comprehensive Guide
Digital marketing tools are essential for businesses that want to succeed in the online marketplace. There are many different tools available, each designed to help businesses achieve their marketing goals. In this section, we will explore some of the most popular digital marketing tools and how they can benefit a business.
Google Analytics
Google Analytics is a web analytics service that tracks and reports website traffic. It provides valuable insights into how visitors interact with your website, including information on their behaviour, demographics, and location. With this data, businesses can identify areas of their website that need improvement and adjust their marketing strategies accordingly.
SEMrush
SEMrush is a comprehensive digital marketing tool that offers a range of features, including SEO, PPC, and social media management. With SEMrush, businesses can conduct keyword research, analyse their competitors, and track their rankings on search engines. It also provides insights into social media performance and allows businesses to schedule and publish content on multiple platforms.
Hootsuite
Hootsuite is a social media management tool that allows businesses to manage multiple social media accounts from a single dashboard. With Hootsuite, businesses can schedule and publish posts, track engagement metrics, and monitor brand mentions. It also offers collaboration features that allow multiple team members to manage social media accounts together.
Mail chimp
Mail chimp is an email marketing tool that enables businesses to design and send email campaigns to their subscribers. With Mail chimp, businesses can create customized templates, segment their audience, and track email performance metrics like open and click-through rates. It also offers integrations with other marketing tools like Shopify and Salesforce.
Canva
Canva is a graphic design tool that allows businesses to create professional-looking graphics and visual content. With Canva, businesses can design social media posts, infographics, and marketing materials like flyers and brochures. It offers a range of templates and design elements, making it easy for even non-designers to create high-quality graphics.
Buffer
Buffer is a social media scheduling tool that allows businesses to schedule and publish posts on multiple platforms. With Buffer, businesses can create a content calendar, schedule posts in advance, and track engagement metrics. It also offers analytics features that provide insights into post performance and audience engagement.
Google AdWords
Google AdWords is an advertising platform that allows businesses to create and display ads on Google search results pages. With AdWords, businesses can target specific keywords and audiences, set budgets and bids, and track ad performance metrics like click-through rates and conversion rates. It is an effective way for businesses to reach potential customers who are actively searching for their products or services.
Ahrefs
Ahrefs is an SEO tool that allows businesses to analyse their website’s backlink profile and track their rankings on search engines. It offers a range of features, including keyword research, site audits, and competitor analysis. With Ahrefs, businesses can identify opportunities to improve their SEO performance and stay ahead of their competitors.
smart insights essential digital marketing tools
Digital Marketing Best Practices
In addition to using digital marketing tools, businesses must also follow best practices to achieve their marketing goals. Below are some best practices that every business should consider when implementing a digital marketing strategy:
Define Your Goals and KPIs
Before starting any digital marketing campaign, businesses must define their goals and key performance indicators (KPIs). This will help them track their progress and determine whether their campaigns are successful. Some common goals and KPIs include website traffic, conversion rates, social media engagement, and email open rates.
Know Your Audience
To create effective digital marketing campaigns, businesses must know their audience. This includes understanding their demographics, interests, and online behaviours. By knowing their audience, businesses can tailor their marketing messages to resonate with them and increase the likelihood of conversions.
Create High-Quality Content
Content is king in digital marketing. Businesses must create high-quality content that provides value to their audience. This can include blog posts, videos, social media posts, and email newsletters. High-quality content can help businesses establish themselves as thought leaders in their industry and build trust with their audience.
Use Multiple Channels
To reach as many people as possible, businesses should use multiple digital marketing channels. This can include social media, search engines, email, and display advertising. By using multiple channels, businesses can reach potential customers at different stages of the buying journey and increase the likelihood of conversions.
Test and Optimise
Digital marketing is an iterative process. Businesses must constantly test and optimise their campaigns to improve their performance. This can include A/B testing different ad creatives, optimising landing pages, and tweaking email subject lines. By testing and optimising their campaigns, businesses can identify areas of improvement and increase their ROI (return on investment).
Digital Marketing Strategies
Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
SEO is the process of optimising a website to rank higher in search engine results pages (SERPs). By ranking higher in search results, businesses can attract more organic traffic to their website. Some common SEO strategies include optimising on-page elements like title tags and meta descriptions, creating high-quality content, and building back-links.
Pay-Per-Click (PPC) Advertising
PPC advertising involves placing ads on search engine results pages, social media platforms, and other websites. Furthermore Advertisers only pay when someone clicks on their ad. This can be an effective way to drive traffic to a website and generate leads. Some popular PPC platforms include Google AdWords, Bing Ads, and Facebook Ads.
Social Media Marketing
Social media marketing involves using social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn to promote a business’s products or services. By posting engaging content and interacting with followers, businesses can build a loyal following and increase brand awareness.
Email Marketing
Email marketing involves sending promotional messages to a list of subscribers. This can include newsletters, promotional offers, and product updates. By nurturing leads through email, businesses can increase the likelihood of conversions.
Content Marketing
Content marketing involves creating and distributing valuable content to attract and retain a target audience. This can include blog posts, videos, infographics, and whitepapers. By providing value to their audience, businesses can build trust and establish themselves as thought leaders in their industry.
Conclusion
As an aspiring digital marketing apprentice, it’s important to understand the various tools and strategies available to businesses in the digital marketing landscape. By familiarising yourself with the best practices and tools outlined in this article, you can develop the skills and knowledge necessary to help businesses improve their online presence, attract more leads, and ultimately drive conversions. Whether you’re interested in SEO, PPC advertising, social media marketing, or email marketing, there are many exciting opportunities available in the world of digital marketing. With dedication and hard work, you can become a skilled digital marketing professional and make a meaningful impact in the industry.
Was this useful? Download our free digital marketing EPA ebook here
Do you want to work for Google, Meta or another top company and don’t fancy University? You’ve come to the right place!
What is a Digital Marketing Apprenticeship?
An apprenticeship is a paid job where the employee learns and gains valuable experiences. Alongside on-the-job training, apprentices spend at least 20% of their working hours completing classroom-based learning with a college, university or training provider which leads to a nationally recognised qualification.
You will complete a Level 3 Digital Marketing course, which consists of a portfolio showcasing all the work and projects you work on. You will also also take exams on the fundamentals of digital marketing and coding, but don’t worry, you will be fully prepared for your exams thanks to the amazing 1:1 training of your personal coach and through group coaching sessions, bootcamps and webinars.
So, you are getting real world marketing experience at some of the best companies in the world, learning new skills and being paid to do it!
You’ll have no University debt and a great CV at the end of your apprenticeship – sounds great right!
Digital Marketing– What exactly is this?
Digital marketing encompasses all of your marketing activities that take place online. Its influence to engage customers grows every year as more people use the internet to browse, connect and buy.
According to recent studies, the number of people using the internet is 4.95 billion. That’s nearly 63 percent of the world’s population! The increase in mobile use also continues, as 5.31 billion people now use their phones to access the internet. That’s a lot of potential customers to reach online and it’s the job of digital marketers to devise and execute digital campaigns that do just that. This includes not only email, social media, and web-based advertising, but also text and multimedia messages as a marketing channel.
This is what your role could look like:
You could be placed in a variety of marketing roles – from Sales and Data Analysts to a Social Media and Product Marketer. You will work closely with your guide (mentor) in your team and your line manager. You will work collaboratively on campaigns, strategic planning, content creation and execution – developing skills such as communication, presenting, project management, working with stakeholders and more.
By the end of your apprenticeship you will have all the skills required to excel in any role within the marketing industry!
Why should you do a Digital Marketing Apprenticeship?
1. No debt and no need for student loans
With the cost of university increasing each year many are looking for alternative routes to secure their dream roles. An apprenticeship is the perfect alternative. Your employer and the Government pay for your tuition expenses, so you don’t need to take out a student loan. Some apprenticeship programs even offer a relocation bonus if you have to move for your program – pretty great right!
2. On the job experience and therefore more employable
Unlike University, where you sit in a lecture hall and learn skills from someone standing at the front of a class, doing this apprenticeship you will be in the office at your place of work and you can apply what you learn from the apprenticeship straightaway in the workplace. You can collaborate with your team, network, socialise and get exposure to incredible real world marketing opportunities.
Because you’ll be learning on-the-job with your employer, you’ll gain lots of experience to enhance your CV whilst studying for your level 3 apprenticeship. This gives you an advantage over University graduates from full-time courses, who wouldn’t have had as many opportunities to use what they learnt in the workplace.
3. 1:1 Coaching and Support
You will have the amazing benefit of a 1:1 personal coach who will be with you every step of the way throughout the entire duration of your apprenticeship, from both the training provider and your employer. You’ll also get access to the apprenticeship provider’s student support services and online community network.
Don’t miss out on securing your dream role and kickstarting your digital marketing career – follow us on social media to stay up to date on all upcoming apprenticeship programs. Join our community, ask questions and take the next step to a new career!
Click Here to learn more about Digital Marketing apprenticeships here.
In today’s online age, the importance of digital marketing cannot be overstated. With businesses looking to expand their online presence and reach their target audience through various online channels, there is a growing demand for professionals in this job sector.
If you’re already working in or interested in the field, you may be wondering how to take your career to the next level. In this blog post, we’ll discuss some tips on how to advance your career in this industry.
Stay Up-to-Date with Industry Trends and Best Practices
The digital marketing industry is constantly evolving, with new technologies, platforms, and trends emerging all the time. To stay relevant and competitive in this field, it’s important to stay up-to-date with the latest industry trends and best practices.
2. Learn New Skills and Specialisations
Digital marketing is a broad field that encompasses a wide range of skills and specializations. To advance in your career, it’s important to develop new skills and broaden your knowledge.
Consider taking online courses, attending workshops, or pursuing a certification in a specific area of such as SEO, PPC, social media, or content marketing.
3. Build Your Professional Network
Networking is an important part of any career, and digital marketing is no exception. Attending industry events, joining professional organisations, and connecting with other digital marketing professionals on social media platforms like LinkedIn can lead to valuable career connections and great opportunities.
The world as we know it is becoming more digital day by day. We have marketing everywhere we turn on the street and each time we scroll on our phones. According to this article, the digital marketing spending grew up to £25.84 billion during 2022 in the UK alone. In 2019, 61% of companies stated they were planning to hire more digital marketers to their team! After the Covid19 pandemic, it is only an expectation for this to have risen, after so many moved to digital to keep their businesses afloat. We are going to look at the 5 skills you need to be a digital marketer.
Communication
Digital Marketing is all about communication! It may not be face to face all the time, but it is certainly an important factor. There are many methods of communication within this sector. Digital Marketing itself is communication. You will be talking to customers and target audiences about your brand or company all the time through media and trends. There is also the internal communication. Talking with your team and business is essential to implement successful strategies. Furthermore, it is important to keep on top of your workload and distribute roles in order to complete tasks before deadlines. Communicating on an efficient level can provide a steady stream flow of work.
Organisation
Being organised goes with every job role in reality, but it is a key factor to becoming a successful digital marketer. A considerable proportion of the position is planning and organising, whether that be team members or the content itself. Building campaigns to reach their full potential requires planning. Being able to organise a plan or strategy and publish content within time frames can make all the difference to your engagement rate.
Analytical thinking
Everything you produce is analysed and broken down, so it is important to think analytically. Throughout the whole marketing process, you will be comparing figures and analysing engagement. From the first step, you and other team members will be questioning every piece of marketing that is sent out. Looking at its performance, how the audience will perceive it, as well as the journey you want them to take. Having this mindset allows you to look at content and compare it with the overall goal to see if it will perform appropriately.
Creativity
Although it may not seem important to be creative, it can be a large part of the job role. Being creative gives you all the campaign ideas and how they can be produced to meet your targets. Unique content is published every day by individuals, and part of marketing is catching the attention of your audience. If you have this creativity, you can bring fresh and new ideas to the table, pushing your marketing to the next level within your business.
Adaptability
The digital world is always developing further. It is important that as a person, you can keep up with this to make your marketing top-notch. Software is constantly updating, and new software is being created that can benefit you to reach those targets. Even something as simple as jumping on new trends to increase engagement involves adaptability.
How do you get into Digital Marketing?
Here at Apprentice Now, we have a Digital Marketing Apprenticeship Level 3. We can teach you all of the industry skills and knowledge to boost your CV to the next level. Along with this, you will earn valuable work experience as well as a wage.
Do you have the skills to be a digital marketer? Start a digital marketing apprenticeship with us today, contact us here!
The primary
role of a digital marketer is to define, design, build and implement digital
campaigns across a variety of online and social media platforms to drive
customer acquisition, customer engagement and customer retention.
If this sounds like something that you would like to be a part of, then read on below to understand what this Digital Marketing Apprenticeship course will consist of!
What skills you will learn along the way of this Digital Marketing Apprenticeship
Within this apprenticeship, there are many skills that you will learn and can apply to your job role and use to boost your career in digital marketing. These skills include:
Logical and creative thinking skills
Analytical and problem solving skills
Ability to work independently and to take responsibility
Can use own initiative
A thorough and organised approach
Ability to work with a range of internal and external people
Ability to communicate effectively in a variety of situations
Maintain productive, professional and secure working environment
What competencies you will need to reach in the portfolio
A big part
of this apprenticeship is completing your portfolio. This will need to consist
of projects which you have completed in your job role and hit the competencies
laid out in the occupational brief document. A breakdown of these competencies
are:
Written communication
Research
Technologies
Data:
Customer service
Problem solving
Analysis
Implementation
Applies at least two of the following specialist areas: search marketing, search engine optimisation, email marketing, web analytics and metrics, mobile apps and Pay-Per-Click
Uses digital tools effectively
Digital analytics
Interprets and follows:
latest developments in digital media technologies and trends
marketing briefs and plans
company defined ‘customer standards’ or industry good practice for marketing
company, team or client approaches to continuous integration
Can operate effectively in their own business’s, their customers’ and the industry’s environments
These
competencies will need to be reached in order to make your way into the gateway
process which is discussed below.
What you will learn from each module in the Digital Marketing Apprenticeship
As explained
in the occupational brief, there are three modules that will be completed
throughout this level 3 Digital Marketing Apprenticeship. These include; Principles
of Coding (for Level 3 Digital Marketer Apprenticeship), Marketing Principles
(for Level Digital Marketer Apprenticeship) and Digital Marketing Business
Principles (for Level Digital Marketer Apprenticeship).
For the
Principles of coding module, you will learn to:
Understands the principles of coding
Understands
and has an appreciation of logic
Understands,
has an awareness of and recognises languages such as HTML / Java
Understands
the compatibility of code on different platforms
Understands
the components involved to make the Web work
For the Marketing
Principles module, you will learn to:
Understands and can apply basic
marketing principles
Understands the role of customer
relationship marketing
Understands how teams work
effectively to deliver digital marketing campaigns and can deliver accordingly
Understands and can apply the
customer lifecycle
Understands the main components of Digital
and Social Media Strategies
For the Digital
Marketing Business Principles module, you will learn to:
Understands the principles of all of
the following specialist areas: search marketing, search engine optimisation
and Pay-Per-Click, e mail marketing, web analytics and metrics, mobile apps and
understands how these can work together
Understands the similarities and
differences, including positives and negatives, of all the major digital and
social media platforms
Understands and responds to the
business environment and business issues related to digital marketing and
customer needs
Understands and follows digital
etiquette
Understands how digital platforms
integrate into the working environment
Understands and follows the required
security levels necessary to protect data across digital and social media
platforms
What is involved in the EPA
As discussed
in the assessment plan, the EPA is completed in the last few months of the
apprenticeship. It is based on:
The portfolio – produced towards the
end of the apprenticeship, containing evidence from real work projects which
have been completed during the apprenticeship, usually towards the end, and
which, taken together, cover the totality of the standard, and which is
assessed as part of the end point assessment
A project – giving the apprentice the
opportunity to undertake a business-related project over a one-week period away
from the day to day workplace
An employer reference
And a structured interview with an
assessor – exploring what has been produced in the portfolio and the project as
well as looking at how it has been produced
To get to
this EPA process, you must have gone through the gateway process, which
involves completing your portfolio so it is at 100%, completing all assessments
that will take place, having a completed employer reference and having your OTJ
hours at 100% or above. Once these are all completed and have been submitted, you
will be able to go through gateway and into the EPA process.
Conclusion
As you can see, this level 3 Digital Marketing Apprenticeship is an excellent starting point for anyone looking to pursue a career in Marketing. The skills that are covered in this apprenticeship will open a wide range of job opportunities and you will gain deep knowledge from each module so that you can apply this to future job roles.
Further Resources
To learn more about Digital Marketing Apprenticeships,
follow the links to the below resources:
When undertaking a Level 3 digital marketing apprenticeship you will be required to understand a range of different technical aspects. This can be challenging for a new apprentice however in this blog I have broken down a few of the technical, skills and knowledge required which will be required in order to gain your qualification and they ways in which you can develop these skills helping you succeed in your digital marketing career.
Understanding SEO is key for your Apprenticeship
Firstly, you will be required to understand how SEO works and what are the best practices you can use to help improve your company’s SEO, this at first may seem scary to a newbie digital marketer however here are few tips which helped me. SEO stands for Search Engine Optimisation, explained simply this is the process of optimizing a website with relevant information and data to improve a company’s search rank. One easy way of improving SEO is by including as many keywords as possible on the website. There are so many different websites which can help you easily check your company’s SEO, I personally liked to use … when I was undertaking my apprenticeship in digital marketing so would recommend this one to any newbies. Not only this social media is ever changing meaning a lot of the technical aspects will change and develop therefore you will need to be able to understand how to find out new trends and developments within the industry and how new practices can be beneficial. There are range of different social media pages which share recent developments here are list of my top 3 accounts to follow Socialstauk, digitalmarketingtrending and Gary Vee. Excitingly we here at Apprentice Tips also have a mailing list which in the next coming weeks we will begin to share more about the latest developments within this field, so head over to our main page after finishing this blog and sign up to our newsletter so you don’t miss out and if you are already subscribed then keep your eyes peeled for some great new content.
Google Analytics
Another technical aspect you will be required to understand is google analytics this is because not only will you need to show you know how to use google analytics as part of your competencies document you also will need to take a test on google analytics as part of 1 of the 3 exams you are expected to take. Therefore, it’s really important you are able to use Google Analytics effectively as this is such a key technical development within your apprenticeship, from being able to understand basic data such as page views to being able to create reports regarding your company within Google Analytics. Again at first this may seem overwhelming however google analytics is actually very cool and insightful tool it really does help you get a better insight in your how your business is performing. Therefore doing research on google analytics is key in making sure you become a digital marketing whizz, I would suggest getting used to the app first and then taking some of the amazing and insightful mock test they have to offer. Not only this but over on Googles Analytics official YouTube account they have so many insightful videos for beginners.
Overall being a newbie in the digital marketing world at first can be scary with all the technical aspects required, however the more you develop your skills and knowledge within this field you will become an expert in no time and most importantly remember as an apprentice you are not alone !! your tutors are there to provide you with all the support that you need so if you ever feel lost or unsure always reach out to your tutors and they will be happy to help.
Good luck on your Digital Marketing Apprenticeship and hope to see you again on our next blog post.
A practical guide to creating a working social media strategy
Getting to work on a client’s social media gives you the chance to flex your creative muscles and can be one of the most exciting parts of being a digital marketing apprentice. However – without a clear plan in place, it can quickly go wrong and could cause more harm than good. If you’re wondering how to get started with creating a strategy that works, read on, as we take you through the most basic elements of a professional social media strategy.
1. Define your goals
What are you hoping to achieve with your social media posts? Engagement, following, email sign ups? Having a goal in mind as you create your content will help you communicate a clear message to your audience. If you’re working on behalf of a client, they might already have some goals they can share with you. Ultimately, social media makes up part of a businesses sales efforts and so should be trying to accomplish a goal either directly or indirectly.
2. Know your audience
Before you start posting, you need to know who you are trying to target. There’s no point in posting Love Island memes if you’re trying to sell life insurance to pensioners. You might have more than one target audience – these are known as your segments. In which case, you need to plan content that will resonate with each of these. This informs not just what you post in terms of content and tone – but where you do it. LinkedIn, for example, is best for reaching professionals. TikTok might be your best for Generation Z. Again, make sure there is a clear definition of who you or your client wants to reach.
3. Do your research
In two ways. Firstly, you need to understand the product or service you are promoting to the best of your ability. You will struggle to post genuine and engaging content if you have no idea what you’re talking about – and struggle even more to respond to any commenters! Secondly, you should take a look at what your biggest competitors are doing. In our experience, this is the best starting point for your own strategy. What do they post, when, and how is it working for them? This should inform what you then decide to post. Is there anything your competitors could be doing better, allowing you to fill in that gap in your own content? You might want to compile your findings to help you with the next step.
Social media is an important part of a digital marketers career.
4.Create some guidelines
It is best to write down in a document some clear guidelines for the content itself. The client might already have these in place – colour palettes, logos, and so on. You could even go a step further and create some ready-made templates for social media. This might make your actual content creation a lot quicker in future. When you’re doing this, you should keep the previous steps in mind, thinking about target audience and goals. Do this for all types of content – don’t forget the importance of blogs and articles, for example, for directing traffic to websites and creating content that can easily be shared across platforms.
5. Write your plan
This is the most important step, and is about you writing a detailed plan for content.
There are lots of free templates online or you can create your own. You should schedule ahead in blocks where you can, leaving some room for “reactive” content (responding to events that might happen spontaneously). At minimum, you want to define an exact post topic, a basic description, the platforms you want to post to and when. You can go a step further and define more details such as exact captions, links or images to be used. Depending on your client, this might be a two-way process. Planning in this way not only allows you to organise your own workload, but makes it easy to communicate your plans with a client.
6. Take advantage of the data
Plans are dynamic – they should be constantly updated based on the feedback you receive. Data comes in the form of client feedback – comments or direct messages, or if you want to get more technical, unsubscribe rates as an example. This can be positive or negative but can help you understand how people are reacting to your social media presence. Helpfully, most social media platforms also allow you to access actual statistics regarding individual posts or whole profiles – you should take time to review and understand the most important of these to know what content is doing well for you and what you can disregard. Then revise your plan based on this! And the cycle repeats.
You should now know everything you need to get started with a thorough and effective social media strategy. Understanding the main components of digital and social media strategies in this way isn’t only helpful in your job role – it is one of the core competencies you need to be able to demonstrate as part of the Level 3 digital marketing apprenticeship. Following the information laid out here, you should be able to meet that criteria. Found what you’ve read helpful? Why not read more helpful digital marketing tips and tricks over on our blog.
