Here are some points to help you navigate the ever-changing world of online marketing
I started dealing with corporate internal intranet pages around 2008. As time went on, I was already editing a legal-themed blog at an international law firm, analyzing Google Analytics reports, and researching the possibilities of acquiring and retaining new followers. While I was building SharePoint pages for various multinationals, writing content, and experimenting with design layouts, I wanted to know how much I counted as digital.
How much „organic experience” do I have in the world of digital marketing?
Technical terms were flashing through my mind: content, email marketing, SEO, PPC, SEM, CT, CTA, CPA, CPC, CPM, CTR, ROI, AV, Search Console, Tag Manager, generating leads, paid, owned, earned – it was already clear that this was undoubtedly a separate language, a separate profession, to which I felt I had some affinity, but I craved deeper knowledge!
Initially, I was most interested in exactly how the various fields are related to each other, and how many and what competencies each specific specialty covers? For example, what does an SEO expert do, what is the spectrum they can operate in, and what specific expertise (skills and abilities) do they need for this? I wanted to know and feel which of these I could identify with the most.
I also wanted to know which sectors are the best at this industry and who are considered the best professionals in the domestic market? Does work flow more smoothly in multinationals or smaller companies, agencies on the digital marketing front? What background do the professionals working in this field have? Who are those who know the ins and outs of this area? What exactly is digital marketing good for and what makes it good? In general: what does everyone understand by it?
Of course, I was also curious about what the pinnacle of the profession is and what conditions are available for customer acquisition using digital marketing tools, whether it concerns my work or my hobby.
At that point, I started looking for a digital marketing training that could provide me with sufficient insight and professional preparation to better understand the thousand faces of this profession. Two trainings caught my attention the most, and in the end, the balance tipped towards the METU Executive MBA in Digital Marketing program.
My expectations
I was also curious about how realistic it is to immerse oneself in a particular field through practical tasks, and how much serious preparation the professional tasks will require, as well as the ratio of individual vs. team tasks. Are there any homework assignments, is there an oral exam, and how demanding will these Saturdays be over the next 4 semesters?
I longed for a detailed program description, more precisely a well-structured schedule developed along a logic that is understandable to me. Simply put, I wanted a „soul-strengthening” experience to start, to feel that I would gain invaluable experiences from known and respected professionals.
But perhaps the most important thing I desired, and the reason I enrolled in the Metu digital marketing course, is whether I will be able to confidently put together a new business page after the training, related to that, to create impactful and effective advertisements, to professionally assess bids, risks, and analyze data, to generate high-quality and good content, to optimize for search engines along a well-thought-out strategy, and which of these I will be able to do best „effortlessly”?
Of course, I had fears about whether there would be any area that would truly appeal to me and whether I would be able to apply this knowledge anywhere in my work or hobbies. Additionally, a few minor technical questions arose in my mind, such as: is absence allowed, is there a library, are there optional programs, and what other opportunities does the University offer during the weekend training?
What did the METU digital marketing course give me?
I was sure that I would learn many new things, and that turned out to be true. As a result of the training, I started reading various professional blogs, and I even became interested in other courses! Through individual tasks, I got a taste of different areas and was able to try myself in fields where I had not had the opportunity before.
Week by week, I was able to participate in professional presentations that were all particularly interesting in themselves, as the speakers came from very different fields with various backgrounds and insights, and successes behind them. Often, they brought in a practical case study to the classes, through which we could feel the challenges and beauties of the profession.
It was especially exciting to see how many professionals, equipped with various competencies, realize their own (passion) projects, what operational principles they work under, how flexible (or not) they are in re-planning, and how they handle the vast amount of information and data.
If I had to highlight a few presentations, I would certainly say that for me Ákos Fodor The presentation on community marketing was perhaps the most captivating; in it, I saw the best blend of precise, thoughtful details that are worth building a strategy around, and with which I could completely identify myself. Besides that, Edit Szabó his dynamic presentation also had a great impact on me when he spoke about planning the digital marketing budget, strategy, and measurable results. I hung on his words as if he were reading my thoughts. It was interesting Attila Horváth the e-commerce presentation as well, who reported on his experiences as a business manager with a concise rationality.
Besides the fact that a very colorful team came together during the training, I particularly like that the speakers are extremely helpful and are happy to sit down with you for coffee if you need any advice.
I wholeheartedly recommend this training to everyone, especially to those who have a wide range of interests and are open to the world, because it is never too late to learn from others, from each other.
Additionally, it is incredibly valuable to break out of our usual environment and, for example, to analyze the online marketing of YTONG bricks and learn a few behind-the-scenes secrets.
You can find more information about the program on the METU website you will find. The open day for the specialized further training (2024. 08.29) here.
By clicking here you can even apply for the program.
