Marketing is the heart and soul of any business to succeed. The New age technologies and the growth of the internet paved the way for the invention of Digital Marketing or Online Marketing in the 1990s. Ever since Digital Marketing has made businesses realize that customers are just one mouse click away from them. Digital Marketing professionals are needed in all industries to bring their products and services to the limelight. Well-known universities and numerous online learning platforms provide Digital Marketing courses in Port Elizabeth.
South Africa offers affordable higher education to international students. Port Elizabeth, P. E in short which is renamed as Gqeberha is a friendly city with eminent universities and institutions.
What is Digital Marketing?
Digital Marketing is a technique of promoting products and services over the internet via digital channels like social media, email, SEO websites, search engines, text messages, multimedia messages, and mobile applications. Digital Marketing targets electronic devices connected to the internet, like smartphones, tablets, desktops, and laptops, to advertise a brand and reach customers.
It can be combined with traditional marketing to reach out to potential customers. Digital Marketing can be adopted by all businesses regardless of their size. It plays a vital role in the success of a business and its brand recognition. Companies can use all different strategies of Digital Marketing to advertise a single product or service.Â
Types of Digital Marketing
Search Engine Optimization – SEO is a process of upgrading the contents of a website with keywords to rank higher in the search engine result page (SERP), so that people searching for a product will get to see it.Â
E-mail Marketing – Email Marketing is sending emails to the targeted audiences about product releases, special offers, and events.
Pay-Per-Click – This refers to paid advertisements and paid search results in google. In PPC payment is made only when the ad is clicked. Â
Social Media Marketing – Promoting a product on any Social Media channel can increase the traffic to the company’s website and generate leads.Â
Content Marketing – Creating SEO-friendly content promoting a product or service in the form of blogs, articles, infographics, audio, video, and social media posts builds a brand reputation and also attracts new customers.
Mobile Marketing –Â This type of marketing targets smartphones where people spend 5-6 hours per day. Promotions can be sent as SMS and through mobile applications.
Affiliate Marketing – A business can tie up with another for marketing its products through the partner’s website based on mutual agreements.
Why is Digital Marketing Necessary?
With the rapidly growing number of online buyers, Digital Marketing has become mandatory for all businesses. It helps to generate leads through online channels such as email, social media, websites, and mobile applications. It assists in buying the trust of the client by resolving queries via chatbots, conducting polls, collecting feedback, etc.
Digital Marketing can increase the growth of a business exponentially. It gives you a chance to have a real-time conversation with your customers. This helps you to understand your customer’s demands. Digital Marketing is an anytime, anywhere marketing to reach anyone on the globe to talk about your product.Â
Thus Digital Marketing has become mandatory for all enterprises irrespective of their size. This facilitates the demand for Digital Marketing Professionals. Young and energetic students willing to start their marketing career can enroll in one of the best digital marketing courses in Port Elizabeth to become an expert in Digital Marketing.Â
Benefits of Digital Marketing
Low Cost – Well-planned Digital Marketing campaigns focusing on the right audience are more cost-effective than traditional marketing as everything is done online.
24X7 Marketing – The Internet works 24/7 and so do Digital Marketing Strategies. They are anytime, anywhere and on anyone targeted campaigns.Â
Global and Local Reach – Digital Marketing has no geographical boundaries. Companies can reach out to both local and global customers easily.
Frequent Communication with Customers – Personalised email communication and social media engagements help companies to earn customer loyalty. Retaining a customer is more effective than getting a new customer.
Measurable Results – Web analytics and online tools help to measure the success of a Digital Marketing strategy. It also gets information about customers’ reactions to the advertisement.Â
Brand Credibility – Digital Marketing strategies create a strong brand reputation and recognition globally when it reaches out to the correct audience in the correct way.
Consistent Lead Generation – Digital Marketing gives quality leads to the sales team.
Greater Conversion Rate – Tracking the results of the campaign helps to identify the places of maximum sales and focus on those areas. This increases the conversion rate.
Easy to Learn and Implement – Digital Marketing Skills can be easily learned through online courses. It requires a lot of patience, hard work, and practice to become an expert.Â
All these benefits explain the crucial role of digital marketing in this digital era. It is easy for small and medium business owners to learn digital marketing skills by themselves to support the growth of their enterprise. They can complete one of the best practical-oriented digital marketing courses in Port Elizabeth to upgrade their marketing skills.
Digital Marketing Career
Digital Marketing Professionals are in high demand by many industries. Digital marketing is in the top ten in-demand skills for job seekers. Creative people with analytical thinking and hands-on experience with digital marketing skills can kick-start a career in digital marketing. The job opportunities and scope of professional growth in this field are very wide and lucrative.
Students can take up any entry-level job role in the digital marketing field after the successful completion of any one of the finest digital marketing courses in Port Elizabeth. A few job roles in the digital marketing field are listed below,
- Digital Marketing Manager
- Content Strategist
- Social Media Manager
- Copywriter
- SEO Specialist
- Chief Marketing Officer
- Digital Marketer
- Content Writer
- Branding Specialist
An expert digital marketer can do freelance services or can also start his agency to provide digital marketing services.Â
Eligibility for Digital Marketing Courses in Port Elizabeth
No specific educational background is required to learn digital marketing. A diploma or undergraduate course in digital marketing can be completed by anyone after secondary school education. Graduates from any stream or discipline can easily learn digital marketing and get certified through any online learning platform.Â
Possession of the Following Skills Will Be an Added Advantage for Pursuing a Career in Digital Marketing:
- Communication Skill
- Content Creation
- Customer Relationship Management
- Data Analysis
- StorytellingÂ
Salary of a Digital Marketer
The salary of a digital marketer differs from one business to other depending on its size and the industry it belongs to. It also varies depending on the person’s qualifications, skill set, experience, and expertise. An entry-level digital marketer can earn 2-4 lakhs per annum. A Digital marketing manager with 5 years of experience can get 5-8 lakhs per annum. A decade of experience in this field can yield 10-12 lakhs per annum.
Also Read,
- Digital Marketing Courses in South Africa
- Digital Marketing Courses in Johannesburg
- Digital Marketing Courses in Cape Town
- Digital Marketing Courses in Durban
- Digital Marketing Courses in Centurion
- Digital Marketing Courses in Tembisa
Best 5 Digital Marketing Courses in Port Elizabeth
1. IIM SKILLS
IIM SKILLS is a leading online education platform providing digital marketing courses in Port Elizabeth. It also offers different short-term courses in the field of Writing, Marketing, Finance, and Analytics. All the certification courses in IIM SKILLS are recognized by the Government of India.
The courses are framed with a vision to help students, working professionals, and entrepreneurs grow in their professional life. The students are given lifetime access to the LMS. Faculties are experts from Industries and students get opportunities to have direct interaction with them. Guidance for placement and two months paid internship are the exceptional features of the IIM SKILLS digital marketing course.Â
Name of the Course: Master Digital Marketing Course
Mode: Online
Duration: 3 Months Course + 2 Months paid internship
Modules:
- Module 1: Introduction to Digital Marketing
- Module 2: Web Development at WordPressÂ
- Module 3: Search Engine Optimisation
- Module 4: Search Engine Marketing
- Module 5: Email Marketing
- Module 6: Inbound Marketing
- Module 7: Social Media MarketingÂ
- Module 8: Integrated Digital Marketing Strategy
- Module 9: Web AnalyticsÂ
- Module 10: Online Reputation Management
- Module 11: Content Writing & Advanced Blogging
- Module 12: Media Buying & Planning
- Module 13: Affiliate Marketing
- Module 14: Video Marketing
- Module 15: Marketing Automation
- Module 16: Digital Infographics Resume Creation
The Course curriculum starts with an introduction to digital marketing and focuses on various digital marketing strategies like SEO, Email Marketing, Social Media Marketing, and so on. The modules also include a step-by-step demo of web development at WordPress setup. Students are required to submit assignments for each module to complete the course.
The course is a perfect blend of theoretical concepts and practical hands-on training in various tools. During the course, students are allowed to work on real-time projects. Learning by training is the methodology of IIM SKILLS courses. They transform their students into employable professionals.Â
After the course completion, students are eligible to receive the digital marketing master certificate from IIM SKILLS along with eight additional certificates from google and three certificates from Hubspot. This unique feature of the IIM SKILLS digital marketing course assures its presence in the list of best digital marketing courses in Port Elizabeth.
2. Digital School of Marketing
The Digital School of Marketing (DSM) is South Africa’s preferred education provider of digital marketing courses in Port Elizabeth. All marketing courses of DSM are accredited by (MICT SETA) the Media, Information and Communication Technologies Sector Education, and Training Authority. DSM is a member of the Interactive Advertising Bureau, South Africa.Â
DSM courses are internationally transferable as it is one of the members of the CPD Certification Services of the UK. DSM offers practical digital marketing courses which enable students to build a better business that will ultimately improve the economy of South Africa.Â
Name of the Course: Advanced Digital Marketing
Mode: Online
Duration: 8 Months
Modules:Â
- Module 1 – Introduction to Digital Marketing
- Module 2 – Introduction to WordPress
- Module 3 – Digital Marketing Strategy
- Module 4 – Content Marketing Strategy
- Module 5 – Digital Copywriting
- Module 6 – Defining your Audience
- Module 7 – Writing Advertising Copy
- Module 8 – Social Media Marketing
- Module 9 – Manage a Social Media Community
- Module 10 – Online Public Relations
- Module 11 – Marketing Communication Concepts
- Module 12 – Brand Contact
- Module 13 – Brand Positioning
- Module 14 – Supervision of technical project team
- Module 15 – SEO and Analytics
- Module 16 –Tracking in Analytics
- Module 17 – Email Marketing
- Module 18 – Mobile Marketing
- Module 19 – Paid Advertising
The course is delivered online, enabling the students to study at their own pace. DSM has developed a personalized teaching and learning approach for students. Study materials in the form of presentations, infographics, and e-books are given to students at the beginning of the course.
Regular assessments are conducted through multiple choice questions format. Separate certificates are provided after the completion of each module and the final certificate is given after the final formative assessment. This course offers virtual sessions with the benefit of classroom learning through 96 hours of live classes over six months.
DSM presents guest lectures by many industry experts so that students get an opportunity to interact with the real world. This also helps them to pursue a job in the digital marketing field.Â
3. IIE’s Varsity College
The Independent Institute of Education is the largest registered and accredited private higher education institution in South Africa which provides the best digital marketing courses in Port Elizabeth. Varsity College is an educational initiative of the IIE with more than 57 qualifications accredited by the Higher Education Quality Committee. IIE is a subsidiary unit of a public company ADvTECH Ltd.
The IIE’s central academic team manages the curriculum, assessment, and certification process of the Varsity College. The Teaching and Learning Committee along with the faculty boards monitors the implementation of academic policies to ensure the quality of the learning experience on campus.Â
Name of the Course: IIE Marketing Management (Short-Term Certification Course)
Mode: Distance
Duration: 6 Months
Requirement: 3 to 4 years of work experience
Modules:
Marketing Management 1AÂ
- The World of Marketing
- The Marketing EnvironmentÂ
- Consumer BehaviourÂ
- Market Segmentation, Targeting, and Positioning
- Product Decisions
 Marketing Management 1BÂ
- Branding Decisions
- Marketing Communication Management
- Cyber Marketing and Digital MarketingÂ
- Pricing Decisions
- Distribution Management and Retailing
The modules are taught via distance mode; supported by online mediation sessions with a mentor. Students will be required to complete various forms of assessments and activities, to complete the course and get a certification.Â
The course helps students to acquire the knowledge and skills required to implement successful marketing strategies. It also assists students to get familiarised with cyber and digital marketing strategies.
The IIE Varsity College has established meaningful organic relationships with corporate companies to provide career guidance and internship opportunities. It also has an academic partnership with the South African Institute of Chartered Accountants, which helps the students to get connected with the highly dynamic business sector of the country.Â
4. Rosebank College
Rosebank College is also a brand of the IIE, which is registered under the Department of Higher Education and Training. The IIE is also accredited by the British Accreditation Council (BAC), an international quality assurance agency. This assures quality IIE learning experience with international standards to the students.
Rosebank College concentrates on in-demand skills relevant to today’s world and provides practical-oriented digital marketing courses in Port Elizabeth. The College has partnerships with the industry and other institutions to offer skills and competencies required for the students to kick-start their careers after education.Â
Name of the Course: Higher Certificate in Digital Marketing
Mode: Full-time as well as Online available
Duration: 1 Year
Requirement: Passed Secondary School EducationÂ
Modules:
- Digital and Academic Literacies
- Marketing 1
- Digital Marketing 1A
- Introduction to Quantitative Thinking and Techniques
- Digital Marketing 1B
- Marketing in the 21st Century
- Work Integrated Learning
- Introduction to Web Development
All the modules are presented in a blended learning environment. Students are provided with e-books and study materials for all the course modules. Students can access MS-office 365 software by registering through their CONNECT email address. This IIE course provides learners with the theoretical tools and practical techniques to become an expert in the digital marketing field.
Students will obtain basic knowledge, cognitive and conceptual tools, and practical strategies to be successful in a career within the digital marketing environment. Students have to score above 50 % in the final assessments of all modules to receive the certificate.Â
Rosebank College offers placement and career guidance to students after receiving a higher certificate in digital marketing. The possible job roles after the certification are Digital Marketing Assistant, Digital Marketing Administrator, Email Marketing Assistant, Email Marketing Administrator, E-commerce Assistant, E-commerce Administrator, Social Media Consultant, and Social Media Administrator.Â
5. Coursera
Coursera is a well-known education platform that provides digital marketing courses in Port Elizabeth along with renowned universities and industries. They offer short-term certification courses and undergraduate and postgraduate degree programs in digital marketing. Coursera partners with leading companies to bring flexible, affordable, job-relevant online learning to individuals and transform their lives.Â
Name of the Course: Digital Marketing Specialization (University of Illinois)
Mode: Online
Duration: 8 Months
Modules:
- Module 1: The Digital Marketing Revolution
- Module 2: Marketing in a Digital World
- Module 3: Digital Marketing Analytics in Theory
- Module 4: Digital Marketing Analytics in Practice
- Module 5: Digital Media and Marketing Principles
- Module 6: Digital Media and Marketing Strategies
- Module 7: Digital Marketing Capstone
The Specialization covers several aspects of the digital marketing environment, including digital marketing analytics, search engine optimization, social media marketing, and 3D Printing. Upon completion of the Digital Marketing Specialization, the students will gain an understanding of the new digital marketing landscape.Â
The Course also gives knowledge about new concepts and tools to digitally create, distribute, and promote products and services. After completing all the modules, a hands-on project has to be finished successfully to complete the specialization and earn the certificate.Â
Frequently Asked Questions About Digital Marketing Courses in Port Elizabeth
Q1. How much does a Digital Marketing course cost?
The cost of a digital marketing course varies from one institution to other depending on its scope, curriculum, duration, teaching mode, training sessions, and projects. Online Courses vary from 2000 INR to 50,000 INR. Offline digital marketing courses in Port Elizabeth range from 2 to 4 lakhs depending on the duration and scope of the course.
Q2. Is Digital Marketing hard for beginners?
Foundation-level digital marketing concepts are easy to learn for beginners if you are familiar with the usage of social media, search engines, and various networking tools of the internet. It takes time and practice to come familiar with different digital marketing tools like Google Analytics, SEMrush, and Moz. However, to master digital marketing skills one needs patience, hard work, analyzing the results, and trying out different strategies.Â
Q3. Is Digital Marketing a stressful job?
Digital Marketing is a highly competitive field, it works 24/7 and so digital marketers make the job stressful. But smart work and staying up to date with the latest marketing trends can make the job easier.Â
Q4. What is the average salary of a Digital Marketer?
The average salary of a digital marketer ranges from 3-4 lakhs per annum. It may increase based on your expertise and experience. Digital Marketing managers can earn up to 8 lakhs per annum after 5 years in the field. Freelance digital marketers can earn more than 8 lakhs per annum once they have established themselves in the field of marketing.Â
Conclusion
The most significant digital marketing courses in Port Elizabeth are listed above. All the courses come with practical sessions and real-time projects to hone the skills needed for a successful career in digital marketing. As the online world is expanding daily, the future of digital marketing is bright and optimistic. Almost 80% of businesses all over the world are already into digital marketing and the remaining businesses will also be adopting the same shortly. This assures a huge demand for digital marketing professionals. So, registering for any one of the above digital marketing courses and starting a marketing career is a wise choice for students and small business owners. Study Digital Marketing for a steady career in Business. All the Best.