Staying Fresh: A Digital Marketer’s Field Guide to Continuing Education

Staying “fresh” is a concept most marketers know well, and for good reason. It seems that as soon as a marketer learn the ins and outs of a new procedure or platform, things change yet again and force the learning process to begin all over again. For many, this cycle is something that keeps one’s personal education moving and the learning process is an enjoyable one. For others, staying abreast of the most recent changes and must-know information can be challenging. However, it’s important, as a professional in the digital marketing space, to be aware of any changes or updates that are pertinent to the work being performed.

Marketing is a creative profession. It requires a strong sense of idea and thought creation coupled with the organizational and strategic ability to bring the idea to life and execute it. Nurturing this sense of creativity by monitoring the campaigns of other brands, learning about new processes or software, and always seeking new information are ways that a marketer can ensure that their process stays current and ready to pivot if needed.

What are some ways in which digital marketing professionals can stay fresh without eating into the precious time they have to focus on client work? Luckily, staying current doesn’t require one to look very far. Thanks to the far reaches of the internet and the speed with which new information becomes available, staying current is as simple as clicking around on the internet.

Several platforms such as Digiday and AdWeek provide information on the latest headlines from around the marketing and advertising industries. These platforms also offer products such as email newsletters, some of which are sent each day. Newsletters like these offer quick recaps of useful headlines as well as more in-depth analysis of marketing trends. Information like this is available at our fingertips, and many marketers subscribe to these newsletters so that they can eliminate the need to go foraging for their own information.

Another way to stay on top of current trends within the industry is to attend events in the area that focus on continuing marketing education and/or collaboration. Events such as One Million Cups bring businesspeople and entrepreneurs together around the idea of networking and collaborative ideas. Other events such as marketing seminars or summits, conferences, and meet-ups can also be gold mines of information for those seeking to further their own education within the industry.

And finally, one of the best ways to stay educated and current is simply to never stop learning. Sure, many marketers went through a college degree program dedicated solely to the topic of marketing and its inner workings. But even if this is the case, the education doesn’t stop simply because a student graduated. If anything, the marketing industry likely already looks much different than it did regardless of if a student graduated 10 years or 10 months ago. Seeking out opportunities to learn: reading articles or books, attending conferences or webinars, or even finding an industry mentor who can teach their ways are all beneficial for a marketing professional’s ongoing education.

It’s important to remember that no matter how much seniority an individual obtains, how many jobs they have held, or where they graduated from school, there is always someone more accomplished, more seasoned, more experienced to learn from. Never forget this, and the learning opportunities will continue to present themselves.