
So, you’re thinking about taking a digital marketing course, but you’re not even sure what that means. You may have heard a few relevant terms like SEO and email marketing here and there. Now, you want to learn what digital marketing is? What will you learn? Is it really worth it?
That’s what you’ll be learning in this guide.
Here, I’ll provide a detailed overview of this course. I will discuss its scope, the salary to expect in this field, and some other important details you should know. Let’s start.
What is a Digital Marketing Course?
A digital marketing course is a structured program that teaches you how to promote a product or a service on online platforms. It teaches the ins and outs of online channels like social media and Google, and how they are used to promote something to millions and billions of people around the world.

Online marketing is a huge field. So, the course walks you through multiple sections. Some of the most prominent ones include:
- Conducting Search Engine Optimization (SEO) to boost website visibility.
- Publishing quality content on social media platforms to attract an audience.
- Running paid ads on search engines and social media platforms.
- Writing effective email messages and sharing them for email marketing.
- Learning how to use online resources for marketing performance analysis.
What Modules are Included in a Digital Marketing Course?
The modules included in a digital marketing course depend on its type and the provider. For beginners, creators include almost all the major components of online marketing so that learners can have a broader understanding of the field.
On the other hand, some creators provide more specific courses and focus on particular components for those who already know the basics and want to sharpen a particular skill.
In a complete course, you can expect the following modules:
Introduction to Digital Marketing:
Most courses start with an introduction to this field. In this module, students learn about the fundamentals. They learn the beginning and evolution of this field. Besides this, the module gives a brief overview of all the major types of online marketing, along with their advantages and disadvantages.
Search Engine Optimization (SEO):
Search Engine Optimization is an important part of a marketing campaign. The SEO module covers how websites are optimized to get ranked higher in search engine results.
Here, students learn about topics like keyword research, content writing, on-page and off-page SEO, technical SEO, etc. It also covers how marketers analyze a website’s performance and improve its authority for online branding.
Social Media Marketing:
Social Media Marketing is another cornerstone of a digital marketing course. It focuses on teaching how to use Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, etc., to promote a brand.
Some main components of this module include content creation, audience engagement, and performance analysis. Students also get to learn how to use popular SMM tools and solutions for better campaign management.
Email Marketing:
Email marketing is a major module in most courses, and it teaches students how to utilize email messages for brand promotion. Students get to learn the best practices about creating and sharing compelling emails. It will teach you how you can build and segment an email list and target the right type of audience to get better engagement and conversion rates.
Paid Advertising:
Some brands prefer paid advertising to get results quickly. So, the course helps learners understand the ins and outs of paid advertising on social media and search engines. Students get to learn about Pay-Per-Click (PPC), Cost-Per-Impression (CPM), and ad strategies in detail.
Content Marketing:
Content marketing is an important module that’s involved in almost all types of online marketing. It teaches students how to create and share valuable content with the audience to build authority and promote a brand. Experts teach how to create and share different content formats, including blog posts, infographics, eBooks, etc.
Analytics & Measurement:
Learning about analytics and measurement helps students understand how they can gauge the performance of their campaigns. This module includes topics that teach how to use different tools, like Google Analytics, to measure performance metrics.
Additional Niche Modules:
Some courses cover niche modules related to specialized areas. Here are some of the top ones:
- Influencer marketing
- Affiliate marketing
- E-commerce marketing
- Video marketing
Types of a Digital Marketing Course:
Experts share a digital marketing course in different ways. Understanding its types is important to pick the one that suits your needs and requirements well. Some of its main types are discussed below:
In-person course:
An in-person course is conducted at a physical location, such as a training institute, a college, or a university. You interact face-to-face with instructors and learn in a proper classroom-type environment.
This type is a perfect pick for people who have easy access to a professional center or an institution that teaches this course.
Online course:
Unlike an in-person course, an online course is completely conducted over the Internet. They’re either taught live or via pre-recorded videos. Big platforms like Coursera and Udemy provide these programs to a large audience online.
Some individual experts and brands also create and sell these programs to the audience. People who prefer learning from their homes and with complete flexibility tend to pick these programs.
Degree programs:
Degree programs in digital marketing are offered by colleges and universities. They are usually a part of a bachelor’s or master’s curriculum. These programs are very in-depth and provide details of multiple marketing components comprehensively. People who want to pick marketing as their major studies usually tend to pick these courses.
Scope of Digital Marketing: What to Expect After Finishing the Course?
Once you have completed the course, multiple opportunities open up for you. The best thing about Digital Marketing is that it isn’t tied to only one industry. It’s related to almost any type of business that wants to grow in the digital space.
Entry Level Jobs:
Since you have just completed the course as a beginner, finding entry-level jobs will be the best thing for you. There are a lot of entry-level marketing jobs available in the market. Companies hire beginner marketers and nurture them according to their marketing criteria so that they can gradually take on more responsibilities and grow in the field.
Remote Working:
One of the biggest perks of completing this program is having the opportunity for remote working. Many companies hire remote workers and allow them to work from home and complete projects.
Besides this, marketers also have the opportunity to do freelance work through platforms like Fiverr and UpWork.
This type of remote work offers flexibility in schedule and is perfect for people who prefer working semi-independently.
Specialized Jobs:
Besides handling overall marketing projects, you also have the opportunity to do specialized jobs. It is a huge industry, and each type requires a special person with relevant expertise.
For example, companies hire specialized SEO experts to handle their websites. Similarly, some companies hire experts to handle their social media profiles for marketing.
As you gain experience in this field, you become able to take on specialized jobs and handle specific marketing tasks for companies.
Entrepreneurial Opportunities:
The online marketing field comes with entrepreneurial opportunities as well. With the right type of skillset, you can start an agency and offer services like SEO, content creation, and social media management.
Overall Career Growth:
Digital Marketing has an overall career growth potential. Most companies around the world are using it to promote themselves to millions of people. In the future, more businesses will start utilizing this marketing type. So, indulging in this field means you’re entering a field that has a positive future.
Best Digital Marketing Courses:
There are hundreds of courses available on the Internet that you can consider taking. Some of the top ones are discussed below:
UMD’s Fundamentals of Digital Marketing at edX:
- Requirements: No experience required
- Duration: 4 weeks
- Weekly hours to dedicate: 4 to 5
- Certification: Available
This program certification is provided by the University of Maryland, and you can take it on edX. It covers the basics of online marketing and how the online world affects modern businesses.
What you’ll learn:
- Digital marketing strategy
- Inbound and outbound marketing
- Overview of omnichannel marketing
- Mobile marketing for apps and promotions
- Multi-sided platforms
- Attribution and Marketing Mix Modeling
Udemy’s The Complete Digital Marketing Course:
- Total course content duration: 22.5 hours (of on-demand video)
- Additional material: 35 articles and 8 downloadable resources
- Certification: Available
- Cost: $78.99 (based on Udemy’s personal package)
This program is perfect for people who want to get a deeper understanding of marketing. It contains around 20 hours of lessons and covers 12 major areas, including SEO, YouTube, and Facebook.
What you’ll learn:
- Building and growing a business online
- Earning through affiliate marketing
- Landing a job as a skilled marketer
- Launching a freelance marketing career
Coursera’s Digital Marketing Specialization by the University of Illinois:
- Rating on Coursera: 4.6/5
- Level: Beginner
- Requirements: No prior experience required
- Duration: 4 weeks
- Time dedication per week: 10 hours
This course is a more in-depth option and perfect for people who want to learn about marketing via an academic and strategic approach. It’s offered by the University of Illinois and teaches how to create, promote, and sell products online using proven strategies and tools.
What you’ll learn:
- Creating and managing campaigns across search and social ads.
- Understanding and applying data to measure and optimize marketing performance.
- Analyzing how digital platforms influence customer decisions.
- Building comprehensive digital marketing strategies for different channels.
Salary Expectations in Digital Marketing:
Now that you are interested in picking this field, it is important to have an idea of how much you can potentially earn. The salary usually depends on the role, experience, and the region you’re working in. However, an estimated calculation of salaries in this field is discussed below:
Average Base Salaries:
The average base salaries of digital marketing according to different platforms are:
- Indeed: $61,218 per year
- ZipRecruiter: $52,948 per year
- Glassdoor: $92,000 per year
Freelance Earnings:
The estimated earnings of freelance marketers are given below:
- ZipRecruiter: $25 per hour
- UpWork: $15 to $45 per hour
Agency Owner Earnings:
The details of the earnings of agency owners are mentioned below:
- $60,000 to $150,000 annually as per Women In Agencies.
- $82,000 to $150,000 annually as per Glassdoor.
Salaries of Specialized Digital Marketing Experts:
Marketing experts who specialize in specific fields also earn a decent amount of money. You can take a look at it in the following table:
Field | Average Salary (as per ZipRecruiter) |
Search Engine Optimization (SEO) | $67,388 per year |
Social Media Marketing specialist | $54,455 per year |
Pay-Per-Click specialist | $47,241 per year |
Content writer | $84,151 per year |
Email Marketing specialist | $69,583 per year |
Conversion Rate Optimization specialist | $55,794 per year |
Digital Marketing Analyst | $67,377 per year |
Affiliate Marketing Specialist | $47,500 per year |
E-commerce Marketing Manager | $87,147 per year |
Conclusion:
Bringing it all together, a digital marketing course is a program that educates people about how to use online channels for brand promotion. It covers a range of modules, including SEO and content marketing.
People who are interested in choosing marketing as a field can complete this course and start building a rewarding career. It’s also a very promising field with a wide scope. Each of its fields has decent salary ranges and plenty of growth opportunities.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs):
Which Course Is Best In Digital Marketing?
The best digital marketing course depends on your special needs and goals. As a beginner, picking an overall course that provides an overview of all major marketing components will be great. If you already know the basics, going for specialized courses like SEO and SMM would be a good choice.
Is Digital Marketing A Good Career?
Yes. It’s a good career with decent money and growth opportunities.
Which Specialization Is Best In Digital Marketing?
SEO, SMM, content marketing, and email marketing are some of the top specializations that you can consider pursuing.
What Is SEO In This Marketing?
SEO in marketing stands for Search Engine Optimization. It involves optimizing websites in order to make them rank higher in search engine result pages.
What does a digital marketer do?
A digital marketer is a specialized person who uses different digital channels, like social media and search engines, to promote a brand.