Top 6 Digital Marketing Courses In Pietermaritzburg

Are you a student in South Africa looking for the best Digital marketing courses in Pietermaritzburg? If yes, this article will provide the solution to your problem. You will learn about the top institutes offering digital marketing courses in one of the largest cities in South Africa along with the available career prospects. We will also cover the basics of digital marketing to ensure the content doesn’t bounce over your head. The basics of digital marketing include its meaning, benefits, challenges, and Key Performance Indicators (KPIs). 

Digital Marketing

Digital marketing is a branch of the marketing industry that deals with the involvement of digital channels for the promotion of products and services of a company. Social media, emails, blogs, ads, mobiles, influencers, and SEO are the common modes to market a business’s goods and services on an online platform. Based on these modes, digital marketing is further classified into the below.

• Social Media Marketing (SMM)
• Affiliate Marketing
• Influencer Marketing
• Content Marketing
• Search Engine Optimization(SEO)
• Email Marketing
• Online Advertising
• Mobile Marketing
• Pay-Per-Click (PPC)
• Search Engine Marketing (SEM)
• Market Analysis

Benefits of Digital Marketing

Businesses are the most benefited parties from digital marketing. They utilize the available digital mediums and online marketers to reach more customers throughout the world. They incur less cost for online promotions compared to traditional marketing strategies which require manual labor and physical copies to grab customers’ attention. 

Another crucial aspect of this form of marketing is that companies can test their marketing strategies and get insights from the built-in analytical tools to make necessary changes to increase their sales. Small businesses cannot afford to market their products on an international level via traditional methods. But online promotions are much easier and affordable for everyone. 

Even local SEO services are sufficient to increase the profit margins of a company; when the civilians in the nearby localities know about a company’s existence, they make purchase-related decisions assisting the company to grow. 

The presence of built-in analytical tools allows businesses to understand the preferences of their target audience. When the business knows what its consumers want, it can create strategies to effectively reach its target audience. 

Traditional marketing may or may not facilitate marketing in an engaging style. The online presence of companies allows web users to view, understand the content, and interact with their potential sellers. That’s because chatting and voice calling is easier compared to paying visits to physical stores.

Challenges of Digital Marketing

One of the main disadvantages of digital marketing is high competition. Because of the lower costs, easy accessibility, and related benefits, many businesses have entered digital media to promote their products and increase their sales. Sometimes paying a lot of money to digital marketers may not get you a good ranking on search engines as the popular ones get noticed first. The efforts and money of the company may go in vain if they approach an efficient entity to do digital marketing for them. 

Digital channels work on technology, which means when there are technical errors, the web pages or links may not load causing the potential customers to run away with frustration. In some cases, a hacker might steal crucial customer data and misuse it for his own benefit. In the case of digital marketers, a single violation of a digital platform can attract instant bans. Network glitches can also result in the posting of content in an incorrect format or page which in turn leads to pushing away the company’s customers. 

We spoke about testing marketing campaigns in the benefits section, have you thought about what happens if a business fails to create an efficient marketing strategy? It wastes a lot of time in analyzing and creating multiple ways to attract the target audience. If the analyst misses a single detail in customer analysis, they may need to work from scratch and it may involve additional costs for the company to fix the losses. 

That being said, there are always ways to protect a company’s privacy and data with the help of a secure VPN. This also sheds light on the recruitment of skilled and knowledgeable employees to complete marketing tasks without errors. 

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

The output of digital marketing is measured by using some key performance indicators. These KPIs assist digital marketers in measuring the long-term performance of marketing techniques and comparing the efforts to the competitors. Operational activities, financial achievements, financial goals, and corporate strategies are included in the areas of measurement along with marketing campaigns. 

Below is a list of KPIs used to track the company’s progress in reaching its goals.

• Blog Articles: This KPI helps to find out the number of articles published by the company in a month. 
• Clickthrough rates: This KPI allows the company to understand the number of clicks achieved through email distribution. It helps the company to know the number of people who opened the email and completed a purchase. 
• Conversion rate: This measure is useful to view the success rate of call-to-action promotional programs. These buttons are essential to guide a customer to perform an action such as following the company’s social media or purchasing a product of the company. The conversion rate is calculated by dividing the sales rate by the number of requests made. 
• Social media traffic: This measure is to pay attention to the interaction of customers with the company’s social media profiles. The interactions can be likes, shares, views, or follows. 
• Web traffic: This metric facilitates the company to know the traffic to their website. It also sheds light on the importance of the design and structure elements of the website in driving sales. 

Digital Marketing Courses in Pietermaritzburg

It is common for a student or a professional to feel the need to upskill themselves in order to gain a competitive edge in the industry. There is tough competition in the current world. Basic skills and knowledge cannot help an individual survive the cut-throat competition. The list of colleges that offer Digital marketing courses in Pietermaritzburg allows you to become one of the toughest competitors. Let’s not waste more time learning about the details of the courses

• IIM SKILLS
• IIDE – The Digital School
• Rosebank College
• The knowledge academy
• Digital School of Marketing (DSM)

1. IIM SKILLS:

IIm SKILLs is a top institute in South Africa that has one of the best Digital marketing courses in Pietermaritzburg. The faculty at IIM SKILLS includes highly qualified and experienced staff from all over the world. They are efficient in educating the basics and advanced techniques in digital marketing. Their presence makes it easier for learners to grasp skills and knowledge at a faster pace. The institute is a repository for the latest case studies, reference material, and information from all over the world

Their Digital Marketing Master course is a reliable and most fruitful program in the market. It provides the information and needed calibre to apply for 15 key certification exams which include Facebook Blueprint, Hubspot, and Google exams. 

Modules Covered

• Course Name – Digital Marketing Master Course
• Course Duration – 3 Months + 2 Months Paid Internship
• Course Fee – ZAR 6768 + Taxes

• Guaranteed 2 months-paid internship
• Certification along with a letter of recommendation
• 300+ PLacement partners

• SEO Course
• Investment Banking Course
• Technical Writing Course
• GST Course
• Content Writing Course
• Financial Modeling Course
• Business Accounting And Taxation Course
• CAT Coaching

2. IIDE – The Digital School:

IIDE was founded in the year 2016. It is one of the ideal institutes for Digital marketing courses in Pietermaritzburg. Its Online Digital Marketing Course is sure to get you placed in well-reputed companies. The certificate issued by the educational entity is worth many career opportunities

Course Curriculum:

The course syllabus contains 3 terms covering different modules which include a range of topics as listed below. It is to be noted that there will be one project in each term

Term 1 

• Basics of Digital Marketing
• Search Engine Optimization
• Key Performance Marketing Jargon
• Search Engine Marketing
• Campaign Planning
• Presentation Making
• Ecommerce

Term 2

• Content Strategy
• Copywriting
• Canva
• Social Media Marketing
• CRM
• Influencer Marketing
• Resume Making
• Interview Skills

Term 3

• Paid Social Media Marketing
• Social Analytics
• Google Analytics

Course Highlights:

• 1:1 Mentoring sessions
• Industry experts to train students
• 250+ placement partners
• Resume preparation and feedback
• Mock interviews
• Access to 20+ digital marketing tools
• Certificate of completion

Course Details:

Fees: INR 1,15,000

Duration: 4 months

3. Rosebank College:

Rosebank College is one of the famous educational institutes in South Africa that is known for Digital marketing courses in Pietermaritzburg. The program offered by the college is called the Diploma in Digital Marketing. The exam is carried out under the supervision of the Independent Institute of Education (IIE). The entity believes in and encourages every social media fanatic to pursue the IIE qualification. Individuals who are curious by nature and are interested in solving problems must opt for this course as it allows them to think out of the box and come up with creative solutions. 

Students who complete this course have the opportunity to become one of the below professionals.

• Social Media Designer
• Digital Marketing Coordinator
• Digital Marketing Assistant
• Social Media Marketer

However, the college has criteria regarding the selection of candidates for accepting their admission forms.

The students are requested to attend college in person to acquire the skills and knowledge. The college also offers online education for students from foreign countries. 

This is a 3-year course and includes the modules in each year. 

Year 1

• Digital and Academic Literacies
• Introduction to Digital Marketing
• Introduction to quantitative techniques and thinking
• Business Management
• English Practice
• Introduction to Digital Marketing Plan

Year 2

• Digital Copywriting and Content Marketing
• Email Marketing
• Introduction to Web Development
• Digital Customer Experience Management
• Paid Search Marketing
• Social Media Marketing
• Search Engine Optimization
• Work Integrated Learning 1

Year 3

• Digital Advertising
• Introduction to Statistics
• Digital Marketing Research
• Digital Communication Law
• Work integrated Learning 2
• Data Analytics for Digital Marketing
• Trends and Developments in digital marketing

Course Details:

Fee: The tuition fee is R30 960 which excludes related charges. 

Duration: 3 years

Also, Check,

• Digital Marketing Courses in Perth
• Digital Marketing Courses in Brisbane
• Digital Marketing Courses in Melbourne
• Digital Marketing Courses in Adelaide
• Digital Marketing Courses in Orange
• Digital Marketing Courses in Sydney
• Digital Marketing Courses in Australia
• Digital Marketing Courses in Dubai
• Digital Marketing Courses in South Africa 

4. The Knowledge Academy:

This is one of the trending colleges that provides Digital marketing courses in Pietermaritzburg. They offer a range of courses in digital marketing courses; Digital Marketing Masterclass, Social Media Masterclass, SEO Masterclass, Google Analytics Masterclass, Google Ads Masterclass, Search Engine Marketing(SEM) training, Landing Page Optimization training, Lead Generation Training, Facebook Ads Masterclass, and many more programs for aspiring digital marketers. 

Let’s talk about the famous course; Digital Marketing Masterclass

This program has modules that cover a range of topics as shared below

Course Curriculum:

Module 1: Digital Marketing 

• Digital Marketing and its impact on business

Module 2: Planning, strategy, and testing

• Online Campaign Planning
• Digital Marketing Techniques
• Campaign Strategy
• Integrated Marketing
• Multi-Channel Marketing

Module 3: Customer Experience (CX) and Usability

• Customer experience marketing
• User Experience (UX)
• Wireframes and Sitemaps
• Usability Testing

Module 4: Mobile Marketing

• Basic of Mobile Marketing
• Benefits Of Mobile Marketing
• Drawbacks in Mobile Marketing
• Success Elements in Mobile Marketing
• Development of Mobile and Customer Strategy
• Assessment of Role of Apps vs Mobile Sites
• Mobile User Acquisition
• Customer Retention via mobile channels
• Conversion rate optimization and tracking analytics

Module 5: Content Strategy

• Importance of Content
• Development of content for different customer segments
• Benefits of Inbound Marketing
• Development of Content Plan
• Successful content strategy examples

Module 6: Social Media

• Basics of Social Media
• Rise of Social media
• Importance of social media for businesses
• LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube
• Pitfalls and successes of social media

Module 7: Email Marketing

• Importance of permission
• Tips and ways to acquire email addresses and names
• Testing emails
• Email formats like Newsletters
• Delivery and broadcast considerations
• Case studies on email marketing

Module 8: Per-per-click (PPC) and Search Engine Marketing(SEM)

• Basics of Search Engine Marketing
• Importance of Search Engine Marketing
• Integration of PPC and SEO for optimum results

Module 9: Integration of Marketing Communications

• Generation of ROI through 
  • Best practices
  • Integration of offline and online activities
  • Real-World integrated campaigns

Course Highlights:

• Case studies
• Certificate of completion
• Exercise files
• Tools to evaluate personal performance
• Interactive course
• Compatible on tablet, desktop, and mobile
• Eight hours course

Course Details:

Fees: INR11995

Duration: 8 hours

5. Digital School of Marketing (DSM):

Digital School of Marketing is a famous education provider in South Africa. It has accreditation from (MICT SETA) the Media, Information and Communication Technologies Sector Education, and Training Authority. Its Advanced Digital Marketing Course is considered one of the best Digital marketing courses in Pietermaritzburg. Students who are keen on thriving in the advertising sector must opt for this program. 

Professionals who want to upskill themselves and individuals who aim to enter the world of advertising and marketing can benefit from this program in various ways. 

Course Curriculum:

The curriculum has 19 modules that cover the below topics as whole

• Marketing, marketing plan’s components, difference between marketing and advertising, digital target market, SEO, search and display advertising, social media marketing, content marketing, email marketing, mobile marketing, web analytics, WordPress, digital marketing strategy, digital research and analysis. copywriting, business writing, press releases, storytelling, community strategy, crowdsourcing, PR, website design, article syndication, online reputation monitoring, brand contact, brand positioning, perceptual mapping, project management, project supervision practices, google analytics segmentation, cookies and tracking execution, mobile apps, mobile UX, and paid advertising. 

Endorsements and Accreditations:

• MICT (SETA)
• CPD certification UK
• Digital School of Marketing has membership in IAB

Course Details:

Fees: The upfront fee is R14520

Duration: 6-8 months

6. Digital Marketing Academy:

Digital Marketing Academy is one of the established colleges in South Africa. Its Advanced Digital Marketing Training Course is included in the list of top Digital marketing courses in Pietermaritzburg. It was founded in the year 2011. Any individual who chooses this course can easily differentiate between the perks of digital marketing and traditional marketing. 

Course Curriculum:

• Digital Strategy and Email Marketing
• Social Media Marketing
• SEO, Web Design, Google Analytics, Usability Testing, and WordPress
• Google Adwords, Report reading, Testing and Tracking, Briefing, Online Advertising

Course Highlights:

• Advanced Certificate
• Digital Handouts
• Creation and integration of marketing strategies
• Exposure to data mining and MailChimp 
• Practical ways to use content marketing
• Learning Architecture to educate students on CPC, CPL, CPM, and PPC

Course Details:

Fees: R30,000 excluding VAT

Duration: 2 days

Apart from the above course, the institute also offers the below list of Digital Marketing-linked programs

• 2-Day Digital Marketing & Social Media Masterclass
• 3-Day Digital Marketing & Social Media
• 5-Day Digital Marketing
• SEO & Analytics

Final thoughts on Digital Marketing Courses in Pietermaritzburg

Digital marketing is a trending strategy in the world used by businesses to increase their sales and build strong relationships with customers. Not just that, digital marketing creates career opportunities for many people. No wonder, many individuals from all over the world including South Africa are interested in Digital marketing which is why Digital Marketing courses in Pietermaritzburg have gained popularity. Digital Marketing is a huge sector that includes Social media marketing (SMM), affiliate marketing, influencer marketing, content marketing, Search Engine Optimization (SEO), email marketing, online advertising, mobile marketing, pay-per-click (PPC), Search Engine Marketing (SEM), and market analysis.

There are a few disadvantages of digital marketing as well; increased competition, technical glitches, security and privacy issues, and a time-consuming process to figure out the right marketing strategy. A few ways to measure the success rate of digital marketing strategies is by the usage of Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) which are

• Blog articles
• Clickthrough rates
• conversion rate
• social media traffic
• web traffic

As discussed there are many career prospects for trainees who complete a digital marketing course. IIM SKILLS, IIDE, Rosebank College, the knowledge academy, and the Digital School of Marketing (DSM) are the ideal institutes to avail of Digital marketing courses in Pietermaritzburg. That being said, it is important for you to consider your career goals and financial strength to choose an educational entity to acquire a skill set and knowledge about online marketing. 

FAQs on Digital Marketing Courses in Pietermaritzburg

Q. What are the disadvantages of digital marketing?

The usage of digital marketing for the growth of a business may not deliver the desired results at times and the reasons for the same are

• Increased competition: Digital channels are accessible to almost everyone and they can utilize them for their personal branding. When there is more competition, the chances of a business getting attention from customers and making more profits are less. 
• Security and privacy issues: Having an online presence can become a nightmare if the appropriate security measures are not taken. Hackers can misuse client data and result in a loss for the company due to unintentional violation of customer privacy.
• Time-consuming process: Finding out a marketing strategy that works is a challenging task. If the marketing entity or the marketing team fails to create an effective strategy within a short time, it may waste a lot of time researching and testing new techniques. 

Q. What are the career prospects for individuals with a certification in digital marketing?

A candidate with basic knowledge of digital marketing can enter a firm as a marketing intern or a content creator. Whereas people with in-depth information and skill set in online marketing can become digital marketing analysts, digital marketing experts, digital marketing assistant managers, digital marketing strategists, or marketing officers. 

That being said, the opportunities depend on your exposure to digital marketing, potential to grasp information, and flexibility to acquire new skills. The career prospects can widen if you complete the digital marketing program from a reputed and well-established entity that offers certification, placement assistance, and the best training on marketing concepts. 

Q. Which are the best educational entities to avail of Digital marketing courses in Pietermaritzburg?

Many institutes are offering digital marketing courses all over the world. However, the most popular and reliable entities are IIM SKILLS, IIDE – The Digital School, Rosebank College, The knowledge academy, and Digital School of Marketing (DSM). It is important to note that not all institutes have the same curriculum structure, fee structure, mode of teaching, and duration.