1.How to Get Into Digital
Marketing
Page Last Updated: December
2025
By Vikrant academy
Marketing Team
Empowering Future-Ready
professionals
“Digital marketing is a field that
blends creativity, analytics, and
strategy” – Pouya Eatemadi
(Educator, entrepreneur, and digital
marketing expert)
Digital marketing is everywhere
these days. The accessibility and
convenience of mobile phones,
computers, and digital devices
provide an almost constant
connection to potential consumers.
Did you know that in 2024, global
ad spend reached $1.09 trillion —
with digital channels accounting for
nearly 73% ($790 billion)? Compare
this to 2018 when digital spend only
made up about half of global ad
spend. [1]
Digital marketing is becoming more
important — and more budget is
going toward it every year. From
Instagram Stories to ads in your
favourite apps, online promotion is
part of your customer’s daily routine
in ways traditional media just can’t
match.
Definition of Digital Marketing
Digital marketing is the use of online
channels and tools to reach
customers, promote products or
services, and drive measurable
outcomes like sales, traffic, or brand
awareness. It includes tactics such
as SEO, social media, email
marketing, and online ads — all
powered by data and technology to
continuously improve performance.
While different roles specialize in
areas like search, content, or
analytics, they all work together to
help organizations grow in a digital
world. Let’s break down the key
areas and roles within digital
marketing.
What Are the Key Areas of Digital
Marketing?
Digital marketing includes several
core areas. Depending on your role,
you might focus on one or two
specific areas — which is common
for specialists — or you might take
a generalist approach and build
broad skills across many focuses.
Regardless of your digital marketing
path, it’s important to understand
how the different areas synergize
together.
Content Marketing and Copywriting
If you love storytelling and have a
talent for writing, content marketing
and copywriting are natural areas to
explore in digital marketing. These
skills are central to roles like
Content Marketing Manager,
Copywriter, and Content Strategist,
where the focus is on creating blog
posts, videos, podcasts, and other
assets that attract and engage
audiences.
But content and copywriting skills
are also highly valuable in other
roles. Social Media Managers use
them to craft engaging posts and
captions. Email Marketing
Specialists rely on strong copy to
drive engagement. Even some SEO
roles require writing and editing
clear and compelling content.
Whether you’re writing for YouTube
scripts, TikTok captions, podcast
intros, or blog articles, mastering
content and copy techniques can
help you connect with audiences
and grow your impact across
platforms.
Social Media Marketing
If you thrive in fast-paced
environments and love engaging
with online communities, social
media marketing could be the
perfect fit.
With its constantly evolving user
base, social media allows you to
capture consumer attention quickly.
In fact, the adoption of social media
has skyrocketed — in 2005, only
5% of American adults used at least
one social media platform while
today about 72% of Americans use
social media in some form. Globally,
social media usage has also
surged, now encompassing 63.9%
of the world’s population [2].
Roles like Social Media Manager
and Community Manager focus on
building brand presence across
social platforms. These roles are all
about creating engaging content,
interacting with followers, and
managing campaigns that drive
engagement and loyalty.
But social media marketing skills
are also valuable in other roles.
Content Marketers may incorporate
social media strategies to amplify
their content across different
platforms. SEOs need to
understand how social media
signals can impact search rankings,
while Brand Managers often work
closely with social teams to ensure
consistency in messaging.
Additionally, influencer marketing, a
subset of social media marketing,
leverages influencers with large,
engaged followings to promote
content through sponsored posts or
collaborations. This trust-based
marketing method is especially
effective when your brand’s product
or service aligns with the
influencer’s audience interests.
Search Marketing
If you enjoy problem-solving,
research, and working with data,
SEO (search engine optimization)
and SEM (search engine marketing)
might be a great fit for you.
These two areas often go hand in
hand, both focused on increasing
visibility in search engine results —
but through different strategies.
SEM focuses on paid tactics to
boost visibility in search engines.
This typically includes pay-per-click
(PPC) ads, display advertising, and
sponsored placements that appear
in search results. These roles often
involve campaign management,
keyword bidding strategies, and
performance tracking to ensure a
strong return on investment.
SEO, on the other hand, largely
focuses on improving organic
visibility. Among other
responsibilities, SEO involves
search behavior analysis, optimizing
metadata, improving user
experience, and auditing the overall
technical health of a website. SEOs
often wear many different hats and
are required to be adaptable, since
platforms like Google frequently
update their algorithms.
While SEO and SEM are distinct
disciplines, they increasingly
intersect with other digital marketing
channels. For example:

  • Social Media Managers often
    collaborate with SEO teams to
    help distribute content that earns
    backlinks and boosts organic
    visibility.
  • Content Marketers optimize blog
    posts and videos with keywords
    for search, while also
    repurposing that content across
    social channels to maximize
    reach.
  • Brand Managers can use SEM
    insights to align paid search
    efforts with broader messaging
    and product launches, ensuring
    visibility at key touchpoints.
    Email and Text Message Marketing
    If you have a strategic mindset and
    enjoy crafting personalized,
    data-driven messages, email
    marketing and text message (SMS)
    marketing can be a highly rewarding
    specialization.
    While social media and paid ads
    provide broad reach, email and
    SMS marketing offer direct access
    to a more captive audience who
    have already shown interest in your
    product or service.
    Roles like Email Marketing
    Specialist, CRM Manager, and
    Lifecycle Marketing Manager focus
    heavily on creating targeted
    campaigns that nurture leads,
    promote offers, and retain
    customers over time. These
    professionals optimize performance
    across every stage of the customer
    journey.
    SMS marketing, in particular, is a
    great fit for businesses with a strong
    local or repeat customer base —
    like restaurants, boutique retailers,
    or fitness studios — where real-time
    updates about specials or events
    can drive immediate foot traffic or
    sales.
    Email and SMS marketing
    synergizes with other areas, and
    can influence holistic marketing
    strategies. For example:
  • Social Media Managers may
    collaborate with email marketers
    to align messaging across
    campaigns, ensuring a
    consistent voice and timing
    across channels.
  • Content Marketers often repurpose
    blog or video content for
    newsletters and email
    campaigns, increasing ROI on
    content efforts.
  • Growth Marketers use both email
    and social media to test
    messaging, drive signups, and
    build long-term engagement
    loops across platforms.
    Even if your role isn’t centered on
    email or SMS, having a foundational
    understanding of how these direct
    marketing channels work — and
    how they connect with social
    strategy — can give you a
    well-rounded edge in planning and
    executing multi-channel campaigns.
    Affiliate Marketing
    If you have strong
    relationship-building skills and enjoy
    connecting brands with potential
    partners, affiliate marketing could
    be a good match.
    Affiliate marketing expands your
    reach beyond your typical
    consumers. With affiliate ads,
    anyone can promote your product
    on their digital platform for a small
    commission fee if the ad leads to a
    sale. Similar to influencer
    marketing, this type of advertising
    piggybacks on the trust followers or
    viewers have for the site where your
    ads are displayed.
    Roles like Affiliate Marketing
    Manager and Partnerships Manager
    focus on recruiting and managing
    affiliates, providing them with
    marketing assets, and analyzing
    which partnerships are the most
    effective.
    Even if affiliate marketing isn’t the
    core of your role, collaborating with
    affiliate marketers is common for
    other specialists. For example:
  • Content Marketers can benefit from
    understanding affiliate strategy
    when creating product reviews,
    listicles, or tutorials that could
    generate affiliate revenue.
  • Social Media Marketers may
    support affiliates by providing
    shareable assets and messaging
    to ensure brand consistency
    across platforms.
  • E-commerce Marketers may use
    affiliate programs to scale
    product promotion efforts without
    significantly increasing ad spend.
    Marketing Analytics
    If you are data-oriented, statistically
    savvy, and naturally curious, then
    marketing analytics might be the
    best match for you.
    Marketing analytics is the practice
    of collecting, analyzing, and
    interpreting data to measure the
    effectiveness of your marketing
    strategy and execution. Marketing
    analytics is essential for optimizing
    campaigns, improving return on
    investment, recognizing trends, and
    identifying the “why” behind user
    behavior.
    Roles that predominantly focus on
    marketing analytics include
    Marketing Analyst, Data Scientist,
    and Conversion Rate Optimization
    (CRO) Specialist. However,
    marketing analytics skills can apply
    to a large variety of roles. For
    example, SEO professionals use
    analytics to understand how user
    engagement data sends content
    quality signals to search engines
    and LLMs, while paid media
    managers analyze ad performance
    to adjust bids and targeting for
    better results.
    In essence, marketing analytics
    empowers a wide range of roles to
    make informed decisions, optimize
    performance, and drive better
    business outcomes across the
    various digital marketing areas.
    How Digital Marketing Drives
    Business Growth
    The different areas of digital
    marketing enable businesses to
    engage with potential customers at
    every stage of the user journey.
    Social media marketing and paid
    ads help build awareness, effective
    content marketing and email
    campaigns nurture interest when
    potential customers are in the
    consideration phase, and marketing
    analytics and CRO influence
    decision making to drive
    conversions.
    Digital marketing allows you to
    create personalized experiences to
    build customer loyalty. From
    app-based loyalty programs to
    reminder emails that encourage
    users to complete a purchase of
    items abandoned in their cart, digital
    nudges keep your best customers
    connected beyond the time of
    purchase.
    When implemented effectively, the
    various areas of digital marketing
    synergize together to help your
    brand reach and engage relevant
    audiences, turning potential
    customers into loyal consumers.
    “Digital marketing is the skill that
    brings success to any business. If
    you’re a fitness trainer struggling to
    get clients, digital marketing
    enables you to reach thousands of
    potential clients beyond your local
    gym. If you’re a real estate agent
    relying solely on referrals, digital
    marketing provides a predictable
    system to bring more buyers at your
    door.
    Digital Marketing Careers and
    Opportunities
    With marketing budgets shifting
    heavily toward digital, the demand
    for skilled digital marketers
    continues to grow. In fact, 63% of
    businesses have increased their
    digital marketing spend in recent
    years, and 72% of overall marketing
    budgets now go to digital channels
    [3]. This shift reflects the strong
    return on investment (ROI) digital
    marketing offers, making it the
    foundation of most modern
    marketing strategies.
    As a result, career opportunities in
    digital marketing are more diverse
    than ever. You can choose to
    specialise in a specific area or
    pursue a generalist path with skills
    across multiple disciplines. Popular
    roles include:
  • Social media manager
  • SEO specialist
  • Content strategist
  • Digital marketing manager
  • SEM specialist
  • Email marketing specialist
    Additionally, one of the key benefits
    of working in digital marketing is its
    flexibility. Many roles are well-suited
    to remote work, and freelance or
    contract-based opportunities let
    professionals set their own
    schedules and working conditions.
    Even full-time employees often
    enjoy hybrid positions that blend
    remote work with in-person
    collaboration.
    As companies continue to invest in
    digital strategies, digital marketing
    offers a dynamic, in-demand career
    path with opportunities across
    industries, business sizes, work
    styles, and schedule preferences.
    For more information on how to get
    into digital marketing.
    What Skills are Critical in a Digital
    Marketing Career?
    Each digital marketing role requires
    specific skills to be successful. The
    exact combination of digital
    marketing skills required will vary by
    industry and project.
    Communication Skills
    Strong communication skills are
    essential in any digital marketing
    role. Being able to clearly convey
    ideas, tailor messages for different
    audiences, and present information
    across various formats—like emails,
    presentations, or social
    media—helps ensure your message
    lands effectively. A big part of
    communication is adaptability:
    knowing how to adjust your tone
    and style for different platforms or
    stakeholders. Over the past three
    years, the amount of time Udemy
    Business customers, including
    employees at fortune 100
    companies, spend learning
    communication skills each month
    has increased by 150%, highlighting
    just how valuable strong
    communication is in today’s
    workplace.
    Analytical Skills
    Strong data analysis skills are
    needed to assess campaign
    performance metrics and make
    accurate conclusions about the data
    you collect. Learning how to run A/B
    testing on online ads or social
    promotions makes it easier to
    develop successful digital marketing
    campaigns in the future.
    Project Management Skills
    Digital marketing campaigns require
    short- and long-term planning. You
    need project management skills to
    carry out multiple online promotions
    at once and decide where to
    allocate your digital marketing
    budget.
    Design Skills
    Visual content creates engagement,
    and solid design skills let you create
    images and videos that capture
    customer attention. Whether you’re
    making social media graphics or
    short-form video content, knowing
    how to craft a compelling story
    using visual elements puts you
    ahead of the competition.
    Familiarity With Tools
    Each area of digital marketing
    comes with its own challenges. To
    succeed, digital marketers often rely
    on specialised tools that help them
    work more efficiently and drive
    impact for the business. Gaining
    experience with these tools can also
    give job seekers a competitive
    edge. If you’re exploring a career in
    digital marketing, it’s a good idea to
    research which tools are commonly
    used in your area of interest—and
    find ways to build hands-on
    experience. Some tools, like Google
    Analytics, even offer free courses
    and certifications to help you get
    started.
    “A good digital marketer must use
    AI in today’s world, not to just
    complete tasks that completely rely
    on AI knowledge, but to brainstorm,
    develop and complete tasks with
    knowledge of the marketer, which
    AI doesn’t have.
    Soft Skills
    Creativity, adaptability, and flexibility
    are essential soft skills for digital
    marketers. The good news is, you
    don’t need a job or prior experience
    to start developing them. For
    example, to hone your creativity
    skills try analyzing marketing
    campaigns you admire: What
    makes them engaging? How would
    you approach them differently? You
    can also practice writing your own
    ad copy, social posts, or email
    campaigns for hypothetical brands
    or personal projects.
    Getting Started in Digital
    Marketing
    Before starting a career in digital
    marketing, you need to develop
    some relevant skills. Online digital
    marketing courses and training
    programs help you build a
    foundation in SEO, SEM, social
    media marketing, and email
    marketing. Additionally, they can
    help you prepare to achieve
    certifications in tools such as
    Google Analytics.
    Internships provide hands-on
    experience and help you build a
    portfolio of successful projects. You
    can also take on freelance digital
    marketing gigs or do personal
    projects that showcase your skills.
    Creating your own personal brand
    and developing your digital
    presence also help cement your
    reputation as a successful digital
    marketing professional. Networking
    with local digital marketers, social
    media managers, and website
    developers can open up new career
    opportunities and provide you with
    contacts to call on if you need to
    assemble a larger digital marketing
    team.
    “Rather than trying to master
    everything immediately, developing
    deeper knowledge in
one primary
    channel gives you a marketable
    specialty.”vikrant academy.’’
    Develop Your Digital Marketing
    Skill Set With Udemy
    Digital marketing offers plenty of
    opportunities for creative, flexible
    individuals who enjoy learning new
    skills and exploring the
    ever-changing landscape of online
    promotion. With the ubiquity of
    digital devices and the increasing
    challenge of capturing consumer
    attention, the demand for digital
    marketers will continue to
    grow.Start exploring digital
    marketing courses on Udemy today
    to build a rewarding career.
    2.Success in Digital Arts: an
    Introduction to the 4 Pillars of
    Digital Marketing Excellence
    Do you regularly wonder what it
    takes to thrive in the fast-moving
    world of digital marketing &
    advertising? You’re not alone. The
    paid marketing industry has
    undergone a profound
    transformation in just the last few
    years. And if 2024 was any
    indication, the speed of disruption
    will not only continue but accelerate
    in 2025. Regardless of whether you
    aim to enter or excel in the industry
    as a digital marketing practitioner, a
    social media marketer, an SEO
    specialist, or a marketing analyst,
    there are a few key skills you’re
    going to need, and a few new ones
    becoming more relevant. If you are
    exploring becoming or improving as
    a digital marketer or channel ad
    specialist in 2025, this post is for
    you.
    The good news: there is still plenty
    of demand for digital marketing
    professionals, and still lots of value
    in human-led channel advertisers
    working “hands-on-keyboard” to
    manage and optimise an ad
    platform’s daily media investment.
    According to GroupM, global
    advertising revenues are projected
    to surpass $1 trillion for the first time
    in 2024, with demand for skilled
    marketers continuing, despite
    advances in machine learning,
    automation, and AI. According to
    Robert Half, skills in data analysis,
    AI tools, and content marketing are
    anticipated to be among the most
    sought after skills in the digital
    marketing field in 2025.
    The Digital Marketing Skills
    Sought by Brands
    While companies vary in how they
    employ digital marketing
    professionals, their objective is
    often uniform. Some brands build
    their marketing programs by finding
    and hiring individuals with specific
    channel skills to operate a variety of
    outbound advertising efforts. Other
    brands partner with agencies to
    oversee the execution of either
    channel-specific or omnichanel
    digital marketing and advertising
    efforts. Some brands employ a
    hybrid, filling in support through a
    combination of in-house and
    external teams. While the method
    may vary, builders and buyers alike
    seek a cost-effective solution for
    turning the complex,
    expensive-to-operate marketing
    cost centre into an efficient profit
    centre. More recently, the advent of
    LLMs and AI tools introduced fresh
    questions about what role
    individuals play in managing and
    growing a digital marketing
    program.
    So, what skills should aspiring or
    advancing marketing practitioners
    prioritise developing, and what
    processes may soon be
    automated? To answer this
    question, we’ll share a framework
    used by Udemy to guide you on the
    key “pillars of excellence” necessary
    in a high-performing paid marketing
    program, and how you can up skill
    in one or more of these pillars to
    pivot or advance in this career in

  1. The S.T.E.M. Framework: Which
    Marketing Skills to Learn
    At Udemy, we’ve developed a
    framework that represents what we
    believe are the 4 “pillars” of process
    excellence required to run a
    high-performing digital marketing
    and advertising program. We refer
    to this framework as the STEM
    framework, which stands for
    Signals, Targeting, Experience, and
    Messaging. Each STEM pillar in the
    framework represents a set of
    practices that we believe are crucial
    to success in today’s digital
    marketing industry. Udemy has
    used the STEM framework to
    evaluate and enhance the ongoing
    deployment of an 8-figure annual
    marketing budget, and this
    framework is broadly applicable to
    numerous digital marketing
    channels commonly in use today.
    We’ll start with an overview of each
    pillar, then articulate the skills
    inherent to each, and consider how
    these pillars can guide what skills
    you prioritise developing to enter or
    advance in a digital marketing
    career.
    Signals
    In the Signals pillar, we focus on
    both the inbound data collected
    from user interactions and as well
    as the outbound signals sent to
    platforms like Google, Meta, and
    LinkedIn to guide actions like
    allocating media dollars. Signals are
    vital inputs necessary to make
    data-driven decisions, increasingly
    the baseline expectation for
    advertisers responsible for
    deploying media on real-time ad
    auction platforms like Google
    Search Ads, Meta, YouTube, etc.
    Marketing Skills Required: Skills in
    this pillar relate to the ability to set
    up, enhance, analyse, interpret, or
    report on various performance
    metrics.
    Starting Career Titles: Marketing
    Analyst, Data Analyst, PPC
    Specialist
    Intermediate Career Titles:
    Marketing Strategist, Digital
    Marketing Manager
    Which Skills Are Likely to Be More
    Important in 2025?
  • Privacy-First Analytics: As privacy
    regulations expand, expect to
    work more with tools like GA4,
    server-side tagging, 1st party
    CRM audience data collection
    and usage, and the development
    of statistical methods of
    measurement like MMM and
    incrementally testing.
  • AI-Powered Insights: Dedicated
    analytics platforms like Looker
    and Tableau will likely continue
    to integrate deeper machine
    learning capabilities for predictive
    analytics. Popular spreadsheet
    tools like Excel and Google
    Sheets will also likely see AI
    enhancements, enabling the
    easier analysis and collection of
    insights of ever-expanding
    datasets.
    Popular Udemy Courses to Start
    Developing Signal Skills
    1 Google Analytics Course with
    Examples – Learn the basics of
    GA4, setting up tracking, and
    analysing key metrics for
    actionable insights.
    2 Data Science Bootcamp – A
    hands-on course to explore data
    visualisation, Python-based
    analytics, and machine learning
    techniques.
    3 SQL for Data Analytics – Learn
    how to use SQL to query and
    manipulate data, extract insights,
    and prepare data for visualisation
    tools.
    Targeting
    In the Targeting pillar, we focus on
    identifying the most relevant buyers
    of our product or service and
    reaching them in the most
    appropriate channel in a given
    market. Effective targeting entails a
    deep understanding of your brand’s
    ideal customer profile, where they
    can be found online, and how to
    compete and win on the channels
    you select.
    Marketing Skills Required: Skills in
    this pillar relate to the ability to
    manage paid or owned channels,
    develop ideal customer profiles
    (ICPs), guide product development
    around key audiences, and
    leverage 1st and 3rd party data to
    augment the capabilities and level
    of personalisation in your marketing.
    Starting Career Titles: Campaign
    Specialist, Paid Media Associate
    Intermediate Career Titles: Growth
    Marketer, Audience Development
    Manager
    Which Skills Are Likely to Be
    More Important in 2025?
  • First-Party Data Strategies: With
    third-party cookies on the
    decline, mastering CRM tools
    and leveraging 1st party
    audience data will become more
    critical.
  • Omni channel Personalisation :
    Leveraging tools like CDPs
    (Customer Data Platforms) to
    unify customer data for cohesive
    ad targeting or ad
    personalisations on marketing
    platforms.
    Popular Udemy Courses to Start
    Developing Skills in Targeting
    1 Google Ads Masterclass – Dive
    deep into Google Ads strategies,
    including advanced audience
    segmentation and smart bidding
    techniques.
    2 2025 Facebook Ads & Marketing – Master Facebook ads,
    including audience targeting, and
    implementing tracking strategies.
    3 Programmatic Advertising
    Essentials – An overview of
    DSPs, RTB, and how to plan
    effective programmatic
    campaigns.
    Experience
    In the Experience pillar, we focus on
    the interactions users have with
    your brand post-ad interaction
    across various touchpoint. This
    encompasses everything that
    follows a user’s initial ad
    engagement: their initial visit, their
    subsequent review of your landing
    page, and their exploration and
    attempt to purchase or engage with
    specific offerings on your site. A
    well-designed user experience is
    focused on ensuring that each
    interaction is intuitive, engaging,
    relevant, and aligned with their
    expectations, increasing the
    likelihood to convert and your ability
    to monetise the traffic to direct to
    your site.
    Marketing Skills Required: Skills in
    this pillar relate to the ability to
    design online experiences, test
    those experiences, draw
    conclusions about test results, and
    improve the degree of
    personalisation of the experience to
    your target audience.
    Starting Career Titles: UX Research
    Assistant, Web Optimisation
    Specialist
Intermediate Career
    Titles: UX Designer, Conversion
    Rate Optimisation Manager
    Which Skills Are Likely to Be
    More Important in 2025?
  • AI-Driven Personalisation: Tools
    like Dynamic Yield, VWO, and
    Optimize are already paving the
    way for hyper-relevant,
    ultra-personalised, highly
    testable user experiences.
    Expect site experiences to be
    further personalised around your
    known intent, and the continued
    adoption of AI-centric experience
    enhancements, not limited to
    more advanced chatbots,
    increased AI-driven site
    personalisation, and increased
    use and prominence of AI
    capabilities into product offerings
    or core services.
  • Seamless Om nichannel
    Expectations: As consumers see
    and interact with your brand
    across ever more diverse
    platforms, they’ll increasingly
    expect a more cohesive, tailored
    experience across digital
    marketing touch points. This will
    be true even as hardware and
    legislative changes are
    implemented to increase user
    privacy and increase the
    challenge of delivering on
    cohesion between touch points.
    Popular Udemy Courses to Start
    Developing Skills in Experience
    1 Landing Page & Conversion
    Rate – A focused course on
    designing and optimising landing
    pages to increase conversion
    rates.
    2 UX Design Fundamentals –
    Explore principles of
    user-centred design and best
    practices for web and app
    interfaces.
    3 The Complete Conversion Rate
    Optimization Course – Learn the
    art of designing, testing, and
    refining user journeys for
    maximum conversions.
    Messaging
    In the Messaging pillar, we focus on
    the art of conveying your brand’s
    value proposition through various
    mediums—be it through text or
    copy, graphic design, or video.
    Effective messaging is centered on
    the ability to communicate a
    problem an individual may have, the
    solution you offer, why your solution
    is valuable, who it is best suited for,
    and why they should take action.
    Marketing Skills Required: Skills in
    this pillar relate to the ability to
    write, design, or produce advertising
    or marketing material like text ads,
    image or animated ads, or video
    ads, and tailor them to the unique
    environment of each marketing
    channel.
    Starting Career Titles: Copywriter,
    Content Creator
    Intermediate Career Titles: Creative
    Strategist, Marketing Content
    Manager
    Which Skills Are Likely to Be
    More Important in 2025?
  • Short-Form Video Content:
    Platforms like TikTok, Instagram
    Reels, and YouTube Shorts will
    drive the demand for increasingly
    concise, fast-paced, short-form
    video creative.
  • AI-Assisted Content Creation:
    Tools like Jasper and Canva will
    streamline creative processes
    while leaving space for human
    creativity, without requiring the
    need for advanced copywriting or
    graphics design skills.
    Popular Udemy Courses to Start
    Developing Skills in Messaging
    1 Master Storytelling for Business
    Communication Success –
    Master the art of storytelling to
    create compelling narratives that
    resonate with your audience.
    2 Copywriting Secrets – How to
    Write Copy That Sells – A
    step-by-step guide to crafting
    persuasive and engaging
    marketing copy.
    3 Video Editing Masterclass –
    Learn the technical and creative
    skills needed to produce
    high-quality video content.
    Suggestions for Learning Digital
    Marketing Skills
    The digital marketing landscape will
    continue to see major evolutions in
  1. Expect to see evolutions in
    the best practices and the skills
    required across every pillar of
    excellence in the STEM framework.
    Advances in LLM’s ability to
    generate text, image, and video will
    change the demands placed on
    marketers, and the ability for skilled
    marketers to accomplish more in
    less time.
    If you are aspiring to break into
    digital marketing, my
    recommendation would be to both
    establish a baseline of familiarity
    with each pillar as well as
    concentrate the development of
    skills in at least one pillar you
    believe best aligns with your in ate
    talents and interests. A baseline on
    the broader STEM pillars, and the
    skills in each, coupled with a
    concentration in one pillar will make
    it easy to apply to specialize roles
    that allow you to build upon and
    gain exposure to related digital
    marketing disciplines.
    If you are advancing in your digital
    marketing career, my
    recommendation would be to
    evaluate and rank your skills in
    each pillar, and identify which
    additional pillar of excellence would
    best complement your aspiring
    future role. Advancing in your
    career may entail taking on more
    channel under management,
    managing larger channel program
    budgets or advertising more
    products, or it could mean
    increasing the sophistication of your
    marketing efforts, for example
    through more advanced signal
    enrichment in platform,
    improvements to targeting
    sophistication with custom tools,
    increasingly personalize site
    experiences, or new or more
    diverse advertising creative and
    offers.
    No matter where you are in your
    digital marketing journey, Udemy
    has the courses to prepare you with
    the digital marketing skills you need
    to reach your goals and drive real
    outcomes. Browse our digital
    marketing catalog here.
    3.How To Kick-Start Your Digital
    Marketing Career From The Pros:
    Webinar
    Welcome to the world of digital
    marketing! Starting a marketing
    career these days can feel
    overwhelming—but don’t worry,
    we’ve got you covered. Four
    industry experts shared with Udemy
    their top tips for launching a career
    in digital marketing and to help you
    navigate your path with confidence.
    Get ready to learn from the best:
  • Briain Curtin, VP of Global
    Marketing at Whoop.
  • Mattia Santin, SVP of Brand &
    Growth Marketing at Content
    square.
  • Diego Davila, digital marketing
    expert and Udemy instructor.
  • Genefa Murphy, Chief Marketing
    Officer at Udemy.
    They’ll break down everything from
    the traits that recruiters actually look
    for and how to build a portfolio
    (even if you have zero experience),
    to which specializations are most
    in-demand right now. Let’s dive into
    these digital marketing tips!
  1. Build a Portfolio, Not Just a
    Resume
    You might think you can’t build a
    portfolio because you don’t have
    any experience—but that’s simply
    not true. You can, and you should!
    Briain Curtin, who has nearly 20
    years of marketing experience, says
    that showcasing your work is
    exactly what will make you stand
    out.
    According to Udemy’s CMO,
    Genefa Murphy, having a portfolio is
    very important because it shows
    that you have initiative and are full
    of ideas.
    Start by:
  • Creating a blog.
  • Designing sample campaigns.
  • Running small-budget ad tests for
    current projects you are working
    on.
  • Using tools like Canva, Notion, or
    ChatGPT for content creation or
    ideation.
    Even if you’re new to digital
    marketing, you can showcase
    real-world projects like promoting a
    friend’s small business, managing
    your personal brand, or building a
    sample marketing funnel.
    Employers want to see that you can
    execute, not just theorize.
  1. Understand the Power of Soft
    Skills
    Many beginners overlook soft skills,
    but they are critical. Briain Curtin
    and Mattia Santin share the three
    soft skills they look for when hiring:
  • Intensity – Show motivation and
    drive during your interviews.
  • Humility – Be confident, but
    remain open to feedback and
    learning.
  • Curiosity – Ask questions. Mattia
    Santin often observes candidates
    by the questions they ask and he
    says that a lack of questions can
    be a “massive red flag”. So be
    curious about the role you’re
    applying for!
    Hiring managers notice a
    candidate’s attitude. If you’re
    genuinely curious, passionate, and
    eager to grow, you’ll stand
    out—even without years of
    experience.
  1. Choose and Focus on a
    Specializations
    Another top digital marketing tip for
    beginners is to avoid trying to
    master everything at once. As
    Curtin shares, “specialization
    creates early value.”
    The digital marketing field includes
    many branches—SEO, social
    media, content marketing, paid
    advertising, analytics, and more.
    Start by identifying one area that
    genuinely interests you and dive
    deep into it.
    For example:
  • Love social media? Experiment
    with content creation on
    Instagram or TikTok.
  • Are you analytical? Explore SEO
    and data interpretation.
    Mastering one domain builds
    confidence and makes you more
    valuable to employers or clients.
    This article will help you choose
    your specializations: Digital
    Marketing Training: How to Learn
    SEO, PPC, and More
  1. Focus on High-Demand Skills
    If you’re wondering where to
    specializes, Diego Davila, a Udemy
    instructor, recommends prioritizing
    high-demand skills like:
  • AI for marketing – Focus on how AI
    tools can enhance your existing
    skills.
  • Short-form video content
    (Instagram Reels, TikTok,
    YouTube Shorts).
  • SEO and content writing – Search
    Engine Optimizations (SEO) is
    not dead, but it’s definitely
    changing in 2025. Focus on
    creating great value content,
    building reputation, and
    branding, to stay top of mind in
    new search environments like
    Large Language Models (LLMs).
  • Email automation for marketing
    campaigns.
  • Paid media (Google Ads, Meta
    Ads, etc).
    These areas are growing and can
    be learned through online courses
    or hands-on experimentation.
    On the flip side, some areas of
    digital marketing are easily
    automated, so entry level jobs like
    basic data entry or copy-pasting
    social media posts may not offer
    long-term career security.
  1. Embrace AI Without Losing the
    Human Touch
    Artificial intelligence is transforming
    marketing, but it’s not replacing
    marketers. Davila explains that
    we’re shifting from “content creators
    to content managers or content
    curators.”
    AI tools can help generate ideas,
    write content drafts, and even
    analyse performance—but the
    human marketer still makes the final
    call.
    Geneva Murphy recommends
    focusing on core fundamental digital
    marketing skills, such as
    understanding the customer
    journey, data analytics and insights,
    critical thinking and creative
    thinking.
    Being successful in a digital
    marketing career still depends on
    understanding your audience,
    crafting the right message, and
    knowing where and how to reach
    them. So, learn how to use tools like
    ChatGPT, Notion AI, or Jasper—but
    don’t forget to be human, authentic,
    and creative.
  2. Use Data to Tell Stories
    Both Briain Curtin and Mattia Santin
    emphasise the importance of data
    literacy. Digital marketing generates
    tons of data—from website traffic to
    conversion rates—but you need to
    be able to interpret and act on it to
    set you apart.
    Step 1: Learn to read dashboards
    and key metrics.
    Step 2: Translate those metrics into
    stories. What does a drop in
    engagement really mean? What
    insights can you give your team or
    client? This storytelling element
    turns you from a technician into a
    strategist.
    Learn more: What is Data
    Analytics?
  3. Stay Curious and Keep
    Learning
    One of the most crucial digital
    marketing tips for beginners: never
    stop learning.
    The digital marketing landscape
    evolves constantly. SEO tactics
    change, analytics platforms update,
    social media channels change their
    algorithms, and new tools emerge
    every month. Santin recommends
    “connecting the dots between past
    best practices and evolving trends.”
    Keeping up to date is a
    non-negotiable part of success.
    So how can beginners keep up?
  • Follow marketers who specialise in
    your interests on LinkedIn (and
    curate your feed intentionally).
  • Listen to podcasts like Marketing
    Over Coffee or The
    DigitalMarketer Podcast.
  • Read blogs like Neil Patel, Ahrefs,
    and HubSpot.
  • Use platforms like Udemy for
    structured learning.
    And most importantly—join
    communities, webinars, and groups.
    Learn from others’ successes and
    failures.
  1. Know That Your Career Path
    Isn’t Linear
    Mattia Santin, who has worked with
    companies like Uber, Adidas, and
    Vistaprint, says his marketing
    journey wasn’t linear—and that’s
    OK. You may start in SEO and later
    move into brand, strategy, or
    analytics. Or you might come from a
    non-marketing background like
    sales or product development.
    What matters is how you apply your
    past experience to marketing. Curtin
    notes that experience in adjacent
    roles often gives people an edge in
    understanding customers, sales
    goals, and product needs.
  2. Be Patient, But Proactive
    Finally, a timeless digital marketing
    tip for beginners: don’t chase job
    titles but do chase learning
    environments. Focus on joining
    teams, companies, or clients where
    you can grow, contribute, and learn.
    Success in marketing isn’t instant.
    It’s a combination of curiosity,
    execution, consistency, and
    creativity over time. Diego Davila
    put it best: “The cave you fear to
    enter holds the treasure you seek.”
    Take bold steps, challenge yourself,
    and embrace discomfort—it’s where
    growth happens.
    Final Thoughts
    Starting in digital marketing doesn’t
    require a fancy degree or years of
    experience. It requires grit, curiosity,
    and a willingness to take action.
    Use these digital marketing tips for
    beginners to build a strong
    foundation, create real-world work,
    and grow into a confident, capable
    marketer.
    Now go build that portfolio, run that
    test campaign, and connect with
    your peers. Udemy’s Digital
    Marketing Career Accelerator is a
    great place to start! The world of
    digital marketing is waiting.
    3.How to Build Customer Loyalty
    Through Brand Experience
    Standing out in a crowded market is
    a lot like wearing neon at a black-tie
    event: people notice. And it’s not
    just what you sell that makes them
    look twice; it’s the unforgettable
    brand experience you serve up
    alongside it.
    Did you know 73% of consumers
    say the “experience factor” is more
    important than price or product
    quality in their purchasing
    decisions?1
    Whether you’re a brand manager,
    marketer, business owner, or CX
    leader, this guide will show you how
    to harness the power of brand
    experience marketing to turn casual
    buyers into passionate advocates.
    What Is Brand Experience? (And
    How It Builds Customer Loyalty)
    Brand experience is the total
    emotional, sensory, intellectual, and
    behavioral impression someone
    forms every time they interact with
    your brand. From a scroll through
    your Instagram feed to a call with
    customer support or a visit to your
    storefront, every touchpoint matters.
    Brand Experience vs. Customer
    Experience vs. User Experience
    Now, before you go thinking this is
    just another fancy term for things
    you already know, let’s talk about
    how brand experience differs from
    its cousins: customer experience
    (CX) and user experience (UX).
  • Brand Experience (BX): The broad
    perception of your brand, even
    among those who’ve never
    purchased from you. It’s about
    how your brand is seen and felt
    in the market.
  • Customer Experience (CX):
    Focuses on paying customers—
    their journey from onboarding to
    support and beyond.
  • User Experience (UX): Relates
    specifically to using your product
    or service. It influences product
    design and usability.
    While different, they’re deeply
    connected. A flawless UX feeds into
    a stronger CX, which ultimately
    shapes your overall brand
    experience.
    And why does it matter? Because
    an unforgettable brand experience
    builds customer trust. When
    customers feel valued, businesses
    see real benefits, like earning a
    bigger share of their spending.
    Great experiences pay off, too, with
    up to a 16% price premium on
    products and services and stronger
    customer loyalty.1
    Top-performing brands generate 5.7
    times more revenue than
    competitors who fall behind in their
    efforts.2
    7 Elements of Loyalty-Building
    Brand Experiences
  1. Consistent Brand Identity
    Across All Touch points
    Imagine walking into a Starbucks
    that suddenly looked like a dive bar
    and smelled of old socks.
    Confusing, right? Consistency is the
    bedrock of a great brand experience
    because it breeds trust.
    Your brand should feel the same
    whether someone is browsing your
    website, walking into your store, or
    DM’ing you on Instagram. That
    means aligned visuals, messaging,
    and tone everywhere.
    Think of Apple’s minimalist design
    or Starbucks’ consistent
    atmosphere; they leave no room for
    doubt about who they are.
    Use Digital Asset Management
    (DAM) tools to ensure your brand’s
    look and feel is consistent across all
    platforms. You can use Bynder,
    Adobe Experience Management
    Assets, Canto or Extensis
    Portfolio.
  2. Emotional Storytelling That
    Connects
    We’re all suckers for a good story. A
    successful brand experience isn’t
    just about what you do, but how you
    make people feel. It evokes positive
    emotional connections (joy,
    inspiration, nostalgia) that create a
    lasting impact and foster genuine
    loyalty.
    Take Netflix, for instance. This
    platform doesn’t just stream shows;
    it has mastered social listening to
    draw inspiration for relatable
    content, creating unique, “ownable
    moments” like Netflix memes.
    This led the platform to develop new
    content categories and dedicated
    X’s (formerly, Twitter) handles that
    drive engagement through
    compelling storytelling.
    So, think about the following
    questions: What’s your origin story?
    What drives your team? How have
    customers used your product in
    remarkable ways? Share those
    narratives!
    Need some Inso? Think about
    Nike’s stories of empowerment or
    Patagonia’s commitment to the
    environment. These narratives have
    made their brands unforgettable
    and inspired deeper connections.
  3. Personalised Interactions At
    Scale
    Your customers don’t want to feel
    like a number.
    Personalise the experience using
    data from behaviours, feedback,
    and preferences. Tailor content,
    offers, and interactions to their
    needs. Whether it’s personalized
    emails or AR product previews,
    smart personalisation shows
    customers they’re seen and valued.
    Just remember: Be personal, not
    creepy. There’s a fine line between
    personalisation and invasiveness.
    Sharing too much, or acting on data
    without explicit permission, can
    erode trust faster than you can say
    “privacy breach”.
    Do take inspo from Spotify’s
    Discover Weekly and Amazon’s
    recommendation engine, not
    Target’s infamous maternity mailing
    from 2012.
    Target’s pregnancy prediction
    program became a cautionary tale
    of how powerful data analytics can
    backfire when brands ignore
    customer boundaries. By using
    purchase histories to identify
    pregnant shoppers and sending
    them tailored coupons (sometimes
    before the customers themselves
    had shared the news) Target
    crossed a deeply personal line.
    In one infamous case, a teenager’s
    father learned of her pregnancy
    through a Target mailer, sparking
    outrage and embarrassment.
    Instead of creating a sense of care
    or connection, the campaign felt
    intrusive and unsettling, eroding
    trust and showing how a
    hyper-personalised brand
    experience can quickly turn into a
    PR nightmare when privacy and
    sensitivity aren’t respected.
  4. Surprise and Delight Moments
    These are the little extras that leave
    a big impression: unexpected
    discounts, handwritten notes, or
    early access to launches.
    Think of it as the cherry on top of
    your “brilliant basics” (speed,
    convenience, friendliness,
    knowledgeable help). Get those
    foundational elements right, and
    then sprinkle in unexpected positive
    experiences to boost loyalty
    impact.
    The essence of “surprise and
    delight” is embedded in creating
    positive emotional connections and
    making customers feel genuinely
    appreciated.
    For example, Zappos is famous for
    delighting customers by
    unexpectedly upgrading their orders
    to free overnight shipping, turning
    an ordinary purchase into a
    memorable moment.
    This simple yet thoughtful gesture
    creates excitement, builds loyalty,
    and leaves customers feeling
    genuinely valued. By consistently
    going above and beyond, Zappos
    has set a gold standard for creating
    joyful, unexpected brand
    experiences that keep people
    coming back.
  5. Community Building and
    Social Connection
    Loyalty deepens when customers
    feel like part of something bigger.
    Create space for community
    through user-generated content,
    online forums, fan engagement, and
    real-time responses on social
    media. Brands like the Chicago
    Bulls and NutriSense have built
    thriving communities by simply
    being present, authentic, and
    responsive.
    The Chicago Bulls, for instance,
    didn’t just want fans; they wanted a
    community. Using data analytics
    they uncovered trends and content
    that resonated, leading them to
    create compelling, interactive
    content like behind-the-scenes
    footage and fan contests. They
    even responded to fan comments
    that didn’t even tag them, solidifying
    their place in the passionate sports
    community.
    On the other hand, NutriSense saw
    their social media engagement soar
    by 45% within 18 months and their
    community grow by 469% just by
    encouraging customers to share
    candid feedback on the brand’s
    health suite and actively engaging
    with them.3 Impressive, right?
  6. Seamless Omni channel
    Experiences
    From online to in-store, your
    experience should be unified and
    smooth. This means unifying your
    customer data and ensuring
    consistency across all touch
    points.
    Take Disney’s MagicBand system,
    for example. This wearable
    technology transforms a trip to Walt
    Disney World into a seamless,
    personalised adventure, eliminating
    the small hassles that can chip
    away the magic.
    With a single tap, guests can enter
    the parks, unlock their resort rooms,
    skip long lines with Lightning Lane
    access, make secure purchases,
    and even have ride photos appear
    automatically in their account.
    This effortless integration means
    visitors spend less time fumbling
    with tickets or wallets and more time
    immersed in the experiences they
    came for. By blending convenience,
    personalisation, and a touch of
    surprise (like cast members
    greeting them by name),
    MagicBands turn ordinary theme
    park logistics into part of the
    enchantment, making the brand
    experience feel both VIP and
    uniquely Disney.
  7. Purpose-Driven Brand
    Experiences
    Today’s consumers want to support
    brands that align with their values.
    So, how to be a brand that provides
    meaning?
    Author Simon Sinek, famously
    associated with a theory called the
    Golden Circle, recommends: “start
    with why”.4
    Sinek’s idea is that most brands
    make a mistake when trying to
    create a differentiated value
    proposition. They typically focus on
    communicating the “what” (their
    products or services) and “how”
    (their processes), while their core
    purpose or “why” becomes an
    afterthought.
    He argues that correcting this by
    defining a unique purpose (“why”) is
    crucial for managing brand
    experience. This approach
    encourages brands to stand for a
    set of beliefs that customers can
    associate with, which can powerfully
    influence customer mindshare,
    acceptance, and loyalty.
    So, start with your “why.” Whether
    it’s sustainability, inclusivity, or
    innovation, brand and customer
    experience deepen when your
    values are front and centre.
    Purpose-driven experiences create
    loyalty based on shared beliefs, not
    just transactions.
    Brand Experience Marketing:
    Strategies That Build Customer
    Loyalty
    Knowing what makes a great brand
    experience is one thing. Putting it
    into action? This is where your
    marketing shifts from simply
    promoting products to actively
    crafting an immersive brand
    experience.
    1 Strategy 1: Experiential
    Marketing
    Create live, immersive, and
    memorable experiences that
    embody your brand. Think:
  • Red Bull’s adrenaline-fueled
    events. Red Bull isn’t just an
    energy drink; they’ve created
    hundreds of events like the
    Soapbox Race series that
    engage people in adventure,
    entertainment, sports, and music,
    transcending the product itself.
    Events are powerful because
    they offer sensory appeal and
    extended exposure, capturing
    attention and building loyalty.
  • Whole Foods’ in-store classes.
  • Grocerants (a hybrid of grocery
    stores and restaurants) in South
    Korea that let customers cook
    their meals adding pleasure and
    economic value.
    These hands-on moments foster
    real emotional engagement, making
    brands unforgettable.
    2 Strategy 2: Content Marketing
    That Reinforces Experience
    Your content should inspire and
    connect, not just convert.
  • Use videos, podcasts, blogs, and
    interactive tools to tell your brand
    story.
  • Encourage user-generated content
    (UGC) to amplify authentic
    voices.
  • Think McCormick’s content hub.
    They don’t just sell spices; their
    website offers meal planners,
    recipes, and organizing tips,
    helping customers build their
    own food and beverage
    experiences. Or Life Fitness
    wellness ecosystem, who goes
    beyond gym equipment, offering
    content for facility owners, home
    exercisers, and even on-demand
    classes to support a complete
    fitness journey.
    Done right, content becomes a
    living, breathing part of your brand
    experience.
    3 Strategy 3: Social Media That
    Builds Community
    Social media is your brand’s front
    porch. Make it warm and
    welcoming.
  • Customize your strategy by
    platform (TikTok ≠ LinkedIn).
  • Respond fast. Good community
    management is essential for
    building loyalty. Personalize
    customer care with quick,
    tailored responses. Did you know
    that 75% of customers expect a
    reply within 24 hours?3
  • Partner with influencers who align
    with your brand values.
    Use tools to track sentiment,
    engagement, and community
    growth. This helps you fine-tune
    your brand experience marketing in
    real time.
    The ideal setup for achieving this is:
  • Brandwatch or Talkwalker → for
    sentiment.
  • Sprout Social or HubSpot → for
    engagement.
  • Orbit or Common Room → for
    community growth.
  • Looker Studio or Tableau → to
    visualize all metrics together.
    Want to dig deeper? Here’s a
    course you might find useful:
    Business Branding: The Complete
    Course Part 1 – Strategy
    How to Measure Brand
    Experience Impact on Customer
    Loyalty
    You can’t improve what you don’t
    measure. Track these KPIs to see
    how your brand experience drives
    loyalty:
  • Net Promoter Score (NPS): This
    widely used metric measures
    customer loyalty by asking how
    likely someone is to recommend
    your brand on a scale of 0-10.
    While useful, it’s best when
    correlated with brand favorability
    to truly understand the link
    between positive perception and
    advocacy.
  • Customer Lifetime Value (CLV): A
    great brand experience directly
    contributes to a higher CLV,
    translating into increased
    profitability and recurring sales
    revenue.
  • Social Sentiment Analysis:
    Real-time insights into brand
    perception helps you understand
    how people feel about your
    brand in real-time.
  • Brand Recall and Awareness: A
    consistently positive brand
    experience enhances brand
    recall, which is about ensuring
    your brand easily comes to mind
    and is recognized among
    competitors. Think about it: Are
    you top of mind?
  • Customer Retention Rates: Directly
    track how your brand experience
    impacts customer retention rates,
    as powerful experiences foster
    loyalty and reduce churn.
  • Engagement Metrics: Monitor
    how engaged customers are with
    your brand across all
    touchpoints. This includes
    interactions on social media,
    website visits, content
    consumption, and participation in
    events.
    Connecting these metrics to
    business outcomes means applying
    the results directly to your brand
    strategy. Prioritize areas needing
    immediate attention, address
    customer pain points, and ensure
    consistency across all mediums.
    Pro Tip: For collecting this data,
    don’t shy away from customer
    feedback. Remember, the goal is to
    get a representative sample and act
    on the feedback, whether it’s
    addressing upset customers or
    identifying advocates for reviews
    and case studies. Your customers
    will notice if you make any changes.
    Common Brand Experience
    Mistakes That Hurt Customer
    Loyalty
    Even great brands can trip up.
    Avoiding these common pitfalls is
    as crucial as implementing winning
    strategies:
    1 Missing personalization
    opportunities
    Generic “Welcome!” messages for
    loyal customers? That’s a big no-no.
    Many companies possess a
    treasure trove of customer data but
    fail to use it for meaningful
    personalization.
    If you’re not creating targeted,
    impactful content based on how
    customers interact with you, you’re
    missing out. Please, don’t treat loyal
    customers like strangers.
    2 Crossing privacy boundaries
    While personalization is key, there’s
    a delicate balance. Overstepping
    boundaries (like revealing sensitive
    information gleaned from data) can
    completely destroy trust.
    Consumers are willing to share data
    for better experiences, but they
    have legitimate concerns about
    security and privacy. Respect data
    and consent.
    3 Being unresponsive
    In an “always-on” world, slow
    responses are a death knell.
    Customers expect immediate
    interactions on social media and
    through chatbots.
    If you’re not offering timely, relevant
    messaging and proactive solutions,
    you’re essentially communicating
    that you don’t care. Earning and
    keeping customer trust means
    being responsive 24/7.
    4 Ignoring accessibility
    This isn’t just a nicety; it’s
    fundamental. Failing to make your
    experiences, especially digital ones,
    accessible to everyone, including
    those with disabilities, is a massive
    blunder.
    It sends a clear message that some
    potential customers matter less,
    damaging your brand’s reputation
    and alienating a significant portion
    of the population. Make your
    experiences inclusive for all.
    5 Obsessing over acquisition
    It’s easy to get caught up in the thrill
    of new customers. But true
    longevity comes from nurturing your
    existing base, turning casual buyers
    into repeat customers and
    advocates.
    Don’t pour all your resources into
    flashy, one-off experiences while
    letting consistency and existing
    relationships wither. Retention
    builds sustainable growth.
    6 Forgetting employee
    experience
    Excellent customer experience
    starts with superior employee
    experience. If your employees are
    unhappy, unsupported, or
    disengaged, that negativity will seep
    into customer interactions, no
    matter how carefully you’ve crafted
    your brand image.
    Empower your team with
    technology, information, training,
    and incentives to provide top-notch
    service. Disengaged teams = poor
    customer experience.
    Upskill Your Team to Build Brand
    Experiences with Udemy
    To build loyalty, you need a team
    that understands your brand and is
    equipped to deliver standout
    experiences at every touchpoint.
    Upskill your employees in:
  • Emotional intelligence.
  • Customer journey mapping.
  • Data analysis.
  • Empathy-driven service.
    How else will they understand
    customer needs, anticipate their
    journey, and leverage insights for
    impactful interactions?
    Investing in these skills means
    equipping your employees to be
    more engaged, provide better
    service, and gain necessary support
    from technology.
    Udemy can be an invaluable
    resource for upskilling your teams in
    these crucial areas. Beyond
    individual skills, the ultimate goal is
    to cultivate a company culture
    where delivering consistent,
    memorable brand experiences isn’t
    just a task, but a core value.
    When every person in your
    organization understands and
    contributes to the brand’s purpose,
    you create an environment that
    continuously fosters customer
    loyalty and proactively enhances
    your brand’s reputation.
    Final thoughts: Brand Experience Is
    The Loyalty Multiplier
    To increase customer loyalty, shift
    your focus from selling to
    connecting. Craft experiences that
    resonate, engage, and inspire.
    Whether you’re refining your
    content, improving support
    channels, or launching immersive
    campaigns, the goal is the same:
    build a brand experience so good
    they’ll never forget it and never
    leave you for someone else.
    Sources:
    1 Experience is everything. Get it
    right. PwC. h
    2 Why personalization is key for
    retail customer experiences.
    Retail Customer Experiences.
    3 Brand Experience. Sprout Social.
    4 What is brand experience and
    why does it matter? Acquia.
    4.Best AI Marketing Tools to Use
    in 2025
    Explore the top AI tools
    transforming marketing in 2025,
    from content creation and SEO to
    customer segmentation and
    campaign automation. Learn how
    marketers are using these tools to
    boost performance and stay ahead
    of the competition, and how you can
    master them with Udemy.
    Why AI Marketing Tools Are
    Essential in 2025
    The marketing landscape has
    always been dynamic, but the
    advent of Artificial Intelligence has
    ushered in an unprecedented era of
    change. In 2025, AI marketing tools
    are no longer a luxury; they’ve
    become a fundamental pillar of any
    successful growth strategy.
    The AI marketing boom is driven by
    its ability to tackle complex tasks
    with remarkable efficiency and
    precision. From generating
    compelling content in seconds to
    predicting customer behavior with
    surprising accuracy, AI’s role is
    rapidly expanding from mere
    productivity boosters to full
    campaign generators. This means
    marketers can do more with less –
    faster content creation,
    hyper-targeted campaigns, and
    deeper, actionable insights from
    vast datasets that would be
    impossible for humans to process
    manually.
    AI helps marketers cut through the
    noise, understand their audience on
    a granular level, and automate
    repetitive tasks, freeing up valuable
    time for strategic thinking and
    creativity. In today’s competitive
    environment, embracing AI isn’t just
    about efficiency; it’s about gaining a
    significant competitive edge. Those
    who integrate AI are not just
    keeping pace; they are defining the
    future of marketing.
    The Best AI Marketing Tools in
    2025
    To help you navigate this ever
    changing ecosystem, we’ve
    categorized the leading AI
    marketing tools based on key
    marketing functions. For each tool,
    we’ll highlight its core capabilities,
    relevant careers, best practice tips,
    and example workflows.
    Content Creation & Experience
    This category focuses on tools that
    help marketers generate, optimize,
    and manage all forms of content,
    from text and images to video and
    audio.
    1 Jasper AI
    Useful for: Content Marketer,
    Copywriter, SEO Specialist, Social
    Media Manager
    Core Capabilities: Generate
    long-form articles, social media
    captions, ad copy, and video scripts
    from a single prompt. It maintains a
    consistent brand voice and tone
    across all content.
    Best Uses: Scaling content
    production, overcoming writer’s
    block, and generating a high volume
    of copy for a variety of channels.
    Unique Highlight: Jasper is an
    all-in-one powerhouse for teams
    and agencies that need to produce
    and manage content at scale. It
    offers templates for virtually every
    type of marketing copy and has
    built-in features for team
    collaboration.
    2 ChatGPT / Claude
    (OpenAI/Anthropic)
    Useful for: All marketing roles (as a
    general assistant), especially
    Content Strategist, Copywriter, and
    Data Analyst
    Core Capabilities: Engage in
    natural language conversations to
    generate content outlines, draft
    email campaigns, analyze customer
    feedback, and brainstorm new
    campaign ideas.
    Best Uses: Ideation, summarizing
    long reports or articles, refining
    existing copy for a new tone, and
    creating initial drafts for any written
    content.
    Unique Highlight: These tools are
    the foundation of modern
    AI-powered marketing. Their
    versatility and access to real-time
    information (with web browsing
    capabilities) make them the most
    flexible and widely used AI
    assistants available.
    3 Google Veo
    Useful for: Video Marketer, Social
    Media Manager, Advertising
    Specialist
    Core Capabilities: Generate
    high-quality, professional-looking
    marketing videos and footage from
    simple text prompts.
    Best Uses: Creating stunning social
    media ads, product showcases, and
    explainer videos without the need
    for expensive production or stock
    footage.
    Unique Highlight: Often cited as a
    superior alternative to other video
    models, Veo excels at producing
    coherent, high-fidelity video clips
    that are ready for use in a
    campaign, setting a new standard
    for AI-generated visuals.
    4 Descript
    Useful for: Video Marketer, Podcast
    Producer, Content Creator
    Core Capabilities: Edit audio and
    video by editing the text transcript.
    Automatically remove filler words,
    generate captions, and create a
    high-quality video or podcast from a
    script.
    Best Uses: Repurposing long-form
    content (like webinars or podcasts)
    into short, engaging clips for social
    media, and speeding up the video
    editing process significantly.
    Unique Highlight: Descript’s
    text-based editing interface is a
    game-changer. It makes video
    production as simple as editing a
    document, allowing marketers to
    focus on messaging and storytelling
    rather than complex timelines and
    keyframes.
    5 Midjourney / DALL-E 3 / Stable
    Diffusion
    Useful for: Graphic Designer, Social
    Media Manager, Content Marketer
    Core Capabilities: Generate
    unique images, illustrations, and art
    from text prompts, eliminating the
    need for generic stock photos.
    Best Uses: Creating unique visuals
    for blog posts, social media ads,
    website headers, and branding
    concepts in minutes.
    Unique Highlight: These tools
    allow marketers to create truly
    unique visual assets for a fraction of
    the cost and time of traditional
    design. Their ability to generate
    images from a blank canvas opens
    up limitless creative possibilities.
    6 Canva Magic Studio
    Useful for: Social Media Manager,
    Content Creator, Small Business
    Owner
    Core Capabilities: A suite of AI
    tools integrated directly into the
    Canva platform, including
    text-to-image generation,
    background removal, and a magic
    resize tool.
    Best Uses: Quickly creating
    branded visuals for social media,
    presentations, and marketing
    materials. It’s perfect for
    non-designers who need
    professional results fast.
    Unique Highlight: Canva’s AI
    features are seamlessly integrated
    into a platform that’s already a
    staple for marketers. This reduces
    the friction of using multiple tools
    and makes AI-powered design
    accessible to everyone.
    7 Synthesia
    Useful for: Corporate Marketer,
    Video Marketer, E-learning
    Specialist
    Core Capabilities: Create
    professional AI-generated videos
    with customizable avatars from a
    text script. It offers a wide range of
    AI presenters and voices for
    different languages.
    Best Uses: Producing scalable,
    consistent explainer videos, product
    tutorials, and internal
    communications without a camera
    or studio.
    Unique Highlight: The ability to
    create a human-like presenter from
    text alone is revolutionary for
    businesses that need to produce
    video content at scale with a
    professional, on-brand look and
    feel.
    SEO and Research
    These tools leverage AI to analyze
    search engine results, identify
    ranking opportunities, optimize
    content for visibility, and streamline
    keyword strategy.
    1 Surfer SEO
    Useful for: SEO Specialist, Content
    Marketer, SEO Content Writer
    Core Capabilities: Analyzes
    top-ranking content for a keyword
    and provides data-driven
    recommendations for content
    length, keyword usage, and
    structure to improve rankings.
    Best Uses: Optimizing existing
    articles to improve their search
    ranking, and creating new,
    data-driven content briefs for
    writers.
    Unique Highlight: Surfer SEO is
    an essential tool for content
    optimization. Its ability to provide a
    real-time “Content Score” as you
    write, based on competitor analysis,
    makes it an intuitive and powerful
    way to ensure your content is a
    strong contender for the top spot.
    2 Frase.io
    Useful for: SEO Strategist, Content
    Marketer, Copywriter
    Core Capabilities: Uses AI to
    generate detailed content briefs by
    analyzing top-ranking results and
    identifies the questions people are
    asking.
    Best Uses: Creating
    comprehensive, SEO-friendly
    content outlines that cover every
    important topic for a keyword.
    Unique Highlight: Frase’s “Answer
    Engine” is unique. It can
    automatically pull relevant
    information and key questions from
    the web, providing a fantastic
    starting point for research and
    ensuring your content directly
    answers user intent.
    3 Semrush (AI-powered features)
    Useful for: SEO Specialist, PPC
    Specialist, Digital Marketing
    Manager
    Core Capabilities: An all-in-one
    marketing platform that integrates
    AI for content generation
    (ContentShake AI), competitor
    analysis, keyword research, and ad
    copy creation.
    Best Uses: Analyzing competitors’
    ad strategies, finding content gaps
    in your niche, and getting
    AI-generated recommendations for
    improving your site’s SEO
    performance.
    Unique Highlight: Semrush is a
    comprehensive suite, so its AI
    features are powered by a massive,
    proprietary database of keywords,
    backlinks, and competitor data,
    giving its insights an unmatched
    level of depth and accuracy.
    4 Keyword Insights
    Useful for: SEO Strategist, Content
    Strategist
    Core Capabilities: Clusters
    thousands of keywords into logical
    topic groups, helping you build
    comprehensive content calendars
    and identify “pillar” topics and
    supporting content.
    Best Uses: Organizing large
    keyword lists for a new website or
    content strategy, and identifying
    content gaps that can be filled by
    creating new articles.
    Unique Highlight: For anyone
    overwhelmed by manual keyword
    research, this tool is a lifesaver. It
    automatically structures your
    keywords into a clear, actionable
    content strategy, saving days of
    manual work.
    5 Ahrefs (AI-powered features)
    Useful for: SEO Specialist, Link
    Builder, Content Strategist
    Core Capabilities: Industry-leading
    platform with AI integrations that
    enhance backlink analysis, site
    audits, and competitor research.
    Best Uses: Finding link-building
    opportunities, auditing a website’s
    technical SEO, and uncovering
    top-performing content from
    competitors.
    Unique Highlight: While known for
    its backlink data, Ahrefs’ AI now
    helps you get faster insights from its
    vast database. It provides an
    essential foundation for any serious
    SEO professional.
    Analytics and Strategy
    These tools harness AI to process
    vast amounts of data, uncover
    hidden insights, predict trends, and
    inform strategic decisions, from
    campaign optimization to customer
    segmentation.
    1 Google Performance Max + AI
    Useful for: PPC Specialist, Digital
    Advertising Manager, Growth
    Marketer
    Core Capabilities: An automated
    Google Ads campaign type that
    uses AI to optimize bidding,
    budgets, and ad delivery across all
    of Google’s channels (Search,
    Display, YouTube, Gmail, etc.) to
    drive conversions.
    Best Uses: Maximizing ROI for a
    new product launch, managing
    large ad campaigns with minimal
    manual oversight, and finding new
    converting audiences.
    Unique Highlight: This is Google’s
    most powerful AI for advertisers. By
    automating complex targeting and
    bidding decisions, it allows
    marketers to focus on providing
    high-quality creative assets and
    strategic direction, knowing the AI is
    working 24/7 to find the best
    opportunities.
    2 Mutiny
    Useful for: Growth Marketer, B2B
    Marketer, CRO Specialist
    Core Capabilities: AI-powered
    website personalization for B2B. It
    identifies anonymous website
    visitors and dynamically changes
    content, headlines, and CTAs
    based on their company, industry,
    or role.
    Best Uses: Personalizing a website
    for a specific target account to
    increase conversion rates, and A/B
    testing different messages to find
    what resonates with specific
    industries.
    Unique Highlight: Mutiny takes
    personalization a step further than
    traditional tools. Its ability to create
    a one-to-one experience for a B2B
    audience without requiring a user to
    log in is a superpower for
    account-based marketing.
    3 HubSpot AI Tools
    Useful for: Marketing Operations,
    CRM Manager, Content Marketer
    Core Capabilities: A suite of AI
    tools integrated into the HubSpot
    platform for generating email copy,
    creating website pages, segmenting
    customer lists, and providing
    predictive analytics.
    Best Uses: Streamlining content
    creation directly within the CRM,
    automating lead scoring to prioritize
    sales efforts, and creating highly
    personalized email campaigns at
    scale.
    Unique Highlight: HubSpot’s AI is
    powerful because it’s native to the
    CRM. This means the AI has a
    complete view of your customer
    data, from first touch to purchase,
    allowing for truly intelligent and
    integrated marketing decisions.
    4 Hootsuite Insights powered by
    Brandwatch
    Useful for: Social Media Manager,
    Brand Manager, Public Relations
    Specialist
    Core Capabilities: AI-driven social
    listening and sentiment analysis. It
    monitors brand mentions, tracks
    competitor activity, and analyzes
    public sentiment across the web
    and social media platforms.
    Best Uses: Real-time crisis
    management, identifying emerging
    trends to inform content strategy,
    and understanding brand
    perception.
    Unique Highlight: This is more
    than a simple social media tracker.
    Its AI can detect subtle shifts in
    sentiment and provide in-depth
    reports that would take human
    researchers weeks to compile,
    making it indispensable for
    managing brand reputation.
    Automation and Personalization
    These tools leverage AI to automate
    repetitive tasks, personalize
    customer interactions at scale, and
    optimize various marketing
    workflows.
    1 Zapier AI
    Useful for: All marketing roles,
    Marketing Operations, Small
    Business Owner
    Core Capabilities: Connects
    thousands of apps and uses AI to
    create complex, multi-step
    automated workflows with simple
    natural language commands.
    Best Uses: Automating lead
    nurturing, syncing data between a
    CRM and ad platforms, and creating
    a trigger-based communication flow.
    Unique Highlight: Zapier has long
    been a leader in automation, but its
    new AI features make it accessible
    to non-programmers. You can now
    tell the AI what you want to do
    (“When I get a new lead in
    HubSpot, send a personalized
    Slack message to the sales team”)
    and it will build the workflow for you.
    2 Seventh Sense
    Useful for: Email Marketer,
    Marketing Automation Specialist
    Core Capabilities: An AI-based
    email delivery optimization tool that
    learns the optimal time to send an
    email to each individual subscriber,
    improving open rates and
    click-through rates.
    Best Uses: Optimizing the timing of
    newsletters, promotional emails,
    and automated campaigns for
    higher engagement.
    Unique Highlight: Instead of
    sending an email blast to everyone
    at once, Seventh Sense ensures
    each email arrives in the recipient’s
    inbox at the moment they are most
    likely to open it. It takes the
    guesswork out of email timing.
    3 Manychat
    Useful for: Social Media Manager,
    E-commerce Marketer, Customer
    Support Manager
    Core Capabilities: AI-powered
    conversational marketing chatbots
    for platforms like Instagram,
    Facebook Messenger, and
    WhatsApp. It automates lead
    qualification, sales, and customer
    support.
    Best uses: Building interactive
    experiences to grow an email list,
    answering customer questions
    automatically, and recovering
    abandoned carts directly through
    chat.
    Unique Highlight: Manychat brings
    the power of AI to the platforms
    where modern consumers spend
    their time. It allows marketers to
    engage with customers in real-time,
    24/7, without needing a human to
    be present.
    4 Iterable
    Useful for: Growth Marketer, CRM
    Marketer, E-commerce Manager
    Core Capabilities: Customer
    engagement platform that uses AI
    to personalize messages and
    optimize send times across multiple
    channels like email, push
    notifications, and in-app messages.
    Best Uses: Creating complex
    customer journeys and drip
    campaigns, and personalizing
    product recommendations for
    different user segments.
    Unique Highlight: Iterable’s AI
    excels at cross-channel
    engagement. It uses machine
    learning to predict which channel
    and message will resonate most
    with a user, ensuring your
    communication is always relevant.
    5 Salesforce Einstein
    Useful for: Sales Manager,
    Marketing Operations, CRM
    Administrator
    Core Capabilities: A comprehensive
    suite of AI capabilities built directly
    into the Salesforce CRM platform. It
    includes predictive lead scoring,
    sales forecasting, and personalized
    product recommendations.
    Best Uses: Prioritizing high-value
    sales leads, automating
    personalized customer service, and
    identifying at-risk accounts before
    they churn.
    Unique Highlight: As an integrated
    part of the world’s leading CRM,
    Einstein has a 360-degree view of
    your customer data, making its
    predictions and insights incredibly
    accurate and powerful for aligning
    sales and marketing efforts.
    Customer Experience & Service
    AI-powered tools that enhance
    customer interactions, provide
    intelligent support, and improve the
    overall customer journey.
    1 Drift
    Useful for: Sales Development
    Representative, Account Executive,
    Customer Success Manager
    Core Capabilities: AI-powered
    conversational sales and marketing.
    Drift bots engage website visitors in
    real-time, qualify leads, and book
    meetings for your sales team.
    Best Uses: Automating lead
    qualification on your website,
    providing instant answers to
    common questions, and creating a
    personalized conversational
    experience for high-value
    prospects.
    Unique Highlight: Drift’s AI
    chatbots are designed specifically
    for revenue teams. They act as a
    24/7 sales agent, ensuring you
    never miss an opportunity to
    engage with a potential customer,
    even when your team is offline.
    2 Zendesk (AI-powered support)
    Useful for: Customer Service
    Manager, Customer Support Agent,
    CX Specialist
    Core Capabilities: A customer
    service platform with AI features for
    ticketing, self-service knowledge
    bases, and intelligent routing. Its AI
    can resolve common queries and
    suggest answers to human agents.
    Best Uses: Deflecting common
    support tickets to a knowledge
    base, reducing agent workload, and
    ensuring a fast response time for
    customers.
    Unique Highlight: Zendesk’s AI is
    focused on efficiency. It acts as a
    powerful co-pilot for your support
    team, allowing agents to focus on
    complex, high-impact issues while
    the AI handles the rest.
    3 Qualtrics (AI for Experience
    Management)
    Useful for: Market Researcher, CX
    Specialist, Brand Manager
    Core Capabilities: An experience
    management platform with
    AI-powered analytics to understand
    customer and employee feedback
    from surveys, social media, and
    online reviews.
    Best Uses: Analyzing large
    volumes of unstructured text data to
    identify key themes, sentiments,
    and pain points in customer
    feedback.
    Unique Highlight: Qualtrics goes
    beyond simply collecting data. Its AI
    can deeply analyze sentiment and
    emotion in open-text responses,
    giving marketers a granular
    understanding of how their brand is
    perceived.
    AI Marketing in Action: Real Use
    Cases
    Content Marketer: Generates
    outlines and first drafts for a week’s
    worth of blog posts using Jasper AI
    and ChatGPT. They then use
    Descript to repurpose a webinar
    recording into a dozen short videos
    and social media clips, all in a
    single afternoon.
    SEO Strategist: Uses Frase.io to
    analyze a competitor’s content and
    build a comprehensive brief. They
    then use Surfer SEO to optimize the
    final draft before publication,
    ensuring every on-page element is
    perfectly aligned for ranking.
    Growth Marketer: A/B tests
    headlines and calls-to-action on a
    landing page using Mutiny,
    personalizing the page for different
    industries. They then use Google
    Performance Max to run a
    campaign that automatically finds
    the best-performing audiences and
    ad creatives.
    Brand Marketer: Uses Hootsuite
    Insights to monitor social media for
    brand mentions and track sentiment
    after a major campaign launch,
    quickly identifying and responding
    to customer feedback.
    Learn How to Use These Tools
    The best way to master these
    powerful AI tools is by learning from
    marketing professionals who use
    them every day. That’s where
    expert instruction makes all the
    difference – and we’re proud to
    feature Julian Melanson, one of our
    top-rated AI and digital marketing
    instructors. Julian’s expertise has
    helped thousands of students
    transform their careers and
    businesses through his practical,
    hands-on approach that bridges the
    gap between AI technology and
    marketing strategy.
    Ready to get started? We highly
    recommend Julian
    Melanson’s Complete AI Guide as
    your perfect entry point into AI
    marketing. This comprehensive
    course covers practical workflows
    for content creation with ChatGPT
    and Jasper, advanced SEO
    strategies using Surfer and Frase,
    automated marketing campaigns
    that convert, and real-world projects
    that build your portfolio while you
    learn. Transform your marketing
    career with AI – start with Julian’s
    course and join thousands of
    marketers who’ve already
    accelerated their success with these
    game-changing tools.