Simon Page College of Marketing organizes Digital Marketing Workshop

Introduction

Simon Page College of Marketing had an intense and comprehensive two day Fast Track Digital Marketing Workshop (FTDMW) on the 14th and 15th of June at the Ngong Hills Hotel. It was a course aimed at giving digital marketing enthusiasts insights in the field. Also, it was a space that allowed participants to share ideas, ask questions and hone already existing skills.

Unlike traditional marketing, digital marketing is very dynamic. It is constantly changing and professionals in this field need to keep track of these changes. This can be a daunting task. Also there is a growing interest in the digital marketing arena. This interest has left a vacuum in the market, as most curricula in universities do not offer it as a course. This has left many unable to get the training they need for their businesses, blogs or occupational positions in their places of work. Simon Page looks at addressing this issue by hosting such events like the just ended FTDMW.

The workshop had 20 delegates in attendance. Each of these delegates worked in different professions and sectors of the economy ranging from real estate to education. This broad spectrum of delegates goes to show the applicability of digital marketing. All these people had one goal in mind; to acquire skills they could practically put to use in their everyday strategy. The FTDMW was perfect; because its approach was hands on.

Search and Display Network Ads

The workshop, under Princewill Omorogiuwa, CEO Simon Page College of Marketing and Chief Digital Enabler, 3rdFloor Digital, a successful digital marketing agency made good use of the two days. On day one; the workshop targeted the rather uncertain waters of online advertising. Tackling and debunking common terminologies that seemed too complicated at first glance. To make the whole workshop inclusive, delegates were asked to create their own Google Ad accounts and to create ads. The process was not short of comic relief as some participants were reluctant to use their VISA cards with others bidding as low as $0.01 with the fear of losing money.

Search Engine Optimization

Day one ended with a session on Search Engine Optimization (SEO). Again it was a blend of theory and practical applications. A blend that helped give hands-on experience to the delegates as they navigated the back end of a content managing system practising the use of an SEO plug-in on WordPress. The aim was to have them familiar with the CMS, tagging, and keyword optimization.
The end of day one was a success.

Email Marketing

Day two, saw the weather a bit cold but, things got heated up pretty fast with the introduction of email marketing. An interactive session involving pros and cons ensued engaging the delegates while pitting them against each other in information brawls as some points had blurry lines as to whether they were cons, pros or both. However, this brought to light the dynamic nature of emails as a marketing tool. Matters revolving around database creation and setting up effective email campaigns were among the things discussed.

Content Marketing

Next on the table was content marketing. On digital platforms, content is Queen. It is important to match content with its relevant platform. Also the creation of content requires a comprehensive understanding of the market and the ability to churn out original and creative content to keep them hooked. The various styles of content were discussed ranging from videos to online interviews. Participants gained a broader understanding of content marketing and how they could apply it in their respective fields.

Social Media Marketing

When you speak about digital marketing, the first thing that comes to most peoples’ minds is; social media. We cannot deny the large impact it has had on businesses operating both online and offline. It is a two-way communication channel between the business and its target market. But just like all things digital there is more to social media than just posting a picture or sending a tweet. The FTDMW covered different aspects of social media such as setting up ads on Facebook and analysing page data.

Google Analytics

Saving the best for last the FTDMW coming into its last stretch covered Google Analytics. A powerful digital monitoring tools that businesses and individuals should apply to track their online performance. The session tied in the basics of how to integrate google analytics onto a website and how to analyse data received.
The workshop would not have been complete without a practical test for the delegates. Paired into teams of four and five, the delegates were asked to come up with digital marketing strategies for various companies. After the presentations the crowning event for the two days was the issuance of certificates. However, the digital knowledge that delegates left with was more important.