Textbooks are great, but they don’t tell the whole story. For example, you may think that the 4 P’s of marketing is the key to everything. But anyone who’s worked a day in the field will tell you: it’s not that essential at all.
So, why not learn from the actual professionals in the field? They know it down to the nitty-gritty, unlike some professors (unfortunately). Besides, most curriculums wouldn’t cover such topics as advertising on TikTok or Twitter Spaces.
Leave the homework to custom essay writing services and focus on getting real-world knowledge instead. Trust this: such an investment of your time now will pay for itself tenfold when you land that sweet job.
Recruiters always look for candidates that aren’t just well-versed in their theory but also stay up to date. Real-world skills are also crucial, even more so than your diploma.
Here are six websites run by real marketing professionals that know the ropes.
HubSpot
HubSpot is the leader in business CRM software. But it’s their promotion efforts that are a great case study in and of themselves, especially in terms of brand and content marketing.
The company’s blog is a testament to that. Its marketing section has plenty of guides, free templates, and infographics. Topics vary from how to do market research to low-cost advertising hacks.
It’s also a great place to learn about the inbound concept – HubSpot was built on that idea, after all.
What’s more, HubSpot has a bunch of online courses in 10 categories, fully free of charge. Most of them are short, so it shouldn’t be a problem to complete one even if you have ADHD. Just google HubSpot Academy and create an account – and you’re all set to learn!
QuickSprout
QuickSprout is like a big encyclopedia for future and current entrepreneurs. And since marketing is key in getting any product sold, the corresponding section of the website is enormous. There, you’ll find subsections with posts on:
- Email marketing;
- SEO;
- Content marketing.
Apart from those, make sure to check their beginner’s guides for online and emotional marketing.
Dummies
This website has an even wider range of topics covered, not all of them even related to business. The principle remains the same throughout all posts, though: explain complex topics using simple language. (Hence, the name.)
But don’t be too quick to dismiss Dummies because of that. Posts themselves live up to the idea: there are WikiHow-style step-by-step guides, lists, infographics, and more. Every text breaks down key concepts in a way that will be clear for a total beginner.
The website’s marketing section has tons of posts sorted into seven fields. They range from data-driven to social media, inbound, and influence marketing. You can access those via the Business parent category page.
The Blueprint (A Motley Fool Service)
Residing on the fool.com website, the Blueprint is a project that aims to bring expertise-powered advice to entrepreneurs and business professionals of all kinds.
All of the posts are reviewed by a team of experts – and that’s what makes it a trustworthy source of information.
As for the topics covered by the Blueprint, you’re in for a wild ride. There are beginner’s guides, that’s a given. But you can also learn from in-depth how-tos, case studies, and interviews. Topics vary from affiliate links and promoting podcasts to using QR codes.
Hootsuite
Hootsuite itself is a social media management platform. It streamlines and automates many processes associated with it. Hence, their expertise lies in all things social media specifically – and it shows in their blog.
So, if you plan to get your hands dirty in this particular field, Hootsuite is the right one-stop-shop for you. Many of their blog posts cover particular social media features and how to make good use of them, from Instagram stories to Google My Business messaging.
Neil Patel
Neil Patel himself has plenty of accolades for his work, and that’s what made him a household name among marketing specialists.
His blog, which now has posts in five languages including English, focuses on promoting products and brands online.
What kind of posts can you find there? In short, everything from the very fundamentals to more specialized how-tos. Topics themselves vary from Instagram promotion to the ins and outs of PPC ads.
In Conclusion: How to Make the Most Out of It
Such blogs are a great source of real-life knowledge, but you might struggle with making sense out of the information. After all, blog posts are typically disorganized, and it can all be just too much.
Here are five tips to help you make the most out of your self-assigned extracurricular activity:
Start with guides
These posts may come under different names – complete, comprehensive, or beginner’s guides, – but they all have one thing in common. They’re meant to be your starting point in the very basic concepts revolving marketing as a whole or its subfields like email or SEO.
Focus on one or two fields at a time
Gaining a general understanding of all various fields of marketing wouldn’t hurt anyone. But remember: recruiters look for specialists. Job descriptions are typically titled “PPC specialist” or “content writer”, not “marketing specialist”, after all.
Make it a habit
Set aside 15 or 30 minutes every evening to scroll through your favorite websites. Schedule it in your calendar app or add it to your to-do list. This is how you’ll ensure you won’t slack after a couple of days.
Take notes
It may come off as too formal-education-like, but there’s a good reason note-taking persists. If you write things down – by hand, preferably, – you are more likely to retain this information in long-term memory.
Practice makes perfect
Don’t run into the same pitfall that formal education is struggling with – theory with little practice, that is. Instead, focus on putting this knowledge to practice in real-world (or as similar as possible) conditions.
