A free mini course. Twenty-six lessons in a sensible order, from what promotion is, through digital channels and social media, to measuring whether any of it worked. Work through them in order if you are new to the subject, or take the section you need — every lesson stands on its own, and many have an exercise and a worked answer. There is nothing to enrol in, no sign-up and nothing to pay. This is a route through the archive rather than all of it, so each section links on to everything else we have on that subject.
Looking for a certificate? The paid courses are separate, and assessed.
1. Promotion and Marketing Communications
Start with the basics of getting a message to your audience.
More on marketing communications
2. Understanding Digital Marketing
What digital marketing is, and how it fits into the wider marketing mix.
3. Search and Content
Getting found, and giving people a reason to stay.
4. Social Media Marketing
Building a presence and a following where your customers already spend time.
- Social Media Marketing
- The Social Media Environment
- The Social Media Consumer
- Social Networks
- Social Media Marketing Strategy: The Seven-Step Plan
- Influencer Marketing
More on social media marketing
5. Advertising, Selling and PR
The traditional promotional mix, and how it carries over online.
6. Reaching a Wider Audience
Other established ways to grow reach and engagement.
7. Measuring What You Did
The part most people skip: knowing whether the work paid off.
- Social Media Analytics: Monitoring vs. Listening
- The Seven Layers of Social Media Analytics
- Social Media Metrics: The DATA Framework
- What Is Web Analytics?
Finished? Try the exercises. Most lessons above have a practice question and a worked answer, and the answers show the reasoning rather than just the conclusion.
The other free mini courses: Traditional Marketing · Customers · Business and Organisations · Strategy and Analytics.
What’s next? The certificated course is live. Foundations of Social Media Marketing builds on these lessons with structured modules, quizzes and a certificate of completion.