New programs prep adult students for changing world of Internet marketing

Adult students in northern and central Illinois who are looking to upgrade their technological knowledge in the marketing field can now gain an even greater edge with two new undergraduate-level digital marketing certificates through Benedictine University's National Moser Center for Adult Learning.

The certificate in Digital Marketing for the Working Professional and the certificate in Advanced Digital Marketing for the Working Professional build contemporary marketing capacity in organizations and equip professionals for career advancement. Using authentic workforce digital marketing technologies and tools, students create, implement and evaluate digital marketing strategies and campaigns.

Both certificates can be completed fully online and include courses in social media marketing, search engine optimization, search engine marketing and Web analytics.

Todd Kelsey, Ph.D., assistant professor in the Undergraduate Business Department and a senior marketing strategist, developed and teaches the courses for both certificates.

The courses are based on four "core topics" in digital marketing which provide students with some of the newer skills employers are seeking to stay competitive and more effectively monitor and measure their organization's communication strategies, Kelsey said.

"These are the areas in digital marketing that are highly interconnected and which often form a 'multiple hats' role in smaller companies, where employees may often find themselves working in each area," Kelsey said. "Data from LinkedIn and other sources show that digital marketing skills are near the very top of any skill area that is in demand for the job market. Digital marketing is always evolving, but the core areas are not going to go away.

"Google generates somewhere in the vicinity of $50 billion a year just from Google ads," Kelsey added. "Those ads in turn generate hundreds of billions or even trillions of dollars for businesses around the world."

Professionals in the programs will learn how to create and monitor the performance of social media marketing campaigns on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube; use Google Analytics to monitor social media interactions and website visits; develop digital stories to support the overall marketing efforts of an organization; and leverage search engine marketing by managing ads on Google.

They will also have the opportunity to earn certifications in social media marketing through HootSuite, Google Analytics and AdWords, and search engine optimization through HubSpot and SearchEngineNews.com.

"Whenever possible, I try to work in certifications to digital marketing courses which provide an extra credential that help students get noticed by employers," Kelsey said. "The credential demonstrates reaching a particular level of knowledge about concepts or skills, and it helps to instill confidence in both the student and the employer."

For more information about these programs or enrolling at Benedictine, visit ben.edu/moser or contact (630) 829-2277 or adultenrollment@ben.edu.

Source: New programs prep adult students for changing world of Internet marketing