Learning Inbound Marketing

Content marketing (aka "inbound marketing") is a key part of my job. That doesn't mean that I know everything there is to know about content marketing.* With the pace of digital communications evolution, learning has to be constant in my field. Which is one of the reasons that I love it so much.When researching sources for continued education in content marketing, Hubspot continued to rise to the top. Hubspot has a free "inbound marketing certification" course; given that the company is well-respected for digital content marketing and that the course was free, spending several hours over the course of a week seemed like a good investment of my time.Through a series of video instruction combined with prepared slide content, the Hubspot course is a great 101 walk-through of what a marketer needs to know when it comes to content marketing. Yes, I learned things and made lots of notes. At the end of the course, you can take a test to qualify for the "inbound marketing certification." Understanding what should be done and actually doing it are two very different things, so passing the "test" does not mean you are ready to hang your own shingle. But it does mean that you understand the principles of inbound marketing and are prepared to make moves in the direction to make your company "found" when it comes to your specializations. As a baseline for understanding content marketing and its opportunities, I highly recommend this course for anyone in a marketing position.*Note: I hate the term "expert," and believe that anyone that calls themselves an "expert" is likely the exact opposite of an expert. If others introduce you as an expert, then be flattered and accept the title. But please, don't ever self-describe as an expert in anything. There is always more to learn.