Podcast Summary: "How To Develop Your Digital Marketing Skills"

Podcast: The Digital Marketing Podcast
Hosts: Daniel Rowles and Ciaran Rogers
Date: July 23, 2017

Overview

This episode is dedicated to helping digital marketers systematically develop and enhance their skills. Daniel and Ciaran discuss Target Internet’s initiatives to better support their audience’s growth—from new weekly podcasting goals and community engagement, to deep dives into formal and informal learning strategies, self-benchmarking tools, and practical tips for lifelong, hands-on professional development.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Podcast Announcements and Team Updates

• Ciaran’s new role: Ciaran is officially Target Internet’s Marketing Director after years of collaborating with Daniel, signifying a commitment to expand the show and other content offerings.
  • “Finally, I've managed to snag him and he's now our marketing director.” — Daniel [01:04]
  • “I remember us saying way back on the first recording—wouldn’t it be great if we could just do this for a living? And now, kind of, I am. It's very exciting.” — Ciaran [01:27]
• Move to Weekly Episodes:
  • They aim to publish new episodes every week and give iTunes subscribers early access. If Android users want early access, the hosts encourage them to reach out with preferred platforms. [02:25–03:32]
  • “If you haven't already subscribed in iTunes, please do, because that'll be one of the benefits of that.” — Ciaran [01:56]

2. Call for Community and Content Collaboration

• Guest Contributions: They invite listeners with practical insights or unique campaign experiences to get involved, regardless of brand size or public speaking prowess. [03:33–04:41]
  • “You don't need to be a fantastic speaker…the way we edit the podcast, actually you can get away with fluffing things up.” — Daniel [04:30]
• Expanding Resources: The website offers numerous in-depth articles, resources, and a commitment to respect user privacy and limit email frequency to just two updates per month. [04:50–06:02]

3. Training and E-Learning Offerings

• Workshops & Training:
  • Launch of exclusive hands-on sessions in London:
    • Two-day digital strategy planning workshop
    • One-day social selling workshop focused on platforms like LinkedIn [06:02–07:40]
• E-Learning Platform:
  • Free two-week trial, with ~120 courses and online certification. [07:41–08:14]
    • “You could complete all 120 in two weeks…I've got no objections to you doing it. You'll be a bit exhausted.” — Daniel [08:00]

4. Digital Skills Benchmark Tool

• Self-Assessment:
  • Free tool benchmarks your skills against industry standards and suggests relevant learning materials—blog posts, podcasts, videos—tailored to your gaps, powered by recent Chartered Institute of Marketing and Google research. [08:14–10:07]
    • “One of the biggest problems is…knowing where to start with all this. So hopefully it will benchmark you and then give you access to all this other content.” — Daniel [09:33]

5. Developing Your Digital Marketing Skills

Formal vs. Informal Learning

• Qualifications:
  • People often seek formal qualifications for CV and job search value, but these can lag in current relevance due to slow accreditation cycles.
    • “Even if you do every qualification under the sun, you've also got to find another way of keeping yourself up to date.” — Daniel [10:57]
• Certification vs. Qualification:
  • Certifications (like Google certificates) can be valuable, but accredited qualifications (such as CIM) are governed by stricter quality control and have different use cases. [12:02]
• Group Learning Benefits:
  • “The biggest benefit is generally the other people you’re studying with.” — Daniel [12:32]

Continuous Ongoing Learning

• Regular Informal Learning Process:
  • Recommended tools: Twitter (for live trends and discussion) and Feedly (for curated news and blog updates, especially following platform blogs like Google, LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook) [13:36–13:57]
  • “Go in and follow the Google blog, the Twitter blog…and that will give you the latest news on what they’re doing, what they’re changing.” — Daniel [13:58]
• Multi-format Learning:
  • Podcasts, e-learning, video content (e.g., MozCon and Brighton SEO conference videos), and blogs—pick formats that suit your lifestyle, such as listening during commutes or traveling. [14:20–15:48]
  • “10 minutes of learning on a regular basis could probably make quite a big difference.” — Daniel [15:42]

Habit and Workflow Tips

• Microlearning:
  • Emphasize short bursts of bite-sized learning, with content segmented into beginner, intermediate, and advanced. [15:48–16:23]
  • “I’m a big fan of that—regular bite size chunks. Very few of us have the luxury of shelving day after day to learn a new topic.” — Ciaran [15:48]
• Productivity Tools:
  • Use Evernote to save and categorize long-form content to consume during downtime. [16:23–17:22]
• Planning and Accountability:
  • Schedule “meetings with yourself” for learning, just as you would treat any important meeting. [17:22]
    • “There's a lot to be said for just setting up a meeting with yourself…making sure you don’t get interrupted so you can really focus on it.” — Ciaran [17:33]

Peer and Community Learning

• Buddy Learning & Teaching:
  • Pair up with colleagues, share learnings, and present topics to one another.
  • Teaching others is one of the best tests of your own understanding.
    • “When you try to explain to someone else, it suddenly becomes incredibly difficult…you really work out where the holes in your knowledge are.” — Daniel [17:42–19:00]
• Engage in Discussion Forums and Groups:
  • The hosts urge listeners to join and participate in the Digital Marketing Podcast LinkedIn group for content, Q&As, and networking. [19:41–21:04]
    • “We really want your questions…just think of us as a bit of free consultancy.” — Daniel [20:19]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “Very few of us have the luxury of shelving day after day to learn a new topic.” — Ciaran [15:48]
• “I worked out…the amount of time I sit in hotel lobbies, fiddling around on Facebook or Instagram…and actually just changing that behavior, I became a bit more productive.” — Daniel [15:13]
• “If you can't sit down and put some bullet points against it, you need to do more research. You need to kind of invest a little bit more in that as well.” — Daniel [19:41]
• “Have a regular meeting with yourself where you cover this stuff. Because meetings are sacred, aren’t they?” — Ciaran [17:22]

Key Takeaways for Listeners

• Blend formal and informal learning: Accredited courses add credibility, but regular, structured self-directed learning is essential to stay relevant.
• Leverage the right tools: Use content aggregators, note-taking apps, and personal scheduling to fit ongoing learning into busy schedules.
• Engage in community and peer learning: Group study, explaining concepts, and community forums foster deeper understanding and accountability.
• Commit to microlearning: Ten minutes a day adds up—make skill development a consistent habit.

Timestamps for Important Segments

• Introduction & Show Updates: [00:00–02:25]
• New Weekly Schedule, Android/iTunes discussion: [02:25–03:33]
• Call for Expert Contributors & Community Feedback: [03:33–04:50]
• Content Expansion & Email Commitment: [04:50–06:02]
• Training Courses Launch: [06:02–08:14]
• E-learning Details & Free Benchmark Tool: [08:14–10:07]
• Formal Learning vs. Informal Learning: [10:07–13:36]
• Recommended Channels and Productivity Tips: [13:36–17:22]
• Habit Building for Self-Development: [17:22–19:41]
• Peer Learning and LinkedIn Group: [19:41–21:04]

For all resources, benchmark tools, and networking links mentioned in the episode, visit Target Internet.