It’s now more important than ever for NZ businesses to master the essential elements of Digital Marketing.

Digital Marketing has gone from strength to strength in New Zealand, and now accounts for 58% of NZ advertising expenditure, according to data compiled by the NZ Advertising Standards Authority.

We offer a number of courses that cover various aspects of Digital Marketing, but in response to the ever-growing need for relevant training resources, especially for those who are relatively unfamiliar with Digital Marketing, we’ve created a new ten-part course that will enable businesses to get up to speed as quickly as possible.

This course is an online training course, available to access in accordance with your own timetable, anytime 24/7. It is specifically designed and developed for Kiwi businesses, by a highly-experienced NZ marketer, Michael Carney, who has been offering digital marketing courses since 2010 through his Netmarketing Courses business.

Digital Marketing Essentials for NZ Businesses

Across this course, we take you through the key aspects of effective online marketing.

Lesson 1: Marketing Strategies

We start by helping you to examine (or re-examine) the marketing strategies of your business. That includes considering your target market — exactly who should you target, and why? Once you understand that, you can really focus your efforts on the marketing channels where you are most likely to find your prospective customers.

We also encourage you to review your own Unique Value Proposition. What makes you different from your competitors? What’s so special about your products or services that would encourage prospects to make a purchase?

Unless you understand the above information, your marketing could easily be wasted.

Lesson 2: Google Business Profile

In this lesson we cover the strategic importance of your Google Business Profile page (formerly called Google My Business) — it’s how you tell Google your key information — and exactly what you need to do to claim that page.

We also look at Google Maps, and, if you’re a local business, see how you rate there (vs your competitors).

Lesson 3: Search

Turns out that there’s quite a science to being found online (and an industry has grown up around the challenges of what’s now known as Search Engine Optimisation). In essence, if you want your prospects to find your web pages, those pages need to contain content that prospects are looking for. In this lesson, we explore the How, What, When, Where & Why of SEO.

It will come as no surprise to learn that most online journeys, especially for unknown topics, begin with search engines. There’s plenty to learn and stay updated about.

Our Search lesson covers a wide range of developing topics, including how to:

Rank higher in search results: Discover new SEO strategies like topic clusters, image optimization, and structured data to improve your visibility.
Stay compliant: Learn about the latest privacy regulations and how they impact keyword research and targeting.
Future-proof your strategy: Understand how AI is changing search engine behavior and adapt your approach accordingly.
Utilize automation tools: Leverage SEO automation tools to streamline your workflow and focus on strategic tasks.

Not every page can be Number One on Google for every relevant keyword. So if you want to hit the top of the search engine rankings (especially for the most popular search phrases), sometimes you have to pay. In this lesson, we also talk in detail about Google Ads (previously branded as Google AdWords) and other Pay Per Click advertising tools.

Lesson 4: Social Media

Facebook and Instagram tend to be the two most popular social media channels for Kiwis (the specific positions depend upon your target audience). Beyond Facebook and Instagram, you should also develop your knowledge of Pinterest, X and TikTok. We’ll give you details of their relative popularity in New Zealand, and share key statistics so that you’ll be able to decide whether you should use them or not.

So we’ll drill into the details, and look at some of the most effective ways in which you can use these social networks to communicate effectively to your prospects.

Through this lesson, you’ll learn how to:

Engage your audience: Adapt your social media strategy to the latest trends like gated content, FOMO marketing, and vertical videos.
Reach new customers: Learn how to leverage Instagram (and TikTok) for search and discover new audiences beyond your existing followers.
Build trust and transparency: Understand the importance of responsible social media practices and how to cultivate authentic relationships with your customers.
Optimize your cross-platform strategy: Learn how to tailor your content for different platforms and maximize your reach and engagement across the board.

Lesson 5: Influencer Marketing

The Internet in general, and social media in particular, has brought us thousands of influencers and micro-influencers, whose hustling on behalf of a product can encourage many of their followers to actually purchase said product. Why? Because, according to a report by Nielsen, 92% of people trust recommendations from individuals over brands.

Topics covered in Lesson Five include what you need to know to:

Find the right partners: Learn how to identify effective micro-influencers who align with your brand and values.
Measure your success: Go beyond vanity metrics and focus on engagement, conversions, and brand alignment for a more accurate picture of your ROI.
Build long-term relationships: Leverage influencer partnerships to create consistent messaging and deeper connections with your target audience.
Adapt to changing trends: Discover how influencers are diversifying their content and specializing in niches to cater to specific audiences.

Lesson 6: Online Video

Online Video is a powerful way to communicate your brand story, explain your value proposition, and build relationships with your customers and prospects. Oh, and YouTube is the world’s second most popular search engine (after Google). This lesson introduces you to the basic principles of Online Video and explores some of the available tools. Along the way, we’ll discuss what you need to know to:

Connect with your audience on a deeper level: Discover the power of video marketing to tell your brand story and engage viewers.
Increase reach and engagement: Learn how to create high-quality short-form videos for platforms like YouTube Shorts and Instagram Reels.
Drive conversions: Utilize shoppable videos to turn viewers into customers directly from your video content.
Simplify your production process: Discover innovative tools and strategies for creating professional-looking videos without breaking the bank.

Lesson 7: Email

It’s the oldest digital marketing tool of all, but it’s still the most effective for most target audiences. In this lesson we talk about email marketing strategies and best practices, and the tools you should use to promote your business as effectively as possible through email.

Developments to watch in email marketing include how to:

Reach your target audience directly: Utilize the power of email to connect with your customers on a personal level and drive conversions.
Personalize your messages: Leverage AI and automation to deliver hyper-personalized emails that resonate with individual preferences.
Boost engagement: Utilize interactive elements and gamification to create a unique and engaging email experience for your subscribers.
Ensure compliance: Stay ahead of data privacy regulations and implement strategies for building permission-based email lists and managing user preferences.

Lesson 8: Content Marketing

In this lesson we explore the most recent developments in content marketing, including what you should do to:

Attract and retain customers: Create valuable content that resonates with your audience and drives them through the buyer’s journey.
Stand out from the crowd: Find your niche and personalize your content to avoid saturation and capture attention.
Optimize your workflow: Utilize AI-powered tools to streamline content creation and ensure quality while experimenting with new technologies.
Champion social responsibility: Align your brand with positive societal impact to appeal to conscious consumers and build trust.

Lesson 9: Artificial Intelligence

Most of the topics we cover throughout this course include Artificial Intelligence already baked into the products. In this lesson, we look in more depth at what you need to know about Artificial Intelligence, its uses and its possibilities in marketing.

This lesson will help you:

Boost your results: Discover how AI tools can automate tasks, improve targeting, and personalize your marketing for better ROI.
Stay ahead of the curve: Learn about the latest AI developments and how they’ll impact your marketing strategy in the future.
Craft compelling content: Utilize AI-powered writing assistants to generate ideas and optimize your content for better engagement.
Make informed decisions: Understand how Prompt Engineering works to get the most out of your AI tools and avoid unintended consequences.

Lesson 10: Google Analytics

It’s free, and it’s packed full with information that can transform your digital marketing efforts. We’re talking Google Analytics, and a great many online marketers use the free Analytics service to track the performance of their digital marketing. In this lesson, you’ll discover exactly what you can learn from Google Analytics and how to master it (even if you hate maths and stats).

We also cover what’s required to:

Make data-driven decisions: Unlock the insights hidden in your data to optimize your marketing campaigns and achieve your goals.
Stay compliant with regulations: Understand the data privacy landscape and implement strategies to ensure responsible data collection and usage.
Collaborate effectively: Utilize new data analytics tools and techniques to share insights and drive collective decision-making across your organization.
Adapt to new technologies: Leverage AI and machine learning to gain real-time insights and build advanced analytics models for predictive marketing.

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WHO SHOULD TAKE THIS COURSE

Any NZ marketer or business owner who needs to understand and master Digital Marketing.

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WHAT CUSTOMERS ARE SAYING ABOUT OUR COURSES

Here’s a sampling of the feedback we’ve received from those who’ve taken our courses:

Thanks for an informative and interesting [Facebook Accelerator] course. Your presentation held a good balance of theoretical and practical information and was clear and simple enough for a non IT Facebook novice like me to follow. There are many ideas that I have gained that I will attempt to incorporate in the overall marketing plan my team is currently developing for our brand. Facebook can offer so much more than I thought as a medium for communicating with our current and prospective customers. Julie D

I found this course fantastic, i started off knowing very little about facebook (just how to run my own personal page) to now having a thorough understanding of ALL the things you can (and there is a lot). The course format was great and allowed knowledge to be built up over time. Course length was great and this will definitely be something i come back to constantly as we develop our facebook pages more within my company. Aleisha H

I have really enjoyed the course and the way it was structured. It was informative and interesting – liked the way you incorporated slide-shows, video, statistics and different forms of media to provide information. Lisa C

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COURSE CREATION AND TUTORING
This course has been created and is tutored by Michael Carney.

Michael is a veteran marketer with an insatiable passion for whatever’s new, different, exciting or interesting in the world of communications (and especially in the digital space). Michael has been in the marketing game since 1971, online since 1987 — and can be variously described as a digital marketing trainer, adman, media director, strategist, researcher, copywriter, consultant, playwright and dad.

He is probably best known for his many years as Media Director of a number of leading NZ advertising agencies, including MDA Mackay King (now Saatchi & Saatchi) and HKM Rialto (since merged with Colenso BBDO). More recently he worked in strategic roles with MediaCom New Zealand and Grey Worldwide and was Strategic Planning Director for the Media Counsel before setting up Netmarketing Courses.

Michael is also the author of “Trade Me Success Secrets: How To Buy and Sell Effectively on NZ’s Favourite Auction Site”, now in its second edition.

Michael was chairman of the NZ Marketing Association’s Network of Digital Marketers from 2009 until March 2013.

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TIMING

The next course begins on Monday 06 May, 2024.

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INVESTMENT

This ten-part online training course is available for $797+GST. However we offer an EARLY BIRD DISCOUNT of $100 — pay just $697+GST for bookings received by the end of Monday 29 April, 2024. Bookings are confirmed on receipt of payment, which can be by bank deposit or credit card. We can raise an invoice in advance if you need it.

To reserve your place in this course, please pay by credit card through PayPal by clicking here.

If you would prefer to pay by bank deposit, or require an invoice, please send an email to [email protected] with your requirements.

WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?

You’ll receive our emailed confirmation of your booking. Then on the first day of the course we’ll follow up with details of your Login and Password, along with an Enrolment Key for the Digital Marketing Essentials for NZ Businesses online training course.