The latest New Zealand advertising expenditure data, compiled by the Advertising Standards Authority, has just been released. And it shows exactly the sort of pattern we would expect, based on recent news coverage of the dire straits of Kiwi broadcasters.

Here’s the overall picture, showing digital media’s implacable rise. Digital now accounts for 63% of New Zealand ad spend, more than 2.1 billion dollars. 88% of that revenue went to pure digital plays (eg Google, Meta, etc.), the other 12% to digital platforms for local TV, newspapers and radio.

NZ Advertising Expenditure 2012-2023

Meanwhile, television lost just over 14% of its revenues in 12 months, dipping from the previous year’s $517 million to $443 million in 2023 (excluding their digital revenues). That traditional TV total is lower than it has been for at least the last dozen years, inevitably triggering the latest rounds of belt tightening.

What About the Audience?

We know where advertisers are. What about the audience?

Yeah, broadcast TV still gets good reach, but the Internet has some pretty compelling numbers. And if we look at how much time Kiwis spend with each medium, we find that people spend more than twice as long on the Internet as they do watching television (and that’s BOTH broadcast and streaming).

Implications for New Zealand marketers

More than anything, these numbers simply reinforce the need for Kiwi businesses to master digital marketing in all its forms.

That’s where the audience is, and that’s where you need to be as well.

Of course, digital marketing just keeps on changing. What was relevant and hot last week, last month or last year isn’t necessarily so any more.

So if you want to keep up-to-date, may we recommend our latest digital marketing course, constantly updated throughout 2024 to stay abreast of the latest developments:

Our clients tell us that one of their biggest challenges is staying up-to-date with Digital Marketing.

So we regularly release new refresher courses to cover the latest developments in Digital Marketing for New Zealand marketers.

This is our 2024 NZ Digital Marketing Course.

So how do you keep up-to-date with these constant Digital Marketing developments?

More importantly, how do you separate the wheat from the chaff? How do you decide which new digital marketing developments are important for NZ businesses and which are largely irrelevant?

That’s where we come in — with the benefit of 40+ years of NZ marketing (including 20+ years of digital marketing) experience. We analyse, interpret and then highlight the key developments that you need to know about.

2024 NZ Digital Marketing Course

Here’s what you need to know about this online training course:

The 2024 NZ Digital Marketing Course is an eight-lesson online training course that provides a comprehensive update on the latest developments in Digital Marketing that are relevant to New Zealand marketers.

WHO SHOULD TAKE THE COURSE

Any Business Owner, Marketing, Advertising, PR or Communications executive who already has a solid understanding of Digital Marketing but isn’t necessarily up to speed with the latest developments across all digital marketing disciplines.

THE BENEFITS

By staying up to date with the latest developments in Digital Marketing, you can:

• Improve the effectiveness of your marketing campaigns
• Outperform your competitors
• Optimize your return on investment (ROI)
• Embrace automation and efficiency
• Harness the captivating narratives and emotional triggers that resonate with audiences
• Fully leverage artificial intelligence (AI)
• Tap into the power of community-driven marketing
• Focus on ethical and sustainable marketing
• Master data-driven decisions
• Take full advantage of omnichannel marketing
• Serve those customers who use voice search and more conversational queries
• Improve customer service and retention
• Unlock unforeseen business opportunities

COURSE CONTENTS

Here’s a high-level summary of what you’ll learn from this 2024 NZ Digital Marketing Course:

Lesson 1: Artificial Intelligence

Of course, we start with AI. It’s being hyped as the most transformative technology of all.

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 2: Social Media Marketing

Social media continues to evolve at breakneck speed, and 2024 was no exception. 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 3: Search

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, including both Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) and paid search advertising through the likes of Google Ads.

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.

Lesson 4: Online Video

Video continues to be white-hot, with more and more marketers adding online video to their list of must-have tools and techniques for 2024. 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 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: 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 7: Email Marketing

It’s the oldest digital marketing tool of all, but it’s still the most effective for most target audiences.

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: Data

In this lesson, you’ll discover exactly what you can learn from all the data that Digital Marketing offers, 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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TIMING

The 2024 NZ Digital Marketing Course begins on Monday 30 December, 2024.

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INVESTMENT

This eight-part online training course is available for $697+GST. However we offer an Early Bird Discount of $100 — pay just $597+GST for bookings received by Monday 23 December, 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 bookings@socialmedia.org.nz 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 2024 NZ Digital Marketing Refresher online training course.

If you have any questions, or would like more information, please email us at bookings@socialmedia.org.nz.

FAQ

How does the course work?

• Every lesson includes Action Steps so that you can start implementing what you’ve just learned, along with Quick Wins so that you can apply your newfound knowledge immediately.

Is the course live?

• No, everything is online, conducted on a web-based e-learning software platform. Once a lesson is released, you can access it whenever you wish, anytime 24/7, in accordance with your own timetable). You proceed at your own pace, accessing materials online.

What’s the course format?

• This particular online training course provides content in a variety of multimedia forms, including text, images, videos, slideshows, presentations and PDF files. No special software is required to participate, you access it through a web browser (eg Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Safari).

How often are lessons released?

• Course lessons will be provided once a week, on Mondays, over eight weeks. We release content weekly because we review (and where necessary update) the contents of each lesson just before release, to ensure that the material is as up-to-date as possible — digital marketing is constantly changing, so we aim to ensure that the lessons reflect the latest developments, especially for a refresher course like this.

How long will each lesson take?

• We typically recommend you allow 1-2 hours per lesson.

What happens if I need help?

•  Interaction with the course tutor is enabled via email (with telephone backup if required).

What are people saying about these courses?

Feedback from previous digital marketing training course and workshop participants:

• It is great that we have managed to get an external perspective on marketing in the digital space – your expertise in this area is greatly appreciated. – Hazel T.
• I really enjoyed the [Digital Marketing Workshop] today and got a lot out of it  – Nikki H.
• Thanks for a great [Digital Marketing] session yesterday, really enjoyed it and learnt lots – Izi W
• “this was the best professional development course I have done in many years” – Mark R, senior Agency Exec responsible for social media
• “thought the information within was outstanding” – Ed P, General Manager
• “What I loved was that I started with a fairly rudimentary understanding of social media but have learned a lot – including where to find more information as I need it.” – Fiona W, Marketing Manager
• “I found it relevant, informative, topical, insightful and a bloody good read. It’s never evangelical, too techy, patronising, assumes that you know too much or too little about digital and has a warm sense of humour in the communication throughout which helped faciliate the learning process for me.” — Adrienne B, new media senior executive
• “Thanks for pointing me in the direction of this course! It’s been extremely enlightening” — Shayne P, design agency director
• “Rapt with what I have seen of the course” — Julia R, fashion editor
• “I’m really enjoying the course – learning a lot – and I know the two friends I persuaded to join us are also loving it.” — Lavinia C, designer
• “Am thoroughly enjoying the content!” – Kara B, magazine co-ordinator
• “I was already engaging with social media and have been doing so for about 6 years or so. But, did I know how to use social media in a marketing and business sense? No, I simply did not. This course was a great way to show me how to do that.” — Sheryl K, online marketer

COURSE CREATION AND TUTORING

• This course has been created and is tutored by Michael Carney.

Other Digital Marketing Courses

We also offer a number of other digital marketing courses. Feel free to check them out as well.