The short answer to this question is I don’t know because I never went through one. Doing some research on the Internet, it looks like they are best suited for individuals who are brand new to digital marketing and need to ramp up their skillset quickly.
That doesn’t mean I don’t have an opinion on them.
First, there is the cost.
The courses range from $2,500 to $16,000.
Second, there is the time.
Most of these courses are still online, and it appears they are over several weeks, versus the six-thirteen weeks of a traditional professional bootcamp.
Third, there is the content.
Digital Marketing is in itself a moving target. You have to keep up and keep up and keep up. That is one thing I love about it – however – if Google or Facebook or any of the platforms move one way, the curriculum has to roll with it.
Fourth, there are the instructors.
How knowledgeable are they? Are they keeping up with Web 3.0? How many websites and social platforms have they managed, and when?
Here’s My Opinion on Alternatives to Digital Marketing Bootcamps
First, get a library card.
Every library in Northeast Ohio allows you to access LinkedIn Learning for free! Yes, F-R-E-E! Many courses offer certifications, and most will link a badge to your LinkedIn profile once you have completed the course.
Second, allot so much time per day or week to the course.
All courses are online, so if you only have your lunch hour, that gives you five hours a week (or so) to learn and study. You control the pace, not a bootcamp instructor, but you have to be self-directed and disciplined to make this happen and achieve your goals.
Third, explore other free resources.
You should check out the following:
I have received certifications from Hubspot and Google (check out my Mulligan Management Group landing page).
Fourth, listen to Podcasts.
The ones I find very useful are:
Perpetual Traffic
Marketing over Coffee and
Social Media Marketing
Fifth, read books (did I mention getting your library card?).
Ensure you get the ones that came out in the last twelve months. Here are a few on my list to read that came out this year:
Content Chemistry: The Illustrated Guide to Content Marketing
The Content Puzzle and the Missing Piece
Everybody Writes: Your New and Improved Go-To Guide to Creating Ridiculously Good Content
I’m not a Copywriter, but…lessons from a Late Bloomer
Making Numbers Count: The Art and Science of Communicating Numbers
Prove It: Exactly How Modern Marketers Earn Trust
Final Thoughts from De-de
You must understand your learning style and motivation cues. Some individuals need to have someone or something to prod and poke them to learn the way a digital marketing bootcamp will. In addition, if they or their company are laying out funding to learn, all the more motivation.
Others, like myself, like to learn at our own pace. We want to take information from various sources and digest and challenge its value as it comes at us.
