Digital, SEO, content, social and design resources to up your game
December 3, 2024 | Olivia Martinez
In the dynamic world of branding and marketing, it can be challenging to stay on top of trends and hone your skills. However, dedicating just a few hours a month to these types of skill-building efforts can have a dramatic impact on your craft.
We reached out to the experts at MindFire for their go-to training programs and resources. From video production to digital marketing and design, these recommendations reflect the skills our team values most and uses regularly. Happy learning!
Resources for SEO, SEM, Meta, LinkedIn and inbound marketing
A well-rounded skill set is essential in our field, and resources that span multiple disciplines give us a foundation that is invaluable. Many of our team members suggest platforms that provide structured learning across various subjects. These will help you sharpen your knowledge in specific areas and broaden your expertise.
Semrush Academy: A free resource specializing in SEO and digital marketing, Semrush Academy is ideal if you focus on search engine marketing and optimization.
Grow with Google: Offering courses on digital marketing and data analytics, Grow with Google includes several certifications that are well-regarded in the industry.
Meta Blueprint Marketing Certifications: Meta’s free certifications cover its suite of advertising products, with topics ranging from campaign basics to advanced targeting strategies.
LinkedIn Learning: Formerly Lynda.com, LinkedIn Learning provides certifications upon course completion. With content spanning creative, technical and business skills, it’s a versatile platform for professional growth.
HubSpot Academy: Known for its focus on inbound marketing and CRM, HubSpot Academy is an excellent resource for mastering customer engagement and content marketing.
Creative and graphic design resources
For creatives, staying fresh on design tools and techniques is essential. This means regularly diving into new methods, exploring innovative ideas and mastering emerging tools. Our team shared their favorite resources that support a continuous journey of learning in design.
Gumroad: A resource for unique templates, presets and add-ons, Gumroad provides an extensive library of assets for Adobe and other creative software, saving time and adding creativity to projects.
Adobe Creative Cloud Tutorials: Adobe offers tutorials for every app in the Creative Cloud suite, making it easy to learn new features or refine techniques in each program.'
Adobe Max: Adobe’s annual creativity conference provides on-demand sessions covering a wide range of skills and topics. Adobe Max sessions, categorized by experience level, are a valuable resource for beginners and advanced users alike.
Skillshare: This platform offers courses on creative and graphic design topics, emphasizing project-based learning. Certifications are available on course completion.
Instagram: For quick tips and fresh ideas, many designers turn to Instagram. Short video posts from fellow creatives provide bite-sized inspiration and helpful insights into the latest design trends. Here are some handles to follow for creative insights and design inspiration:
As digital marketing grows more complex, keeping up with trends and technologies is key to staying competitive. These resources help us hone both technical skills and a strategic mindset for more impactful results.
Google Analytics Certification: This training covers fundamental analytics skills, essential for tracking performance and optimizing digital marketing campaigns.
Google Ads Certification: Covering search, display and YouTube ads, this certification equips users to navigate Google’s ad products confidently, a must for anyone working with digital ad strategies.
Analytics Mania: This site, run by Julius Fedorovicius, has a selection of courses for Google Analytics and Google Tag Manager. Added bonus: when you sign up for a course you get access to the group’s Facebook Group, which offers real-time help with analytics questions.
AI Marketing Institute: For those interested in how AI is transforming marketing, the AI Marketing Institute provides a variety of courses and insights into AI applications in creative work. Their newsletter and podcast keep subscribers up to date with the latest advancements and trends.
Curiosity + Courage Newsletter by Tim Brunelle: This AI-focused newsletter covers updates and applications in creative work, making it a great resource for understanding how AI can be integrated into our daily tasks.
Video production and motion graphic resources
Video has become a cornerstone in storytelling, especially on social, and being well-versed in video production and motion graphics can make all the difference. Our team shared their favorite go-to resources for enhancing video production skills and keeping up with the ever-evolving world of motion graphics.
Adobe Certification Exams: Adobe’s in-app exams for Premiere Pro, After Effects and Animate provide official credentials that verify proficiency and keep us up to date with best practices across Adobe’s video suite.
AEReference.com: This site offers tutorials, tools and creative inspiration tailored for After Effects users, helping motion designers streamline workflows and experiment with new techniques.
Texture Labs After Effects Tutorials: For those looking to push After Effects to new heights, Texture Labs offers tutorials that focus on creative, out-of-the-box effects.
Cullen Kelly Color Grading Tutorials: These tutorials focus on DaVinci Resolve but provide an excellent foundation in color correction and grading fundamentals, valuable skills that transfer across video software.
In our industry, staying current with the latest tools and techniques is crucial. By investing time in these resources, our team can elevate our skills, bring new perspectives to projects and stay ahead of trends, ensuring we’re always ready for the next big opportunity.
Olivia Martinez
Content Marketing Arsonist, Olivia, sparks creativity and drives results for our clients. With a passion for digital media and a talent for building lasting connections, she turns marketing strategies into powerful stories.
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