• Certificate in Content Marketing Strategy
• Certificate in Digital Marketing Strategy Certificate Program
• Certificate in Integrated Marketing Communications

This program is ideal for experienced marketers seeking to broaden their expertise to encompass content marketing best practices, so that they may use this knowledge to launch an effective program for their organization. It’s also well-suited for professionals with journalism or writing backgrounds looking to transition into content marketing and early-career marketers interested in specializing in this rapidly growing marketing discipline.

Consumers and B2B buyers have one thing in common: they are both increasingly searching for information online before making a purchase decision. In fact, they’re often very far down the purchase path by the time they connect with your organization. Content marketing helps ensure your brand is visible during this critical research phase. By completing this program, you’ll learn the best practices for managing an effective content marketing program that will help raise brand awareness, build customer loyalty, and educate your prospects. 

By adding this practical knowledge to your marketing toolkit, you’ll gain valuable skills that will help your organization succeed as well as set you apart in today’s competitive job market.

According to recent data from the Content Marketing Institute and Semrush:

• 89 percent of B2B companies are using content marketing
  • 71 percent of B2B marketers say content marketing has become more important to their organization in the last year
• 75 percent of companies increased their production of content marketing
  • 52 percent of B2B businesses focused on creating and posting more content
  • ​​​​​​​48 percent of content marketers cited not having enough content as a challenge in scaling production​​​​​​​​​​​​​​
• 51 percent of companies had a content marketing manager on staff

Week 1: Content Marketing in Context

• Content marketing defined
• The evolution of content marketing
• Outbound (push) vs Inbound (pull) marketing
• Content marketing’s role within the marketing mix
• Content types and how they map to the customer journey
• The 4Cs of Content Marketing
• Class project overview: Developing an editorial plan 

Week 2: Setting the Foundation 

• Audience insights: Using personas to better understand your buyers 
• Product knowledge: How to gather the right information from subject matter experts
• Content audit: Understand what you already have on hand and how to fill in the gaps
• Brand and product positioning: Get your story straight before you start storytelling
• Choosing your channels: Identify the places and spaces where your audience already lives

Week 3: Editorial Strategy, Process, and Planning

• Content objectives
• The Content Marketing Matrix: Aligning content types with audience needs
• “Always on” content vs one-offs vs campaigns
• Internal stakeholders and editorial partners: Identifying key contributors to the content process
• Idea generation techniques: How to brainstorm and filter content ideas
• The 80/20 Rule: Creating a blueprint for consistent content publishing
• The request process: How to avoid becoming a short-order cook

Week 4: Content Distribution, Measurement, and Optimization

• Measurement: Identifying the most important KPIs for content marketing
• Distribution: Strategies for leveraging paid, earned, and owned media
• Optimization: Techniques for refining content based on performance data
• Content recycling: Extending the shelf life of existing content through repurposing
• How AI can boost creativity and efficiency in content creation

Week 5: Tools, Tips, and Trade Secrets

• Top tools for content marketers: An overview of essential tools that every content marketer should know
• Common obstacles: Strategies for overcoming the most common challenges you’ll encounter as a content marketer
• Best practices of world-class content marketers

Week 6: Final Presentations

• Editorial plan presentations: Students present their final editorial plans, demonstrating their strategy, content calendar, and KPIs
• Feedback and course wrap-up: Final thoughts, reflections, and Q&A

Do I get DePaul credit for this class?
No, this is a professional education class with different requirements than courses taken for academic credit.

How big is the class?
Class size is limited to allow for a more interactive environment in the classroom. Most classes have fewer than 20 students.

Will I have to write papers and take exams?
You will have to create a content marketing editorial plan aligned to the stages in the buyer’s journey hackathon. You must successfully complete the project presentation to receive the certificate.

What is the difference between a certificate and a certification?
A certificate is earned after completion of a course or a series of courses. Certificates are usually awarded by a training provider or an educational institution. Certification typically includes an experience, an educational component and requires passing an exam. Certifications are awarded by governmental and/or professional agencies and often require recertification to remain certified.