Why Marketers Should Learn to Code ????

Coding for Digital Marketers

For those in the digital marketing world, there have probably been times when you've had to wait for a programmer to deliver an asset. You formulate an idea, build goals, and send the blueprint off to the development team - now you are just waiting for its return. But how can you solve this overreliance on programmers to get the job done? Well, by learning to code.

Marketers, especially digital marketers, should implement coding as part of their long-term education in business. Don't worry about having to master complex coding languages and computer science theory. A basic understanding of coding and consistent implementation will help you go a long way in the digital marketing world.

How Developing Coding Skills Can Help Digital Marketers Reach Their Goals

Do you think coding is only for programmers and developers? Think again. Here are three important benefits of coding as a digital marketer:

1. Increasing Your Value in a Company: businesses hire marketers with diverse skill sets. Marketers with the ability to code not only provide help in an array of projects but offer input and leadership to cross-functional teams. With coding knowledge, you will become a prized asset at your company.
2. Improve Yourself: coding is not just great for improving your tangible abilities. It can enhance your capacity to think, solve problems, and realize solutions. Coding can truly make you think outside the box as a business professional.
3. Offer New Perspectives: within a team, you now have the capacity to contribute to more projects than ever before. Coding is great for digital marketers looking to offer help with data analysis, data visualization, scripting, and automation. With coding, you can now think of yourself as a swiss army knife.

CMS vs. Custom Code: Which is Right for You?

When developing a website, there are two ways to make changes. First, marketers can operate within a content management system (CMS) such as Squarespace or WordPress. CMSs are software platforms containing predefined interfaces and functionality. Here, it is easier and quicker to build a site given a limit on customization.

Marketers can also build a website through the use of coding, customizing each and every square inch of their screen. This "build from scratch" option offers businesses the ability to create custom sites that fit the exact needs of their users. In order to decide which option is best for you or your business, here are a few criteria to consider:

• Price
• Development Time
• Scalability
• User Experience (UX)
• SEO Alignment
• Plugins and extensions
• Security

So what decision will you or your business make - CMS or custom code? If you have a limited budget and timeframe, or you want a basic site to get things done, a standard CMS will be the best bet. However, if you have optimal resources and are willing to take the extra step for your customer, building a custom-coded website is the obvious choice.

Codecademy for Customization vs. WordPress and Squarespace for Convenience

After determining whether you want to use standard CMS or custom code for your website, you will need to decide on which platform to utilize. Specifically, I will be breaking down CMSs such as WordPress and Squarespace, and how they compare to custom code which can be learned through Codeacademy.

Codeacademy: Learning HTML

Hypertext Markup Language, or HTML, is the standard markup language for website content creation. Although it is not considered a programming language, HTML can often be used to develop web page elements, embed links, and format/regulate web documents. HTML is very beginner friendly, like Squarespace, yet lacks dynamic functionality. At Codeacademy, I had the opportunity to build a website using HTML.

WordPress: The Leading CMS

WordPress is the most used CMS in the world. In fact, over 43.3% of websites on the internet are created using WordPress. In its entirety, WordPress allows users to manage important elements of their websites without coding experience. Although it offers many similar features to Squarespace, WordPress is optimal for larger websites with vast amounts of data. As a powerful platform, WordPress is primarily written in PHP, rather than HTML.

Squarespace: Simple and Beautiful

For those interested in quickly building and launching a website, Squarespace is the way to go. Without even needing to write a single line of code, users can choose from a plethora of modern, high-quality designs that won't break the bank. Although Squarespace does not offer an HTML editor within the platform, users have the option to upload HTML from external editors.

Implementing All Three Platforms

For digital marketers wanting to learn how to code and build a website, look no further than these three platforms. Squarespace is a great option for individuals who want to build a website with limited experience. If you are working in a larger company or want the ability to customize your site a bit more, WordPress is optimal. Finally, for those more tech-savvy, learning and implementing HTML will allow you to create custom code and make essentially any change you want to in a content site. Basic knowledge of each of these three platforms will help you understand the science behind website development. Good luck!

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References

1. https://www.codecademy.com/learn
2. https://www.springboard.com/blog/business-and-marketing/why-marketers-should-learn-to-code/
3. https://www.wearemarketing.com/blog/advantages-custom-website-development.html
4. https://www.hostinger.com/tutorials/what-is-html
5. https://kinsta.com/wordpress-market-share/
6. https://www.websitebuilderexpert.com/website-builders/comparisons/squarespace-vs-wordpress/
7. https://wordpress.com/
8. https://www.squarespace.com/