Why You Need to Level Up Your Versatility as a Digital Marketer
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Why You Need to Level Up Your Versatility as a Digital Marketer

AHey! So, we’ve been talking about adding some serious firepower to your digital marketing skills, right? Well, I've got something that might just be the game-changer you need.....

 <!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<style>
  .code-style {
    font-family: 'Courier New', monospace; /
    color: #e63946; 
    background-color: #f1faee; 
    padding: 5px 10px;
    border-radius: 5px;
    border: 1px solid #a8dadc; 
  }
</style>
</head>
<body>

<p style="text-align:center;"><span class="code-style">CODING</span></p>

</body>
</html>        

If you guessed Coding, you're on the money!

Alright, the code snippet you see above was generated with AI and it does a couple of things to the word "coding":

  1. Font and Color: It uses 'Courier New', which is a monospace font—kind of like what you'd see on an old typewriter. This gives it a real techy, code-like feel. The text is colored bright red, making it really pop out against the background.
  2. Background and Border: The background is a soft off-white, which helps the red text stand out even more. Around the text, there’s a light teal border, just to neaten things up and give it a bit of an edge, visually speaking.
  3. Styling: We’ve got some padding around the text and rounded corners. This softens up the look a bit, making it friendly while still keeping that code vibe.
  4. Alignment: The word "CODING" is smack in the middle of your page. It grabs attention because it's right there where you can't miss it.

This is what it would look like...

This website lets you debug your code and test it out whether its css, html, javascript and many more. Try testing some of your own codes out, or even have an AI write some for you to get you started.

Now, hear me out—this isn’t just about tweaking text or changing colors. Imagine being able to alter your website’s layout, adjust features to improve user engagement, or even set up custom functionalities for your campaigns, all on your own. That's the kind of versatility and independence coding brings to the table.

In this blog today, I’ll walk you through why knowing how to code can be such a powerful tool for you as a digital marketer. We'll explore platforms like Codecademy where you can get your feet wet with HTML and CSS, and then dive into how Squarespace and WordPress can empower you to build and manage stunning websites with ease. Plus, we’ll touch on how Pineapple Builder can help you whip up quick prototypes with its no-code solution. So, are you ready to see how these tools can transform your approach and help you create more impactful, personalized marketing experiences? Let’s get into it

Extracted from Giphy

So why should you geek out on coding?

Coding isn't just a technical skill reserved for developers; it's a crucial asset for any digital marketer looking to have a direct impact on campaigns and strategy execution. Let's dive deeper into why coding can be a game-changer in the digital marketing realm.

Immediate Action and Flexibility

Imagine you're running a critical digital marketing campaign. Suddenly, you notice a trend or a unique opportunity that requires quick changes to your website or campaign setup to capture more leads effectively. With coding skills, you don't have to wait for the technical team. You can adjust elements on your landing pages, tweak the layout, or even alter forms to increase conversion rates. This ability to act immediately can be the difference between capitalizing on a fleeting opportunity and missing out.

Enhanced Ability to Experiment

With a fundamental understanding of coding, you can set up and run A/B tests without dependency, allowing for faster iteration and optimization. You can experiment with different call-to-action buttons, change page elements dynamically, and test various user flows. Coding enables you to manipulate these elements directly, which means you can try out new ideas quickly and adapt based on the results.

Deeper Data Insights and Customization

Coding knowledge also enhances your ability to interact with data more effectively. You can write scripts to automate data collection processes, extract more granular insights from analytics platforms, or even create custom dashboards that better represent the metrics most relevant to your campaigns. This deeper dive into data not only helps in making informed decisions but also in presenting and utilizing data in ways that are most impactful.

Cost Efficiency and Resource Management

Knowing how to code can significantly reduce your reliance on external resources. This skill set allows you to manage updates and fixes yourself, cutting down on the cost and time of outsourcing or waiting for internal development teams. This efficiency not only reduces operational costs but also empowers you to manage your resources better, allocating budget to other critical areas of your marketing strategy.

Improved Collaboration with Technical Teams

When you understand coding, your ability to communicate with developers and IT professionals improves dramatically. You gain a better grasp of what’s feasible, how long tasks should take, and the intricacies involved in technical implementations. This knowledge fosters better teamwork and respect, streamlining project workflows and leading to more successful implementations.

Future-Proofing Your Career

As digital marketing evolves, the integration of technical skills with marketing strategies is becoming increasingly important. By learning to code, you're not just improving your current skill set; you're also future-proofing your career. As more companies look for marketers who can bridge the gap between technical and creative roles, having coding skills can set you apart from your peers, opening up new career opportunities and paths.

Extracted from Giphy

Wait, before we go any further, let us first dive into some of the different tools we can leverage to our advantage.

How to Use These Tools in Your Marketing

Start with the Basics

First up, it’s good to have a basic understanding of coding, even just the fundamentals. Platforms like Codecademy are perfect for this. Knowing a little about how coding works helps you make smarter decisions about which tool to use depending on what your project needs.

When Speed and Design Matter

If you’ve got a project where design is key and you need to move quickly, Squarespace can be your go-to. It’s straightforward, looks professional, and you can set things up in no time. It's ideal for creating good-looking landing pages or promotional sites when you're racing against the clock.

For More Tailored Needs

When your campaign needs that personal touch, WordPress is the tool to reach for. It’s incredibly versatile with tons of plugins and themes that let you tweak almost every aspect of your site. Whether it’s a blog, a company website, or something unique, WordPress lets you get in there and make it your own.

Quick Tests and Prototypes

And let's not forget about testing your ideas. Pineapple Builder is great for this. It lets you throw together a prototype fast so you can test out your concepts with real users without a big investment. It’s all about making quick adjustments based on feedback, which can save you a ton of time and hassle later.

By understanding and using no code and low code tools smartly, you can streamline your work, add more flair to your projects, and get better results from your marketing efforts. It's all about picking the right tool for the job and knowing how to use them to your advantage.

Extracted from Giphy

Codecademy: Building the Foundation

  1. What it offers: Codecademy’s "Learn HTML" course is an excellent start for beginners. It guides you through the essentials of structuring a webpage using HTML and adding style with CSS. Think of HTML as the skeleton of your webpage—it holds everything in place—while CSS is like the clothing—it makes everything look good.
  2. Why it’s useful: This base knowledge is super important. It helps you see exactly how tweaking the code changes the look and feel of your site, making it more user-friendly or visually appealing. But there’s more—Codecademy also has JavaScript courses. Learning JavaScript means you can start adding more dynamic elements to your pages, like interactive forms and sliders that enhance user engagement.

The left side details the function of the
This image continues from the HTML tutorial, focusing on the use of unordered lists (
Start this course now, and before you know it, you will be zooming through it.

Squarespace: Simplified Web Design

  1. What it offers: Squarespace keeps things sleek and simple with designer-made templates that are also optimized for mobile users. It’s all about dragging and dropping elements where you need them, which is great for visualizing as you go.
  2. Why it’s useful: For marketers, especially if you’re in a rush to get a visually stunning site up, Squarespace is a lifesaver. You don’t need to mess around with code—it’s all about focusing on creating a compelling aesthetic and filling your site with great content. It’s the go-to for projects where presentation is key and you need to make an impact fast.

I have never seen this feature before so I decided to try it and share with you my experience.
ClickBaitCoder is not a real site, just an example used in this demo.
As you can see, the website builder guides you through sets of questions used to determine the sections, elements and designs to be used in the creation of your page
You can go as far as customizing the pages you want.
Picking preset color palettes for your site, which you can always change.
Then finally, it asks you to write a brief description of your site, which it will use to start generating all the copy on your pages.

End Result:

This totally exceeded my expectations!

WordPress: The Customization King

  1. What it offers: WordPress is a powerhouse for creating a highly customized site thanks to its vast array of themes and plugins. You can start simple and scale up, adding functionalities like SEO tools or social media feeds as needed.
  2. Why it’s useful: If your marketing needs are specific—say you need a site that does something a bit out of the ordinary—WordPress lets you tweak it to your heart’s content. A bit of coding knowledge here lets you modify themes and plugins to better align with your strategic goals, giving you a site that not only looks unique but also performs exactly how you need it to.

The image showcases the WordPress dashboard for the North Cascades Bluegrass Festival, highlighting its extensive customization capabilities. The dashboard displays notifications for plugin installations and updates, such as Elementor and HubSpot, which enhance site functionality and design. Tools like WPBakery Page Builder offer drag-and-drop features that simplify page construction, demonstrating WordPress's flexibility in tailoring site aesthetics and operations. The dashboard also prompts the installation of plugins for event management, crucial for efficiently handling ticket sales and attendee tracking, underscoring WordPress's adaptability to specific needs like those of a festival website. Overall, this snapshot illustrates how WordPress allows for deep customization and efficient site management, ensuring a tailored and smooth user experience.

Pineapple Builder: The No-Code Solution

  1. What it offers: Pineapple Builder is all about making things happen fast. It’s a no-code tool, which means you’re putting together web pages without touching a line of code—just moving pieces around until it looks right.
  2. Why it’s useful: When there’s a need for speed, like prototyping a new product page or launching a time-sensitive campaign, Pineapple Builder is your best friend. It’s incredibly user-friendly and lets you get something functional up and running quickly, so you can test and tweak with real user feedback without any delays.

I entered the same prompt that was entered into Squarespace to compare the results each website yielded.
A few questions later and I was presented with a completed webpage. The questions were aimed at understanding my business, my target market, writing style amongst other specific business-related inquiries.

Integrating These Tools into Your Marketing Strategy

Now, how do you make all these tools work for you in marketing? Well, start with learning the basics through Codecademy. This gives you the insight to pick the right tool for each job. Use Squarespace when design and time are your top priorities—get that stunning site live fast. When you need your site to perform very specific tasks, go deep with WordPress and customize it to exactly what your campaign needs. And for those quick tests and rapid changes? Pineapple Builder lets you iterate on the fly.

By knowing what each platform can do and having some coding skills to back it up, you’re setting yourself up to be a much more effective and versatile digital marketer. You’re not just waiting on the sidelines—you’re getting in the game, making changes in real time, and driving your projects forward with confidence.

Extracted from Giphy

No Code vs. Low Code: What's the Difference?

  • No Code Platforms Think of no code platforms like Pineapple Builder as the quick and easy way to get things done. They're perfect if you need to launch a project fast and don't want to get tangled up in coding. These platforms are super user-friendly—you just drag and drop elements to build your project. It’s like putting together a puzzle with all the pieces ready to go. This is great for when you're on a tight schedule or if you're not too keen on diving deep into tech details.
  • Low Code Platforms Now, low code platforms such as WordPress are a bit different. They give you templates and tools that handle most of the tech-heavy stuff, but if you know a bit of HTML or CSS, you can really dial in the customization. It’s a bit like having a semi-prepped meal where you can add your own spices to taste. It's great for projects where you want to put a unique stamp on things without building everything from scratch.


And there you have it! We've taken a closer look at some fantastic platforms that every digital marketer should be familiar with, each offering unique benefits depending on your needs. From building a solid foundation with Codecademy, where you can learn the ropes of HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, to crafting beautiful, ready-to-publish websites with Squarespace's user-friendly design tools. For those needing tailored functionalities, WordPress stands out as the customization king, allowing for detailed personal tweaks. And when speed is of the essence, Pineapple Builder is the go-to for whipping up quick prototypes without a hitch.

Whether you’re diving into coding to enhance your digital marketing skills, looking to streamline your workflow, or just exploring ways to bring your creative visions to life more efficiently, these platforms have something to offer. Thanks for sticking with me through this exploration. I hope you found these insights helpful and feel inspired to experiment with these tools in your own marketing strategies. Here’s to creating, experimenting, and optimizing as we forge ahead in the exciting world of digital marketing!


Want to learn more about Digital Marketing and all that it entails? See if any of the blogs below interest you.

Next-Gen Analytics: Mastering GA4

Uncovering the Secret Sauce of Online Success

From Bids to Big Bucks: How to Make Your Clicks Count

SEO for Dummies: Your Comprehensive Guide to Mastering SEO

Baiting the Hook: Strategies for Effective Inbound and Content Marketing


Sources:

https://www.computerscience.org/resources/what-is-coding-used-for/

https://www.w3schools.com/css/css_intro.asp

https://www.w3schools.com/html/html_intro.asp

https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Learn/JavaScript/First_steps/What_is_JavaScript

https://www.simplilearn.com/best-programming-languages-start-learning-today-article

https://www.appcues.com/blog/increase-user-engagement

https://www.bigcommerce.com/glossary/marketing-campaigns/

https://www.codecademy.com/

https://www.squarespace.com/

https://www.pineapplebuilder.com/index

https://www.nocode.tech/article/what-skills-do-you-need-to-build-with-no-code

https://coschedule.com/marketing-strategy/marketing-execution

https://www.podium.com/article/how-to-effectively-capture-leads-8-proven-ways/

https://vwo.com/ab-testing/

https://www.codecademy.com/learn/learn-html

https://rockcontent.com/blog/user-friendly-website/

https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/marketing-examples-online-resources

https://www.semrush.com/blog/wordpress-seo-plugins/?kw=&cmp=US_SRCH_DSA_Blog_EN&label=dsa_pagefeed&Network=g&Device=c&utm_content=683861103836&kwid=dsa-2263819780519&cmpid=18348486859&agpid=156312208213&BU=Core&extid=121431291612&adpos=&gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjw6PGxBhCVARIsAIumnWbsw9WAqNIfyPgcZiZa0xgTYDqwAa5tmirPxNHwLn54RY8ez3CWOukaAueHEALw_wcB

https://blog.hubspot.com/sales/prototyping

https://stackoverflow.com/questions/211958/iterating-through-list-and-creating-summary-lines-on-the-fly

Mark Staton, PhD

Associate Professor Of Marketing at Western Washington University

9 个月

Fantastic blog, Karhum!

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