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Digital Advertising Strategy SpecializationUniversity of Colorado BoulderWhat you will learn
Understand the major advertising platforms, including: display, video, audio, sponsored, native, social media, search and programmatic.
Execute tailored digital advertising campaigns on: Google Ads (Search), Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Taboola.
Interpret ad performance metrics for most popular advertising types and develop measurement plans for a business given an objective.
Earn the Google Ads Search Certification.
Skills you will gain
About this Specialization
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This specialization takes a critical look at digital advertising tactics for small business. Students will learn how to generate and launch ad campaigns on small budgets with limited-to-no design skills. These courses include: 1) search (Google Ads), 2) social media (Facebook, Instagram and Twitter) and 3) native advertising (Taboola). Students who complete our search course will also gain a résumé credential through the official Google Ads Search Certification and a certification through programmatic advertising leader, The Trade Desk.
Shareable Certificate
Earn a Certificate upon completion
100% online courses
Start instantly and learn at your own schedule.
Flexible Schedule
Set and maintain flexible deadlines.
Beginner Level
1) Students should have strong web skills. Do you work at your computer often and enjoy everything but the carpal tunnel? While the platforms and tools we leverage for this specialization don’t require computer programming or a technical degree, strong computing skills always translate into success. If you’re “good with computers,” you’re technical enough for this course.
2) Students should be curious when it comes to digital ads. Do you notice the advertisements you see online? Do you have opinions on whether an ad was good or bad, or relevant to you or not? Are you interested in thinking critically about how these ads might be used for business objectives? If so, you’ve got the right disposition that will allow you to learn a lot about the digital advertising ecosystem, and you’re a great fit for the subject matter here in this course.
Approx. 5 months to complete
Suggested 2 hours/week
English
Subtitles: English, French, Portuguese (Brazilian), Russian, Spanish
Shareable Certificate
Earn a Certificate upon completion
100% online courses
Start instantly and learn at your own schedule.
Flexible Schedule
Set and maintain flexible deadlines.
Beginner Level
1) Students should have strong web skills. Do you work at your computer often and enjoy everything but the carpal tunnel? While the platforms and tools we leverage for this specialization don’t require computer programming or a technical degree, strong computing skills always translate into success. If you’re “good with computers,” you’re technical enough for this course.
2) Students should be curious when it comes to digital ads. Do you notice the advertisements you see online? Do you have opinions on whether an ad was good or bad, or relevant to you or not? Are you interested in thinking critically about how these ads might be used for business objectives? If so, you’ve got the right disposition that will allow you to learn a lot about the digital advertising ecosystem, and you’re a great fit for the subject matter here in this course.
Approx. 5 months to complete
Suggested 2 hours/week
English
Subtitles: English, French, Portuguese (Brazilian), Russian, Spanish
There are 4 Courses in this Specialization
Introduction to the Digital Advertising Landscape
214 ratings
The digital advertising landscape is complex. There are many different types of ads, including: display, video, audio, sponsored, native, social media and search. Consumer data and the ad tech that action on that data are both ubiquitous and complicated. As a result the sheer number of options available to digital marketers is hard to comprehend and manage. This course covers the major forms of digital advertising, from basic display ads to search to cutting-edge programmatic advertising concepts. The Trade Desk, the leading programmatic advertising provider, joins us as our programmatic experts and offers an actionable roadmap on how small businesses can leverage state of the art advertising technologies to accomplish business objectives. In all, this course leaves students with an understanding of digital advertising in its various forms, and how to strategically identify digital advertising opportunities.
Search Advertising
53 ratings
Consumers search for virtually everything. This includes the things that small businesses do, from restaurants to bespoke products. When consumers search they get organic results along with paid results. Paid search ads are systematically designed to be relevant. As a result, they’re often useful at getting consumers where they want to go. Consumers don’t tune out paid search like other types of digital ads.
Social Media Advertising
213 ratings
Social media platforms are driven by digital advertising. As a result, social media advertising is affordable and can be purchased at almost any budget. Targeting options in social media advertising are also sophisticated. It is possible to tailor ads around a user’s behaviors (e.g., likes, posts and clicks). This course unpacks small business use cases of Facebook, Instagram and Twitter advertising. From basic campaigns, to advanced techniques including lookalike modeling and audience retargeting, this course shows how to effectively advertise on three major social media platforms.
Native Advertising
30 ratings
Native advertising is a niche form of advertising that leverages the design and format of news and entertainment content. Native advertising is less about selling products and more about producing useful content for consumers who are in the ‘consideration’ phase of the advertising purchase funnel. Often in the form of news-like stories, native advertising has been shown to persuade consumers. Native advertising is affordable, and doesn’t require graphic design to get started. For these reasons, it’s a compelling advertising technique for small businesses. This course outlines a case study where a small travel startup used native advertising to drive hotel sales. Execution strategies for a successful, no-creative native campaign are laid out, including: gathering existing news coverage, ethical content seeding, and content generation.
Offered by
University of Colorado Boulder
CU-Boulder is a dynamic community of scholars and learners on one of the most spectacular college campuses in the country. As one of 34 U.S. public institutions in the prestigious Association of American Universities (AAU), we have a proud tradition of academic excellence, with five Nobel laureates and more than 50 members of prestigious academic academies.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the refund policy?
If you subscribed, you get a 7-day free trial during which you can cancel at no penalty. After that, we don’t give refunds, but you can cancel your subscription at any time. See our full refund policy.
Can I just enroll in a single course?
Yes! To get started, click the course card that interests you and enroll. You can enroll and complete the course to earn a shareable certificate, or you can audit it to view the course materials for free. When you subscribe to a course that is part of a Specialization, you’re automatically subscribed to the full Specialization. Visit your learner dashboard to track your progress.
Is financial aid available?
Yes, Coursera provides financial aid to learners who cannot afford the fee. Apply for it by clicking on the Financial Aid link beneath the "Enroll" button on the left. You'll be prompted to complete an application and will be notified if you are approved. You'll need to complete this step for each course in the Specialization, including the Capstone Project. Learn more.
Can I take the course for free?
When you enroll in the course, you get access to all of the courses in the Specialization, and you earn a certificate when you complete the work. If you only want to read and view the course content, you can audit the course for free. If you cannot afford the fee, you can apply for financial aid.
Is this course really 100% online? Do I need to attend any classes in person?
This course is completely online, so there’s no need to show up to a classroom in person. You can access your lectures, readings and assignments anytime and anywhere via the web or your mobile device.
How long does it take to complete the Specialization?
This specialization should take about 20 weeks to complete.
What background knowledge is necessary?
Prospective learners in this specialization should have strong web skills and be curious when it comes to digital ads.
Do I need to take the courses in a specific order?
No. It's recommended that prospective learners complete the first course, "Introduction to the Digital Advertising Landscape", first. The next three courses are deeper dives in three particular types of digital advertising: search, social, and native. Learners can take these courses in order or pick and choose depending on interest.
Will I earn university credit for completing the Specialization?
No.
What will I be able to do upon completing the Specialization?
Upon completing this specialization, you will have a familiarity with the different types of digital advertising that can be used by small businesses to target potential customers and generate more revenue. You will be able to generate and launch ad campaigns on small budgets with limited-to-no design skills.
More questions? Visit the Learner Help Center.
