Shania Ambros

I wanted to expand my knowledge in web marketing with a more holistic approach to funnel optimization and brand storytelling. Since my day job is in site merchandising while my freelancing scope is with service-based small businesses, I wanted to gain digital marketing skills that benefit the best of both worlds while developing a robust approach towards web optimization and ad marketing.

My background is in web design, development, and UI/UX so I naturally look for answers to the "why" and "how" of developing digital experiences. Before I took this course, I knew my artistic eye was very limited. I could design for myself, but my branding or media strategy would be a pass or miss with stakeholders. Taking the Digital Marketing Course led by Ceilidh was such an empowering experience that clicked with my analytical and technical strengths. I no longer felt like I needed to push myself to become a better visual designer as a creative and the digital marketing funnel had so much more clarity.

First things first, I LOVE the fact Ceilidh shares spreadsheets that (1) utilizes formulas to cut down prep work and (2) can be used multiple times, no matter what project I'm doing. Though my favorite thing has to be the way Ceilidh connects business, target audience, and storytelling from campaigns and content creation to data visualization and reporting.

Journal your progress. Whether you're posting your journey on social media or writing case studies for your portfolio, you have multiple ways to connect with potential clients, employers, and collaborators. When you get burnt out or lost, you can lose your reason as to why you learned those new skills and what motivated you to use it. Building your community and recognizing your learning milestones honestly provide such a soothing confidence boost when you're navigating career changes.

I felt more comfortable shifting my freelancing title from Web Design x SEO Strategist to Web Marketer. This has given me the clarity and confidence to rework my freelancing model to de-prioritize design services, and hone in on providing design systems and marketing technology resources for non-technical teams in small businesses.