Convert - Digital Marketing Course
Learn how to find your audience, launch campaigns, and create loyal customers.
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1) Course Overview
Discover what you'll learn in Convert. Learn more ↓
2) Meet Your Instructors
Get to know your new marketing guides. Learn more ↓
3) Extra Perks
Explore Forge student perks. Learn more ↓
4) All the Details
Learn about dates, deadlines, & tuition. Learn more ↓
Course Overview
Tackle brand strategy in the digital world
Convert is a 9-week introduction to digital marketing that equips students with core marketing principles, skills, and tools. You'll learn about paid and organic social media, search engine and website optimization, email marketing tools, how to build successful pitch decks, and the basics of design.
Through creating a real-world marketing portfolio, you'll learn how to develop a marketing strategy and master the tools you need to bring it to life. Groups of students will work with local small businesses to create these resume-worthy portfolios.
This course is designed for students of all levels, with no prerequisites or prior experience required.
Through creating a real-world marketing portfolio, you'll learn how to develop a marketing strategy and master the tools you need to bring it to life. Groups of students will work with local small businesses to create these resume-worthy portfolios.
This course is designed for students of all levels, with no prerequisites or prior experience required.
Skills You'll Learn
Search Engine Optimization
Copywriting
Google Analytics
Brand Strategy
Explore the past, present, and future of marketing
We'll look at traditional marketing tactics and how they compare to today's latest tools. As the digital world grows and becomes increasingly relevant for day-to-day business operations, companies need more employees than ever to be versed in digital marketing. Convert is a great jumping off point for students looking to explore digital marketing as an interest or as a career path.
I really enjoyed Convert as a crash course in marketing. I would recommend this course to anyone who is looking to explore marketing but doesn't know where to start!
Katie Novak
CONVERT COURSE GRADUATE
Convert taught me a lot about digital marketing, and gave me a chance to apply what I learned to real world marketing projects. Collaborating with groups was fun too, and put into perspective what a career in marketing would look like for me.
Sydney Levine
CONVERT COURSE GRADUATE
Projects You'll Complete
Project 1: Teach a Topic
In this course-long project, students will create and present a slide deck focusing on one topic they find interesting in marketing.
Project 2: Social Justice Marketing
Students will pick a company and choose a social justice / current issue that they think would be valuable for the company to focus on. Examples would include the environment, social justice reform, equitable vaccine rollout, etc. The goal is to come up with a strategy and vision for how the company will become a voice for the issue chosen. Suggested strategy will be compiled into a well organized written report with assets attached.
Project 3: Buzzfeed Challenge
First, students will pick an audience to target by looking at Buzzfeed Community for inspiration. Then, they will write an audience-specific quiz or listicle in a Google doc, and eventually post to see who's article or quick can gain the most views.
Project 4: Side Hustle Branding
Develop a marketing strategy for a side hustle you could start while still in school. Outline what it's all about by creating 8-10 deliverables (emails, posts, landing page, etc.) along with a 4-8 slide deck (pitch & marketing strategy), a logo, and your outline to present for the class.
In this course-long project, students will create and present a slide deck focusing on one topic they find interesting in marketing.
Project 2: Social Justice Marketing
Students will pick a company and choose a social justice / current issue that they think would be valuable for the company to focus on. Examples would include the environment, social justice reform, equitable vaccine rollout, etc. The goal is to come up with a strategy and vision for how the company will become a voice for the issue chosen. Suggested strategy will be compiled into a well organized written report with assets attached.
Project 3: Buzzfeed Challenge
First, students will pick an audience to target by looking at Buzzfeed Community for inspiration. Then, they will write an audience-specific quiz or listicle in a Google doc, and eventually post to see who's article or quick can gain the most views.
Project 4: Side Hustle Branding
Develop a marketing strategy for a side hustle you could start while still in school. Outline what it's all about by creating 8-10 deliverables (emails, posts, landing page, etc.) along with a 4-8 slide deck (pitch & marketing strategy), a logo, and your outline to present for the class.
Meet Your Instructor
Neeka Ahmadiyar
Neeka will be your guide in learning digital marketing this spring. Neeka took Convert herself as a first year college student. The was a Program Coordinator the following semester before taking over teaching last semester. This will be her second semester leading Convert.
Our student teaching model means our courses are constantly changing and improving, enabling you to learn skills that are more up-to-date than what you might learn in a typical classroom.
It also means we can be better mentors and guides for you. We know where you might get stuck and how to guide you through those challenges because we've been in your shoes before. And we know what makes a lesson fun (or extremely boring), so we always design programs that we'd want to participate in ourselves.
Our student teaching model means our courses are constantly changing and improving, enabling you to learn skills that are more up-to-date than what you might learn in a typical classroom.
It also means we can be better mentors and guides for you. We know where you might get stuck and how to guide you through those challenges because we've been in your shoes before. And we know what makes a lesson fun (or extremely boring), so we always design programs that we'd want to participate in ourselves.
95%
of Convert graduates would recommend the course to a friend
150+
students graduated Convert in the last 3 years
Joining the Forge Community
At Forge, we give our people the skills they need to realize their big ideas and a community they can call home. Our courses are a great place to get to know our community, make new friends, and prepare for your future. All of our students get access to exclusive perks and opportunities beyond whatever course they're taking:
Free access to all of our member events
Exclusive community events and jobs
Opportunities for (sometimes paid!) projects to practice your new skills
Priority applications for Launch summer internship program
Dates, Deadlines, and Tuition
Spring 2022 Workshop Schedule
Convert meets in our clubhouse in Charlottesville, every Sunday from 11am-1pm.
This course starts the week of February 13th and continues for 9 weeks.
This course starts the week of February 13th and continues for 9 weeks.
Time Commitment
Courses expect a 4-6 hour/week commitment. Outside of the 2 hours in your online workshop meeting time, you can expect to meet with your instructor weekly for labs (at flexible times) and to spend some time working with your classmates on projects.
Application Process and Deadlines
Spring 2022 applications are closed.
Fall 2022 applications will open this summer.
Fall 2022 applications will open this summer.
$95 Course Fee
This is less than a twelfth of the average cost of a college course*. We also offer reduced payment options on a needs-basis, no questions asked. See below for more information on our financial aid.
*EducationData.org
*EducationData.org
Do you offer financial aid?
We are committed to making our courses accessible to all. We reduce or eliminate the program fee to all students who need it, no questions asked. Our aim is to enable everyone who wants to learn and join the Forge community. This is made possible by $20,000 in generous donations from our alumni network each year.
15% of students receive financial aid from Forge. 54% of aid goes to first-generation college students, and 80% of aid goes to people of color.
15% of students receive financial aid from Forge. 54% of aid goes to first-generation college students, and 80% of aid goes to people of color.
What's your refund policy?
We think you'll love Forge, but if you decide you need to drop, you may request a refund within 10 days of your course's first workshop meeting time. You'll receive a full refund, less a $20 operations fee. Beyond this date, no refunds will be given.
What are your online courses like?
We know how to do online teaching right. Our Skills Courses will be all-online for the foreseeable future to protect the health of our students and instructors. Teaching online is not new for us - we know how to make online courses fun, engaging, and interactive. We know you can't just film a traditional lecture and hope for the best!
Since we've moved our courses online, our student satisfaction ratings haven't changed -- 95% of students would still recommend their course to a friend.
Since we've moved our courses online, our student satisfaction ratings haven't changed -- 95% of students would still recommend their course to a friend.
Do I need to have any background experience to apply?
No, you don't! This course is designed for people with little-to-no background experience.
What's your climate impact?
We donate 1% of all course tuition to carbon removal initiatives around the world. We also power our clubhouse with 100% clean wind and solar power. Learn more.
I have a question that wasn't answered here.
No problem! Reach out to hello@joinforge.co, and/or come to our online Open House to talk to our team and learn more.
"I'm excited to help my students master new skills and gain hands-on experience in the digital marketing field, so they can build their confidence and go on to do great things. My goal is to make this course a fun and welcoming environment, where students can take risks and try new things without feeling intimidating."
- Taylor, Convert Program Lead
- Taylor, Convert Program Lead
Explore Other Forge Programs
⛰ 1% of our membership dues and courses tuition goes toward carbon removal. ⛰ Learn more →
About Forge (formerly HackCville)
Forge is a 501(c)(3) non-profit that prepares students with the modern skills they need to make an impact in the world. Each year, over 1,000 students learn things like design, marketing, and data science through our fun, engaging, community-driven projects and programs. We strive to empower students to realize their own potential while creating opportunities for them to make an impact for good.
In turn, we provide talent to 200+ tech companies, startups, and nonprofits across the country. Our home is our clubhouse near the University of Virginia, but our broader network of 2,000+ spans the globe. More about us →
In turn, we provide talent to 200+ tech companies, startups, and nonprofits across the country. Our home is our clubhouse near the University of Virginia, but our broader network of 2,000+ spans the globe. More about us →
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© 2021 Forge Academy
A 501(c)(3) non-profit
EIN: 46-1626349
A 501(c)(3) non-profit
EIN: 46-1626349