Many of us bloggers bring professionalism to our blogs. We manage them as if they were full-time jobs, we network, we plan and we learn on a daily basis. But, there aren’t many schools offering courses in digital professions. Luckily the new Digital Professional Institute at Tribeca Flashpoint does exactly that. We sat down with Avi Levine, Executive Director to learn more about DPI.
PLEASE TELL US ABOUT THE DIGITAL PROFESSIONAL INSTITUTE
The Digital Professional Institute offers hands-on, execution oriented training in Digital Marketing, Social Media, and Video & Post-Production. Our core courses are 10-weeks, once per week at our campus in downtown Chicago. We also host workshops, day-long trainings and custom corporate trainings. Our classes are taught by leading industry experts at the campus of our parent company, Tribeca Flashpiont Academy, in downtown Chicago.
Our Brand Promise is that you will walk away from our trainings not just informed, but able to DO. Able to execute across multiple digital channels and platforms. Able to speak the language of digital/social/video and confidently evaluate potential partners, service providers and employees. And able to prioritize which digital channels are right for your business.
WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING FORWARD TO THIS YEAR FOR DPI?
Our courses have been awesome so far, with a ton of energy from our instructors and engagement from our students. It’s been a lot of fun, and we look forward to a bunch of courses throughout the year, as well as workshops, day long trainings and other events. This is about building confidence, telling stories, and rolling up your sleeves to make things happen. We’re completely energized by the different reasons people take our courses and how they apply their knowledge.
WHY DO YOU LIKE WORKING WITH BLOGGERS?
Bloggers are the ultimate in boots-on-the-ground, DIYers who have taken advantage of the digital revolution to reach a wide audience. With blogging, not only are you creating incredible content, but you are in a constant search for the best ways to reach the right audience and (possibly) generate an income doing so. Bloggers inspire us by how scrappy they are in learning new tricks, applying new knowledge and mastering an array of skills – from communications to design to marketing to programming – to bring their voice to life online. We hope that our trainings can help them achieve their goals as quickly as possible.
HOW CAN BLOGGERS BE A GOOD PARTNER FOR DPI?
We like to think we know a thing or two about this space, and we are always looking to share our expertise and that of others. We are in the business of education, and a huge part of that business means offering the best content to interested learners. We have a number of opportunities to feature bloggers on our site, whether it’s to offer tips and insights in Digital, Social or Video, or simply to share a story about how they’ve leveraged digital channels to build their audience and their brand.
WHAT TRENDS DO YOU SEE TAKING OFF THIS NEXT YEAR IN THE DIGITAL MEDIA SPACE?
Video is huge and getting huger (is huger a word???). In 2013, over 100 HOURS of user generated content was uploaded to YouTube alone every MINUTE and that number grows. Video drives greater engagement, higher click throughs and more social interactions. It’s also a much more trusted form of review than simply commenting on a product. The video experts at TFA offer courses through DPI in Video and Post-Production (editing, graphics, etc.) and we have a really neat five day course called “Creating Web Video” that is a must for anyone promoting a product or service online (so pretty much everyone).
WHAT IS YOUR ADVICE FOR OUR MEMBERS WHO ARE LOOKING TO HAVE A CAREER IN DIGITAL MEDIA AND/OR DIGITAL MARKETING
This industry is all about what you can DO. Can you manage multiple digital channels? Can you create digital assets across multiple platforms using a variety of tools? Can you tie your company’s goals and objectives into a strategy that best uses all of the opportunities available in the digital tool box? 5 years ago, Digital was about blasting an email and peppering key words all over your website. Social was non-existent. Today, there are countless tools and tactics to use across many fragmented platforms, and your customers expect to interact with you across a variety of mediums. If you want to work in the space, you better understand it!
ANY OTHER ADVICE FOR BLOGGERS?
Keep at it! So much changes in the digital arena so quickly that it can feel overwhelming. But, to use a very overused phrase, “content is king” and you’re the vehicle for content. So if you believe in what you’re doing and you are wise enough to know what you can do best and what you need help from others to do, you’ll be fine. And whether it’s taking courses at the Digital Professional Institute or choosing the right partners to help you as you grow, the knowledge is out there and available, so take advantage!
Get more info and sign up for a course in Social Media, Digital Marketing and/or Video for Web at dpi.tfa.edu and follow DPI on Facebook & Twitter!