Google Digital Garage, free digital marketing training and certification

A lot of the information included in Digital Garage is not relevant to myself as a writer, because I don’t have a business – or do I?

If you have read the ‘About’ me section on my blog, you will appreciate what a technophobe I am. However, as a blogger, I am interested in reaching people who may be interested in the same things as myself. I admit that my ego is massaged when I get notification of a new follower or a like (come on, we all like positive attention, don’t we?)

I like to comment on other bloggers pages; if I am sufficiently piqued or irked! There are some truly amazing people in the world and blogging provides an, albeit connection to them and their ideas. I mean, think about it – I live in England, and someone in New Zealand reads my blog!!! That’s when technology is f***ing amazing !

Google’s Digital Garage has given me some tools to reach a greater audience; like I did not know, for example, that you had to put text with your photographs because search bots can’t ‘read’ pictures! Okay, so you did – you’re probably 30 years younger than me then.

So back to – I don’t have a business – or do I?

Yes I do, unfortunately. As a writer, who wants to get my stories published it is not enough any-more to simply – write – edit – get MS accepted by publishing house – print – make money. Do you know how many books are published each year? Even in your own country? Me neither, but it’s A LOT! ( Bowker reports that over one million (1,052,803) books were published in the U.S. in 2009). You cannot simply write and expect your creation to make it’s own way in the world, it needs a helping hand.

And what if you aren’t a writer or you do not run a business? Well, you probably spend a large part of your time on a computer somewhere in the world, and a few lessons in a previously unexplored area will keep the little grey cells ticking over!

Why Digital Garage could be for you:

• The course is free!
• All you need is a Google Account or you can simply sign up online at Google Digital Garage
• At the end of lesson, there is a little test. At the end of each topic there is a quiz.
• You can do as much or as little as you want; it’s all under your control.
• 23 topics broken down into 89 lessons; including useful subjects such as ‘Your online presence’, ‘Make search work for you’, ‘Get noticed locally’.
• Each lesson is delivered as a very short online video. Accompanied by a transcript.
• It isn’t overly technical (I had absolutely no clue what SEO was before)
• It’s a good starting point if you’re new to all things digital and the online space.
• It could actually help you in you in the workplace; or help you promote your blog or book.

However, being the lazy individual I am – no, I’ll rephrase that… being the distracted yet multi-tasking individual I am, it is taking me longer than it should to work through this training, but hey, isn’t that the point?! So give it a go; Boost your digital knowledge today!