Are Your Digital Marketing Skills Ready for the AI Era?

Welcome to the Digital Marketing & AI Edition of Excel Academy Insights Newsletter November 2026.

Marketing today is not just about managing social pages, running Google Ads or writing good content. AI is changing how we research audiences, plan campaigns, create content and measure results.

Search is changing. Social platforms are more complex. Customers are finding brands in more places than ever. So the real question for leaders is, does your team have the skills to keep up?

This issue is built to help HR, L&D and marketing leaders review where their team stands and plan what to build next.

5 Capabilities Your Marketing Team Needs Now

1. AI-enabled marketing
Knowing how to use AI for research, content and campaign optimisation, with the right human oversight.

2. Search visibility in an AI world
Skills in SEO, paid search and newer approaches like Generative Engine Optimisation or GEO.

3. Social media that actually delivers
Strategy, social video and content that ties back to business results.

4. Marketing analytics and performance
Using tools like GA4 to understand what is working and what to do next.

5. Digital strategy and leadership
Connecting channels, budgets, customer experience and team skills to business goals.

Quick Check: How Ready Is Your Team?

A simple check you can use in your next training discussion. This is not a formal assessment. Score each item: 0 = gap, 1 = still developing, 2 = we can do this well.

1. We use AI effectively and responsibly in our marketing activities.
2. We have the skills to improve search visibility through SEO and GEO.
3. We create engaging content and social media that delivers results.
4. We use data to measure performance and make decisions.
5. We have a clear digital strategy and the skills to execute it.

Add up your score out of 10.

• 0–3: Urgent priority
• 4–7: Strengthen capabilities
• 8–10: Maintain and advance

One team. Different roles. Different learning needs.

A junior marketing executive may need a broad foundation; a social media specialist, deeper platform expertise; a marketing manager, stronger strategic and leadership capabilities. A role-based development plan helps organisations invest in the right skills for 2027 — preparing teams for emerging technologies, changing customer behaviour and new opportunities.

How to Build Those Skills: The DMI Certification Pathway

We work with the Digital Marketing Institute or DMI to offer globally recognised certifications, with local support from Excel Academy. No entry requirements. You can start at the level that fits your role.

DMI Pro

• Best suited to: Marketing executives, generalists and employees building foundational skills.
• Format: PROFESSIONAL | 9 modules | 22 hours
• Assessment: 2-hour computer-based exam, 120 questions
• Focus: Broad, AI-first foundation across digital marketing channels.

Social Media Marketing

• Best suited to: Social media executives, content marketers and social media team leaders.
• Format: SPECIALIST | 10 modules | 27 hours
• Assessment: 2-hour computer-based exam, 100 questions

Search Marketing

• Best suited to: SEO, paid search and performance marketing professionals.
• Format: SPECIALIST | 10 modules | 27 hours
• Assessment: 2-hour computer-based exam, 100 questions

Digital Strategy & Leadership

• Best suited to: Marketing managers preparing for broader strategic and leadership roles.
• Format: SPECIALIST | 10 modules | 32 hours
• Assessment: 2-hour computer-based exam, 100 questions

DMI Expert

• Best suited to: Experienced marketers, senior managers and leaders seeking broad strategic expertise.
• Format: EXPERT | 4 stages | 103 hours
• Assessment: Quizzes 7% • Specialist exam 30% • Strategy proposal 63%

How Learning Works

DMI Pro and the three Specialists:

• Study on the Excel Academy learning portal: all modules, videos and quizzes, plus interactive AI simulations in DMI Pro
• 6 months’ course access, with the exam taken within this period
• 6 months’ DMI Professional Membership

DMI Expert:

• Study on DMI’s own learning platform
• 46 weeks to complete assessments, plus 6 weeks’ content access
• 12 months’ DMI Professional Membership; earn two certificates — DMI Expert plus a Specialist in Search or Social

Every programme includes: DMI Professional Membership gives access to MyDMI premium toolkits, templates, live webinars, self-service exam booking and CPD resources to keep certification current.

Why Enrol Through Excel Academy?

• HRD Corp funding support: Eligible employers apply through their own HRD Corp account; we prepare the documents and submit the course-fee claim after training.
• Registration handled for you: We register learners with DMI, set up access and help resolve login or exam-booking issues.
• A local contact for DMI matters: One Malaysian point of contact, liaising with DMI.
• Competitive local pricing: Ask our sales team for the latest programme fees and corporate pricing.

Not sure which DMI certification suits your team?

Tell us about their roles and goals and we can recommend a pathway.

Our 90-Day Planner: November 2026 to January 2027

We have 19 public programmes scheduled across the next three months at our centres in Petaling Jaya.

This quarter we are covering digital marketing, Excel with AI tools, Power BI, Power Query, payroll and employment law, Canva and applied AI for productivity.

Highlights from this edition include:

• Digital Marketing Masterclass and The B.R.I.D.G.E Method for AI-Powered Content Marketing
• Microsoft Excel and Power BI with AI Tools
• Mastering Malaysian Payroll and Employment Laws with AI
• Claude AI and ChatGPT for Workplace Productivity

The full dates, venues and course details can be viewed inside the newsletter so you have one easy reference to share with your team.

Download the full PDF to get the complete Excel Academy Insights Newsletter November 2026 with all dates and venues.

Want It Run Just For Your Team?

Any programme in the planner can be run as an in-house session. We can run it at your office or at our centre in PJ, on dates that suit your operations, and tailor the content to your policies and real cases.

Sessions are HRD Corp claimable. Please plan ahead as approval is needed 14 days before training.

Industries we work with include financial services, manufacturing, property and real estate, healthcare, logistics and professional services.