How to become A Digital Marketer

• Digital Marketing Executive
• Digital Marketing Manager
• Search Engine Optimizer - SEO Executive
• Social Media Marketing Expert
• Digital Marketing Copywriter
• E-Commerce Marketing Manager
• Inbound Marketing Manager
• Market Research Analyst

What do Digital Marketers do?

A Digital Marketer would typically need to:

• Conduct keyword research and web statistics reporting to create and upload copy and images for the organization’s website
• Design website banners and assist with web visuals, paid media, and liaising with digital advertising agencies
• Manage team members as well as the contact database while assisting with lead generation activities to develop projects
• Contact, interview, and hire third-party graphic designers, web designers, and videographers to create unique and engaging online content such as clickbait, forums, videos, graphics, and blogs
• Monitor and analyze content success; use web analytics software to monitor client websites’ performance and make recommendations for improvement
• Develop, integrate and manage link building strategies and content Marketing strategies
• Provide clients, affiliate networks, affiliate partners and company management with accurate reports and analysis to demonstrate effective return on investment (ROI)
• Research new online media opportunities, including mobile, social media, development of blogs and forums, that may benefit the business
• Contribute to social media engagement and brand awareness campaigns by managing e-communications and the company’s and industry’s blogs
• Innovate and present new Marketing platforms and strategies and negotiate with media suppliers to achieve the best price for clients
• Develop and implement Search Engine Optimization (SEO), Search Engine Marketing (SEM) and (Pay-Per-Click) PPC strategies to increase awareness of the company’s products and services by attracting traffic to the company’s website
• Use Google Analytics, Google AdWords, and other relevant sites to analyze and drive traffic to company pages
• Keep abreast of current digital trends as well as attend networking events and product launches.

Stiff competition requires you to be flexible in terms of geographical location. The role is largely office-based with a lot of communication via phone, email, and conference calls.

Since most of the work is online, Digital Marketers do not have day-to-day customer interaction. Flexi-time and some amount of work from home may be possible. A smart/smart casual dress code is the norm unless otherwise specified. Travel may be required, especially in agency roles where visits to clients are an essential part of the job.

Working hours are typically 37 to 40 hours per week, although hours will increase during large-scale Marketing campaigns and project work. Part-time work may be an option.

Digital Marketers find employment in all fields. Those employed by a Marketing Agency handle projects and marketing contracts outsourced by companies. Large and medium-sized organizations have an in-house Marketing and communications department offering traditional and Digital Marketing services. Significant experience may translate into increased contacts and a shot at independent consultancy. Recruitment agencies offer short-term contracts, as well.

Digital Marketers are generally employed by:

• Large & Medium-Sized Companies
• Marketing & Communications Departments of Organizations
• Marketing Agencies

Professional associations and organizations are a crucial resource for those interested in pursuing professional development or connecting with like-minded professionals in their industry or occupation. Membership in one or more looks excellent on your resume to bolster your credentials and qualifications as a Digital Marketer.

• Getting and retaining clients in the face of stiff competition and managing increasingly demanding clients who hold unrealistic expectations with limited understanding of the process and are impatient for the next media mention
• Attracting top-shelf talent in the wake of a small pool of qualified candidates
• More fly-by-night freelancers who do not deliver and rise of remote workers you cannot keep useful tabs on
• Getting results and publicity in the face of a time-consuming and unpredictable media pitching process

Undergraduate Marketing placements and internships with large graduate recruiters are highly competitive. It requires thorough research into the companies and significant investment into your application.

To get local work experience, consider contacting the Marketing departments of companies, Digital Marketing Agencies, and charities.

While a graduate degree in Internet Marketing or a related area may lead to a career as a Digital Marketer, aspirants usually need a master’s degree in Digital Marketing, Integrated Marketing with a Digital Marketing concentration, communications, website development, and design.

A strong online profile, such as a blog, website, connections, and interactions on various social media platforms, will attest to your genuine interest in the intensely competitive field. Established Marketers looking to specialize in the digital space may find a certificate course in Digital Marketing useful. Certificate programs are available for graduates with a master's degree in general Marketing.

Certification from an objective and reputed organization can demonstrate competency in a skill or set of skills, help you stand out in a competitive job market and increase your chances for a promotion or advancement.

Certification demonstrates a Digital Marketer’s competency in a set of skills typically through work experience, training, the passage of an examination, or some combination of the three.

As a rookie, your immediate prospects depend on the size and type of organization you work for. Due to the fast-changing and developing nature of the Digital Marketing sector, the more experience you gain early on, the more likely it is to progress into more senior roles.

There are several opportunities for Digital Marketers to progress in their career. They may include a focus on a particular digital channel or movement into a senior position such as Digital Marketing Manager or Director.

The next steps may include Senior Digital Marketing Executive, Digital Content Manager, Head of Digital, SEO Manager, PPC (Pay Per Click) Manager, Freelance Brand Management, or setting up your own online Marketing company.

From freelancing to agencies to in-house professionals, companies will always be looking for candidates who specialized in Digital Marketing, from content creation to email Marketing to analytics.

You will receive on-the-job training in the Digital Marketing tools used by the company, including Google Analytics and Facebook Insights, Adobe Creative Cloud, Google AdWords, and MailChimp.

Companies with Marketing training schemes usually offer a structured continuing professional development (CPD) program and in-house training.

Practical skills in SEO and social media management will help you garner professional mileage. Some companies will provide financial support to employees undertaking certifications at institutions that offer more formal training.

Advancement comes in the wake of mastering a different skill set. A Director-level role becomes more about setting out strategy and showing how a hands-on role can become a strategic one over the course of time and experience.

Hopeful Digital

Marketers should be selective about the route they take, finding a specialty that suits them, and getting to know that area very well to be competitive in the job niche. However, since you will help develop the organization’s multi-channel communication strategies, you may be sometimes required to work across several areas or specialize in a few, depending on the size and requirements of your employer.

You will be expected to attend product trade shows, launches, and other networking events. You are key to digital product demonstrations. A good Digital Marketer works seamlessly with the rest of the Marketing team and ensures all online activity complements offline efforts.

Search ads can increase brand awareness by 80 percent, and display advertising has proven to increase traffic to a website by 300 percent.

The best Digital Marketing should feel like a natural conversation, not an intrusion. You must understand and know your audience intimately. When your brand tells a great story, consumers begin to trust and like you. That emotional response is key to conversion. Consumers want to find solutions and build relationships; the Digital Marketing brand that can educate and inform will sell naturally. Either write something worth reading or do something worth writing about.

Take a risk and keep testing, because what works today won’t work tomorrow, but what worked yesterday may work again.