Digital marketing moves faster than ever before. It’s full of career paths for the analytical and creative types. SEO, social media marketing, email marketing, and data analysis are just a few of the many channels through which brands can touch people online. The good news? There isn’t one “right” place to start. Some start with copywriting, others with public relations, or blogging. Then they branch out into a more focused area.
So how do you get into digital marketing? And what’s a marketer’s job, anyway? Let’s have a closer look.
What is digital marketing?
Digital marketing is the creation of digital content to communicate with your audience and sell products or services. This includes:
- Social Media Management
- Content Marketing and Blogging
- SEO (Search Engine Optimization) and PPC Advertising
- Email Marketing
- Affiliate Marketing
- Video, Podcasting, and User-Generated Content
- Analytics and Campaign Measurement
Most people study other professions before specializing in marketing because the field is broad.
How to Get Into Marketing
Marketing is not for all, and it is not always necessary to study the subject. Employers want actual experience, skills, and originality more than paper qualifications. A degree or certification will however set your CV apart.
The following are six tried and proven ways of starting a career in marketing.
1. Training and Tools
The internet world is changing, and the solution is constant learning. You can learn SEO, Google Analytics, content planning, and social advertising through social media without spending a penny. Check out Google Digital Garage, HubSpot Academy, and LinkedIn Learning.
Your employers wish to see evidence of what you can do. Your portfolio should consist of project completion, your process, your imagination, and your results. A few instances are:
- Social media campaigns that you led
- Blog articles or newsletters that you wrote
- SEO campaigns with measurable traffic boost
- Ads or visuals you created for branding (logo design, poster design)
Start your own project if you have no work experience. You can start a blog, a niche Instagram account, or even a podcast. Keep track of your metrics of growth and include them as evidence of your commitment.
2. Get work experience
Internships, graduate schemes, and apprenticeships are all great opportunities to learn in work. Volunteering for small businesses or charities is great. You can volunteer to help with SEO, email marketing, or social media. This will give you real results to place on your CV. It will also get you in front of people working within your industry.
3. Have a good CV
Recruiters only spend a few seconds reading resumes, so clarity is key. Focus on technical marketing skills first, like SEO, analytics, and campaign management. Then, highlight transferable skills like writing, design, or sales. Use metrics when possible. “25% increase in engagement” is much more powerful than vague descriptions.
4. Network strategically
Attend marketing conferences, industry associations, and maintain a LinkedIn profile. Engage in conversation, leave comments, and post on groups like Reddit’s Big SEO to get noticed.
5. Create your own channels
One of the best ways to learn is by doing. Create your own social media site, YouTube channel, or podcast.
Having your own personal brand teaches you about content creation, audience building, and measurement. It’s also an actual case study to discuss when you interview.
What marketing work do you do?
Your day-to-day activities will vary depending on specialty and position. However, most marketers get to do some combination of the following:
- Analytics: Tracking metrics for improving strategy.
- Advertising: Creating and executing campaigns on platforms such as Google Ads or Facebook Ads.
- Collaboration: Coordinating with designers, developers, and sales teams to keep the brand consistent.
The majority of the marketers specialize later. For example, they may be SEO consultants, social media managers, marketing consultants, or analysts. Others are great generalists and do a bit of everything for small businesses or startups.
Why Now Is the Ideal Time to Enter into Digital Marketing
Demand for digital marketers continues to be greater than ever. Industry news says that jobs like SEO specialist, digital marketing manager, and content strategist are wanted. The jobs are among the most required in the world. Employers need graduates who have digital knowledge. The skills gap is costing the economy billions of dollars each year. Salaries vary based on the job and experience. In the United States, entry-level salaries start between $45,000 and $65,000, managers and experts earn more.
Final Thoughts
Digital marketing entry is not through the conventional route. It requires. curiosity, creativity, and a desire to learn forever. To succeed in this fast-growing field, do the following:
- Study the fundamentals
- Test the software
- Create a strong portfolio
- Collaborate with fellow experts
By performing all this, you’ll be on your way to success in no time. Whatever your expertise may be in analytics, strategy, or creativity, online marketing demands your services.