Want to kick-start your career in Digital Marketing? This article should point you in the right direction to do so.
Like in any given company, the main goal is profit, i.e. reaching the adequate target group and selling your service or product to the majority.
Although this sounds simple enough at first glance, there is much more to it; getting from point A which is the idea of a product, to point B which is the sale, involves an intricate process of promotion. With such a rapid advance of technology, digital marketing has become the dominant medium.
The consumer society has evolved as well, and marketing strategies need to keep up. Being a digital marketer means that you’ll need to integrate your creativity into the incessantly progressing world of technology.
If you feel you can write enticing copy, make long-term marketing plans and spend some time interacting with customers on social media, you’re at the right place. Keep reading to find out about all the skills and tools you need to have a successful and fulfilling career in social media marketing.
Most popular digital marketing jobs
The term ’digital marketing’ doesn’t mean that the work it includes is not diverse. Learning the basics will set you on the path along which you can choose the niche that will be most compatible with your skills and affinities.
A content strategist and marketing manager can make between $70 000 and $80 000 a year, and an SEO specialist and social media manager around $50 000. The yearly salary of a digital marketing manager can go up to $70 000, while the branded content manager makes approximately $60 000.
However, no matter how many different job titles might be involved, the basics are still pretty much the same. Therefore, learning the essential skills is well worth the effort so you can later choose your own field of expertise.
How and where to get the knowledge
If you’ve already read this far, this is clearly something that interests you enough to make you wish to build a career in digital marketing. The benefits of qualification can get you right up that career ladder very fast, and you’ll soon be catapulted into a creative world that pays well.
Since you’re going digital – study digital. Get your skills on the web via free or paid-plan online courses and get the ball rolling. Besides the fact that you need to stay up to date with current trends (which in itself involves a lot of reading and research), you need to really immerse yourself in both the practical and theoretical part of the digital sale strategy.
Start researching, read up on all experiences you can get your hands on, and start paying attention to your own social media – what pops up, in what form and where. Your first step is soaking up all the available knowledge.
The skills you need
A digital marketer needs to know how to attract the right audience, keep them interested and eventually lead them to action. In order to do this, you need to understand your customers well and develop strategies for optimizing the sales process. However, it’s not all just creativity and wordplay. You need actual numbers to understand whether your marketing campaign is effective or not.
Data analysis will help you interpret those figures and adjust your approach accordingly. The aforementioned approach includes content and copy that reaches your audience, which is a job for a content marketing specialist. They use compelling storytelling techniques to engage existing and find new customers through guides, E-books, E-mail campaigns or even podcasts.
Let’s not forget the most widespread medium of all – the world of social media. Most of us use one or several of these platforms daily, which makes it ideal for product promotions. Thus, you can’t go wrong by perfecting the necessary skills in social media marketing. Search Engine Optimization (SEO) will help increase traffic and raise brand awareness.
The more appealing you are to Google, the more new leads you’ll have, resulting in more profit and interest. Some general tech skills will come in handy since you’ll probably be working with a web development team. HTML and CSS, basic design principles, maybe some UX/UI and photo editing will certainly help you get ahead.
How to get ahead in the business
First and foremost, make a dazzling portfolio. It is recommended that you do some mock projects, and maybe even set up your own brand that you will develop, promote and optimize, and present the results as your qualification.
Offer to help out a friend with their growing business and be sure to ask for testimonials for the digital marketing that you do. Personal accounts tend to have the most effective reach and build trust among the members of your target audience.
The next step is finding work. Make sure you have a CV and cover letter alongside your portfolio and take a look at some job boards that are targeted specifically for digital marketers. Those include Angelist, Krop, The Muse and Tech Ladies to name a few. Justremote.co is a good option if you’re searching for remote work.
All in all, the whole point of a successful digital marketing career is to never give up and always build on your existing knowledge.
There are many things you’ll learn along the way. Many doors will open due to the constant development of technology. Be persistent and creative, and you’ll make a stunning career in the world of digital marketing.
Alternatively, familiarize yourself with the various digital marketing tools that are out there to prepare yourself your new career or read articles about how much YouTubers make for inspiration.
Watch this space for updates in the Hacks category on Running Wolf’s Rant.
Like what you just read? Join The Wolf Pack! Subscribe To Our Newsletter.
Explore our website, check out our Featured Articles or scroll down to see the articles that are related to this article below. We've been around since 2008, so there's plenty of content.
If you're in South Africa and looking for something to do, check out The SA Gig Guide (on our sister site SA Music Zone).
If getting more knowledge is part of your DNA - Check out the latest posts on Interesting Facts.
