Tips on Starting a Career in Digital Marketing in 2020

Tips on Starting a Career in Digital Marketing in 2020

By Lissette Maduro 

The market research company, eMarketer, reckons that US businesses spent $130 billion on digital advertising this year, and European marketing website, The Drum, predicts annual global ad spending would reach almost $600 billion by the end of 2019. Consequently, the digital marketing job market is growing rapidly, making 2020 the year to start a digital marketing career. 

Digital Marketing 101 

With consumers spending most of their time in cyberspace, marketing has adapted and devised a relatable approach. Digital marketing is a catch all label for strategies employed by companies to identify and reach their target audience online. These strategies aim to sell the companies’ products or promote their services with the goal of building a customer base. 

A digital marketing career covers a diverse set of professional options. These options are an amalgam of social media expertise, web development and web design skills. Other digital marketing careers involve AI technology and video or audio production skill sets. 

Digital Marketing Career Essentials 

The first step in embarking on a digital marketing career is acquiring the necessary skills for the career option of your choice. While options vary, most involve similar digital marketing competencies. To enter or progress in the field, proficiency in at least two of these skills is advisable. 

The major digital marketing skill sets are: 

• Buyer and Sales knowledge. Every digital marketer has to understand the required techniques to woo, engage, and appeal to consumers; getting the company and its products or services from unknown to sales turnover. This involves knowing processes like user research and email marketing strategies.
• Data and Analytics Proficiency. Digital marketers should be capable of understanding and interpreting the numbers employed to evaluate the effectiveness of their proposed promotions. More importantly, digital marketers should be versed in expounding on the data with other team members so that indicated adjustments or recommendations to campaigns can be done.
• Content strategy management and Search Engine Optimization (SEO). Digital marketers need to have a knack for captivating storytelling since this is used as content to engage audiences via blog posts, email campaigns, video productions and other mediums. However, digital marketers also need to know how to fine tune content to search engines’ specifications in order to garner consumer traffic which will increase a brand’s reach and awareness.
• Social Media Marketing and Paid ads expertise. Digital marketers should be able to employ this approach to sell or promote a brand’s products through the company’s social media channels or by purchasing ‘media placements’ called Paid Ads on various social channels.

Additionally, acquiring general tech skills such as coding, basic photo editing and basic design concepts is highly recommended along with learning or up-skilling in current marketing tools, email marketing platforms, social media scheduling tools, URL builders and SEO research platforms. 

Starting Out In Digital Marketing 

Digital marketing training can be obtained by enrolling in a digital marketing course. Once training is completed, focus on building a digital marketing portfolio. Working on mock projects and offering to assist family or friends with their digital marketing needs are means to build your portfolio. Document the affected growth and any data that will vouch for the effectiveness of your project strategies. 

Then, check out job boards for digital marketing opportunities and always submit your portfolio with your application. Have a prepared ‘elevator pitch’ handy and practice common digital marketing interview questions. 

Digital marketing is in high demand which makes anyone with this expertise a ‘prized possession.’ Coupled with its high prospective earnings, starting a digital marketing career in 2020 is the best new year’s resolution you could make.

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