Is Digital Marketing a Good Career?

• Digital marketing is how advertising is getting done in modern business. 
• There are many educational opportunities for certification and degrees but a career in digital marketing does not require a degree. 
• Digital marketing job opportunities are varied and increasing every year as more of the population has access to the Internet.
• The future of digital marketing is secure, as is adapting to technologies like AI, VR, and AR. 
• The skills you’ll need for a digital marketing career include SEO, content marketing, social media marketing, and email marketing.

Read on to learn everything you need to know to get started in an exciting career in digital marketing! Digital marketing careers pay well and offer many creative opportunities for those who are interested.

Introduction

Generally, we think of advertising as the days of Mad Men; slightly inebriated businessmen making assumptions in a smoke-filled room that affect the buying decisions of everyone in the country. And it probably used to be like that, but with the power of the internet, digital marketing gives marketers the power to make precise decisions with real-time feedback. If someone saw an ad on Instagram and consequently bought a pair of shoes, we know who this person is, which site they purchased them from, and everything about their digital footprint.

We can then market similar products to her and know exactly how they’ll respond. Pretty cool, right? That’s the power of digital marketing, and it’s an exciting career that people are clamoring to become a part of.

In this article, we’ll examine what a career in digital marketing entails, what kind of education path you should take if you are interested in digital marketing jobs, and the future you can expect for your career. Digital marketing job opportunities are vast and involve paths you may not have considered.

So is digital marketing a good career, and what does a digital marketing career involve? Stick with us and find out!

What is Digital Marketing?

Digital marketing is any kind of marketing that uses the Internet. It could be email, social media, web-based marketing, and even text messages. Buyers today are receiving messages to buy over the internet that they are not even fully aware of. Considering that 63% of the world’s population is online, and millions more are joining in every year, digital marketing gives marketers a lot of power. When you learn about a new company or product, what is the first thing you do? You probably look at their website, right? When you meet someone new, do you exchange phone numbers or emails? Maybe both.

In 2020, 2.7 trillion texts were sent by businesses, and considering 98% of text messages are being opened, the media has a huge reach.

Why Do We Need Digital Marketing?

We still have subliminal marketing in film and tv (for example, when you’re watching your favorite Netflix show and a star takes a drink of a brand-name soda). Still, because so many of us choose the digital platforms that we use, we can skip the overt advertisements.

Disaster for the advertising industry, right? Well, not necessarily. With the rise of digital marketing, companies have found a new, even more, direct way to sell their products, and we all hold it in our hands – the mobile phone.

Digital Marketing as a Career

Digital marketing is a very prospective career with plenty of opportunities. Advertising and marketing as a whole have changed a lot in recent years because of the massive digitalization. Education fields in digital marketing are new, and a digital marketing career path does not necessarily require a degree, so many people start their careers with online courses or internships. From there, you could choose to go into many specialties depending on your strengths. If you love writing, content or copywriting is the path for you.

If you want to get involved in the technical side of the business, maybe you choose to be a Search Engine Optimization (SEO) Analyst. If you have a flair for creating visual content and engaging with audiences, maybe you’ll veer toward Social Media Marketing.

Digital marketing offers plenty of opportunities and has lots of room for learning and career advancement.

Digital Marketing Career Opportunities

If you still want to know is digital marketing a good career, let’s look at the career opportunities and their growth potential. Social media marketing offers more than a dozen job variations from influencers, bloggers, content curators, digital strategists, and creative directors. There are advancement opportunities in management, as well.

Digital marketing is expected to grow substantially in the coming years. In 2020, digital marketers and advertisers spent $350 billion. By 2026, the estimated growth will bring that number to $786.2 billion. With more people using the internet every year, the compound annual growth rate (CGGR) for jobs will increase by 32.1 %  in 2028.

Essential Skills Every Digital Marketing Professional Needs to Know

MBA specializations are available to take you on a digital marketing career path. Since this is a new educational degree, you may want to look for online MBA specialization courses. However, if you are willing to work your way up, a degree is not required for many opportunities, and you will still need to learn about the basics.

Here are some of the essential skills that every prospective digital marketer should know.

SEO

Search Engine Optimization, or SEO, is one of the most important tools digital marketers use. Basically, a company will use frequently used keywords that consumers use to search for a product to get their site to appear first in a targeted Google search.

Think about the last thing you searched for. When you received your search results, did you select an option on the first page? Second page? Most people never click beyond the first page, and less than 6% of people click on the second page. Getting your site on the first page means consumers will easily find you and your products or services.

But getting your page to rank higher isn’t the only thing that SEO is concerned with. The design, speed, responsiveness, content quality, and mobile optimization are some of the important and valuable aspects to know about on-page SEO. There’s also off-page SEO, which are strategies and techniques to promote your content, like using backlinks and social media mentions.

Content Marketing

Content marketing can take many different forms. It might be an ad on YouTube, a blog post, a chart or graph to disseminate information, a podcast, a webpage, a video, and even a book. It depends on how the consumer uses it. Content marketing is all about conveying a message or telling a story that is of value to your customers, positions your brand and product in the right light, and prompts readers to take action.

Content marketing uses engaging media to entice people to view a site and retain their attention. Content marketers aspire to establish themselves as experts in their field and inform customers of their brands.

For high-quality content, you should strive to create authoritative and trustworthy information. Consumers will not want to read your content or watch your videos if you don’t know what you’re talking about. Content should be interesting and appealing to your reader.

This is a very important and valuable skill to have, as content is more important than ever, so content writers are in high demand.

Social Media Marketing

Nearly everyone has some form of social media that they use on a daily basis. Even grandmothers are scrolling through Facebook these days, so this wide-reaching media makes it a particularly powerful media format.

Being able to harness and wield the power of social media is a valuable and sought-after skill in the digital marketing world. Social media managers not only create the posts but also engage with the audience and use that engagement for analysis and improvement for the next campaigns.

When planning a social media campaign, social media managers should look at the success rate of prior campaigns and make necessary adjustments. Understanding the goals and the consumer persona will result in superior targeted approaches. They should also understand their market thoroughly and know how they stack up against their competitors so they can also sell to their strong points.

Email Marketing

Email marketing is an essential skill for digital marketers in today’s ever-evolving landscape. With the ability to reach a vast audience directly in their inboxes, email marketing provides a powerful tool to build and nurture relationships with customers. Digital marketers who master the art of crafting compelling and personalized email campaigns can leverage this medium to drive engagement, increase brand awareness, and ultimately boost conversions.

By strategically segmenting their email lists, creating engaging content, and implementing effective call-to-action strategies, marketers can maximize the impact of their campaigns and achieve their marketing goals. Furthermore, email marketing allows for in-depth analytics and tracking, providing valuable insights into user behavior and preferences. This data-driven approach enables marketers to refine their strategies, optimize their campaigns, and deliver targeted messages that resonate with their audience.

In a world saturated with various marketing channels, email marketing remains a key pillar in any digital marketer’s toolkit, offering unparalleled opportunities to connect with customers on a personal level and drive business growth.

Analytics and Data Interpretation

With all the digital information available to anyone who uses the internet, the data can be overwhelming. This is where analysis and interpretation come into play to make it more easily understandable, gather information and evaluate how successful their campaigns have been.

The more information a company has about its consumers, the better it can plan for future campaigns and even change gears on its product development to increase customer satisfaction. Keeping interactions personal can mean more profits. Surveys, interviews, questionnaires, and focus groups can all be done online and offer invaluable information.

At the end of the fiscal year, a company can look at its sales revenue and have a pretty good idea of where they stand in the market. But there are more options available than just this. They can use digital marketing to understand how many customers they have retained over any given period, and evaluate the impact they have had on social media marketing.

How to Build a Career in Digital Marketing

Now that you better understand digital marketing, you’ll want to know how to get started in a digital marketing career. You should learn the tools of the trade and how to use them. You can start working in a freelance or intern capacity to build your resume and start making connections in the industry.

If you have looked at an MB specializations list, you may not have seen ‘digital marketing’ come up that often. Not to worry – more and more online degrees are available for the industry. Certifications are often offered at low costs, and some of them are free. Webinars are ongoing and offer basic information to get you started.

Education For Digital Marketing

Certifications or degrees are largely offered online; some are even top universities like Harvard and the University of Pennsylvania.

Let’s take a look at some of the top certifications available for digital marketing.

• Google Ads certification. This free online training service can help get you ready for beginners who want to learn the basics of how to advertise on Google.
• Google Analytics Individual Qualification. Another free certification for beginners is for advanced students looking to learn about tracking website traffic.
• Hootsuite Social Marketing Certification Course. This will allow you to learn about how social media can grow a business. The cost is $199.
• Hubspot Email Marketing Course. This certification is free and teaches you all the basics of email marketing and how to employ them.
• B.S. in Digital Business. You could pursue a Bachelor’s degree that encompasses all aspects of the digital business industry.
• B.A. in Digital Marketing or Digital Advertising. If you are looking for a more creative role in the industry, perhaps a B.A. is the way to go.

Which MBA specialization is best? There are plenty of options, but a Masters’ in Business administration will lead to higher-paying jobs.

Digital Marketing Job Opportunities

With or without a degree, many job opportunities are available to you once you begin to learn the ins and outs of business.

Opportunities include that of digital marketing manager, brand manager, social media manager, online content manager, business analytics specialist, professional blogger, and many more.

Some of the best websites for finding your next job include LinkedIn, Glassdoor, Upwork, Guru, and Hubstaff Talent. Remember, you are looking for a position that uses the power of the Internet. Chances are your future employer is going to employ that same power to search for digital talent for their business.

Building a Personal Brand

If you are a beginner starting out, you’ll want to create an online presence to get yourself noticed by potential employers as well and show them your capabilities. Start a blog and write about something you are knowledgeable and passionate about. Create a YouTube channel. Brand yourself on Instagram. This will help to get your name out there and demonstrate your strengths.

Personal branding will help you stand out from the competition. It will also help you to connect with potential clients, employers, and partners to build your business.

Use your existing social media accounts to promote yourself. Share new content and make it interesting to your target audience. Your personal brand should maintain consistency across platforms and always be current. If you need inspiration, look for influencers who have the greatest media share to see how they maintain their success.

Future of Digital Marketing Careers

Digital marketing will continue to be an increasingly popular career option worldwide. If you are interested in becoming a part of this growing industry, you need to be able to adapt to the times and growing technology. Adaptation and open-mindedness are key.

Emerging Trends in Digital Marketing

Technology is growing at a dizzying rate. AI is becoming more present, as is virtual reality. Influencers are going to become more essential in marketing, and digital marketers need to be ready to change tactics and keep up.

AI and automation, such as chatbots, are helping to deliver more personal interactions with consumers and helping to track their behaviors and preferences. Working against such innovations is pointless. Digital marketing means learning how to use these new innovations to drive business and sales. As privacy concerns gain attention, we may also see some strategy changes.

Augmented and virtual reality are still relatively new; however, we can expect to see these technologies grow in their reach. Digital marketers will need to take advantage of them to interact and convert consumers to their products. AI could be used to interact directly with customers, enhancing the customer service experience.

Influencers will take on a great role in marketing. Although they are speaking to thousands of customers at once, top influencers have the ability to connect with their viewers on a personal level which makes them feel like they are having an individual interaction.

Impact of Artificial Intelligence on Digital Marketing

Digital marketers need to see the positive impact AI can have on their business. Mundane activities like data entry and analysis can be deferred to AI so that real people can get the business of providing unique and personalized marketing.

AI will serve to analyze data and be able to more accurately predict buying behavior and eliminate the impact of human error. AI can find patterns quickly and accurately in a way that humans cannot.

AI is already being used for content creation, website design, search engines, some forms of customer service, and targeted ad campaigns. But there is no need to be concerned – there are still plenty of business opportunities available for humans, and the human market will continue to grow.

Success Stories in Digital Marketing Careers

Since digital marketing is still relatively new, you may not be familiar with the success which people have achieved in the industry. Everyday tools that we use have brilliant, innovative minds behind them, and you could become one of them!

Let’s take a closer look at some of digital marketing’s success stories. People worldwide are finding opportunities in digital marketing and changing the playing field in positive ways for the rest of us.

Neil Patel was born in the UK and grew up in California. From a family of hard-working entrepreneurs, he started working on the strategies that would lead him to success in his teen years. Using the sales strategies he learned from selling vacuums door to door, he started his own company Crazy Egg.  He later went on to create Ubersuggest with his business partner. If you have done any research on SEO, you’ll be familiar with the name Ubersuggest as it is the industry standard for SEO.

Rand Fishkin left the University of Washington to go into business with his mother as a web designer. Four years later, he created the SEOmoz blog and became an industry celebrity, making millions with his company. He has gone on to write a bestselling book, “Lost and Founder,” and is known for giving informative and inspirational speeches around the world.

Impact of Digital Marketing on Businesses

Digital marketing gives companies unparalleled access to their customers and offers real-time feedback on their responses and buying habits. Any company that wants to find success and increase its reach is going to use digital marketing.

72% of all marketing is digital. And there is good reason too. If you start looking at the success rates of digital marketing, it’s quite impressive. Email marketing boasts an ROI (return on investment) of 4400%. 78% of companies that promote their products using social media outperform their competition. 65% of consumers will be in a storefront looking at a product and perform a price comparison online using their phones. As phones and the internet become even more widespread, we can expect to see these numbers increase.

A great representation of the impact digital marketing has, Lays created a marketing campaign with their potato chips using influencers. They sent out 350 curated packs of Lays potato chips to influencers and encouraged people to post their smiles together with a pack of chips on platforms such as Instagram and Snapchat. Not only does this create chatter for the brand, but it got people posting their image across social media.

Zomato took a similar approach to engage its audience by encouraging consumers to post tweets and thus expand the community of foodies.  Clever and interactive campaigns help consumers to feel that they are a part of the brand and build loyalty, increase sales, and spread the brand name.

Conclusion

If you are looking for a well-paying career with excellent growth potential, digital marketing may be the path for you. You can start with little or no experience and build a name for yourself, or you can obtain certification or degrees to help you on your path. You’ll have the chance to help companies build a presence in the marketplace, which always allows you to learn something new. Many certifications are free or inexpensive, and BA/BS and MBA degrees are largely offered online so that you can study at a top university from anywhere in the world.

Start your career in digital marketing today! We are certain you’ll find a niche you are well-suited for, and an exciting career awaits you!