Are you an analytical thinker and a quick learner? Are you interested in evolving marketing trends? Then digital marketing is the career that might interest you. Digital marketing expert designs and executes marketing campaigns for the digital audience. This type of marketing is internet specific. He/she employs varied and specialized marketing techniques to promote or sell a product, service, or website. In this article, we will delve into the profile of an in-demand digital marketing specialist.
The article will address key questions that pertain to this role:
- Need for a Digital Marketing Specialist?
- What are the roles and responsibilities?
- skills required to become a Digital Marketer?
- How to Become a Digital Marketing Expert?
- Job Opportunities And Salary
- FAQ
Need for a Digital Marketing Specialist?
For our shopping needs, daily essentials, banking needs, ticket bookings, we use the internet. This is where new-age buying and selling takes place. Therefore, marketers have shifted their campaigns online. Every organization requires a digital marketing specialist to design and implement online marketing strategies.
In simple words, a digital marketing specialist is responsible for acquiring new customers, keeping existing customers engaged with the brand, and increasing brand awareness through online marketing. This profile is also sometimes termed a Digital Marketer.
It has an integral and vital role in every organization. There is no business that does not have a website or social media presence. Without a digital marketing specialist, the businesses will be lost in the vast ocean of the internet and their existence on the internet will be futile. Check out some of the top professional courses to pursue, for a more fruitful career.
Role and Responsibilities of a Digital Marketing Specialist:
1. Keep a hawk’s eye on the emerging trends: Digital space is extremely dynamic and new trends keep emerging. It becomes important to foresee trends and build strategies around them. There is an explosion of content and trends on the internet. This has caused the span of attention of a customer to decrease considerably. Hence studying the waning or increasing consumer interest is an important responsibility.
2. Increase Brand Awareness: A brand will only sell when the consumer is made aware of it. Brand awareness makes the consumer extremely familiar with the brand. For example, when we think of butter, most of the time we mean Amul butter. So, through different campaigns suited for a specific digital platform, a digital marketer increases brand awareness, visibility, and positioning.
3. Strengthen Social Media Presence: Most of the consumers have a Tik-Tok, Instagram, Facebook, or Twitter account. Social Media is one of the powerful platforms to advertise and sell a brand. Hence, it is of utmost importance that effective social media campaigns are created and implemented. This is a key responsibility as Social Media reach is wide and far-ranging.
4. Create meaningful content to engage with the customers: Different digital platforms require different strategies to keep the customer interested or create interest in a new customer. To achieve this, the content of various types like blogs, articles, reels, videos, infographics, etc are created. The content provides meaningful information to the consumer. Content is the bedrock of digital marketing. Its creation, layout, and execution are major responsibilities to be carried out.
5. Apply varied marketing techniques like SEO, PPC, SEM, etc effectively: How is online or internet marketing successfully executed? This is achieved by a single or combination of many techniques. There are many ways to execute digital marketing campaigns namely Search Engine Optimization, Affiliate marketing, Mobile Marketing, and so on. Application of these techniques relevant to the project is an important task to be carried out.
6. Analytics: After a campaign is implemented, a digital marketer has the responsibility to measure the effectiveness of the campaign and carefully analyze it. A thorough analysis helps pave the way for further strategies to be implemented.
7. Keep the marketing strategies updated: The results of digital marketing campaigns are in real-time. Hence, if the desired results are not achieved, strategies have to be modified. Also, changing SEO algorithms require a digital marketing specialist to design new online marketing strategies to achieve good SEO results.
What Are the Skills Required to Be a Digital Marketing Specialist
A Digital Marketer should be proficient in applying the following online marketing strategies:
1. SEO
Search Engine Optimization is how customers will find a product, website, brand, or service on the internet. SEO will also enable a website to rank higher on the search page result. This will increase the visibility and lead to prospective customer attraction and eventual conversion.
Some of the key concepts to ace are:
- On-Page SEO
- Off-Page SEO
- Keyword Research
- Website Optimisation
- Link Building
Some of the SEO tools to be mastered are:
- SEMRush
- Moz Pro
- Ahrefs
- Google Keyword Planner
- Ubersuggest
- Google Trends
- Google Analytics
- Google Search Console
- Spyfu
- Answer the Public
- WooRank
- Yoast SEO
- SEO Site Check-Up
- KW Keyword Finder
Also Read: Simplified SEO For Successful Digital Marketing In 2022
2. Social Media Marketing
Social Media marketing can be organic or paid. It’s a direct way of communication with the customer. A presence on Social Media has become mandatory for any brand. Hence, creating effective social media campaigns is an important skill to possess.
Some of the tools used in social media marketing that one should be aware of are:
- Buzzsumo
- Hootsuite
- Sprout social
- Coschedule
- Socialoomph
- Buffer
- Tweetdeck
- Social Champ
- Bitly
3. Content Marketing
People type their search into Google looking for solutions to their everyday needs. Content in the form of blogs, articles, and videos provides these solutions. Content that has useful information will keep the consumer hooked. It will also have the power to turn a reader into a consumer.
Hence, content marketing is an essential skill that digital marketing specialists need to possess. Proficiency in different content management systems like WordPress is also a required skill.
Tools used by content marketers are :
- WordPress
- Grammarly
- Semrush
- Canva
- Hubspot
- Hemingway Editor
- Coschedule Headline Analyzer
- Hubspot’s Blog Topic Generator
- Ideaflip
- Evernote
4. Email Marketing
An E-Mail is the permanent address of a customer. It is a sure-shot method of reaching a customer. Whether it is updating the customer, informing about a product, or for promotions, the importance of email marketing cannot be undermined. As a digital marketer, this skill would ensure a direct, effective, and inexpensive reach to the consumer.
Some of the tools used to execute effective email marketing campaigns are:
- Mailchimp
- Drip
- Hubspot
- Constant Contact
- Sendinblue
- Moosend
- Get Response
5. Paid Advertising/Search Engine Marketing
Organic Marketing is a gradual process and takes time. For quicker results organizations also employ paid advertising. Digital Marketers should know different methods of paid advertising like Pay Per Click and Cost Per Mile to maximize the profits. They should also know the in and out of Ad auctions.
Tools used for SEM are:
- Wordstream
- Spyfy
- Hubspot’s Ad tracking software
- Semrush
- Google Ads
- Bing Ads
6. Understanding the Customer
Who is the end customer? What does the customer need? What might be the future needs of the customer? How can the experience of a customer with a brand, product, or service be enhanced? These are the key questions a digital marketer should be able to address.
Some tools used are:
- Google Forms
- Survey Anyplace
7. Design and Graphic Skills
High-quality images ensure the message is delivered emphatically. It also ensures customer engagement as images draw more attention as compared to words. Good visuals make an instant impact. Social Media relies heavily on pictures. Emails require a good layout and look. Videos need the right editing and thumbnails. Hence, basic know-how of design, UX/UI is a must.
Some of the tools used are:
- Visme
- Vennage
- Adobe Spark
- Pablo
- Piktochart
- Pixlr
- Canva
- Polarr
Recommended Read: Digital Marketing Courses in India
8. Mobile Marketing
This area of digital marketing has emerged as the most important aspect of reaching the customer. Mobile-friendly strategies include creating SMS/MMS, mobile-friendly websites and applications, and landing pages. Marketing while using apps and games by the customer also forms an important aspect of mobile marketing. Proximity marketing and location-based marketing are other skills to be well-versed with.
A few of the tools used by mobile marketers are:
- Buffer
- Admob
- Facebook Mobile Ads
- Yelp
- Kiip
9. Analytics
Proficient knowledge of various digital analytics tools is a must. A digital marketer should be able to track and analyze competitors and consumer behavior with the help of these tools. He/she should also be able to analyze the performance of the strategies applied. More importantly, also pre-empt marketing trends with the help of analytic tools.
Some of the tools used for analytics are:
- Google Analytics
- SEMrush
- Klipfolio
- Mixpanel
- BuzzSumo
- Heap Analytics
- Hubspot Analytics
- Cyfe
10. HTML
A basic if not advanced understanding of HTML is a required skill. HTML forms the basis of many digital marketing tools. Hence, its knowledge is a must.
How to Become a Digital Marketing Specialist?
This role requires overlooking all the aspects of digital marketing. So, the expertise is not in just one but many aspects of digital marketing. The growing demand for this profile has led to the creation of many jobs in the industry. If you want to specialize in only one domain of digital marketing you can become a:
- PPC Specialist
- SEO Specialist /Manager
- Email Marketing Specialist
- Pay Per Click Specialist
- Copywriter
- Content Writer
- Social Media Specialist /Manager
However, a digital marketing expert would be proficient in all of the above profiles or have a good understanding of the majority of these profiles. He/she would also be managing all these roles in an organization.
How to Become a Digital Marketer
1. Earn a Bachelor’s Degree
Though this field does not require any formal education, most employers ask for a bachelor’s degree. The degree can be in any discipline but a preferable one is in marketing, communications, digital media, graphic design, or English.
2. Master the Essentials
A digital marketing expert should know the entire gamut of digital marketing techniques. Hence it is important to know topics ranging from Content, SEO, Design, PPC, Email, and Mobile marketing to analytics. Master all the tools used in this field to successfully implement varied strategies.
3. Complete a Free Course
You will find a plethora of free courses on the internet. These will help you understand the basic concepts of digital marketing. You can find some valuable content that is free on these websites:
- LinkedIn learning
- Coursera
- Skillshare
- Simplilearn
- HubSpot Academy
- SEMrush Academy
- University of Edinburgh
4. Enroll in a Paid Course to Get Certification:
A paid course comes with its advantages. Pursuing a paid course from a reputed academy helps in a deep understanding of advanced digital marketing concepts. No learning is complete without practical exposure. These institutes provide hands-on learning that will make you job-ready. Many institutes also offer paid internships along with the course.
Recommended Read: SEO Courses in India
5. Get an Internship:
Digital marketing is a skill that can be sharpened only by practice and experience. Whether the internship is paid or unpaid, it will help you work on real-time projects. It will also help in the correct application of learning and rectifying errors. You will learn on the job and gain invaluable experience.
6. Create a Website
This field requires constant trial and error and innovation. How does a beginner learn then? As on the job, there is no scope for errors. So, the best way to learn can be to create your website and apply all the online marketing techniques that will yield effective results. The website also acts as a platform to build a personal brand and showcase your strengths as a digital marketer.
7. Build a Portfolio
To be hired by a good organization it is beneficial if one creates a portfolio of projects executed. This gives the employer a peek into the skills you command. You can build a social media page or get published to showcase content, design, or SEO skills. You can also freelance to build such a portfolio.
Job Opportunities
Digital Marketing is a wide field. It is a booming job profile that is touted to grow more and more. There is no dearth of opportunities. A digital marketing expert needs overall know-how of all aspects of this domain With the right application of skills, one can land the desired opportunity.
Some of the top industry sectors that hire for this profile are:
- Retail
- Automobile
- Education
- Fashion
- Entertainment
- Food Health
- IT Firms
- E-Commerce
- Legal Firms
- Real Estate
Salary of a Digital Marketer
The salary of any profile is largely dependent on these factors:
- Skills
- Experience
- The organization that is hiring
- Location
Since this profile is so dynamic there is no cap on the salary as such. , the industry average salary packages range from 3 LPA to 18 LPA.
FAQ’s
Q1) Is becoming a digital marketer a good role in 2022?
Digital Marketing is here to stay. There is a vast universe of the internet and the presence of all companies and services has shifted online. Hence, the scope of this profile is phenomenal. No organization can increase its online presence and sales without a digital marketing specialist.
Q2) Where do I start to become a digital marketing specialist?
After completing your bachelor’s, complete a certification online or offline. Post that you can look for internships to gain relevant experience. One can also become an entrepreneur and offer digital marketing services to clients.
Q3) What are the soft skills required to become a digital marketer?
This role requires a good blend of softs and hard skills.
Soft Skills required are:
- Adaptability
- Interpersonal skills
- Leadership qualities
- Team Work
- Visionary
- Analytical bent of mind
Conclusion
To sum up, a Digital Marketer’s role has grown with the growth of the internet. It will continue to evolve along with the technological changes. This profile forms an essential part of marketing. In fact, most of the marketing initiatives are now on digital platforms. The demand for this profile saw meteoric growth in the last two years because of the pandemic. As the consumers are becoming more aware, ingenious strategies need to be devised to retain them as brand loyalists. That is why one needs to have an innovative and future-ready mindset to be in this profession. This profile is exciting, in-demand, and offers good salary packages. It is definitely a good role to be pursued if you have the necessary skills. Hope the article helped you to gain valuable insights into this role.
