Why Learn Digital Marketing

Digital marketing is also referred to as online marketing, differentiating it from traditional marketing methods as it uses the internet and digital communications.

When personal computers became popular in the 1990s, companies realized that they’d need to adjust the way that they marketed their products and services to consumers. The invention of the smartphone made establishing a digital presence even more essential to companies. With smartphones and a little help from social media platforms, consumers can make purchases, read and write reviews for companies, and promote businesses themselves.

Today, companies rely on digital marketing strategies to help grow their businesses. Digital marketing is also an effective way to establish a brand, improve a company’s brand reputation, and increase sales. Companies also utilize analytic services to determine their target audience and if their advertisements and digital communications are producing a return on investment. 

There are many career paths for those who choose to learn digital marketing. You can become a Digital Marketer, and oversee digital marketing campaigns, or you can apply for a more specialized role. In-demand positions are centered around social media and data analytics. These areas allow companies to engage with consumers and then measure that engagement.

As companies have become more invested in online marketing campaigns, it’s become apparent to students and working professionals who there are several reasons to learn digital marketing principles, skills, and strategies.

High Demand

Small, medium, and large companies require marketing to some degree. Two companies might differ in their marketing strategies depending on the products or services they sell, the size of the company, and their target audiences. Regardless, they’ll both require a marketing plan. Traditional marketing, also known as offline marketing, is still popular. But, as the number of global internet users increases each year, companies have turned to integrating digital marketing with their traditional marketing plans. 

To effectively create a digital market plan, companies need to hire a person or a team of people who have knowledge and experience in digital marketing. The industry has therefore seen a surge in job openings. Companies are looking to fill both general and niche digital marketing positions that can help them establish their brand online and reach potential new customers. 

It’s expected that the demand for digital marketers will continue to grow in the future. By 2028, it’s predicted that the digital marketing market will reach a value of around $671.86 billion. Whether you’re starting school, entering the workforce, or are a bprofessional-looking to expand your career opportunities, now is the perfect time to learn digital marketing. Understanding the basic principles of digital marketing and being able to help a company utilize digital marketing strategies can lead you to new and exciting career opportunities in a wide range of industries. 

Several industries heavily rely on digital marketing to reach out to consumers. Here are some industries that provide a number of career opportunities for those versed in digital marketing:

Healthcare

The healthcare industry uses digital marketing to promote services to those in need of them, including current patients. Digital marketing is used by healthcare practitioners to healthcare-related questions that their patients and, in some instances, internet users have for them. They also utilize digital marketing to help create communication portals for their patients. 

Digital marketing helps healthcare providers establish a brand. Patient testimonials posted to the practitioner’s website can persuade others to schedule an appointment with that practitioner. Digital advertisements can help the practitioner reach a larger audience, bringing in new patients, and reviews left online about a patient’s experience with the practitioner can help them maintain a positive reputation. All these components also help healthcare providers measure consumer satisfaction. 

Food

Social media has become an increasingly common way for consumers to learn about food. Consumers now learn about food through websites, ads, and blogs as well. The food industry litters websites with digital advertisements, including social media posts. It’s not uncommon to see an influencer or affiliate post to X (formerly known as Twitter) or TikTok about a new item they tried at a grocery store or fast food restaurant. Meal services have also engaged in affiliate and influencer marketing. 

Companies within the food industry widely use social media to advertise their products. They have realized that in the case of influencer marketing, consumers are willing to watch ad content that has been created by a social media personality that they find likable and enjoy watching. This type of marketing can make consumers perceive a company’s advertising as more authentic. 

Social media has also been used to increase the brand recognition of major food and beverage companies. These companies have utilized platforms like X and TikTok to appeal to younger consumers. Company accounts are viewed as online personalities, as their brand recognition increases alongside the number of viral posts. This method of social media use has helped some brands establish a trendy image among consumers who frequent the internet. 

Retail

The retail industry relies on digital marketing to gain insight into the needs of domestic and international consumers. Ecommerce is rapidly growing, bringing with it increased competition between brands. These brands can rely on digital marketing to compete with each other by proactively responding to the needs of consumers. 

People have realized that the internet and social media are quick and efficient ways to make purchases. In many cases, it’s no longer necessary to go into a store and speak to an employee to purchase an item. Instead, that can be done with the use of a computer or smartphone. Many retailers kept up with the growth of online shopping and have used digital strategies at their disposal to attract customers online. Digital marketing has also made it possible for retailers to advertise and sell to customers around the globe which hadn’t been possible before recent technological advances.

Retail companies rely on analytics to learn about and understand whom their marketing campaigns are reaching and what audiences they have yet to capture. Using data collected from social media, online advertising campaigns, and other areas, retailers have managed to learn about what’s trending among their target audiences. This information can then be used to curate future campaigns with a broader reach. Retailers also rely on digital marketing to improve brand metrics, expand within the market, and retain customers. 

Low Barriers to Entry

Right now, digital marketing has low barriers to entry. There are plenty of entry-level positions available within a variety of industries. This is because companies are looking to increase their digital presence and expand their digital marketing efforts. To do so, they need a competent digital marketing team. Some companies also offer internships to students and recent graduates to help provide them with hands-on practical experience in the field. 

There are several common pathways to digital marketing. What’s most important when first starting is that you are passionate about learning and are prepared to develop your marketing skills. 

When entering the workforce, companies may expect you to have a Digital Marketing degree. Typically, this will be a bachelor’s degree and not an advanced degree. A degree in digital marketing can show that you have extensively studied digital marketing principles and classes. You can also complete certification programs in digital marketing and digital marketing strategies to show employers the level of training you have received.

When applying for a digital marketing position, it’s likely the company will expect you to know the fundamentals of digital marketing. It also helps to have solid technical skills. This includes competency in search engine optimization (SEO), analytics, social media marketing and advertising, and email marketing. 

Some digital marketing positions will also expect you to know how to use key digital marketing tools like Google Analytics, Google Ads, Salesforce, HubSpot, Mailchimp, and Canva. These services and tools are frequently used by companies for various reasons. Some are focused on measuring impact while others lean toward content creation. It may be useful to determine what aspect of digital marketing appeals to you before deciding what to learn.

Aside from having both theoretical and practical knowledge, preparing a portfolio can also help you advance within the field of digital marketing. A high-quality portfolio should demonstrate your processes for several projects as well as their outcomes. You’ll want to show off your teamwork, planning, and strategic thinking within the portfolio. Entering the field of digital marketing, whether you’re coming straight from school or are shifting from another field, can also be more successful with a well-produced resume and a wide network. 

It’s relatively easy to start on the ladder within the world of digital marketing thanks to the recent boom in digital marketing roles. Once you’ve gained experience and honed your digital marketing skills, you’ll be able to work your way up the ladder. Professionals looking to shift into digital marketing can also work on developing in-demand skills by taking digital marketing classes. It’s also helpful that these types of professionals may also be bringing over skills when they shift to digital marketing. 

Varied Roles

Learning digital marketing opens you up to a variety of career paths. This sector contains a number of diverse jobs that you may qualify for. Many digital marketing roles have overlapping skill sets. Easily transferable skills make it easy to switch between roles. Understanding digital marketing principles and strategies opens you up to general marketing positions as well as more specialized roles that focus on social media marketing, data analytics, or SEO. 

Social Media Manager

Social Media Managers are responsible for overseeing the social media accounts of a company. Some Social Media Managers work for one company while others contract out to several companies. Social media has rapidly become integral to the digital marketing process. An effective social media presence helps companies garner attention from their target audience. They can also rely on social media to measure consumer engagement as well as reception to the company’s content, products, and services. 

The workload of a Social Media Manager will depend on the size of the company they work for. Most Social Media Managers manage several social media accounts per company. This can include a Facebook page, an Instagram account, and a TikTok. 

Social Media Managers need to understand how social media platforms work, including how to post content and engage with followers. Most Social Media Managers are tasked with increasing followers and driving engagement, analyzing social media data, strategizing content and campaigns, and posting to and monitoring all social media accounts. 

A successful Social Media Manager is a proficient writer, editor, and designer. It’s also beneficial for them to understand and be able to predict trends on social media. Companies that fail to keep up with trends on social media may find that they can’t manage to establish a brand voice or a strong following. Being behind on trends also projects to consumers who a company’s digital content is outdated.

According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, in 2015 the average salary for a Social Media Manager was $57,000. This salary is dependent on the cost of living in the city where the role is located. Areas with a higher cost of living are likely to reflect that in the salary. For example, a Social Media Manager in LA is estimated to make between $50,000 and 63,000 annually. In Atlanta, a city with a lower cost of living, Glassdoor notes that the average salary of a Social Media Manager falls around $43,000. 

Digital Analyst

A Digital Analyst must aggregate data, conduct analysis, and prepare reports on a company’s digital platforms. They rely on analytic tools to provide companies with their analytical support. The data they analyze is largely derived from online advertising, website analytics, and social media engagement. 

Data Analysts are charged with simplifying complex data so that it can be communicated to upper management and other departments. They are also responsible for modifying digital marketing campaigns to optimize key performance indicators. 

A successful Digital Analyst is good at communicating, proficient in data visualization, can think analytically, and is highly organized. They also need to have strong technical skills. Companies may expect a Digital Analyst to know how to use Google Analytics, Microsoft Excel, and a programming language that’s used to visualize data, like R or Python. 

Digital Analysts are hired by retail companies, tech companies, and marketing agencies. Some Digital Analysts contract their services out to companies in need of them. The salary of a Digital Analyst will therefore be influenced by the location of the role and the industry they’re in. According to Glassdoor, a Digital Analyst makes $71,000 on average. Seasoned Digital Analysts can expect to make over $80,000 annually. 

In LA, where the cost of living is 51% higher than in the rest of the country, a Digital Analyst can expect to earn between $62,000 and $76,000 per year. In Houston, a city with a cost of living 28% lower than in LA, a Digital Analyst might make between $61,000 and $82,000. Houston is noted as a city within the US that is attracting tech companies, which might explain the higher salary range in Houston despite the lower cost of living. 

Search Engine Optimization (SEO) Specialist

SEO Specialists are responsible for improving a company’s rank in search engine results pages (SERP). Ultimately, companies expect SEO Specialists to make the company’s website and digital content appear at or near the top of the results page when someone searches for them. They’re also responsible for researching the keywords people search for and analyzing content produced by competitors. 

SEO Specialists must examine key analytics. They research web traffic numbers, track the amount of time browsers spend on the company’s website, and monitor and report search trends. A successful SEO Specialist is good at both written and verbal communication and has proficient problem-solving skills. They also need to have technical skills, including the knowledge of how to use data storage software and content management system software. As with other digital marketing roles, SEO Specialists need to understand consumer trends. 

According to Indeed, the average salary for an SEO Specialist in the US is $56,000. This number is greatly impacted by the location of the role. In NYC, where the cost of living is higher than the national average, SEO Specialists make on average an estimated $84,000. In San Antonio, a city with a cost of living 92% lower than NYC, SEO Specialists make $43,000 on average. 

Digital marketing skills transfer nicely between roles. This allows digital marketing professionals to smoothly transition to different jobs within the field. If you have practical experience with digital marketing or a degree, look for open positions that align with your skill set. As you begin in the field of digital marketing, your skill set will have the opportunity to grow. 

If you have no experience with digital marketing, it’s never too late to learn. Digital marketing classes are available for students as well as professionals looking to make a career change and enter the world of digital marketing. These classes can teach you the principles and strategies that companies hiring for these popular digital marketing roles may require you to know. 

Develop New Skills 

The diversity of roles within digital marketing will expose you to different positions and tasks that will help develop your skill set. These skills are also transferable between roles. Below are some of the skills that you may develop while learning digital marketing.

• Communication skills. Communication plays an important role when you are part of a digital marketing team. All team members will be expected to appropriately communicate with others to ensure that a project runs smoothly. It’s also important that you know how to communicate in writing to consumers. 
• Analytical skills. You need to understand how to interpret the analytics and metrics of your company’s digital marketing campaign. Knowing how to do so will help you generate actionable insights. 
• Technical skills. Solid technical skills can set you apart from other applicants when applying for a digital marketing role. Several technical skills can keep your skill set relevant in the face of an always-changing industry. This includes SEO marketing, social media marketing, and database management. 

Experience is one way to improve your digital marketing skills. You can gain experience through your job, a digital marketing internship, or a digital marketing class. Digital marketing classes can teach you the foundations of digital marketing as well as specialized knowledge and how to use digital marketing software and tools.

If you decide to take a digital marketing class, consider what skills you are lacking or what areas you can improve in. For example, if you’d like to apply for an analyst position but don’t have experience with data analysis, taking a class can help. There are plenty of digital marketing classes offered in-person, live online, and on-demand that can help you gain the skills needed to advance your career.

Promotes Creativity

Learning digital marketing helps promote creativity. A career in digital marketing can help you combine your creative side with your professional aspirations. Creativity is required for a variety of roles, especially ones that require content creation. Producing creative content can help draw the attention of prospective consumers. 

Having a sense of creativity can help you advance professionally. Exploring your creativity within digital marketing can help you come up with inventive solutions and keep your company’s brand relevant to consumers. Understanding your target audience’s attitudes and lifestyles can help you create content that’s personalized and relevant.

When you work in digital marketing, you’re likely to experience weekly changes to your list of tasks and responsibilities. This can help promote your creativity as you search for new and innovative ideas. 

If you’re already a creative person, you might feel right at home in a digital marketing role. If you don’t consider yourself creative, that’s okay. Working on new digital content provides an outlet for your creative expression. Instead of worrying about what you want to create, you’ll be considering what would appeal to your company’s target audience. This provides you with a chance to learn about your creative side while also encouraging your professional development.