The whole point of marketing is to direct advertising efforts where you can find the most people, reach them, and hopefully turn those leads into customers. It’s a waste of time, effort, and money to launch ad campaigns where few people are or in demographics that don’t mesh with your products and services. It’s common sense.
And although traditional media such as print, radio, and television still pulls in their share of people, few can deny that ours is an increasingly digital world. Thus, any marketer who wants success must direct a healthy percentage of resources to digital advertising and campaigns.
This article will give you a well-rounded digital marketing job description, plus offer a tour of the types of digital marketing, the responsibilities, necessary skills, and requirements of a digital marketing specialist. We will also review related positions.
But before we get into digital marketing job descriptions, let’s break down digital marketing into various types.
Types of Digital Marketing
Digital marketing isn’t a vast monolithic entity but is divided into various digital marketing types. They are:
Content Marketing
Content marketing covers valuable, informative content such as blog posts, how-to videos, white papers, and other instructional materials.
Search Engine Optimization
Often shortened to SEO, this digital marketing form creates content in a certain way that causes search engines (e.g., Google) to rank your organization’s page higher on the search engine results page (SERP) than other businesses’ pages. Studies show that few people go beyond the first page of search results, so SEO is critical to creating and maintaining a robust online presence.
Search Engine Marketing and Pay-Per-Click
Search engine marketing, or SEM for short, describes paid ads at the top of a SERP. The costs of these ads usually rely on the number of clicks the link garners, hence the term “pay-per-click.”
Social Media Marketing
This marketing strategy involves using social media channels (e.g., Facebook, Instagram) to conduct digital marketing.
Influence and Affiliate Marketing
This marketing strategy takes advantage of a partner’s already established audience to communicate your message. The advertiser partners with online influencers such as the personalities on YouTube or established companies that collaborate with you as an affiliate. Every time a sale or click gets made, the partner receives payment.
Email Marketing
Email marketing is one of the easiest and cheapest ways to conduct digital marketing and includes sending out email blasts and special announcements, advertising sales, and promotions.
Mobile Marketing
Everyone has a mobile phone; why not target marketing campaigns on this fertile ground? This form of marketing includes text/SMS messages with coupons, promotions, and events, all sent to mobile subscribers.
Video Marketing
A picture’s worth a thousand words, and a moving image’s worth even more. Everyone likes videos. Savvy digital marketers employ short, quick videos that entertain and educate, bringing in those needed customers.
Audio Marketing
Radio’s not dead; it’s just moved to the Internet. Channels like Spotify are valuable tools for today’s digital marketers, and the medium can also include podcasts and smart home assistants (e.g., Alexa and Google Home).
Digital Marketing Job Description Explained
1) Responsibilities. Digital marketers are responsible for all the digital channels and using them to drive brand awareness and generate leads. In addition, digital marketers’ typical roles and responsibilities include overseeing and developing the business’s overall content strategy and marketing campaigns.
2) Requirements and Qualifications. Most digital marketers have at least a Bachelor’s degree in a major such as marketing, communications, or graphic design.
3) Skills. Basic digital marketers should have a familiar understanding of the above-mentioned digital marketing types. In addition, they should possess a degree of skill in writing and editing, HTML and CSS, Google AdWords, WordPress, Excel, and creative and analytical abilities.
Note: Interested in learning about the current digital marketing salary trends? Check out our guide for all the details.
Digital Marketing Manager Job Description Explained
A well-rounded digital marketing manager job description includes the digital marketer job description above and the following extras.
Responsibilities
Digital marketing managers have a lot on their plates. They are responsible for designing and overseeing all areas of the digital marketing department, including marketing databases, plus email and display advertising campaigns. In addition, managers must develop and monitor campaign budgets, plan and manage the company’s social media platforms, and coordinate with the company’s advertising and media experts to improve marketing results.
Managers must prepare accurate reports on the overall performance of every marketing campaign, evaluating vital metrics that affect the company’s website traffic, target audience, and service quotas.
But wait, there’s more! Digital marketing managers work with teams to brainstorm new growth strategies, oversee and manage all promotions and contests, and stay current on the latest industry trends, techniques, and technologies.
Requirements and Qualifications
Digital marketing managers should possess a bachelor’s degree in marketing or a relevant field and several years of experience (typically around five years) in a digital marketing or advertising position.
Skills
Digital marketing managers need skills and knowledge in various social media platforms, best practices, and website analytics. They also need a solid understanding of HTML, CSS, and JavaScript and are current on the latest digital marketing trends and technologies. Finally, digital marketing managers must be highly creative with excellent analytical abilities and possess solid communication and interpersonal skills.
Digital Marketing Strategist Job Description Explained
The digital marketing strategist job description demonstrates a more focused approach.
1) Responsibilities. Digital marketing strategists set digital marketing strategies incorporating every necessary tool, including websites, emails, blogs, and social media. They analyze web traffic metrics, suggest ways to boost the company’s web presence and establish best practices in digital marketing.
They identify advertising needs and new marketing opportunities by researching products, services, and current strategies while remaining up to date with the latest digital technology developments. In addition, marketing strategists monitor SEO/SEM and marketing and sales performance metrics to forecast future trends.
Finally, digital marketing strategists build strong client relationships through social media interaction, keep up to date with the audience’s preferences, and proactively suggest new campaigns.
2) Requirements and Qualifications. Digital marketing strategists should have a BS degree in marketing, advertising, or another relevant field. Additionally, they must show proven work experience in the digital marketing field, have demonstrable experience with SEO/SEM and CRM software, and ideally, have experience implementing and optimizing Google Adwords campaigns. Finally, strategists need a solid knowledge of web analytics tools such as Google Analytics and hands-on experience with various online marketing tools and practices.
3) Skills. Digital marketing strategists are familiar with web design and HTML, have excellent verbal and written communication skills, and have strong analytical and project management skills.
The Digital Marketing Specialist Job Description Explained
And finally, we have the digital marketing specialist job description. Digital marketing specialists compare the company’s advertising techniques with those of the competitors. They help maintain a profitable message for the company and keep watch on any data that shows changes in advertising consumption trends.
1) Responsibilities. Digital marketing specialists conduct a lot of research, especially regarding marketing research, competitor pricing, products, and the latest advertising trends. They measure digital traffic, monitor Google Analytics and social media platforms, and decide which ads and content will reach the customers. In addition, they publish digital marketing content online, conduct email marketing campaigns, and develop projects to create new content.
2) Requirements and Qualifications. Digital marketing specialists should have a Bachelor’s degree in either marketing, business, or English. They also need to be comfortable working with content-creating software. A well-rounded digital marketing specialist has previous experience in researching and promoting goods and services through online marketing techniques. This work experience should also include working on email campaigns and conducting sales-related research and writing.
3) Skills. Digital marketing specialists need to be skilled in research techniques, have solid digital literacy, have good working habits, and have a knack for business.
The Common Elements of Any Digital Marketing Job Description
All digital marketing forms aim to create solid and innovative strategies that promote the business’s brands, products, and services. Therefore, digital marketing professionals are expected to effectively use and optimize various marketing tools and techniques such as PPC, SEO, SEM, email, social media, and more.
So, regardless of the digital marketing type and position, most digital marketing job descriptions include most of these duties:
1) Identifying trends and insights
2) Allocating marketing investments
3) Planning and directing marketing campaigns
4) Managing and maintaining the organization’s website
5) Optimizing content for the website and social media platforms
6) Working with various content formats (e.g., blogs, videos, audio podcasts, etc.)
7) Tracking the website traffic flow
8) Implementing and analyzing performance metrics
9) Measuring and assessing goals as they relate to the Return on Investment (ROI)
10) Regularly providing internal reports
11) Executing new, creative collaborations among technologies and platforms
Growth of Digital Marketing Jobs
Although the Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that occupations across the board will grow at an 8 percent rate between 2020 and 2030, digital marketers face an even better future. According to the BLS, marketing research analysts and marketing specialists will see a 22 percent employment increase from 2020–2030. This impressive increase also puts marketing specialists and market research analysts at the number 11 position on BLS’s list of Most New Jobs between 2020–2030, with an estimated 163,300 new jobs.
Are You Ready to Become a Digital Marketing Professional?
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Indeed.com reports that digital marketers in the United States earn a yearly average salary of $60,434, ranging from $36,313 at the low end to $100,579 at the top of the range. Of course, these numbers can vary due to the local job market, candidate experience, and the hiring company.
So if you would like to pursue a new career in digital marketing or make a transition from a related position, sign up for this incredible bootcamp and master the techniques of this fascinating and rewarding vocation!!