Do you find yourself asking, “Is a digital marketing career choice a good decision?”Does the idea of developing a marketing campaign, advertising an innovative product or service, or creating a pay-per-click strategy sound exciting? Are you searching for an in-demand career that offers a competitive salary?
If you answered yes to any of the questions above, then you have come to the right place. In this guide, our experts outline 7 reasons why following the digital marketing career path is a great choice. We also discuss what a digital marketer does so that you can determine whether this journey is right for you.
What does a Digital Marketer do?
The term “digital marketer” refers to professionals who leverage various digital channels to connect with target audiences, increase awareness of a brand, and encourage consumers to buy a particular product or service.
Digital marketers must develop a dynamic skill set in order to be successful. Some of the talents that digital marketers need include a strong ability to communicate, data analysis capabilities, social media savvy, and conflict resolution skills.
As the global marketplace becomes increasingly reliant on internet-based forms of communication, digital marketers are now considered to be a valuable resource for organizations across virtually all industries.
Popular digital marketing jobs
Despite the fact that digital marketers often possess a vast array of skills, many of these professionals elect to specialize in a niche category of internet-based advertising. Some of the most popular digital marketing jobs include the following:
- Virtual reality content developers
- Search engine optimization specialists
- UX or user experience designers
- Email marketing specialists
- Content marketers
- Pay-per-click campaign managers
- Social media marketing specialists
- Digital marketing managers
- Digital marketing directors
- Digital marketing analysts
While all of the professions outlined above fall under the broad umbrella of digital marketing, each role entails a unique set of responsibilities.
For instance, content strategies are tasked with determining which types of content will make the biggest impact on a target audience. They are heavily involved in planning out digital marketing campaigns and are integral to the success of their organizations.
Conversely, search engine optimization (SEO) specialists are focused on driving organic traffic by conducting keyword research and performing other tasks that will enhance a website’s visibility.
The goal of SEO specialists is to help their clients increase search engine rankings so that they can appear at the top of search engine results pages (SERPs).
Early in your digital marketing career, you will likely perform a wide range of tasks. However, as you gain valuable experience and develop more advanced skills, you may have the opportunity to specialize.
This opportunity will depend largely on the size and type of organization that you work for, as digital marketers employed by small businesses are typically responsible for managing most brand-building efforts.
Is a digital marketing career choice a good decision?
Now that we have covered the basics of what a digital marketing professional actually does, let’s discuss why this has become such a popular career field. Some of the most notable benefits of becoming a digital marketer include:
1. An abundance of opportunities
If you are concerned about your career prospects as a digital marketer, a quick search on a popular job search site will immediately put these fears to rest. The average job listings page will contain hundreds of digital marketing vacancies.
While some of these listings are seeking more seasoned and specialized digital marketers, there are plenty of opportunities for newcomers to obtain gainful employment as well.
As the field of digital marketing is becoming increasingly specialized, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics does not include data for the profession as a whole. Instead, they list various marketing-related professions individually.
However, the projections for just about every digital marketing job are extremely positive. For instance, the BLS estimates that the number of available market research jobs will increase by 22% by 2030.
2. Competitive salary
Like job outlook data, information on the salary for digital marketing professionals is listed based on individual job titles. However, entry-level digital marketers have similar earning potential whether they perform general services or specialize in a field such as SEO or paid search.
According to Salary.com, the median earning potential for an SEO specialist is approximately $66,772 annually. Top earners can make nearly $80K per year.
Naturally, more experienced digital marketers have even higher earning potential. For example, a digital marketing manager earns $104,718 on average. Those working for larger organizations may have an average salary of $150K per year.
As you can see, digital marketing professionals can expect to earn a competitive salary in all stages of their careers.
3. Work with diverse clients
One of the most enjoyable aspects of becoming a digital marketer is that you get to work with a diverse group of clients. Many digital marketers are employed by a growth marketing agency or brand-building firm. These firms typically have an entire stable of clients that operate within a variety of industries.
In any given week, a digital marketer may work with clients operating within the pharmaceutical, software, construction, financial, insurance, or healthcare industries, just to name a few. The opportunity to work with such a broad array of entities ensures that work is always exciting and challenging, which brings us to our next point.
4. Challenging and essential work
Digital marketing experts are expected to develop quality advertising content and craft effective campaigns that resonate with consumers. Since the needs, pain points, and desires of each target audience will vary, digital marketers always have the chance to tackle new challenges.
They must find a way to get their client’s message across while simultaneously increasing brand awareness and encouraging the audience to make a purchasing decision.
Digital marketing work is not only challenging, but it is also essential. Without digital marketers, thousands of brands would not be able to effectively connect consumers with products that they need and want.
5. The opportunity to work with others
Life as a digital marketer involves frequently collaborating with other talented and creative professionals. Digital marketers have the opportunity to work hand-in-hand with web designers, animators, videographers, photographers, and more.
As a digital marketer progresses through their career, they may also have the chance to seek leadership positions as a manager or director. These high-level professionals leverage advanced project management skills in order to guide teams of digital marketers and other professionals.
6. The chance to develop analytical skills
During their quest to specialize in a niche field, digital marketers will have the opportunity to develop data analytics skills as well. While data analysts and digital marketers are two separate classes of professionals, some jobs require applicants to possess both skills.
For instance, market research specialists conduct data analysis in order to identify emerging consumer trends so that they can develop more effective marketing materials.
Even if you are not interested in becoming a market researcher, acquiring some basic data analytics skills will serve you well in your quest to evolve into a successful digital marketer.
7. Enhances strategizing capabilities
Contrary to popular belief, digital marketers are responsible for much more than simply creating singular pieces of captivating content.
In actuality, digital marketers must look at the big picture in order to create a cohesive marketing strategy. Each piece of content should be purposefully designed to engage, inform, educate, and encourage the audience to make a purchase.
As you acquire experience as a digital marketer, you will become more adept at strategizing and developing a game plan for winning the hearts and minds of your target audience.
Attributes of a successful Digital Marketer
So what does it take to become a successful digital marketer? For starters, you will need to obtain a degree in digital marketing. Alternatively, you can elect to participate in a certificate program in order to acquire the necessary digital marketing skills.
These certificate programs have become increasingly popular in recent years, as they allow you to accelerate your path to becoming a digital marketer. In fact, many of these programs can be completed in as few as six months, but more on that below.
In addition to a certificate or relevant degree, you will also need to possess the following attributes:
- Creative problem-solving capabilities
- Leadership skills
- Adaptability
- Communication Skills
- Determination
- The ability to see the big picture
These skills will serve you well as you take on the challenges of digital marketing and start your journey towards one of these rewarding career options.
Pathstream: Providing exceptional digital marketing career choice solutions
If you think that a career in digital marketing is for you, Pathstream can help you obtain the skills necessary to succeed. We offer a comprehensive Facebook Digital Marketing course that will help you master the essential skills needed for social media-based marketing.
In addition to this exciting program, Pathstream offers several other certificates, including:
To learn more, we invite you to connect with one of our helpful advisors today. We look forward to helping you prepare for the next stage of your career!
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