What skills do you need to become a digital marketer



Foundational skills in digital marketing

Below is a list of skills that will help you make a solid foundation for a digital marketing career.

1. SEO (Search engine optimization)

Search engine optimization or SEO is structuring your content to show up on search engine websites (Google, Bing, Yahoo). Marketers will try to ‘rank’ a certain word or phrase relevant to their business so their potential customers will find them. This is called organic traffic. It’s essential to know SEO if you want to become a successful digital marketer. 

2. PPC (pay-per-click)

Let’s say you typed “Shoes on sale.” What do you see? 

You probably found a pay-per-click sponsored ad with shoes on sale and, in most cases, are companies like Adidas, Nike, and Under Armour. Marketers will pay to have their products or services show up when searching for what they offer. Marketers will use platforms like Google, Adroll, or Bing to reach their potential customers. 

3. Social media marketing

What is the first thing you do when you go to Instagram? You scroll down and maybe “like” a post or comment on it. Soon, you encounter a brand that talks about similar products.

4. Email marketing

You probably signed up to get the latest updates, promotions, coupons, and so on through email. That’s one kind of email marketing. This is great for a business to continue building customer relationships and acquiring sales.

Technical Skills In Digital Marketing

Below is a list of important technical skills that are required for a successful digital marketing career.

1. Video creation/video marketing

To Increase your website retention and boost your ranking online, you need to know how to create, edit videos, and promote videos.

2. Content management systems

Understanding code and content management systems or having a basic understanding of HTML and CSS will give you an edge when working with websites. Common CMS platforms for websites are WordPress, Magento, and Shopify.

3. Data analytics

You must know how to use and understand Google Analytics. Monitoring and reporting can be tricky, but it helps to understand your customer behavior. With this knowledge, you can apply it to new solutions that boost traffic and conversions.

“That which is measured improves. That which is measured and reported improves exponentially.” – Karl Pearson

4. Design

Knowledge of UI and UX is essential for any digital marketing campaign. UI referes to user interface and UX refers to user experience. A basic understanding of design thinking will help you build a successful digital marketing career.

5. Marketing automation

Most of the business today rely on marketing automation tools. Understanding popular marketing automation tools will save a lot of time, streamline processes, and increase productivity.

 

Soft skills in digital marketing

Here is a list of soft skills that will give you an edge for a digital marketing career.

1. Social 

Communicating well with others will lead to the best results for you and your company. Lack of communication will be a disaster. Trust me! 

2. Persuasive

Yes, you need to be persuasive to sell a product or service. Also, everything you do is an experiment. You won’t get it right the first time. 

3. Analytical 

Now, this works well with persuasion. If you can back up your claim, you’ll have a higher chance of getting what you want. You have to understand how numbers work and how they can benefit the company. 

4. Adaptive

 Technology will change. It would be best if you kept yourself up-to-date. If not, you’ll be left behind. For example, in 2011, Google decided to update its algorithm called “SEO panda.” These algorithm changes meant that the strategies that marketers used in the past wouldn’t perform as well today.

5. Multitasker

Managers have to have a broad knowledge of many different topics. They also have to manage a lot of different projects. One recommendation will be to start projects that’ll bring more value and results first. Staying organized is the key here.

6. Good Listener

It is important to listen to your client and your customers. You must understand their perspective, concerns, and why they’re not buying, and find a better solution. 

7. Goal-oriented

 It is important to set goals, short term or long term. A helpful activity is to make sure your goals are SMART: specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-based.  

8. Passionate/curious

Very important! You need to love what you’re doing. Digital marketing is always evolving, and if you don’t like it, this is not the career for you. It would help if you enjoyed learning every single day.

You can develop both the hard and soft skills for a marketing career through apprenticeships. That’s why Acadium students who’ve completed at least four apprenticeships are more likely to get a marketing job.