Does it ever seem like everyone you know is working in marketing? This seemingly catch-all career, which encompasses a wide range of roles and skills, is certainly one that’s gained lots of attention in recent months, especially with the rise of AI tools that have contributed to the importance of marketing roles.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median pay for advertising, promotions, and marketing managers was $141,490 per year in 2020. Moreover, a survey by LinkedIn indicates that digital marketing roles have seen a 30% annual growth rate, reflecting the increasing investment in digital strategies by businesses.
Digital marketers possess a diverse skill set that spans various areas, including content creation, SEO, social media marketing, and analytics. By acquiring expertise in these domains, you'll become a versatile professional capable of adapting to different marketing strategies and technologies. Since the field is so wide-reaching, however, we totally understand that you might be a bit confused about what exactly digital marketers do, their areas of expertise, how they got to their roles, and what their day-to-day is like.
Those are all very legitimate questions to have about the digital marketing field, but we wanted to dive deep today into another question that will help enlighten you about digital marketing and if it’s the right career path for you: the main benefits of digital marketing careers.
Ready?
Let’s dive right in.
What is Digital Marketing?
First things first: what exactly is digital marketing? Great question: it’s the use of websites, apps, social media, and other digital means of communication to promote or sell products and services. As you can probably tell, this is quite broad and encompasses a wide range of sectors, campaigns, products, and much more.
In order to use digital marketing to their advantage, companies have to carefully consider their own needs and goals, in addition to common digital marketing strategies, to find the right solution for them. And while there are quite a few regular practices within the sphere of digital marketing, here are five of the main types of digital marketing that you will probably find:
Content marketing: as the name suggests, content marketing uses the company’s very own content and brand to connect with their target audience, telling a story and drawing clients in through building relationships.
Search engine optimization (SEO): you’ve definitely heard of SEO and that’s because it’s an essential part of marketing! SEO deals with ensuring that a company’s web pages are highly ranked on search engines through the correct placement of keywords, headers, and quality content.
Technical SEO: although some people might be under the impression that SEO only relates to keywords and what’s on the page, technical SEO is just as important and ensures that the page technically functions well for users, optimizing speed, crawling, and structure, among other factors.
Search engine marketing (SEM): unlike organic marketing, which is done through free techniques, SEM uses paid campaigns to ensure the brand’s page appears high on search engine results pages; it also refers to ads which appear on search engine or competitor pages.
Social media marketing (SMM): this is just as it sounds: social media marketing uses popular social networks such as TikTok, Instagram, Reddit, and Facebook to expand their audiences, relate to users, and educate their followers.
The Top 7 Benefits of Working in Digital Marketing
Now that you’re up to date with what exactly digital marketing is, we can get right into the good stuff: the top 7 benefits of digital marketing careers. Just be prepared: you might be so motivated you’re polishing your resume before you’re done reading!
You’ll become an in-demand professional
With an increase in competition in practically every industry, more and more companies are focusing on their digital marketing strategies and hiring skilled professionals who know how to effectively reach their target audience and attract new customers. And the best part? According to Marketing Hiring Trends, the demand for digital marketing professionals is 44% higher than those looking for jobs.
Not only will you be setting yourself up for success with a sector that’s looking to hire, but you’ll also be in a solid position for future-proofing your career and increasing your job security–digital marketing is important and isn’t going anywhere.
You’ll gain a wide range of skills
As you can probably tell from this article, digital marketers are versatile and skilled professionals that boast tons of skills from different areas. And while this might seem intimidating at first, think of it this way: by learning a little bit about a variety of sectors and marketing techniques, you’ll be setting yourself up for success through learning new skills to make you a more attractive candidate for your next job opportunity.
Your career prospects will be wide open
In addition to being a wide-reaching profession, digital marketing is constantly evolving and there will always be a new tool to learn or industry to enter to keep you engaged and interested in your work. Every single sector needs digital marketers and you’ll be in charge of your own career progression.
Photo by Firmbee.com on Unsplash
You’ll enjoy competitive salaries
Let’s do some quick math: if digital marketers are in high demand and there are more available jobs than available professionals, what will salaries look like? That’s right: digital marketing roles will benefit from high salaries and benefits such as bonuses and equity, making this career path an even more attractive possibility.
You’ll be able to start your career quickly
Because the range of jobs available in the digital marketing industry is so widespread and the talents needed also span a wide range of experiences, there is no one requirement or path to take to land a role in digital marketing. For example, influencers with large followings and who fully understand their audience play a significant role in many digital marketing strategies, data experts help companies figure out exactly what’s going on behind the scenes, and skilled writers help craft captivating copy.
You’ll never get bored
Even if you form part of a marketing team, you’ll find that no day looks the same as the last; you’ll be working with different teams, projects, and tasks every single day, allowing you to not only learn more about the industry as a whole, but also stay on top of your game and never get bored.
You get to make the rules
If there’s one thing we’ve made clear, we hope it’s this: digital marketing is a wide open field with lots of room for growth, adventure, and new learning opportunities. What does this mean? Well, there are no rules; you can choose your specific career path, dabble in different industries, or even pick up new skills and certifications as you go. No matter what you’re interested in, there’s a spot for you in digital marketing.
Source: Hostinger Tutorials
Steps to Start a Career in Digital Marketing
Learn the Basics: enroll in online courses and obtain certifications.
Build a Portfolio: create a portfolio showcasing your work and achievements.
Network: connect with industry professionals on LinkedIn and attend webinars.
Stay Updated: follow industry trends and update your skills accordingly.
Working in digital marketing is quite the ride–and it’s waiting for you to come aboard. Are you up for the challenge?
About the Author:
Juliette Carreiro is a tech writer, with two years of experience writing in-depth articles for Ironhack. Covering everything from career advice and navigating the job ladder, to the future impact of AI in the global tech space, Juliette is the go-to for Ironhack’s community of aspiring tech professionals.
