In our tech-driven society, digital marketing affects businesses in a range of sectors.
It’s a career that’s in demand and shows no signs of slowing down.
But, if you’re a young professional looking to get into this line of work, what skills do you need to develop?
Digital marketing encompasses a variety of sub-categories, from SEO and video to content writing and social media, so the traits required to succeed are varied. But there are some common features across the industry that can benefit you when applying for roles.
Read on below to learn about the most useful digital marketing skills to practice for 2022!
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SEO
SEO skills are necessary in digital marketing, whether you choose to specialize in this area or you’re working in a different field of marketing. SEO influences so much of a digital marketing campaign, so having at least a basic understanding of how it works and the benefits it provides for clients can really help you climb the career ladder more quickly.
Whether you want to establish a local SEO presence for a client or you’re trying to build visibility on a global scale, SEO helps businesses drive sales and traffic to their site, so it’s a skill worth learning.
Content Creation
Whether it’s a blog post, a tweet or a page on a client’s site, being able to put words on a page is a valuable skill in this industry. But with technology and content demands changing all the time, a better skill to develop is the ability to tell a story and captivate an audience.
Originality and diversity are what it’s all about – as marketing agency KAU Media Group agrees: “The factors that determine where [a] website ranks on Google’s search results are changing as algorithm updates evolve and new ones are introduced. These updates focus on improving user experience and a large part of this experience relies on website or blog content.”
If you can think of unique ways to get a message across through clever content, you’ll be miles ahead of your competition. Gather evidence and showcase to potential employers you’re up to date with industry trends and you’re adaptable – these are important as digital marketing is known for its fast-paced and ever-changing landscape.
Related Read: The Online Portfolio: Why You Need One & How to Build a Portfolio Site
Adaptability
The ability to shift priorities and adapt to different projects is a key skill required for this industry. In digital marketing, employees often have several irons in the fire at once, whether working on numerous tasks within a single project or working with multiple clients at one time. As urgent matters arise or unexpected events occur in the media, digital marketers need to be on the ball to shift focus and respond accordingly.
Social Media
Social media has become one of our primary forms of communication and knowledge sharing in recent years, and as a result, it’s one of the most effective ways to market a business online.
With social media, digital marketers can reach their target audience much more effectively and get their message or products in front of a broader group of people. But there’s more to social media than posting a picture or a tweet every so often.
Digital marketers need to understand tone and the types of content their audience will respond to, the ability to use paid advertising and hashtags to full effect and have a good knowledge of the algorithms of each platform.
Problem Solving
As a digital marketer, you’re always against numerous competitors trying to achieve the same things you’re aiming to accomplish. So, your ability to succeed relies on being more creative and innovative when it comes to problem-solving.
How can you set yourself apart from other agencies or businesses trying to market themselves to the same audience? A career in digital marketing is dependent on being a skilled problem solver, gain experience in:
- Strategic planning
- Content creation and distribution
- Identifying unique pathways to reach a specific demographic/audience
User Experience
It’s not just web designers who need to have good knowledge of user experience – it’s a skill that can benefit everyone working in digital marketing.
Regardless of whether you’re selling a physical product or a service, being able to manipulate images, text and layouts to appeal to your target customers and improve their experience of your website makes all the difference.
From being able to organize information in a clear and logical way to removing barriers for your customers to encourage more sales or enquiries, user experience comes into play in many ways, so it’s valuable knowledge to have.
Start Your Career in Digital Marketing…
Digital marketing is a fun and creative industry to get involved with and there are various roles you can take on within this sector.
Whether you’re a keen writer, someone who enjoys data analytics and identifying trends, or you love the idea of building a brand on social media, there are jobs within this field that will appeal to you and your skillset.
Related Read: 10 Important Skills Employers Look For & Will Want In 2022 & Beyond
Whatever role you decide to train for, having a creative mindset, an adaptable approach and the ability to think about problems from a unique perspective will benefit you enormously in your career.
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