What is a Digital Marketer?
Digital marketers use various digital marketing techniques to communicate with brand target consumers to promote growth and sales. As a digital marketer, you are responsible for promoting a brand’s products or services using digital channels.
You will need to devise a solid multi-channel communication strategy that speaks directly to target consumers and prospects. You may work across several areas, or be a digital marketing specialist – this will depend on the size and requirements of the company you are employed by.
Below are some commonly used digital marketing techniques include:
- Social media marketing – developing a distinct online presence by attracting high numbers of internet followers through social media channels such as Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Instagram.
- Search engine optimisation (SEO) – developing strategies to increase the number of visitors to a website by achieving high-ranking placements in search results.
- Pay-per-click (PPC) campaigns – sponsored online advertising paid for by the business to appear alongside non-paid search results.
- Mobile marketing – includes app-based, in-game, location-based and SMS marketing.
- Affiliate marketing – where a business allows other businesses (affiliates) to sell products on their website. The affiliate is paid a commission for each customer brought to the website by their own marketing strategies.
Responsibilities
As a digital marketer, you’ll need to:
- Create and upload copy and images for the organisation’s website
- Write and dispatch email marketing campaigns
- Provide accurate reports and analyses to clients and company management to demonstrate effective return on investment (ROI)
- Research new online media opportunities that may benefit the business including mobile, social media, development of blogs and forums
- Design website banners and assist with web visuals
- Communicate with clients, affiliate networks and affiliate partners
- Conduct keyword research and web statistics reporting
- Contribute to social media engagement and brand awareness campaigns
- Use web analytics software to monitor the performance of client websites and make recommendations for improvement
- Contribute to company and industry blogs and manage e-communications
- Assist with paid media, including liaising with digital advertising agencies
- Develop and integrate content marketing strategies
- Keep up to date with current digital trends
- Manage the contact database and assist with lead generation activities
- Negotiate with media suppliers to achieve the best price for clients.
Salary
The starting salary for a graduate marketing scheme or entry-level candidate will range between £18,000 to £22,000.
As you advance, you can expect to earn up to £30,000. More senior digital marketers have the opportunity to earn up to £40,000. According to Glassdoor the national average salary for a digital marketer is £33,348. Depending on your employer, you may be eligible for company bonuses, private healthcare and additional benefits packages.
Working hours
You can expect to work typically 37 to 40 hours per week, however, you may be expected to work longer hours if you are working on large-scale marketing campaigns and project work. Part-time work is available as well as short-term work which can usually be sought out through recruitment agencies. You can also work on a freelance basis where you will have the opportunity to decide your own working hours.
What to expect
- The role is largely office-based with a lot of communication by phone, email and conference calls.
- Travel may be required, especially in agency roles where visits to clients are an essential part of the job.
- Flexible working patterns and some working from home may be possible.
- Self-employment or freelance work is possible for experienced digital marketers who choose to become independent consultants.
- Due to the changeable and fast-paced nature of the digital marketing sector, the role is challenging but rewarding.
Qualifications
Most marketing graduate schemes will require a marketing degree and you’ll need to be flexible in terms of location as competition for these schemes will be rife. Due to the competitive nature of the industry, a degree will make you stand out against the crowd however, it is possible to gain marketing employment if you have relevant experience. Without a degree, you might be required to demonstrate a genuine interest in digital marketing with evidence of a strong personal online profile, such as a blog, website or connections and interactions on various social media platforms.
Skills
must have skills:
You’ll need to have:
- Strong verbal communication skills for articulating ideas to colleagues and clients
- Excellent written communication skills for producing high-quality content
- Attention to detail and accuracy
- The ability to work independently and flexibly
- The capacity to prioritise and work across multiple projects
- The ability to work as part of a team
- Organisational skills with the ability to deliver a high volume of quality work
- Creative skills for contributing new and innovative ideas
- The ability to work well under pressure and meet deadlines
- Networking and analytical skills
- Knowledge of existing and emerging social media platforms
- Excellent IT skills.
Work experience
There are a number of undergraduate marketing placements and internships that you can apply for during your studies.
However, this will be highly competitive, therefore you should research the various companies before applying and comparing your current skill-set against the job requirements. There are also digital marketing apprenticeships that you can apply for. Developing an online presence and portfolio, through blog writing, for example, will help you showcase your capabilities and genuine interest when it comes to interviews.
Employers
Digital marketers can find employment in all sectors. Many large and medium-sized companies have an in-house marketing and communications department, which offers digital marketing services in addition to traditional marketing support.
Alternatively, you could apply to work at a marketing agency, handling projects and marketing contracts outsourced by companies. You can work at some of the largest organisations such as:
- Nike
- LÓreal
Professional development
Most of your training will be done on the job as the tools used will vary depending on the company. However, some areas will include:
- Google Analytics and Facebook Insights, for web analytics reporting
- Adobe Creative Suite, for online banner design
- Google AdWords, for pay-per-click campaigns
- MailChimp, for email marketing.
Companies with marketing training schemes usually offer a structured continuing professional development (CPD) programme, in addition to in-house training to help develop specific skills. Many also provide financial support to undertake professional qualifications, such as those offered by the CIM.
Career prospects
If you’re a recent graduate, your progression will depend on the size, type and opportunity within the organisation. Digital marketing is extremely fast-paced therefore, the more you learn early on the better chance you stand in moving up the ladder quicker.
You can expect to progress into more senior roles between two to five years from digital marketing executive to coordinator or manager. Gaining additional qualifications throughout your career will help build your knowledge of the industry and your skillset. At account director levels, you will have complete oversight and responsibility for your accounts, strategy and digital marketing campaigns. You may also be required to take on additional responsibilities, such as budgets, training and mentoring.
Related Courses
Undergraduate
Studying towards a BA (Hons) in International Business sets students up with the necessary skills to work in a range of professions. The course involves working closely with academic theory and practical case studies, allowing students to grasp how the theory can be applied in real business scenarios.
Within this programme, students will cover modules such as business studies, finance, human resource management, marketing, and economics. BA International Business takes a very hands-on approach to learning by incorporating workshops, guest lectures and field trips into the programme.
Other related courses
- BA (Hons) Marketing Management
- BA (Hons) Marketing with Advertising and Public Relations
- BA (Hons) Communications and Public Relations
Postgraduate related courses:
The MBA component of the course takes a broad look at business practice and functions such as accounts, finance, and HR – and how they are all interlinked. This allows students to grasp the importance of strategy and communication within a managerial role.
Alongside a broad business view, this course allows students to specialise in digital marketing in a more focused way. The marketing aspect of the programme is intended to allow professionals with substantial digital marketing experience to hone their skills to enhance their career prospects. Areas of study include digital marketing strategy, management, social media marketing, search engine optimisation, pay per click, email and influencer marketing.
Other related courses
- MSc Marketing and Leadership
- MSc Strategic Marketing
- MSc Global Digital Marketing
FAQ Summary
Digital marketers use various digital marketing techniques to communicate with brand target consumers to promote growth and sales. As a digital marketer, you are responsible for promoting a brand’s products or services using digital channels.
The starting salary for a graduate marketing scheme or entry-level candidate will range between £18,000 to £22,000.
Most marketing graduate schemes will require a marketing degree and you’ll need to be flexible in terms of location as competition for these schemes will be rife. Due to the competitive nature of the industry, a degree will make you stand out against the crowd however, it is possible to gain marketing employment if you have relevant experience. Without a degree you might be required to demonstrate a genuine interest in digital marketing with evidence of a strong personal online profile, such as a blog, website or connections and interactions on various social media platforms
