As a career choice, digital marketing management is gaining considerable popularity thanks to the impactful, multifaceted and rewarding nature of the position. This is a role that combines elements of human psychology, analytics, strategy and content creation, requiring a deep understanding of the latest software, digital trends, platforms and tools.
Those who can demonstrate that right mix of skills and experience (not to mention a huge amount of genuine interest in the field!) are highly sought after by the growing number of businesses looking for a digital marketing manager with the ability to manage eye-catching and authentic digital ads, marketing campaigns, grow their online audience, and ultimately turn followers into loyal, repeat customers of any brand.
So let's get to work. Let's get started!
1. What does a digital marketing manager do?
While digital marketing director is undoubtedly one of the most in-demand digital marketing jobs out there right now, if you're new to the field, it can be difficult to know exactly what this role entails.
So what does a digital marketing manager actually do? Simply put, they are responsible for the successful operation of digital campaigns and channels that create leads, promote the brand and its products, and contribute to the overall growth of the company.
Working with the rest of the digital marketing team, from content creators to the head of marketing, the digital marketing manager is tasked with aligning messaging across all of the company’s channels, as well as planning and executing marketing tasks or distributing these tasks among the right team members.
As is often the case, the size of the company will determine exactly how hands-on the digital marketing manager will be in executing tasks. However, to give you an idea of the type of responsibilities someone in this role is typically expected to carry out, let’s take a look at a typical digital marketing manager job description.
These are some of the responsibilities and tasks expected of the role:
Plan content and manage the company's social media channels and website.
Increase social media audience and company website traffic.
Work closely with content creators, including writers, community managers, social media managers, videographers and designers, to create engaging and persuasive content.
Monitor and analyze digital marketing metrics to establish the effectiveness of campaigns and promotions.
Write and present digital marketing performance reports taking into account key performance indicators (KPIs) and ROI (return on investment).
Assist the Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) in developing campaign budgets.
Periodically evaluate and review brand messages across all areas for relevance and consistency.
Collaborate with senior marketing specialists, develop a digital marketing and social media strategy.
Plan user-centric website landing pages.
Provide training, mentoring, and learning opportunities for digital marketing team members.
Identify and adopt the latest digital technologies and tools, and be aware of digital trends in your industry.
Plan, prepare and create conversion tests.
As you can see, the role requires a wide range of skills, experience and knowledge. From analytical to managerial and, I personally believe, leadership and project management as well. But don’t worry, I’m just doing this post to cover the essentials to master these skills and land your first job in the very busy field of digital marketing.
2. Become a digital marketing manager without previous experience
Yes, it is totally possible. I am not going to lie to you and talk about a “dream world” – it takes effort and time. But it is totally achievable by anyone. Basically because the skill set required for this role is very varied and digital marketing managers often learn from transferable skills, which can be acquired from a variety of different career paths and backgrounds, both within and outside of marketing. I know people who studied medicine or law and today do digital marketing.
Bottom line. You don't need any specific experience, nor a degree in digital marketing. As long as you can demonstrate to potential employers the most important skills needed for the role, as well as highlight the value you bring from your field or previous education, you can absolutely become a successful digital marketing manager.
In my personal case, my first academic training was in graphic design. Does anyone remember Adobe Page Maker? Hehe. When I graduated as a designer, I was fortunate enough to work in a tourism company where they encouraged me to hire dial-up Internet service. So, it was up to the designer to “connect to the Internet to check emails” and then… “make a web page.” Something I did by reading a printed book on Microsoft Front Page. It was right there, where I started in web design. Let’s say that literally, that is the prehistory of my path towards digital marketing.
But… let’s not dwell too much on my story. So, what are those key skills you’ll need to learn? Let’s take a look.
3. Digital marketing manager skills
As I mentioned before, acquiring the necessary set of skills and knowledge is crucial to becoming a digital marketing manager. Here is a list of the main things you will need to master:
Strategic thinking
Strategic thinking involves developing specific thought processes that are applied in the context of the goals being achieved. Predicting outcomes and planning ahead are important aspects of strategic thinking.
Data analysis
Data analysis is a process that involves first monitoring and measuring data sets, before studying them closely with the aim of uncovering useful insights. The results of data analysis often directly influence decision-making and planning. This is crucial for digital marketing, as you will need to track the performance of different campaigns and use the data to optimize future campaigns and your overall strategy.
Knowledge of key digital marketing chinese overseas america phone number data channels, techniques and tools
A digital marketing manager should be familiar with the main marketing channels and how they are used. The main channels include social media , email , organic search , and paid search (to name a few). Some of the most important marketing approaches include SEO (search engine optimization), SEA (search engine advertising), performance marketing, content marketing , email marketing, and social media marketing. Nowadays, knowing about artificial intelligence tools and how to use them is key in today’s market.
Knowledge of the marketing funnel, marketing metrics and KPIs
At this point in the article, this may seem like a bunch of confusing buzzwords: marketing funnel, marketing metrics, and KPIs (key performance indicators). However, if you want to become a digital marketing manager, you’ll need to familiarize yourself with these terms and what they mean in relation to your job. The marketing funnel explores where the customer is in their journey (e.g., have they just learned about your product or service, or are they close to making a purchase?). Marketing metrics and KPIs help you set goals and measure success.
Eye for good texts
Good copy will make or break a digital marketing campaign. Whether it’s social media copy, email copy, ad copy, long-form blog posts, or landing page copy, a digital marketing manager needs to know exactly how they want to define the tone and voice of the brand so that it resonates with the target audience.
Some knowledge of visual marketing
Digital marketing managers work closely with graphic designers to create images for social media, the company website, and email campaigns. Knowing the trends in visual marketing will be a huge advantage in this important aspect.
UX (user experience) and CX (customer experience)
The brand's user experience through its digital channels must be fluid, pleasant and intuitive. Therefore, a digital marketing manager must have some knowledge of the psychology behind their customers' decision-making in order to optimize the website and social media to meet and exceed expectations. Why does the customer abandon the online store's shopping cart? This is usually a frequently asked question that digital marketing managers ask themselves and seek to answer.
If you want to get a deeper insight into the skills you'll need to master, here's a nice compilation (in English) of the most important skills of a digital marketing manager.
4. Become a digital marketing manager: a suggested step-by-step guide.
Truth be told — always — there is no one-size-fits-all route into the digital marketing field. Lawyers, Engineers, Doctors, Professors, Designers, men, women, everyone… They can all work in online marketing. But there are certain steps you can take (starting today) that will give you a head start in launching your new career as a digital marketing manager. To help guide you down this exciting path, on the right path, I’ve come up with this practical roadmap for you to follow.
Step 1: Read about the industry and get familiar with key concepts and tools.
Doing your own research will go a long way. This is a lot about self-learning and a desire to venture into new territory. Do you really want to be a digital marketing manager? This is probably the first question you need to answer internally. Doing your research will give you a realistic idea of the industry you are targeting, the pitfalls you need to avoid, and the trends that are on the horizon – and they are very fast-moving. Fortunately, there are many excellent resources out there, from blogs and podcasts to webinars and video tutorials that discuss many important concepts and practices of digital marketing and how it might evolve in the coming years.
