7 Essential Skills Every Digital Marketer Needs to Know
Because the digital sector is so big, it can be challenging to break into, particularly for marketers who are wanting to carve out a specific segment of the market. If you aren’t paying attention to the aspects of a company’s operations that are most vital to its success, you could find yourself struggling with a variety of challenges, such as learning the most effective data analytics tools and becoming an expert in search engine optimization and content marketing.
A good digital marketer will have the ability to learn on their own and adapt rapidly; they should even be prepared to pivot into alternative digital occupations if their current skills become less in-demand. Because they will be working with a variety of clients and teams, they will need to be able to communicate effectively and construct powerful groups.
The encouraging news is that there is a demand all around the world for marketers who are proficient in agile digital skills. According to the findings of the research report titled “Perpetual Evolution” published by DMI, the future of digital marketing will be driven by two factors: talent and technology. Companies are eager to hire marketers who have digital know-how. In addition, you should never forget how essential it is to capitalize on both your hard and soft abilities while advancing into more interesting and challenging roles.
How can you move up the corporate ladder more quickly or differentiate yourself from the other candidates, particularly if you are a digital nomad or want to become a successful freelancer? Check out these seven crucial specialized abilities that you need to have in order to stay current in the rapidly evolving digital sector.
1. Video Marketing
There is no sign that this trend will reverse any time soon, as online video consumption shows no signs of slowing down. Customers are particularly fond of watching videos on social media platforms, and research shows that eight out of ten individuals have made a purchase after watching a video produced by a company. According to research conducted by The State of Video Marketing, among marketers who make use of video, 93% believe it to be an important component of their overall strategy, and 87% claim it provides them with a favorable Return on Investment (ROI).
When it comes to video, the majority of statistics indicate to considerably higher conversion rates, increased engagement, and higher search engine optimization rankings. However, it is important to keep in mind that these figures are not exact and will vary depending on who you ask.
What makes it so engaging? Simply because it is both personal and pertinent. People are more inclined to have faith in your company when they are able to put a face to the name of the proprietor or of the person who is advertising the brand. Additionally, the content is extraordinarily adaptable, making it suitable for use on a variety of platforms. Just consider how successful Instagram has become, as well as how quickly TikTok has grown!
Professionals working in digital marketing don’t need to have an exhaustive understanding of video production. However, having the ability to create videos without the assistance of a trained professional is an excellent place to begin. You may accomplish this with the use of several really helpful applications such as Camtasia and Promo. And if you have any training in this field and love it, your abilities will never be squandered as there will always be a demand for video because video will always be available.
2. Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and Search Engine Marketing [search engine marketing] (SEM)
Everyone who wants to work in digital marketing has to have a fundamental understanding of search engine optimization, also known as SEO. This is because SEO is essential to all aspects of digital marketing. If you want to run a successful digital marketing campaign, it is essential that you have a strong understanding of best practices, content optimization, and how search engine optimization actually works. You can certainly delegate the highly technical and back-end work to the more technically savvy members of the team.
On a data and a content level, your entire digital strategy can be informed by search engine optimization (SEO) and search engine marketing (SEM). Therefore, you need to be able to communicate with the other members of your team on this, and you won’t get very far if you don’t study the fundamentals and understand how SEO and SEM can work together.
No matter what occurs, content marketing will remain an essential component of the overall strategy because it is the driving force behind digital marketing in the first place. On the other hand, content marketing is a massive task in and of itself. You need to be able to develop content of a high quality that is also friendly to SEO for a variety of platforms, and you also need to be able to grasp how to effectively create a content strategy in order to engage and convert audiences.
And to make matters a bit more difficult, it is essential to keep in mind that content can take numerous forms, ranging from video to social media, emails, web material, blogs, e-books, films, whitepapers, and the list goes on and on. You also need to have a solid understanding of how to sell on social media, as content is quite important on social platforms.
3. Data / Analytics
No matter what aspect of digital marketing you choose to specialize in, analytics will be an essential part of your strategy and will assist you in making better decisions for campaigns based on the data you collect. Monitoring and reporting via technologies like as Google Analytics is very basic; however, the challenging aspect is figuring out how to acquire and use that information to learn more about customer behavior and apply it to solutions that increase traffic and conversions.
The vast majority of companies, even the smallest ones, have enormous volumes of data to monitor, and excellent digital marketers need to know how to collect this information and use it to their benefit. Companies will never stop looking for people who not only have the marketing technical abilities necessary to “read” data but also have the ability to derive value from consumer data in order to better future plans. If you can demonstrate that you are capable of carrying out these responsibilities in original ways that lead to the success of campaigns, you will be an invaluable asset to the sector.
4. Understand Design Thinking & Planning
The phrase “design thinking” is used to describe an approach to solving problems that is centered on the needs and wants of the end user. When trying to find solutions to large-scale, complicated issues, this strategy basically pushes us to center our thoughts on other people.
The Interaction Design Foundation identifies the following as the five essential steps involved in this process: empathize, define, ideate, prototype, and test. This strategy is effective due to the fact that a significant portion of it is (or should be) centered on the user experience, which is essential to the success of digital marketing. An additional intriguing aspect of this strategy is that it can be implemented in a non-linear fashion. This means that in certain circumstances, you may reach the testing phase and then return to the middle phase, for example, to reconsider ideas. This is just one of the many intriguing aspects of this approach.
Because designers and developers are likely to adopt this type of strategy, it is a good idea to at least have a thorough understanding of it in order to boost the value of your marketing resume and to apply it when it is practicable.
5. Be Tech Savvy
Because technology drives the sector, it is essential for you to have a solid understanding of technology and the ability to pick up new skills rapidly. If you are of millennial age or younger, this will most likely come naturally to you because you are a digital native. However, members of older generations may want to invest some time not only in learning specific technologies, but also in becoming familiar with widely used software and tools such as audience listening or search engine optimization (SEM).
In addition, having an understanding of the technical abilities necessary for marketing, such as the fundamentals of web coding and having a good notion of how to make use of content management systems, can be of great benefit (CMS). For instance, a content management system (CMS) like WordPress, which is used by one-third of websites, can be modified to improve SEO provided the appropriate steps are followed. This can help you land the job of your dreams.
6. Be Persuasive
Not only will an excellent leader in digital marketing have strong people skills, but they will also be able to mix analytical thinking with creative problem solving. This is essential for success. Their teams will be able to generate more creative ideas for marketing campaigns as a result, which will propel organizations forward.
Possessing strong abilities in persuasion and influence is an essential component of this. Do you have the ability to persuade someone to buy a product? What about convincing the other leaders of the other teams that your concept is superior to theirs? It is not about disputing; rather, it is about having the assurance that you are competent in the task at hand and exhibiting that competence.
7. Emphasize the Unique Abilities You Possess
When it comes to “soft skills,” successful digital marketers should be inquisitive, love being versatile, think creatively, have a strong focus on business, and be strategy-oriented. However, there is a significant amount of room in this industry for people with a wide variety of personalities and skill sets. Therefore, in order to maintain your competitive edge in the sector, you need capitalize on the distinctive qualities that make you you.
It is possible, for example, to discover someone who is skilled in both management and SEO strategy, or it is possible to find someone who has a degree in computing science and a passion for social media. Both of these scenarios are exceptional and unique, respectively. You should never be scared to capitalize on the skills you already possess.
