A vast number of organizations are relying almost exclusively on digital marketing to establish a brand identity and generate buzz about the products and services that they offer. As a result, there is a heightened demand for professionals with advanced and intuitive digital marketing skills. If you are interested in a digital marketing career, now is the best time to take an in-depth look at the industry and explore the professional opportunities that may be available.
What Is Digital Marketing?
Digital marketing is a specialized niche within the marketing field that focuses exclusively on promoting products and services through online channels. Digital marketing is anchored by many of the same principles of traditional marketing, and most organizations use a blended approach to marketing that involves both online marketing campaigns and traditional marketing approaches. Those who pursue a career in digital marketing will find that they not only need to be aware of marketing principles and strategies, but also familiar with the analytics tools used to track online marketing campaigns in real-time.
Why Pursue a Career in Digital Marketing?
A digital marketing career is particularly appealing because it is one of the most versatile business career paths an individual can pursue. You should pursue a career in digital marketing because:
- You can apply your skills in a wide range of industries, allowing you to align your personal interests and professional goals.
- You will enjoy a dynamic work environment. Technology continues to revolutionize the digital marketing industry, allowing you to become comfortable with new tools and develop advanced transferable skills.
- You will have an opportunity to enjoy a rewarding and impactful career. Digital marketing professionals have the ability to shape the brand and identity of an organization and help that organization reach its short-term and long-term goals.
Digital Marketing Career Paths
Within the digital marketing field, there are several specialized career paths that you can pursue. It's important to select a career path that allows you to leverage your advanced digital marketing skills while giving you the opportunity to explore your own interests and passions within the industry.
The most common digital marketing career paths include:
SEO and Content Marketing
One of the most common career paths for digital marketing professionals is search engine optimization (SEO) and content marketing. Search engine optimization is the process of creating digital content visible to online search engines, such as Google. The SEO strategies that digital marketing professionals utilize are constantly changing and evolving because the search engine algorithms are always being updated to ensure that the most relevant and accurate content is featured at the top of the search engine results page.
Social Media Management
Nearly every organization, regardless of its size, scope, or industry, must have a social media presence in today's dynamic landscape. Social media management is the branch of digital marketing that involves creating, developing, and overseeing social content for an organization. Those who specialize in social media management are often responsible for performing market research to create an optimized social media strategy and for overseeing the social media accounts for the brand on various social media platforms.
Paid Advertising and Analytics
Paid advertising and analytics is another sector of the digital marketing field in which there are many career opportunities. Within this specialized branch of digital marketing, professionals focus on developing pay-per-click campaigns. They often use advanced analytics tools to understand the target audience, develop effective PPC campaigns, and track progress in real time. As an increasing number of organizations begin to depend on paid advertising online, there will be more career opportunities in this branch of digital marketing.
10 Careers You Can Pursue With a Bachelor's in Digital Marketing
One of the best ways to launch a career in digital marketing is to pursue an online bachelor's degree in digital marketing. An undergraduate degree in digital marketing provides a strong foundation for your career. It focuses on e-commerce strategies and digital analytics, equipping you with essential skills.
These are some of the digital marketing careers that you can consider after earning your degree:
SEO Specialist
An SEO specialist is a digital marketing professional who creates and implements search engine optimization strategies for organizations across all industries. An SEO specialist is primarily responsible for:
- Performing keyword research to identify keywords relevant to the client's SEO campaign.
- Optimizing content to increase rankings on the search engine results page.
- Using analytics tools to track campaign progress and adapt accordingly.
Social Media Manager
A social media manager is a digital marketing specialist who primarily works with clients who want to expand their presence on social media. Social media managers work to identify the best social media channels for their clients' goals, curate content that will appeal to a specified target audience, and monitor social media activity to protect the brand's reputation and improve overall brand loyalty.
Content Marketing Manager
A content marketing manager is a digital marketing professional who focuses on creating optimized content that will rank high on the search engine results page. According to Indeed, content marketing managers are often responsible for:
- Identifying topics that will be relevant to a target audience.
- Creating a content marketing strategy that includes targeted keywords that should be used throughout the content.
- Using digital analytics tools to track the progress of the content and improve it accordingly.
PPC Specialist
A PPC specialist is a digital marketing professional who specializes in pay-per-click campaigns. These digital advertising campaigns are designed to attract visitors to a client's website and should be strategically implemented to increase conversions. PPC specialists often work to develop targeted PPC campaigns and track the results to ensure that their clients are getting the most value out of their advertising investment.
Email Marketing Specialist
An email marketing specialist often works to develop email marketing campaigns for clients. Email marketing campaigns have been one of the most trusted and reliable forms of digital marketing since the onset of the Internet, and these campaigns continue to play a powerful role in any digital marketing strategy. An email marketing specialist often works to create dynamic email marketing campaigns that include a variety of email content, such as newsletters, promotional emails, surveys, and special announcements.
Digital Marketing Analyst
Digital marketing analysts work exclusively with clients to develop, implement, and track digital marketing campaigns. Digital marketing analysts often use advanced analytics tools to:
- Identify emerging trends and algorithm patterns that may shape future digital marketing campaigns.
- Evaluate and analyze metrics to improve campaign results.
- Develop and present actionable insights that their clients can use to shape future digital marketing campaigns.
E-Commerce Manager
An e-commerce manager is a specialized digital marketing professional who works with clients who sell their products and services online. E-commerce managers are responsible for performing consumer research to understand the needs and desires of online customers and developing promotional strategies to grow online sales. This position blends business strategy with technical prowess, often requiring professionals to improve product development while creating a user-friendly and engaging web experience for customers.
Web Content Manager
A web content manager is a digital marketing career opportunity ideal for individuals interested in web development and design. Web content managers work to create appealing and interactive content that drives traffic to the website and increases overall user engagement. They often work closely with e-commerce specialists and content marketing specialists to create a dynamic web experience for their clients.
Marketing Automation Specialist
Marketing automation specialists leverage the power of AI and machine learning technology to develop online marketing campaigns that automate the most repetitive tasks. Marketing automation specialists are responsible for:
- Utilizing advanced software platforms to create automated marketing campaigns.
- Performing market research to identify a target audience for automated marketing campaigns.
Brand Strategist
A brand strategist is often considered a leader in the marketing profession. These digital marketing professionals work closely with organizational leadership to identify the company's target audience, establish a brand identity, and grow the organization's brand presence within the industry. Brand strategists prioritize brand consistency across all platforms, ultimately working to create positive consumer experiences with the brand.
How to Start a Career in Digital Marketing
With so many digital marketing careers available, launching your career may feel a bit overwhelming. Fortunately, most digital marketing career opportunities require you to have a similar foundation. If you are interested in a career in digital marketing, you will want to focus on:
Education and Certifications
An undergraduate degree in digital marketing will provide you with the foundational understanding you need to begin your career in digital marketing. By choosing a specialized degree program, you will enjoy coursework focusing on the advanced, industry-specific skills needed in the top digital marketing careers. In addition to earning your degree in digital marketing, you can also pursue certification programs that allow you to specialize in a specific area of digital marketing, such as SEO or brand strategy.
Gaining Experience
Earning your degree is a crucial first step toward beginning a career in digital marketing, but this industry also values hands-on, professional experience. While earning your degree, you should consider participating in internship programs that allow you to work directly with other digital marketing professionals and develop the practical, technical, and soft skills required for this industry. Through this professional experience, you will be able to discover your own interests in this ever-growing industry.
Prepare for a Career in Digital Marketing at Champlain College Online
A career in digital marketing offers a lifetime of potential. With so many areas where you can specialize, it's easy to carve out your own path forward. At Champlain College Online, we offer an online Bachelor of Science in Digital Marketing that equips students with the core skills required for this field, such as consumer behavior, digital analytics, social media marketing, and e-commerce strategy. With a curriculum that emphasizes project-based learning, you will be able to develop not only practical and technical skills in digital marketing, but also the core competencies required for this fast-paced industry, such as collaboration and critical thinking skills.
Request more information about our online degree programs today.
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