In the past, to become an online marketer, you needed to go to a traditional college or university and get an accredited degree in marketing. With the emergence of MOOCs (Massive Open Online Courses) and online education in general, this paradigm shifted. Today, you can take an accredited online marketing degree and still work in a traditional job with a stable salary or a side-hustle.

Why Marketing?

In the past, to become an online marketer you needed to go to college and get a traditional marketing degree. This included courses like economics, management, marketing research, and even statistics. While a degree in marketing is still beneficial, it is no longer necessary. Today, you can take an accredited online marketing degree and still work in a traditional job (with a stable salary or a side-hustle) if you want. What changed?

In today’s world, the marketing department has changed from a department solely focused on advertising and PR to one that is responsible for marketing strategy, analytics, and planning. This places a greater emphasis on critical thinking and problem solving – two of the most valuable skills your can have as an employee.

What’s Next?

Now that you have the basics, like a good grasp of English and the ability to use a computer, you can begin your search for a marketing job. There are literally hundreds of marketing job roles – from full-time employees working for a Fortune 500 company to independent contractors earning thousands of dollars per month creating marketing campaigns for smaller businesses. No matter what your exact area of expertise may be, you can easily find a job in online marketing. Just make sure you are confident enough in your skills to perform at your desired level.

You may also want to explore getting a side-hustle – something you can do in addition to your job search. Having a separate income stream is always a good idea, especially if you’re looking to reduce your overall financial risk. While making money online is possible, it usually takes a lot of time to break-even. But if you’re looking for short-term cash flow, you can always get paid to take surveys or join a multi-product shopping portal. Don’t forget about the importance of good networking! Professionals in your field may be able to refer you to highly-regarded marketing jobs – or even hire you yourself if you’re lucky.