With the Covid-19 pandemic seemingly not moving to a conclusion and digital marketing becoming even more essential in today’s world, interest in online marketing jobs has dramatically increased. Launching a digital marketing agency or working for one in-house can be a lucrative career choice for young professionals. However, with so much uncertainty about the future of digital marketing, it’s essential to consider what is the best online marketing career for you.
Here, we will discuss the various options available to aspiring digital marketeers, identifying both the pros and cons of each career path.
Digital Marketing Strategist
Strategists are responsible for developing and executing marketing strategies for their companies, products, and services. They typically work closely with marketing and sales teams to develop marketing plans and strategies, as well as produce regular reports on marketing progress. They may also be called upon to give presentations to upper management teams to demonstrate the effectiveness of the company’s marketing efforts.
If you have a technical background and are proficient in marketing software, such as HubSpot or Marketo, you may be able to find work as a digital marketing strategist. You will need to prove your ability to plan and execute marketing campaigns in virtual environments, such as Google Sheets. The digital marketing strategist profession is growing in demand, with many agencies and in-house marketing departments seeking someone to take on this role. This is because virtual strategists are able to provide much more value than their paper-based counterparts. This job title doesn’t require a lot of experience, but it is a perfect stepping stone for those looking to build up their portfolio and looking to take on bigger roles within the SEO or digital marketing team.
SEO Specialty Online Marketer
SEO or search engine optimization is the process of increasing a website’s visibility in search engine results through the use of certain keywords and quality content.
SEO specialists optimize websites and web content for international search engines such as Google, Bing, and YouTube, using a variety of techniques, including on-site SEO, off-site SEO, and social media marketing (SMM).
Since its inception, SEO has become a popular choice for those entering the field, with many digital marketing agencies and in-house marketing departments seeking someone to take on this role. This is because SEO specialists are able to quickly gain experience and provide value to businesses.
SEO careers can be found in a variety of industries, but must have an emphasis on gaining experience. You may start out as an SEO specialist with a small agency, or as part of an in-house marketing department, before moving onto a larger agency.
This job title doesn’t require a lot of experience, but is a perfect stepping stone for those looking to take on bigger roles within the SEO or digital marketing team.
Content Marketer
Content marketers are responsible for creating and distributing content, including blogs, social media posts, and other creative digital material, for the purpose of attracting, converting, and retaining customers and potential customers.
Content marketers typically work closely with developers, designers, entrepreneurs, and other agency staff to create products and platforms that effectively reach online audiences. They may also be called upon to give presentations to upper management teams to show the value they add to a business.
This is one of the more established online marketing careers, especially since many larger businesses have their own in-house content marketing teams. It’s also one of the more popular job titles within the field, according to Payscale, with an average annual salary of over $75,000 and a projected job growth rate of 26% through 2026.
The majority of content marketers start their careers in-house, with many larger businesses seeking to establish an in-house content marketing team or contract with a reputable agency. Since content marketing is a fairly established industry, with a lot of job security and growth opportunities, it’s a lucrative choice for young professionals with a technical background. As well as being a lucrative career, content marketing also offers a lot of flexibility in the job search, with many agencies seeking to fill a varying range of positions, from data analysts to copywriters to social media managers.
Social Media Manager
Social media managers are responsible for creating and maintaining social media accounts, primarily on platforms such as Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. They are also responsible for engaging with followers and creating content that will keep them interested and connected to the brand.
The role of a social media manager is continuously evolving, with many seeking to specialize in areas such as content strategy, social media analytics, and measurement. However, since much of the job involves using your brain and engaging with others via social media, the qualifications for a social media manager are relatively low. To start off, you will need a college degree in general studies or communications. The training from University of Phoenix offers a bachelor’s degree in general studies with a major in digital marketing. This is one of the more established online marketing careers, with many larger businesses seeking to implement a social media team or contract with a reputable agency.
The majority of social media managers begin their career in-house, with many larger businesses seeking to establish an in-house social media team or contract with a reputable agency. Since much of the job involves working with people and leading a team, many individuals looking to enter the field will seek to do so from within a company.
E-commerce Marketer
E-commerce marketing is the practice of marketing goods and services for sale online, using various platforms, including social media, blogs, and websites.
E-commerce marketers are responsible for creating and distributing marketing materials, including product descriptions, to attract customers to the store. Once a customer makes a purchase, the e-commerce marketer is responsible for providing customer service through email and possibly over the phone. Some e-commerce marketers work directly with vendors and suppliers to negotiate cheaper prices and gain access to exclusive deals. They may also be called upon to give presentations to upper management teams to show the value they add to a business.
E-commerce marketing is a combination of marketing and sales, with much of the work entailing convincing people to make a purchase. Hence, much of the training for this job is in sales and marketing, with a broad general education in business or economics. To start of, you will need a bachelor’s degree in general studies or communications, along with two years of experience in marketing or sales.
E-commerce careers can be found in a variety of industries, but much of the work involves working with businesses and pitching products to potential customers. You might start out as an e-commerce marketer with a small agency, or as part of an in-house marketing department, before moving onto a larger agency.
Online Marketing Coordinator
Online marketing coordinators, also known as digital marketing coordinators, are individuals who work with outside agencies or in-house marketing teams to coordinate and manage all online marketing activities. They are typically responsible for creating and maintaining websites and online marketing materials, as well as tracking and reporting on marketing performance.
Since its inception, online marketing coordinators have seen a large rise in demand, with many larger marketing agencies seeking to establish in-house teams or contract with freelance specialists. The role of an online marketing coordinator is constantly evolving, with many seeking to specialize in areas such as digital marketing analytics, search engine optimization, and social media marketing.
This is one of the more established online marketing careers because much of the work involves using your brain and keeping up with a variety of tasks. Like with a lot of other job titles within the field, the qualifications for an online marketing coordinator are relatively low, as there are not a lot of formal education requirements. All that is needed is a high school diploma and reliable communication skills.
The majority of online marketing coordinators begin their career in-house, with many larger businesses seeking to establish an in-house team or contract with a reputable agency. Since much of the job involves working with people and using your brain, many individuals looking to enter the field will seek to do so from within a company.
The Verdict:
As you can see from the career choices discussed above, there are many different ways to make a living as an online marketer. However, much of the work is very similar, with much of the training and experience being applicable across all six of the above job titles. This is why many businesses, including HubSpot, consider general education to be highly valuable in today’s job market. While a bachelor’s degree in general studies isn’t necessary for any of the above jobs, it does open up a lot of doors and increase your chances of securing employment. Many larger businesses with in-house marketing departments already have degree requirements for their marketing staff, so it’s certainly worth considering if you’re looking to take up a career in online marketing.