Often, the line between a digital marketer and an e-commerce manager is blurred. After all, the tasks of an online marketer can seem to overlap with those of an e-commerce manager. For example, both a digital marketer and an e-commerce manager may analyze traffic and conversions and devise strategies to drive more business.

However, a digital marketer’s responsibility is to drive traffic and convert that traffic into paying customers. An e-commerce manager’s responsibility is to facilitate customer purchases through online channels, such as shops, websites, or mobile apps.

Hence, the distinction: the digital marketer focuses on marketing and driving traffic to the company’s websites and apps, while the e-commerce manager focuses on the execution and growth of the business via online channels.

Depending on your experience and the responsibilities you were handed when you were hired, you may have had to make this decision a few times. After all, not every organization is blessed with a clearly defined digital marketing or e-commerce role. So, if you’re in the middle of this process for the first time or if you’ve been through a few iterations of role definition and are looking to take a step back, here’s some advice on how to make the right decision for your organization.

Know What You’re Getting Into

This is not a decision to be taken lightly. When you’re in the thick of a digital marketing or e-commerce transformation, it’s easy to be blinded by the endless possibilities that technology brings. To ensure you make the right choice for your organization, it’s essential to step back and evaluate what you’re getting into.

Often, a firm will entrust you with the role of a digital marketer or e-commerce manager, and you’ll be presented with a list of products and services to promote. While this can be exciting, it can also leave you feeling a little overwhelmed. This is a common state of mind when you’re faced with so much information, and there are so many moving parts. If you find yourself in this situation, take a few days to regroup and reevaluate.

After a few days, you’ll understand the big picture and the specific responsibilities you’ll need to shoulder to make a difference. Looking back, you may realize that some of the products and services in the list were actually perfect fits for your organization, but you didn’t have the strategic thinking to implement them effectively. Hence, you may want to reconsider what your organization wants and needs in a digital marketer or e-commerce manager.

Understand What the Role Includes

When you take on the responsibility of a digital marketer or an e-commerce manager, you’ll be expected to hit the ground running. This means you’ll need to be able to understand your role and how to fulfill it effectively. While it may be tempting to rush into performing tasks without proper training, this can be detrimental to your effectiveness as a digital marketer or e-commerce manager. As a result, you may end up causing more damage than good. Take some time to research and educate yourself on the following:

• The technologies and platforms you’ll need to be proficient in.
• The marketing processes and best practices applicable to your role.
• How to communicate with customers, whether you’re engaging with them online or in person.
• The organizational structure and processes that will help you achieve your goals.
• The sales, marketing, and operations functions within your organization.

By taking the time to prepare yourself for the responsibilities you’ll inherit, you’ll be able to hit the ground running and make a positive impact on your organization’s performance. In turn, this will allow you to gain confidence, grow your self-image, and feel more satisfied with your decision.

Look For The Best Fit

Once you’ve had some time to regroup and reevaluate, you’ll understand the big picture and the specific responsibilities you’ll need to shoulder to make a difference. At this stage, you’ll want to consider what will make you the most effective digital marketer or e-commerce manager for your organization. To do this, you’ll want to seek out a firm that has the right experience, tools, and approach to help you succeed.

One of the best ways to do this is to look for the best fit. In other words, find a marketing or digital agency that has the experience necessary to succeed in your role and the skills necessary to help you leverage the tools at your disposal.

For example, if your role requires you to use digital marketing analytics to track success and analyze results, look for a firm that has experience using the best in class tools and platforms for marketing analytics.

Likewise, if your role requires you to design online stores, look for a firm that has experience in this area and can help you choose the right e-commerce platform.

Ultimately, your role will depend on your organization’s goals and the responsibilities you were handed when you were hired. However, one thing is for sure: no matter what your role, you’ll be expected to hit the ground running and prove your effectiveness quickly. When this happens, you’ll be able to take pride in knowing you made the right decision for your organization and feel confident that your skills and experience will help you succeed.