Most people think that a “traditional” work-life balance means long hours at work followed by long hours at home spent with your family. While this may be true for some (especially in light of the pandemic), there is an alternative that doesn’t require you to give up your career: online internship! An online internship is a job opportunity that allows you to gain experience while also enjoying the freedom of being at home during the day. It may be the perfect fit for you if you are looking to make a change and don’t want to completely leave your career path behind.

What Is An Online Internship?

An online internship is a job opportunity that can only be accessed through an online platform such as LinkedIn. As the name would suggest, these are generally virtual jobs where you will be doing some amount of work from home and will be interacting with customers through email or video chat. Some of the typical duties include taking messages, ordering products, moderating content, and much more!

The advantage of these types of jobs is that you can easily integrate them into your existing schedule. You won’t necessarily need to rearrange your day to accommodate a full-time job – online internships allow you to do that!

Why Are These Jobs Rising In Popularity?

Due in large part to the increasing demand for remote work and the rise of digital nomads, more companies are becoming comfortable with giving employees the flexibility to work remotely. In fact, in 2022, more than half of all job openings will be available remotely, according to LinkedIn. This trend will continue in 2025, as well, with more than 85% of job openings expected to be available remotely.

If you are interested in exploring the option of an online internship, now is the perfect time to do so, as there will be many jobs available when you are finished. In the meantime, here’s a useful guide to help you succeed in your new found career!

How Do I Get Started?

If you are new to the world of online marketing and don’t know where to begin, fear not! We’ve got you covered. Below, you will learn everything you need to know about getting started with an online marketing internship. Follow the steps outlined and you’ll soon be enjoying the benefits of an experienced digital marketer on your team. 

Decide What Type Of Online Marketing Experience You Need

While there is no “one size fits all” approach when it comes to online marketing, there are a few distinct roles that you can assume to get started. Since you won’t necessarily be using a full stack of tools, it’s important to decide how much technical knowledge you need to have. Here are the most common roles and what you’ll need to assume them:

Content Marketer

As the name would suggest, a content marketer is responsible for creating content for various platforms. This could include creating blog posts, social media campaigns, or even videos to promote a product or service. You’ll need to have the ability to write concisely and compellingly as well as have a command of the different content formats available.

Social Media Manager

A social media manager is responsible for creating and maintaining the social media accounts for a company. This could include everything from setting up the platforms to engaging with their audience through posts and videos. Since social media managers are often involved in scaling the accounts, you’ll need to be familiar with the various platforms and know how to use tools like Hootsuite to manage multiple accounts from one place. You’ll also need to be comfortable with using marketing tools like Google Ads and Facebook Ads to get the most out of your social media efforts. Finally, you’ll need to know how to use analytics tools to track the performance of your accounts.

Online Retail Marketer

An online retailer’s job is to bring in revenue through online sales. To do this, they’ll typically use a combination of SEO, content marketing, and social media to attract potential customers to their websites. Once they’ve established a base of interested and engaged followers on social media, they can then turn to SEO to make their content findable. The main difference between an online retailer and a traditional retailer is that the latter maintains stores in real world locations to offer a hands-on experience for potential customers. Therefore, offline retail marketers need to be physically present to conduct sales. In some cases, they may also need to travel to meet with clients or go to trade shows.

What Kind Of Education Do I Need?

While a formal education isn’t necessarily required to enter into a marketing internship, having a degree or certificate certainly won’t hurt. However, you don’t need to have a four-year degree to begin an online marketing internship. In fact, many of the roles listed above don’t require any particular degree at all. What is required is a strong background in marketing, communications, and business. If you are interested in this field, consider going for a degree in marketing or commerce. Alternatively, you could consider entering the field with an accredited certificate. It’s a good idea to look into both of these options and see what is available for students who want to pursue a career in marketing.

Choose A Niche

Niche marketing is a form of marketing that targets a specific group of people with a particular interest in a certain subject matter. For example, if you’re passionate about fashion, you could start a blog on the subject matter and use it to attract other fashion enthusiasts. Alternatively, you could become an influencer in your niche and use your channel to grow your own social media following. A popular way to find a niche is to brainstorm with your friends and family and come up with ideas for blogs or YouTube channels. Once you’ve established a following on social media, you can then go to niche forums like Reddit to discuss trends and hot topics within your niche.

Choose a niche that you are passionate about and that you feel possesses the potential to grow. This is a career path that can be both challenging and rewarding at the same time. With your eyes set on a particular goal, it will be much easier to work your way there. And, when you finally reach your goal, you will feel a sense of accomplishment that comes with successfully creating a sustainable business within an often-competitive environment.

If you are interested in pursuing an online marketing internship, be sure to consult with someone who is experienced in the industry. No matter what, being a confident and empowered employee is the key to a successful career. So, don’t be afraid to ask questions or express your concerns. Someone who is experienced in the field will be able to guide you along the way and help you find the best fit.