If you’re reading this, I assume that you’re either an online marketer yourself or someone who knows one; if not, then perhaps it’s time to consider a career in digital marketing?!

What Does an Online Marketing Manager Do?

Depending on your vantage point, an online marketing manager can seem like quite the mix of roles. From overseeing a marketing department to designing marketing campaigns and analysing marketing performance, to implementing marketing initiatives and measuring their success. Sound like a lot of responsibility?

While it’s true that an online marketing managers job description can be quite broad, the role still has a fairly clear distinction from an operations or management standpoint. Simply put, an online marketing manager is responsible for the following:

• Marketing Strategy – Coming up with strategic marketing plans that align with the goals and objectives of the business. This includes assessing customer needs and wants, identifying competitors, analysing market segments, and developing key performance indicators (KPIs).
• Marketing Performance – Analyzing the performance of a marketing program and making adjustments as needed. This may include evaluating the effectiveness of campaigns and analysing traffic, leads, and sales. The role also entails measuring the return on investment (ROI) for marketing programs and identifying areas for greater efficiency and effectiveness. Finally, you’ll be responsible for reviewing analytics data and providing the senior management team with regular recommendations for further improvement.
• Brand & Marketing Communications – Ensuring that the organization’s marketing efforts are aligned with business strategy, and that all marketing and communications activities support brand and business messaging.
• Product Management – Defining the features, functions, and performance of a product or service for the market. This includes exploring the requirements of key customers and stakeholders, as well as documenting usage patterns and functional behaviour. The role also entails creating user flows, flowcharts, and wireframes that will form the basis of functional user interfaces and marketing material such as brochures, website, and social media.
• Web Development – Creating, designing, and maintaining websites and web applications that are search engine optimised and accessible to users. This includes making sure that the site functions properly across all platforms (mobile, tablet, and desktop) and that it’s responsive (i.e. it looks the same on all devices).
• Email Marketing – Designing and executing effective email marketing campaigns for commercial purposes (e.g. driving sales or growing a business).
• Social Media Marketing – Integrating commercial messages into online communities (e.g. social media platforms) to reach potential customers. This includes creating engaging content that attracts, retains, and motivates people to act.

If you’re interested in a career in digital marketing, then you might be wondering what skills or qualifications you need to become successful. While it’s true that there’s no “one recipe” that will guarantee you a great job or make you immensely successful, there are a number of commercial and professional qualifications that can put you ahead of the competition.

Why Should You Study Digital Marketing?

With over 1.73 million jobs available now, and the demand for online marketers projected to double by 2022, it’s clear that now is a good time to study digital marketing. The growth in online marketing jobs can be mainly attributed to two trends that make up the bulk of the role:

• E-commerce – The trend behind e-commerce is towards online shopping. Since its inception, e-commerce has grown from a small segment of the online world to a multi-billion dollar industry. According to the International Data Corporation (IDC), retail e-commerce sales were worth about US $16.9 trillion worldwide in 2018. While the industry grew as a whole, certain job roles saw an increase in demand while others declined in 2018. According to Payscale, the median income of an e-commerce marketer is $55,000 with a top rate of $76,000.
• SaaS (Software as a Service) – Over the last few years, a “software-as-a-service” or SaaS model has emerged, which provides software online. Instead of purchasing software and installing it on your own computers, you can download and use the software remotely via the internet. This addresses one of the primary concerns of computer users: security and privacy. Because your data is stored remotely and accessed via the internet, it’s far less vulnerable to hacking or theft compared to desktop software. The downside is that you’ll need a strong internet connection to use most SaaS applications.

The demand for online marketers is expected to increase by 20% within the next five years, according to the International Data Corporation (IDC). While there will always be a need for individuals to create content for websites and social media platforms, the demand for digital marketers as a whole is projected to grow significantly. If you’re looking to enter a lucrative and rewarding field, then pursuing a career in digital marketing can seem like a good choice – especially since many industries are turning to online marketing as a form of marketing, rather than sticking to traditional methods.