In the last 5 years, the world of online marketing has shifted from being mostly focused on paid advertising to being more intelligent, informed and strategic. As a result, the capabilities and expectations of the marketing function have evolved – and so has the role of the digital marketer.

You may be familiar with the title of Richard Branson’s book, The Everything Store. While the book is focused on retail, the thesis behind the quote (attributed to him) is just as relevant for marketers in 2020: “Once a customer has bought something from you, they’re not going to buy anything else from your competitor. Ever.”

This mindset should permeate every aspect of your digital strategy, from marketing analytics to social media.

Why Should You Get An Online Marketing Degree In The UK?

Since the beginning of the year, the UK has been going through a challenging time as far as the national economy is concerned. Many businesses are still cautious about spending big dollars and engaging heavily in digital marketing, as they’re fearful of missing out on future revenue streams due to the pandemic.

However, the sector is still growing at a healthy rate, with over 130,000 new jobs available in the next few years, meaning there should still be plenty of roles for graduates.

What’s more, with the changing face of social media and digital marketing, many employers are seeking graduates who have either been through a digital marketing degree or who are currently undertaking studies to obtain a degree in the field.

What Specialisms Will You Learn?

If you’re looking to specialise in digital marketing, you’ll need to understand a variety of technologies and platforms, as well as the theory behind effective campaigns. To give you a flavour of what you can expect to learn at Manchester Metropolitan University, consider some of the specialisms available for study:

• Online Marketing ((MSc) or (PGCert)): The theory and practice of marketing activities in an online environment. An introduction to the foundations of marketing, with a particular emphasis on digital marketing.
• Digital Marketing ((MSc) or (PGCert)): The theory and practice of marketing activities in a digital environment, including search engine optimisation, content marketing and social media.
• Digital Marketing Strategy ((MSc) or (PGCert)): Research and analysis of digital marketing environments, from a business perspective. The study of marketing technologies and platforms, including social media, and how they can be used to develop and support marketing strategies.
• Marketing Communications ((MSc) or (PGCert)): The practice of disseminating marketing information to targeted groups of people. This could include print, digital or social media communications
• Social Media Marketing ((MSc) or (PGCert)): The practice of marketing on social media platforms, including LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
• Google Adwords and Paid Search ((MSc) or (PGCert)): A specialized and in-demand area of online marketing, which allows you to shape and define the types of ads that appear when users search for specific terms. This is a wide-reaching specialism that could take you far beyond the basic principles of digital marketing.
• Content Marketing ((MSc) or (PGCert)): Creating and distributing high-quality content for both internal and external audiences. The purpose of content marketing is to spread relevant, valuable information to the right people at the right time.
• Inbound Marketing ((MSc) or (PGCert)): Focusing on the customer rather than the product to determine what goals should be pursued and how businesses should operate, in order to attract and retain customers. Inbound marketing is all about engaging with and delighting users, whether they’re existing or potential customers or just people browsing your website.
• Analytics ((MSc) or (PGCert)): The practice of collecting and analysing data, to gain actionable insights. This data could be anything from clickstreams to purchase behaviour or social media activity, but increasingly it’s being gathered from multiple online channels and businesses are seeking graduates who can analyse this data and present insights in a clear and concise manner.
• Multimedia ((MSc) or (PGCert)): The use of various types of media, including photography, video and audio in marketing and advertising. This could include anything from traditional print ads to website banners and social media campaigns (i.e. the art of engaging with customers through content posted to social media channels).
• Mobile Marketing ((MSc) or (PGCert)): Mobile marketing involves using mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets to access and use marketing-related data and applications. This could include delivering targeted ads to users, based on their interests, or displaying specific content on a mobile device, based on what they’re searching for.
• Web Analytics ((MSc) or (PGCert)): The practice of gathering and analysing data about a website’s traffic, conversions and revenue, to gain an insight into how customers are interacting with the platform and whether or not the structure, design and content of the site are effective. This is a specialism that many businesses are still unable to operate effectively without the help of marketing graduates.

Why Should You Pursue A Career In Digital Marketing?

If you’re looking to make a career change, why not consider a role in digital marketing? With numerous opportunities for graduates, as well as plenty of highly paid jobs for experienced professionals, it’s a great choice for those who are looking to change careers.

Not only will you learn a specialism that is in demand, but you’ll also be able to add another feather to your cap, as you can expect to earn well into six figures, depending on your experience.

How To Apply

If you’re fortunate enough to be reading this, then you’ve probably already decided that an online marketing degree is right for you. Fantastic!

Now, you need to put your thinking caps on and start preparing for your studies. For further information on applying for a place at Manchester Metropolitan University, please visit our dedicated page by clicking the link below:

Also, don’t forget to follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram, as we’ll be putting out regular updates on the latest news and career opportunities relating to online marketing.