A digital marketing manager is a specialist that develops, implements, and managings promotional campaigns on behalf of an organization.
The digital marketing manager plays an integral role in raising brand awareness within the digital space. This involves driving website traffic, managing paid advertising campaigns, and increasing social media visibility. From here, they will use various analytic tools to measure the impact of their efforts and optimize campaigns. Furthermore, digital marketing managers are also responsible for identifying and evaluating new digital technologies and communications platforms.
Through these processes, a digital marketing manager will develop promotional strategies and create content tailored towards a company’s target audience. For many professionals, these core competencies may be familiar territory. In this article, we pose ten little-known facts about the role of a digital marketing manager. These quick facts allow the position to viewed from an entirely new perspective, opening out the potential of the role.
Ten little-known facts about digital marketing
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Digital marketing is the most sought after skill in a any profession, as it plays a comprehensive role in communications. For instance, a digital marketing manager develops campaigns across media, public relations, and communications.
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Today, digital marketing is an essential entrepreneurial skill. Without knowledge of digital marketing, entrepreneurs will find it almost impossible to get a new venture off the ground.
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Although a digital marketing manager does not need to be an expert in technology or computer science, it certainly helps. Those with a background in IT are currently carving a niche in the sector, driving technological solutions forward.
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One of the advantages of digital marketing is that it can be offered remotely. This is often a cost-effective solution for corporations looking to take advantage of freelance professionals.
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Aside from devising and implementing digital marketing campaigns, supervising team members, and promoting products across platforms, the digital marketing manager will also devise content marketing and social media strategies.
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According to New York-based digital marketing firm Mondo, the demand for digital marketing professionals increased by 38% in the last five years.
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It is critical that marketing executives understand what intelligence is available. By analyzing customer data, marketers are able to extract detailed insights that drive profit. Furthermore, digital marketing managers are able to use this data to measure the effectiveness of campaigns.
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There are several free tools available that optimize digital marketing efforts, such as Hootsuite, Tweetdeck, Facebook Insights, and Google Analytics. With this tools, digital marketing executives can add tremendous value to their efforts.
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Digital marketing is a highly strategic endeavor. Therefore, digital marketers need to ensure they are always one step ahead. This means preempting what consumers are thinking, seeking to understand what motivates interactions and conversions. In the digital space, the key to this intelligence is data. Therefore, it is crucial that marketers are deploying advanced analytics tools.
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Now, a knowledge of search engine optimization is an essential skill set. Professionals need to understand how to optimize web content and use Google AdWords to build pay-per-click ad campaigns. Without leveraging pay-per-click advertising, it can take years of strategic content creation to climb up Google’s search results.
The advantages of a career in digital marketing
Due to the high demand for the skill set, the career prospects for digital marketing managers are very healthy, with good job security and upward mobility. Aside from the huge potential for growth in the sector, digital marketers enjoy excellent increments. Generally, annual increments are approximately 10–20% if the executive moves organization, or even greater if they can demonstrate extensive experience. Furthermore, this value is set to grow as the skill set becomes increasingly integral to broader marketing efforts. Combined with skills across communications, media, and press, the digital marketing manager has enormous potential to take on more comprehensive roles, such as communications manager or brand manager.
The skills necessary to become a digital marketing manager
However, digital marketing is a profession broadly based in practice, not theory. Therefore, digital marketing professionals need to understand how to implement marketing techniques effectively. As a result, marketing executives need to demonstrate that they have the practical skills to deliver on the value they represent. As such, a digital marketing manager needs to have the following practical skills:
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A comprehensive knowledge of search engine optimization, with demonstrable evidence of SEO successes on brand websites.
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A good overview of social media platforms and conventions, with knowledge of how successful brands leverage social media to their advantage.
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PPC advertising is a core component of any digital marketing strategy, so professionals need to demonstrate expertise in Google Ads. Now, there are certified courses available where professionals can build their knowledge.
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Extensive experience in email and content marketing, with a good understanding of the importance of high quality content and its relationship to conversions.
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A comprehensive understanding of Google Analytics tools, with the ability to monitor and report on web traffic.
It is possible to learn these skills through working with experienced marketing professionals. Through mentoring and skill-sharing, professionals can hone their craft across this list of core competencies. Fortunately, unlike many other professionals, digital marketing is a skill best learned in practice rather than in a classroom. Alongside creative and flexible thinking, digital marketers can seek to develop a unique approach to brand marketing and product promotions with quantifiable results.
The importance of a diverse skill set
Now, a digital marketing manager needs to be more than an expert in SEO. They need to have a broad range of skills related to promotional content, including website optimization, content marketing, campaign management, project control, and leadership skills. Without this broad-reaching skill set, a digital marketing manager is unlikely to be able to maximize the potential of an organization’s communications. Therefore, digital marketing executives need to have a diverse skill set. This includes a developed knowledge of various channels and the ability to identify new opportunities, alongside all the competencies of a traditional marketing manager. As such, the digital marketing manager should have a deploy a balance of analytical and creative thinking that delivers tangible results.
