The digital sector is huge, and newbies or marketers looking for a niche may struggle to traverse it. Knowing the finest digital marketing KPIs, as well as mastering SEO and content marketing, can be overwhelming if you don't focus on the areas that are important to your organization.
The good news is that there is a global need for marketers with flexible digital skills; the bad news is that there is a worldwide scarcity. According to our research 'The Marketing Evolution: Leadership, Transformation, Skills, Challenges, and the Future,' senior and mid-level marketers reported significant digital skill shortages, with data analysts (47%), general digital marketing skills (37%), and UX designers (34%).
So, how do you quickly advance up the corporate ladder or differentiate yourself from the competitors, especially if you're a digital nomad or want to become a successful freelancer? Check out these ten key skills to stay current in the ever-changing digital industry:
:
1 Video Marketing
Video continues to dominate the internet, with 8 out of 10 people making purchases after watching brand videos on social media. Marketers recognize its importance, with 93% incorporating video into their strategies and 87% reporting positive ROI, according to The State of Video Marketing research. The engaging nature of video, attributed to its personal and relevant appeal, fosters trust in businesses. Platforms like Instagram and TikTok have capitalized on this trend. Digital marketers need not be video production experts; tools like Camtasia and CapCut enable easy video creation, ensuring that video skills remain valuable in the ever-growing demand for this medium.
2 Highlight Your Unusual Skills
Successful digital marketers possess key soft skills such as curiosity, versatility, forward-thinking, business focus, and a strategic mindset. However, the field accommodates diverse personalities and skill sets. Embrace your unique qualities to stand out—whether it's a rare blend of SEO strategy and management skills or a combination of a computing science degree with a passion for social media. Leverage your strengths confidently to stay competitive in the industry.
3 Be Persuasive
A successful digital marketing leader will not only have strong interpersonal abilities, but will also be able to mix analytical thinking with innovative problem solutions. This will enable their teams to develop unique marketing campaign concepts to propel businesses forward.
A large part of this is having strong persuasion and influencing abilities. Can you persuade someone to buy a product? How about convincing the other team leaders that your concept is the best?
This is not about debating; it is about being confident in your abilities and displaying them.
4 Be Tech Savvy
As the digital marketing industry is technology-driven, you need a decent grip on Martech as well as be able to learn it quickly.
If you’re a digital native or Gen-Zer, this is probably going to be second nature, but older generations may want to take some time to learn not only specific technologies but also get familiar with commonly-used software and tactics such as audience listening tools or SEM.
It can also be beneficial to understand the technical skills needed for marketing such as the basics of web coding, using Content Management Systems (CMS), as well as AI tools and data privacy issues.
5 Email marketing
Email is a crucial tool for marketers, especially with the increasing importance of first-party data due to the decline of cookies. It enables communication and influence with a captive audience through personalized messaging using segmentation and workflows.
Explore top-notch email tools like MailChimp and Marketo, and organize contacts into lists for effective management. When running social media campaigns, create lists to target contacts with similar information. Utilize triggered workflows for automation, sending relevant messages at intervals to re-engage prospects or customers.
Litmus reports a remarkable return on investment for email marketing, with an average of $36 for every $1 spent. Invest time and effort in your email strategy to maintain a prominent presence in your database and enhance your overall marketing success.
6 Social Media
Social media marketing goes beyond posting; it requires relevant and targeted content that stands out. Each platform has its strengths, so understanding your audience is crucial. For a fitness brand targeting 20-30 year olds, TikTok can drive brand awareness with engaging videos. On the other hand, if you're a B2B computer supplier, LinkedIn is ideal for making connections and engaging in niche groups to boost business.
7 Understand Design Thinking & Planning
The term "design thinking" refers to a user-centered approach to problem solving. The method simply encourages us to solve large-scale complicated problems from a human perspective.
According to the Interaction Design Foundation, there are five key phases to this process: empathize, define, ideate, prototype, and test. This works well because so much of it is (or should be) focused on the user experience, which is crucial for digital marketing success.
8 Data & Analytics
In digital marketing, analytics plays a crucial role in shaping effective strategies and making informed decisions. While tools like Google Analytics simplify monitoring and reporting, the real challenge lies in leveraging this data to understand consumer behavior and enhance traffic and conversions.
Successful digital marketers excel not only in interpreting data with technical skills but also in extracting valuable insights from customer data. Businesses, regardless of size, generate substantial amounts of data that can be harnessed for strategic advantage. Demonstrating innovative approaches to interpreting and utilizing this data for successful campaigns makes you a valuable asset in the industry.
Don't limit yourself to one analytics platform; explore alternatives to Google Analytics to find the best fit for your needs. Mastering the art of deriving actionable insights from data sets you apart in the competitive digital marketing landscape.
9 Content Marketing
No matter what happens, content marketing will always be a crucial part of digital marketing. You must be able to create high-quality, SEO-friendly content for many channels and know how to create an effective content strategy to engage and convert audiences, including knowing how to use ChatGPT and other AI technologies.
material can take various forms, including video, social media, emails, web material, blogs, e-books, and whitepapers. You should also have a solid understanding of social media marketing, as content is essential on social networks.
10 Search Engine Optimization (SEO) & Search Engine Marketing (SEM)
Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is essential to all levels of digital marketing, and everyone entering the profession should have a fundamental understanding of it. You can delegate the very technical, back-end work to the more technical members of the team, but understanding how SEO works and a good understanding of best practices and content optimization are essential for conducting a successful digital marketing campaign. This is especially true as AI technology, like Google's Search Generative Experience, alters the scene.
