Digital Marketing Career Guide: A Beginner’s Roadmap to Success

Table of Contents

• [toc headings="h2" title="Table of Contents"] Demand for digital marketing skills in the modern workplace is high and growing. Coursera's 2024 Job Skills Report predicts that digital marketing will be a $1.5 trillion industry by 2030, listing media strategy and SEO among its top 5 business skills for the coming year. This is good news for marketing professionals at all levels. Whether a person wants to land their first digital marketing job or has years of industry experience, there are ample opportunities to explore in today's job market, many of which offer high salaries in addition to strong upward mobility and growth potential. For those who are considering a career in this exciting sector, the advice in this article will help you to get started. 

• What does a digital marketer do?

• In short, a digital marketing professional is someone who uses online and other digital channels to promote brands, products, services, or organizations. Often, this is done with the goal of increasing sales and revenue, though that isn't always the case. Some companies may hire a digital marketer to grow or improve their brand image, either with potential customers or potential candidates for the next time they hire. Nonprofits and community organizations may also hire digital marketers to build their audience or draw attention to an important cause or upcoming event.  While the specific tasks in the job description of a digital marketer will vary depending on their specific role and industry, some of the common things they do on a day-to-day basis include: 

  • Developing an online content strategy 
  • Creating content like blog posts, videos, or ads
  • Managing the organization's social media accounts and presence
  • Performing search engine optimization tasks like keyword research and data analysis
  • Creating and managing advertising campaigns on Google or social media platforms
  • Designing and executing email marketing campaigns or newsletters
  • Tracking and analyzing campaign performance to improve future marketing efforts
  • Using A/B testing, segmentation, and similar strategies to target content and ads to the right audiences
  Digital marketing professionals who are generalists, or who work in smaller organizations, will likely perform a variety of these tasks in the course of their daily work. That said, digital marketing is a broad field, and there are plenty of opportunities to niche down in a specific area. Let's take a look at some of the most common specializations within the field of digital marketing and what each one entails. 

• Digital marketing specializations

• Search Engine Optimization (SEO)

• The goal of an SEO specialist is to improve how a website or product ranks in search engine result pages (SERPs) and drive more organic traffic to the site. This is accomplished in a few ways. One is to integrate keywords and phrases that the target audience will search for into the page. Another is to build authority by getting backlinks from other sites, or interlinking products and pages within the site. There is also a technical aspect to SEO that focuses on things like the loading speed, security, and responsiveness of pages, as well as optimizing its code and structure to ensure it can be easily crawled and indexed by search engines. 

• Search Engine Marketing (SEM)

• Like SEO, SEM aims to increase the visibility of a website in search results. The difference is SEM focuses on paid advertising. This often involves pay-per-click (PPC) advertising campaigns based on relevant keywords. While SEO and SEM are different strategies, they work nicely in tandem with each other and professionals with expertise in one will often also work on the other. 

• Social media marketing 

• A social media marketing expert oversees all aspects of a brand's presence on social media channels like Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and X/Twitter. Also included in this are forums like Reddit or professional platforms with a social aspect like LinkedIn. Social media managers oversee an organization's content strategy, create and schedule posts, and manage any paid advertising campaigns run on these platforms. 

• Content marketing 

• The idea behind content marketing is to build an audience, as well as the trust that audience has in the brand's authority, by sharing valuable, engaging content. This can include written content like blog posts and whitepapers, as well as other digital media like podcasts, videos, and infographics. There is often a lot of overlap between social media and content marketing since content is frequently posted on social media platforms. 

• Email marketing

• As you might guess, an email marketer focuses on engaging with a brand's audience via email. This can mean developing newsletters to send to subscribers, managing transactional emails to customers, or designing and sending cold promotional campaigns to users whose emails were gathered through other means. The personalized aspect of email marketing is often what sets it apart from other strategies. 

• Affiliate marketing

• An affiliate marketer is someone who promotes other people's products in exchange for a small commission if customers make a purchase based on this recommendation. Specialists in this area may be on the affiliate side, or may run affiliate programs for the brands that have them. 

• Influencer marketing

• An influencer is anyone who has authority and an established audience in a given niche. With influencer marketing, brands partner with these thought leaders to grow awareness of a product or business. Specialists in this area are often the professionals who connect with and manage a brand's engagement with influencers. Since influencers are often active on social media, there is a lot of overlap between this specialization and social media marketing. 

• Essential skills for digital marketing

• Each of the specializations outlined above will have its own set of key skills and knowledge areas that are crucial for success. That said, there are also some core marketing skills, including both technical and soft skills, that everyone who wants to grow a career in the digital marketing industry needs to have on their resume.   The most widely in-demand skills for digital marketing roles include: 

  • Communication - The ability to express ideas clearly and concisely is at the heart of just about everything a digital marketer does, whether that's writing a blog article or creating a Facebook ad. Along with this, marketers need to understand how tone and emotion relate to communication. They also need to be effective listeners in order to benefit from customer feedback. 
  • Writing and editing - No matter how solid your ideas, customer trust will suffer if a company's content is riddled with grammatical errors. A firm grasp of spelling and grammar conventions and strong understanding of the written word is critical for the majority of marketing positions. 
  • Data analytics - One of the advantages of digital marketing over other forms of advertising is that you can get real-time data about how people engage with your content or ads. The ability to gather the right data, and analyze it to derive meaningful insights, helps marketers optimize their approach over time.
  • Strategic thinking - Each post or email you create as a marketer doesn't exist in a vacuum. They are all part of an overarching marketing strategy, and the ability to plan how these pieces work together is important for any type of marketing. 
  • Visual design - Granted, all marketers don't need to be experts in graphic design or UI/UX design to excel in their jobs. However, they do need to understand the basics of how visual layout influences the way an audience views or engages with content and ads. 
  • Proficiency with marketing tools - There are many different marketing tools out there, from Mailchimp for email marketing to Google Analytics to analyze website metrics or tools like SEMrush and Ahrefs that help with keyword research. A solid foundation in the key tools for your specialization will be very helpful for landing marketing jobs in that area. 

• Getting your digital marketing education

• As with any field, the first step to starting a career in digital marketing is having the right education. Most businesses look for candidates to have a Bachelor's degree when they're hiring for an entry-level digital marketing position. There are also certification courses that professionals can take to supplement this learning with additional concepts, techniques, or marketing strategies. Earning a certification can be especially helpful for beginners who lack workplace experience, though it can be beneficial for any candidate who wants to stand out to employers. Let's take a closer look at the most common education options to take the first steps on a digital marketing career path. 

• Digital marketing degree programs

• While most employers look for digital marketers with a Bachelor's degree, that doesn't necessarily mean it needs to be in marketing. The wide variety of roles and responsibilities in the field make it suitable for individuals with a range of backgrounds and interests.  Of course, earning a Bachelor's degree in Marketing or Advertising is still a solid choice if you know you want to enter this career path. There are others that can be just as beneficial, however. These include related fields like Digital Media, Communication, Graphic Design, English, Psychology, Business, or Information Technology.  For those who plan to become a Marketing Manager or otherwise take on a leadership role, an advanced degree can be a benefit. However, this is something you can often wait to pursue until further along in your career, once you know what specific specialty or marketing topics you want to focus on.

• Most in-demand certifications for digital marketers

• In the digital marketing world, changes happen quickly, and keeping up with the latest trends and technologies is critical for success. Obtaining and maintaining certifications in key skill and knowledge areas can help to show you're up-to-date with the industry, as well as filling in any gaps in your skill set that you'll need to land your dream role.  There are several options to choose from when you're looking for marketing certification courses. Some of the best options for those just starting a career in digital marketing include:

  • HubSpot Academy Digital Marketing Certification - This free training consists of 9 lessons that cover the fundamentals of creating a digital marketing strategy for business growth. 
  • Meta Certified Digital Marketing Associate - This certification teaches students how to establish a presence on Meta platforms like Facebook and Instagram, along with insights into launching and managing ad campaigns and how to understand reports and metrics on their performance.
  • Google Ads certifications - Google offers a variety of free certifications through Skillshop that demonstrate a range of important digital marketing skills, including content development, display ads, mastery of AI tools, and more. 
  • Digital Marketing Institute Certification - A globally recognized and comprehensive program with multiple levels of learning. The Certified Digital Marketing Professional option will be best for beginners and covers fundamentals like PPC, SEO, video marketing, social media marketing, marketing analytics, and similar topics.

• Common entry-level roles to launch a digital marketing career

• Once a marketer has some education under their belt, the next step is to gain practical experience that shows they understand how to put that theory into practice. Here are some of the most common roles that will give you a chance to utilize marketing skills in a professional context, and that can typically be obtained without any prior workplace experience in the industry. 

• Content writer

• Average salary: $51,000 per year The high demand for skilled content writers makes this one of the easiest entry-level roles to find and land in the digital marketing job market. These individuals write content like blog posts, press releases, website content, product descriptions, and similar branding content. The main requirements for this type of opportunity include a solid understanding of on-page SEO practices and strong research and writing skills. 

• Marketing assistant

• Average salary: $49,500 per year The day-to-day activities of a marketing assistant vary widely depending on the company where they work and the types of projects and campaigns they use. This could include writing and managing social media content, preparing marketing emails, gathering and analyzing customer data, or performing keyword or competitor research. Core skills for the role include familiarity with concepts like SEO, social media, and email marketing, as well as strong multi-tasking and time management skills, a high attention to detail, and excellent communication. 

• Junior SEO specialist

• Average salary: $56,000 per year This is a role you're most likely to find with a marketing agency or large corporation with a dedicated in-house marketing team. In this role, you'll take on tasks that contribute to the success of a marketing campaign, including testing new ads and content, optimizing websites and content for search engines, or identifying backlink building opportunities. These posts typically involve a lot of on-the-job training, though it's still good to have a firm understanding of SEO, research, and data analysis, as well as strong communication skills, before seeking these roles. 

• Junior content editor

• Average salary: $61,000 per year A content editor's main responsibility is proofreading content produced by copywriters to ensure it meets the brand's formatting and style guidelines. These marketing team members also often post and manage the content and identify required updates or improvements. Success in this type of role requires proficiency with content management systems and Microsoft Office programs, as well as basic fluency in HTML and strong organization and communication skills. 

• Digital marketing associate

• Average salary: $63,000 per year This type of role may also be called a Junior Digital Marketing Specialist or Digital Marketing Assistant. These all have similar responsibilities, which can include performing competitor and keyword research, designing and managing pay-per-click ad campaigns, creating and managing email content, and similar tasks. General knowledge of marketing principles and techniques will be beneficial to land this role, as will strong communication and proficiency with HTML and content management systems like WordPress. 

• Digital marketing internships

• Another option before you jump into your first full-time position is to start off with an internship. This is a common choice for students and recent graduates who want to gain hands-on experience. An internship is also an excellent way to grow your network in the industry and make connections that can lead to future opportunities.  Internships can be paid or unpaid, and are often offered by the same agencies and employers who hire digital marketing professionals. The main difference is that an internship has a defined start and end point. These roles are also more focused on learning, often in the form of mentorship and coaching. One advantage of an internship is that you'll often get the chance to work on a wider range of tasks than in the typical entry-level role, gaining practical experience in more areas. They can also be a way to get your foot in the door with the company, and interns who excel are frequently offered permanent positions after the conclusion of their internship. You can find internships listed on many of the same job boards where you find digital marketing jobs, including Indeed, LinkedIn, and SimplyHired. There are also sites specifically devoted to internships, like The Intern Group, MakeIntern, or Acadium. 

• Freelancing to gain digital marketing experience

• Taking on freelance assignments can be another excellent way to grow your digital marketing portfolio and make your resume and cover letter more attractive to hiring managers. People who hire freelancers tend to care more about their skills than their workplace experience, and will usually only focus on the specific skills necessary for the task in question, which often makes these roles easier to obtain than permanent roles.  The first challenge to overcome if you want to go this route is finding freelance work to take on. The easiest option is often to create a profile on a freelancer platform like Upwork, Fiverr, or MarketerHire, where you can find a high number of available marketing work at any given time. 

• Tips to grow your career as a digital marketer

• 1. Build your personal brand and online presence from the start.

• It's smart for job seekers in any field to clean up their online presence in advance of their search, but this is particularly important in a sector like digital marketing. A strong social media following or well-made website can serve as a proof of concept, demonstrating your marketing skills in action and providing an example of the skills you'll bring to the role if you're hired. 

• 2. Actively participate in industry and networking events. 

• The more people you know in the marketing world, the more likely you'll be to hear about available opportunities, and the more potential references you'll have to help you land those roles. Attending industry events is a chance to meet potential employers face-to-face, forging the personal connections that can help you to land your ideal role. A great way to find out about these events is to join a professional organization like the American Marketing Association. As an added bonus, these groups also often have forums where you can ask questions or get advice from established professionals, as well as other resources that can help you to reach your career goals.

• 3. Stay up-to-date on the latest news and trends in the digital marketing landscape. 

• The fast pace of change in digital marketing makes it an exciting field, but it can also mean professionals need to be constantly evolving and growing to stay relevant. Keeping your finger on the pulse of the industry ensures you're highlighting the right skills and knowledge for the roles you're applying for, as well as helping you identify areas where you can bolster those skills through certifications or other ongoing learning. Professional organizations can be a great way to keep up with industry developments, as can online communities on social media platforms like Facebook or Reddit.