Table of Contents
[toc headings="h2" title="Table of Contents"] Digital marketing is critical for businesses today to connect with their target audience and turn those individuals into paying customers. The spike in demand for people with experience in content marketing, digital advertising campaigns, data analytics, and similar digital marketing strategies has led to a global shortage of professionals with marketing skills and experience. Research from the Digital Marketing Institute shows that even those employed in marketing roles often lack skills in areas like data analysis and user experience (UX) design. For companies that need to add an experienced marketer to their team, understanding what skills to look for in candidates can help you to hire a professional who can make a real impact on your customer engagement and the effectiveness of your marketing messaging. If you need to add to your marketing team, here are the top things to look for to ensure you're choosing the right person for the role.
When should you hire a digital marketing specialist?
Many small businesses start with equally small teams, and may not have a dedicated employee to handle their marketing. Often, the founder or other employees will start off taking care of marketing tasks themselves, or they may hire an agency to handle their marketing needs if they lack the skills or time to do so. Both of these approaches can work. Hiring an agency is often a more cost-effective option. It saves you the expense of recruiting and training, for one thing, and can be the better choice when you don't have enough marketing work to justify a full-time role. The main advantage of hiring in-house marketing talent is that they are focused solely on your business and brand. Since they're a member of your company, they have a deeper understanding of your identity, mission, target audience, and growth goals, and can provide more tailored, in-depth insights and campaigns based on them. If your business is growing and your marketing needs have outpaced your capacity, or if you feel you've outgrown the capabilities of your current agency, then hiring a marketing specialist is a logical next step.
Key technical skills for digital marketers
Video marketing
According to wyzowl's 2023 State of Video Marketing report, 91% of businesses used videos as part of their marketing strategy in 2023, the highest level reported in the 9 years the survey has been conducted. And it's easy to see why. Among those who use it, 96% report videos have increased user understanding of their services, and product features, 91% report it has increased their web traffic, and 90% cite it as effective in generating new leads. Overall, 92% of marketers say video ads give them a positive ROI, higher than is reported for any other type of digital advertising. The main advantage of video marketing over other formats is its ability to engage users and make them feel personally connected to your brand. On the flip side, videos are more complicated and time-intensive to create than other types of web content. Hiring someone who has experience creating videos can let employers add this valuable aspect to their digital strategy as efficiently as possible.
Social media marketing
The social media landscape is constantly evolving. While stalwarts like Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn offer consistent value to brands seeking channels to connect with audiences, there are far more social media platforms today than there were in the past, and the best one to grow your brand awareness often depends on your industry. Experienced digital marketing professionals understand how to analyze the audience on a given social media platform to determine if it meets an organization's needs. They should also be adept at designing and writing social media posts to fit both the expectations for that platform's users and the brand identity and marketing goals of the business.
Email marketing
Research from Litmus shows that every dollar spent on email marketing brings an average return of $36, higher than any other marketing channel. Emails provide a way to engage directly with prospects and customers, both in mass blasts like newsletters and in more targeted marketing messages based on customer demographics and behavior. A digital marketing specialist should understand how to create and manage email campaigns that are relevant and engaging for users, in a way that builds trust and increases the customer conversion rate. It is also helpful if they have experience with popular email management systems such as Mailchimp, as well as email marketing concepts like automation sequences and A/B testing.
Search engine optimization (SEO)
According to the Digital 2023 Global Overview Report, search engines drive 68% of web traffic and the average internet user conducts 3-4 searches a day on average. Capitalizing on organic search traffic is one of the best ways to increase brand awareness and sales. A skilled digital marketer understands how to use keywords and SEO tools to expand a company's web presence and rank higher in search results than their competitors. They should also be up-to-date on the latest Google search algorithm and and rules, as well as techniques to optimize websites to match.
Search engine marketing (SEM)
Search engine marketing is a similar concept to SEO but requires a slightly different set of skills. In SEM, the focus is on using Google ads and other paid digital advertising to boost the attention a website gets, as opposed to adjusting the web design and copy to encourage more organic results. A digital marketing specialist should understand the best practices and techniques for each approach, as well as when each is best used and how to maximize the results and return from each.
Content creation and copywriting
As a rule, people are turned off by overt sales pitches. This is why content marketing is such a valuable piece of the marketing puzzle. When done correctly, online articles, blog posts, vlogs, podcasts, and other content can build brand awareness and customer loyalty by providing information in an engaging way. Media like photos, graphics, and videos are increasingly featured in online content, which makes photography and graphic design skills very useful in a digital marketing specialist. Along with this, they should have a firm grasp of the written language, and understand how to convey the right tone and message to tell the brand's story in an accurate and compelling way.
Data analysis and reporting
Using data analysis techniques and technology allows digital marketing professionals to identify patterns and trends in customer behavior. The ability to conduct effective market research brings professionals useful information when making decisions about future campaigns, helping them connect with their target market and get high returns on their advertising investment. These skills can deliver useful insights to marketing professionals after campaigns finish, too. Analyzing the performance, effectiveness, and engagement with a campaign allows the team to make changes that improve on it in the future. Marketing professionals who are adept at gathering, organizing, and visualizing data will be best able to capture and make use of these insights to drive the success of future marketing efforts.
Ad campaign management
There are often multiple steps and activities involved in any given digital advertising campaign. It's up to the marketing specialist to keep track of all these various tasks, ensuring they take place in a logical sequence and reach the right users at the right times. To do this requires a blend of skills, including organization, strategic thinking, and project management.
User-centered design
Above all, ads should be appealing to your target consumers. Everything from the text and images to the style and tone of the post should be made with the customer's perspective in mind. A marketing specialist should know how to identify their target user's interests, what problems the business can solve for them, and how to convey that to them in the most appealing, effective way.
Soft skills to look for in digital marketers
Communication
Strong communication skills are of critical importance for anyone in the field of advertising, and that is true of digital marketing specialists, as well. This includes the ability to both express their ideas in a clear and engaging way to customers, clients, and coworkers, as well as strong active listening skills so they can fully understand the needs of both the business and its customers.
Persuasion and influencing
Some ad campaigns may be purely informational, sharing knowledge about a brand or its products and services. In most cases, though, the goal of branding and advertising materials is to persuade customers to take action. To do this, a marketer first needs to understand what drives their customer base and deliver campaigns that will influence them to make a purchase or otherwise engage with the company. A firm grasp of persuasive language and value creation will help them to do this consistently.
Strategic planning and goal setting
The most effective marketing campaigns don't simply post ads on a whim. There is a clear game plan in mind for each step, often with a sequence of advertisements or messages that are delivered in a specific order, and the team has an idea of what they want the campaign to achieve from the start. Having skill in strategic planning and experience setting both long-term and short-term project goals allows marketing specialists to achieve this aspect of the job more effectively.
Continuous learning
The marketing landscape is constantly evolving, as are the needs of a business for its marketing efforts. When you hire a marketing professional, you want to find someone who can keep up with these changes as they occur. An individual with a growth mindset and a passion for learning will be best able to stay up-to-date with these developments. This kind of mindset also gives a marketer more adaptability and flexibility to face new challenges as they emerge.
Problem-solving
Ideally, your marketing campaigns will go off without a hitch, and will accomplish the exact things that you planned. In reality, though, it is often necessary to make adjustments along the way and find solutions to any obstacles or issues that come up in the process. A marketing specialist with skills in problem solving will be better prepared to make these kinds of adjustments.
Teamwork
Even if your marketing department is a team of one, they're not operating completely independently. A marketing leader needs to have strong relationships with other teams in the organization, including senior leadership as well as product design, operations, and sales professionals, to ensure that they're delivering a consistent message and image.
The key skills of a digital marketing specialist
Depending on your organization, there may be other skills you look for on a digital marketer's resume. For example, you may want to look for someone with experience using your specific Customer Relationship Management (CRM) software, or someone with expertise in Google analytics or other specific analysis and research tools like Semrush or Ahrefs. As a general rule, though, the skills mentioned above are the core ones to look for when you're filling digital marketing positions. While hiring a digital marketing expert can be a challenge, looking for these core skills will ensure the candidate you choose can thrive in the role.
Digital marketing is critical for businesses today to connect with their target audience and turn those individuals into paying customers. The spike in demand for people with experience in content marketing, digital advertising campaigns, data analytics, and similar digital marketing strategies has led to a global shortage of professionals with marketing skills and experience. Research from the Digital Marketing Institute shows that even those employed in marketing roles often lack skills in areas like data analysis and user experience (UX) design.
For companies that need to add an experienced marketer to their team, understanding what skills to look for in candidates can help you to hire a professional who can make a real impact on your customer engagement and the effectiveness of your marketing messaging. If you need to add to your marketing team, here are the top things to look for to ensure you’re choosing the right person for the role.
When should you hire a digital marketing specialist?
Many small businesses start with equally small teams, and may not have a dedicated employee to handle their marketing. Often, the founder or other employees will start off taking care of marketing tasks themselves, or they may hire an agency to handle their marketing needs if they lack the skills or time to do so.
Both of these approaches can work. Hiring an agency is often a more cost-effective option. It saves you the expense of recruiting and training, for one thing, and can be the better choice when you don’t have enough marketing work to justify a full-time role.
The main advantage of hiring in-house marketing talent is that they are focused solely on your business and brand. Since they’re a member of your company, they have a deeper understanding of your identity, mission, target audience, and growth goals, and can provide more tailored, in-depth insights and campaigns based on them. If your business is growing and your marketing needs have outpaced your capacity, or if you feel you’ve outgrown the capabilities of your current agency, then hiring a marketing specialist is a logical next step.
Key technical skills for digital marketers
Video marketing
According to wyzowl’s 2023 State of Video Marketing report, 91% of businesses used videos as part of their marketing strategy in 2023, the highest level reported in the 9 years the survey has been conducted. And it’s easy to see why. Among those who use it, 96% report videos have increased user understanding of their services, and product features, 91% report it has increased their web traffic, and 90% cite it as effective in generating new leads. Overall, 92% of marketers say video ads give them a positive ROI, higher than is reported for any other type of digital advertising.
The main advantage of video marketing over other formats is its ability to engage users and make them feel personally connected to your brand. On the flip side, videos are more complicated and time-intensive to create than other types of web content. Hiring someone who has experience creating videos can let employers add this valuable aspect to their digital strategy as efficiently as possible.
Social media marketing
The social media landscape is constantly evolving. While stalwarts like Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn offer consistent value to brands seeking channels to connect with audiences, there are far more social media platforms today than there were in the past, and the best one to grow your brand awareness often depends on your industry.
Experienced digital marketing professionals understand how to analyze the audience on a given social media platform to determine if it meets an organization’s needs. They should also be adept at designing and writing social media posts to fit both the expectations for that platform’s users and the brand identity and marketing goals of the business.
Email marketing
Research from Litmus shows that every dollar spent on email marketing brings an average return of $36, higher than any other marketing channel. Emails provide a way to engage directly with prospects and customers, both in mass blasts like newsletters and in more targeted marketing messages based on customer demographics and behavior.
A digital marketing specialist should understand how to create and manage email campaigns that are relevant and engaging for users, in a way that builds trust and increases the customer conversion rate. It is also helpful if they have experience with popular email management systems such as Mailchimp, as well as email marketing concepts like automation sequences and A/B testing.
Search engine optimization (SEO)
According to the Digital 2023 Global Overview Report, search engines drive 68% of web traffic and the average internet user conducts 3-4 searches a day on average. Capitalizing on organic search traffic is one of the best ways to increase brand awareness and sales. A skilled digital marketer understands how to use keywords and SEO tools to expand a company’s web presence and rank higher in search results than their competitors. They should also be up-to-date on the latest Google search algorithm and and rules, as well as techniques to optimize websites to match.
Search engine marketing (SEM)
Search engine marketing is a similar concept to SEO but requires a slightly different set of skills. In SEM, the focus is on using Google ads and other paid digital advertising to boost the attention a website gets, as opposed to adjusting the web design and copy to encourage more organic results. A digital marketing specialist should understand the best practices and techniques for each approach, as well as when each is best used and how to maximize the results and return from each.
Content creation and copywriting
As a rule, people are turned off by overt sales pitches. This is why content marketing is such a valuable piece of the marketing puzzle. When done correctly, online articles, blog posts, vlogs, podcasts, and other content can build brand awareness and customer loyalty by providing information in an engaging way.
Media like photos, graphics, and videos are increasingly featured in online content, which makes photography and graphic design skills very useful in a digital marketing specialist. Along with this, they should have a firm grasp of the written language, and understand how to convey the right tone and message to tell the brand’s story in an accurate and compelling way.
Data analysis and reporting
Using data analysis techniques and technology allows digital marketing professionals to identify patterns and trends in customer behavior. The ability to conduct effective market research brings professionals useful information when making decisions about future campaigns, helping them connect with their target market and get high returns on their advertising investment.
These skills can deliver useful insights to marketing professionals after campaigns finish, too. Analyzing the performance, effectiveness, and engagement with a campaign allows the team to make changes that improve on it in the future. Marketing professionals who are adept at gathering, organizing, and visualizing data will be best able to capture and make use of these insights to drive the success of future marketing efforts.
Ad campaign management
There are often multiple steps and activities involved in any given digital advertising campaign. It’s up to the marketing specialist to keep track of all these various tasks, ensuring they take place in a logical sequence and reach the right users at the right times. To do this requires a blend of skills, including organization, strategic thinking, and project management.
User-centered design
Above all, ads should be appealing to your target consumers. Everything from the text and images to the style and tone of the post should be made with the customer’s perspective in mind. A marketing specialist should know how to identify their target user’s interests, what problems the business can solve for them, and how to convey that to them in the most appealing, effective way.
Soft skills to look for in digital marketers
Communication
Strong communication skills are of critical importance for anyone in the field of advertising, and that is true of digital marketing specialists, as well. This includes the ability to both express their ideas in a clear and engaging way to customers, clients, and coworkers, as well as strong active listening skills so they can fully understand the needs of both the business and its customers.
Persuasion and influencing
Some ad campaigns may be purely informational, sharing knowledge about a brand or its products and services. In most cases, though, the goal of branding and advertising materials is to persuade customers to take action. To do this, a marketer first needs to understand what drives their customer base and deliver campaigns that will influence them to make a purchase or otherwise engage with the company. A firm grasp of persuasive language and value creation will help them to do this consistently.
Strategic planning and goal setting
The most effective marketing campaigns don’t simply post ads on a whim. There is a clear game plan in mind for each step, often with a sequence of advertisements or messages that are delivered in a specific order, and the team has an idea of what they want the campaign to achieve from the start. Having skill in strategic planning and experience setting both long-term and short-term project goals allows marketing specialists to achieve this aspect of the job more effectively.
Continuous learning
The marketing landscape is constantly evolving, as are the needs of a business for its marketing efforts. When you hire a marketing professional, you want to find someone who can keep up with these changes as they occur. An individual with a growth mindset and a passion for learning will be best able to stay up-to-date with these developments. This kind of mindset also gives a marketer more adaptability and flexibility to face new challenges as they emerge.
Problem-solving
Ideally, your marketing campaigns will go off without a hitch, and will accomplish the exact things that you planned. In reality, though, it is often necessary to make adjustments along the way and find solutions to any obstacles or issues that come up in the process. A marketing specialist with skills in problem solving will be better prepared to make these kinds of adjustments.
Teamwork
Even if your marketing department is a team of one, they’re not operating completely independently. A marketing leader needs to have strong relationships with other teams in the organization, including senior leadership as well as product design, operations, and sales professionals, to ensure that they’re delivering a consistent message and image.
The key skills of a digital marketing specialist
Depending on your organization, there may be other skills you look for on a digital marketer’s resume. For example, you may want to look for someone with experience using your specific Customer Relationship Management (CRM) software, or someone with expertise in Google analytics or other specific analysis and research tools like Semrush or Ahrefs. As a general rule, though, the skills mentioned above are the core ones to look for when you’re filling digital marketing positions. While hiring a digital marketing expert can be a challenge, looking for these core skills will ensure the candidate you choose can thrive in the role.