In the modern world, our lives are much more intertwined with the digital world than they were even ten years ago. In fact, over half – 53% – of the world’s population can currently access the internet from various mobile devices, with 42% of people having access to the internet.
With so many people playing, working, and shopping online, it's no wonder that digital has moved to the forefront of the marketing department's priorities. From maintaining relevance in their customer's mind to building a profitable brand, companies, organisations, and businesses are starting to invest a lot in digital marketing.
Whether you've set your sights for a future career as a digital marketer or want to level-up your skills, certain tactics and steps can be taken to find success in any position. Between working for yourself as a freelancer and landing a high-level digital marketing position in an organisation, there are a variety of jobs available to those with relevant and up-to-date skills.
So what can you do to become the adaptable, in-demand digital marketer that companies are seeking? Here are 7 key tips that will help you specialise, strategise, and streamline your career as a digital marketer.
1. Attend Networking Events
Although knowledge and information on digital marketing are widely available from sources such as podcasts and online articles, investing in a trip to a professional conference offers you benefits that other informational sources just can't.
At these conferences or networking events, you have the opportunity to listen to industry experts in Hong Kong, take advice from best-in-class digital marketing professionals and get a glimpse of the direction that the digital marketing industry is heading in. They are often full of interesting events, workshops, and lessons, all geared to help you enhance your skillset and expand your understanding of why you do what you do.
Not only can these local or international conferences revamp your professional skills, but they give you the opportunity to build better professional interpersonal relationships.
2. Learn from Digital Marketing Brands and Entrepreneurs
If you're considering or just starting out in a career in digital marketing, making the investment in a professional digital marketing conference may sound like too big of a leap. Luckily, there is a variety of progressive and informative content online geared towards making your career in digital marketing a success.
These digital marketing 'thought leaders' have the experience, expertise, and knowledge needed to create digital content that is extremely accessible for beginners. And since most of these thought leaders are digital marketers themselves, they know exactly how to make their informative content easy to find on search engines and across social media platforms.
Chances are you've already seen articles from digital marketing experts like Neil Patel and Service as a Software (SaaS) providers such as HubSpot. These professionals have created content directed towards industry newcomers and high-level marketers alike, helping you reach your goals as a digital marketer in a field that can sometimes feel like it is continually changing.
3. Connect with Like-Minded Individuals
As a digital marketer, a large part of what you do is developing communities online. Whether it's around your personal brand or for a global organisation, an active community can make or break your business. So why wouldn't you want to be actively involved in a like-minded community of digital marketers?
Active digital marketing communities either online or offline can help you recognise the importance of what you do and how it fits within the 'big picture' of your business and your life.
When you're able to communicate your frustrations openly or simply ask a question about an area of digital marketing you're unfamiliar with, you can gain confidence in your abilities and push yourself to both learn and try new strategies and processes.
4. Find a Digital Marketing Internship
Like with any internship position, many individuals take them for the opportunity to be exposed to a professional environment that pushes their capabilities forward. An internship is often challenging, but when you're surrounded by the right team of professional marketers, you can learn from both the mistakes and successes they've experienced over the years.
Not only an internship can help you expand your digital marketing portfolio and experience, but it can help you determine what you appreciate in a work environment.
As there are so many facets of digital marketing, you may find that you appreciate solitude when trying to write creative content, or instead that you thrive completing a collaborative content strategy to push a new product or service.
Although you can take the time to learn and experience facets of digital marketing for yourself, an internship will put you face to face with the real-world roadblocks that marketers must overcome and the processes that help them become the renowned marketing team that they are.
5. Become a Member of a Professional Body
Did you know that becoming a certified member of a professional body isn’t just for service-based careers like architects, solicitors, or doctors?
Digital marketing is a necessary and growing industry around the world, meaning that being a member of a professional digital marketing representative body can help you stand out from the competition when trying to land your dream job.
Often, becoming a part of a professional body can only be achieved after completing a certificate program. For digital marketers, a Digital Marketing Professional Certification training course can qualify you to be a certified digital marketing professional. These courses often cover essential facets of digital marketing, including:
6. Stay Up to Date on the State of Digital Marketing
In the same way that programs, apps, and social media platforms are ever-evolving, so is the way in which digital marketers must interact with audiences. From keeping up with popular online acronyms to knowing how artificial intelligence (AI) is impacting the way people use technology, the world of digital marketing is ever-changing, and it takes adaptable digital marketers to keep up.
To become a best-in-class digital marketer, make sure that you are staying up to date with industry issues, valuable content, and various updates.
The good news? Keeping up with the digital marketing industry isn't hard. Incredibly informative podcasts on the subject are widely available, and websites such as Buffer and the Content Marketing Institute write clear and well-researched pieces on basically anything you’d want to know about digital marketing.
Whether you subscribe to these publications to receive regular notifications of new content in your mailbox or prefer to tune into a podcast on your morning commute, this newfound understanding of your industry and its inner workings can help you become a digital marketing expert.
7. Practice Continuous Learning
Although education can be a valuable asset to any career in digital marketing, learning shouldn’t stop when school is done. Investing in training throughout your digital marketing career can help you become a stand-out digital marketer with a varied, in-demand skill set.
As we mentioned above, the digital marketing industry is continually evolving, meaning that your knowledge of the industry should be, too. A career in digital marketing allows you to follow your curiosities by taking advantage of available training sessions.
As you know, you’re much more likely to follow through with a course or certification if it’s an area you are interested in. Curious to know how PPC advertisements work? Want to know what factors create a persuasive sales page that gets results?
There are plenty of digital skills training courses available both online and offline, so don’t be afraid to invest in your career.
Becoming a Best-In-Class Digital Marketer
Are you eager to propel your digital marketing career to the next level? The tactics above are designed to help you learn, grow, and excel as a digital marketer, both online and offline. A career in digital marketing can be rewarding, allowing you to understand both your own goals and the world around you a bit better.
Whether you are aiming to start a successful self-run digital marketing business and brand or want to skyrocket to a management position on your digital marketing team, the industry is full of opportunities for those who are willing to put in the time to hone their craft and adapt to changing demands.
If you’re interested in reputable digital marketing training, a professional diploma or postgraduate diploma in digital marketing from the Digital Marketing Institute may propel you to bridge the gap between your current professional situation and your dreams.
Source: Digital Marketing Institute