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So much happens online, and in today’s digital-first world, it’s paramount for businesses to have a strong online presence.
In the past, marketers relied on print advertisements, radio spots, television, and billboards. However, things have changed. Digital marketing is the practice of promoting products or services using online channels such as:
- Search engines
- Social media
- Digital advertisements
In this article, we’ll talk about everything you need to know about getting started in digital marketing, including:
- What jobs are available
- The skills needed to work in this field
- How to develop the necessary skills
- Finding a job and starting a career
Digital Marketing Jobs
Digital marketing is a big field with various niches:
- Search engine optimization
- Advertising
- Content marketing
- Social media management
- Video content creator
- User experience designer
- Web designer
Each of these jobs requires different skills, but each falls under the category of digital marketing.
Related Articles: What Does a Content Marketer Do?
Important Skills for Digital Marketers
Digital marketing is a vast field, but there are skills that most digital marketers will at least have a tertiary understanding of. Depending on what area of digital marketing you want to get into these will be more or less important.
Data Analysis
Digital marketing is an art and a science. Creating a great-looking site requires a great eye. However, decisions about advertisement costs, what topics to write about, and how to pivot efforts should be driven in part by data.
Data analysis means being able to look over data from various streams and come to conclusions about how to react to it. Important metrics for digital marketing include:
- Click-through rate (CTR): The percentage of people who click on a link
- Bounce rate: The rate of site visitors who leave the site without taking action
- Impressions: How often a site was served on a Google result
- Views: How many times a site or page was viewed
- Visitors: How many unique people visited the site
Analyzing data well is a skill that you’ll develop over time. While learning this skill, make sure to ask lots of questions and assume you don’t have the answer right the first go around.
Social Media
Social media has taken over the digital space. It’s a huge part of the web, and it’s where a lot of businesses spread their messages, find customers, and make money.
If you understand social media platforms, such as how they work and how businesses can be successful using them, then you’ll be an asset to whoever hires you.
SEO
Search engine optimization (SEO) is digital marketing using organic search results on Google and other search engines. SEO is a field on its own with complex systems and best practices.
You don’t need to know everything there is to know about SEO, but understanding the basics and how it integrates into digital marketing as a whole is important.
Design Knowledge
Brands and businesses need a solid online presence if they want to make a lasting impression. This starts with a good website.
Designers are needed across all of digital marketing. They create social media posts, video assets, websites, and online branding.
Copywriting
Content is king, and being skillful at writing will take you far. Marketing is how businesses promote their product or services. Communication is at its core. Copywriting can include anything from catchy headlines to snippy advertisements to in-depth guides.
People working in digital marketing should have a good understanding of the written language and how it works.
Developing Skills for Digital Marketing
The first place to start when asking how to get into digital marketing is to develop the necessary skills.
Digital Marketing Education Requirements
A bachelor’s degree in digital marketing will help you get started down the right path, but it’s not a guarantee that you’ll start a career right after graduating. While studying for your bachelor’s, you’ll get all the important skills for working in digital marketing and will be set up to start working in the field.
There are no education requirements for working in digital marketing. You only need the necessary skills. Having a strong understanding of digital marketing fundamentals is more important than how you got those skills.
Use whatever tools you have at your disposa,l including online courses and certificates, YouTube videos, and community college classes.
Online Courses
You can get all the training you need to start a career in digital marketing in the comfort of your home without enrolling in traditional college courses. Online courses offer flexibility in education at a fraction of the cost of a traditional college education, and you can pick and choose which skills you want to focus on.
Online courses can teach you anything you want to know, from how to code your own site to how to improve your presentation soft skills.
While getting started with digital marketing work, take intro courses in marketing as a whole and some courses on specific aspects like social media marketing or web analytics.
The REDC at Yavapai College offers a catalog of courses that teach you everything you need to know about online marketing:
Sign up and start your digital marketing career today!
Free Certifications
Online certifications prove knowledge and proficiency in specific areas while also teaching you about a specific tool or skill. They look great on a resume or in a portfolio.
Many platforms used by digital marketers offer free certification courses:
- Semrush
- Salesforce
- Hubspot *Google Analytics
- Google Ads These platforms are important for digital marketers and getting trained and getting certified will improve your skills and hireability.
REDC offers courses that will teach you everything you need to know about Google platforms, including Google Digital Marketing and E-Commerce and Google Data Analytics.
Related Articles: Are Online Certificates Worth it?
Practice
Many jobs within digital marketing require not just an understanding but practiced skills. Design and writing should be practiced frequently to build up muscle memory.
Anything to get some reps in is a good idea. Use writing and design prompts and add them to your portfolio.
Making Digital Marketing a Career
Now that you’ve taken some courses and improved your skills, you’re ready to start looking for a career in digital marketing.
Here’s everything you need to start looking for a career in digital marketing.
Build Your Portfolio
Digital marketing portfolios should be top-tier. As someone who wants to work in the digital space, it’s important that your portfolio reflects your digital expertise. You don’t need years of expertise to create a compelling portfolio.
Here’s what you should include in your digital marketing portfolio:
- Who you are: Your homepage should feature a quick statement about who you are and what you do. Later on, the site should go into more depth
- Skills and services: Explain what you’re good at and what services you provide
- Kinds of tools and systems: This is a great place to show off any platforms you’re skilled at. If you have certificates, display them here
- Work samples: Work samples can include things you’ve done for practice, class, and pay. Don’t limit yourself and include anything that shows your proficiency
- Proof Points: Hiring managers won’t trust you without proof. These points can cover data from past projects, testimonials from clients, and even quotes from professors or colleagues
- Contact details: How hiring managers can get in contact with you
If you’re just getting started, you probably don’t have much to include in your portfolio. Create sample Instagram posts, blogs, ad campaigns, and whatever you want to include.
Hiring managers have to comb through countless portfolios. Make yours stand out with good design and usability. Your portfolio should be clear, specific, and purposeful. Don’t cast a wide net. Instead, focus on what it is you’re good at and want to do.
Website Builders
Depending on your interests, you might not know much about how to build a website. Luckily, there are a lot of options out there for website builders. Some simple options include:
- Canva
- Squarespace
- Wix
There are also options for building portfolios within platforms like:
- Adobe
- Notion
- Dribble
Do some research and choose whichever platform can showcase your niche best.
Network
Find people working in digital marketing and build connections. Networking is about making meaningful connections that will carry you into a career and future opportunities.
While networking for digital marketing, look for people who have experience in the field and can give you pointers, as well as people you can help.
For more tips on networking, check out our resource on making meaningful connections.
Start at Entry Level or Freelance
Entry-level digital marketing jobs are usually marked as entry-level and will include junior positions and specialists. While applying for these jobs, make sure they are within your wheelhouse and include skills you have in your resume and portfolio.
Another option for getting into digital marketing includes starting as a freelancer. As a freelancer, you’d be self-employed and be able to work for multiple clients on a contractual or hourly basis.
Freelancing can be a great way to get your foot in the door. You wouldn’t have all the benefits of being employed, but you’d be able to set your own hours, work wherever you want, and choose which clients you want to work with.
Related Articles: Tips for Working From Home
Find Resources From the REDC
While training the necessary skills and looking for opportunities, the Regional Economic Development Center at Yavapai College has resources available to make the search easier.
Our career events throughout Yavapai County provide opportunities to meet local professionals and network with hiring businesses. While looking for opportunities, our course catalog has more than enough to keep you busy and prepare you for a career in digital marketing.
Finally, our robust career resources give professionals everything they need to know to start a career in any field. Get in contact to get started.