Digital marketing is a broad term that covers a range of marketing activities. Essentially, digital marketing is any form of marketing that uses digital channels to reach and engage customers. This can include everything from SEO and content marketing to social media and email marketing. By using digital channels, businesses can reach a larger audience more cost-effectively than through traditional methods. Additionally, digital marketing allows businesses to track and measure the performance of their campaigns, making it easier to adjust and improve their strategies over time. As the world becomes increasingly digital, digital marketing will only become more important for businesses of all sizes.
If you’re interested in breaking into this field, you’ve come to the right place. I am completely self-taught and have zero formal education in marketing. My first entry-level position as a Social Media and Content Coordinator paid $50K, and as I started to apply skills outside of social, the company promoted me to Digital Marketing Manager and increased my salary by $15K. This won’t be the case for all, but I live by the phrase “the worst they can say is no.” Thankfully it worked, and now I’m applying for jobs in the range of $85K-$95K.
I am not in the business of gatekeeping, so I hope this information helps, and if you have questions beyond this post, you’re welcome to email me!
Digital Marketing Skills
To become a digital marketing expert, you will need to develop strong skills in content creation, SEO, SEM, and email marketing. You will also need to be able to effectively manage paid advertising campaigns and understand how to use customer relationship management (CRM) tools. Data analysis is another key skill that will come in handy, as you will need to be able to track and measure the performance of your marketing campaigns.
With the right skillset, you can position yourself as a valuable asset in the ever-changing world of digital marketing.
Potential Salary
A career in digital marketing is a great way to make a good salary. The median salary for a digital marketing manager is $75,000, and the average salary for a digital marketing specialist is $50,000. And, as the demand for these services grows, so do salaries. With the right experience, you can easily make six figures as a digital marketer. Plus, with the vast majority of businesses now relying on digital marketing to reach their customers, there’s never been a better time to start a career in this field. So if you’re looking for a high-paying career with plenty of room for growth, this is the way to go.
Digital Marketing Certifications
There’s no one-size-fits-all answer to the question of what certifications you need to become a digital marketer. The certifications that will be most valuable to you will depend on your specific skillset and experience. However, there are a few certifications that are particularly well-suited for this broad field. For example, the Certified Digital Marketing Professional (CDMP) certification from the Digital Marketing Institute is a comprehensive program that covers all aspects of digital marketing, from social media and content marketing to search engine optimization and web analytics. If you’re looking to specialize in a particular area of digital marketing, there are also certification programs available that focus specifically on topics like social media marketing or search engine optimization. Whichever route you choose, getting certified can help you stand out from the crowd and show employers that you’re serious about your career in digital marketing.
Below are a few of my favorite certifications:
- Google Analytics IQ
- Google Ads Certifications
- Meta Blueprint
- HubSpot Content Marketing
- HubSpot Inbound Marketing
- Twitter Flight School Certification
- SEMrush SEO Toolkit Course
To see the certifications I’ve acquired over the last few years, check out my portfolio.
Relevant Experience
If you’re looking to break into this field, it’s important to have relevant experience under your belt. One way to gain experience is to do an internship at a marketing agency or in-house marketing department. You can also look for freelance opportunities, or even start your own blog or YouTube channel and experiment with different marketing strategies. The more experience you have, the better your chances of landing a job in digital marketing. So get out there and start gaining some experience!