Digital Marketing is one of the most challenging, exciting, fast-paced industry and this is the right time for building a career in Digital Marketing. It has challenges and rewards, including a potentially lucrative income. The demand for skilled expertise is at its peak while there's a great shortage of experienced professionals.
Here are the essential things you can do right now to start a digital marketing career:
1. Create an Online Presence
Nowadays, when it comes to landing a job in any field, you should not exist without an online presence. For obvious reasons: a prospective employer(digital marketing team leader or manager or head) will look online first to learn about applicants, and if they find you, you will lead the shortlist process.
Create your own digital marketing blog, social media presence that is linked to your portfolios, and demonstrate them what you are really capable of this field.
2. Know the Latest Trends
Digital Marketing is a career that is regularly on the move and continually evolving. Whether you are starting out your career or a seasoned professional, you have to stay updated with the latest trends in Digital Marketing. As the leading players such as Google, Facebook, and Twitter always tweak their algorithms, you are in for a wild ride if you don’t keep on top of the latest changes.
Also, websites such as Search Engine Land, Search Engine Journal, Marketing Land, Econsultancy, eMarketer and Social Media Today are great resources to stay updated. You can sign up for a daily/weekly newsletter of any of these websites. Moreover, you may attend virtual seminars, take some online classes, and do your best to stay ahead of the game.
3. Use Your Creativity
Digital Marketing allows you to utilize creative abilities in a variety ways. Some methods and systems are standardized for specific applications. However, you can always add your personal flair to projects, making them more creative and unique.
Digital Marketing is built on creativity. The more creative you are, the more probable it is that you will be regarded and get that dream of your digital marketing job.
4. Create a Winning Resume
Before you start applying for the digital marketing jobs, make sure to create a dynamic resume that shows precisely how valuable your skills are. There are different types of resumes, and you should not limit yourself to just one, particularly when you are working in an innovative industry.
5. Start a blog
Blogging is a great way to determine your expertise and assist you in learning by doing. Blogging demonstrates your commitment and skills to potential employers as well. I've regularly asked in interviews: What are your skill sets, latest updates, industry news, portfolio, the case study of existing projects, etc. To answer a blog is an excellent way to show your expertise, experience and win the interview.
6. Learn about Analytics
To know how good your marketing campaigns are, you have to understand analytics. Data determines how well a campaign is performing and helps you to find how to make things better. There are many online classes you may attend that will assist you to know how analytics work, and how to use them.
7. Learn the terminology
Digital Marketers should be comfortable with acronyms, for example, SERP, Organic results, etc. They are all very distinctive terms with a misunderstanding of them being a clear sign that you have a beginner's skill set and need additional training. The ability to analyze digital marketing campaigns and know that elements worked or not is reliant on your ability to understand industry jargon.
8. Get Out there and Network
Surround yourself with people more skilled in Digital Marketing. It is important to connect with some real people who are working in the digital marketing industry. The people you meet will be your continuous support network when you run into problems, and additionally, help to open doors to opportunities you might not have otherwise found. You will also have the capacity to learn from their experience and get a list of specialists you can use to put together a great team.
Attend industry meetups, webinars and conferences in your area to build relationships with other digital marketers and enhance your skill set by in-depth workshops and presentations.
9. Get Trusted Certification
If you want to stand out from your peers in the industry, completing a certified digital marketing course will help. There are training classes you can take that will assist you to prepare for the certification exams, and if you are decided digital marketing as your career, definitely you should get certified as soon as possible.
10. Decide on agency vs. industry
There are two main career paths when it comes to digital marketing. You can be an in-house digital marketer (working in a specific industry), or you can serve for an agency and handle multiple projects. That’s not to say you cannot switch later on but deciding where you would like to focus can provide you a good head start.
