Did you know we spend about two hours and 23 minutes on the internet every day? That’s just on mobile devices. In fact, Statista projected that the figures will continue to move upwards, with mobile internet consumption reaching two hours and 35 minutes per person in 2021.
With the internet being more and more accessible by almost everyone from every corner of the world, it makes perfect sense for today’s marketing sector to evolve and target audiences through their most-preferred channels, which are online.
This is where digital marketing enters the picture. It is essentially the art of delivering advertisements through digital channels like social media, mobile and web applications, email, search engines, and websites, among others.
If you’re currently looking to venture into digital marketing, you are definitely making the right choice. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, marketing professionals can earn up to $135,900 per year and the field is expected to see 8% growth in coming years.
Digital Marketing Education and Soft Skills
To get started in digital marketing, you will have to decide on an education track. There are three main ones that can help you get familiarized with the tools needed to succeed as a digital marketer: self-learning, a university degree, or coding bootcamps. Each of these tracks come with their own merits, so you have to set aside some time to find out which one would suit your personal needs, financial capabilities, and career goals.
However, one of the more important skills that can help you carve out a successful career as a digital marketer is your soft skills. In other words, your personality traits and behaviors. Unlike technical skills, soft skills are not about industry knowledge, but instead the way you respond to a situation, build connections, and tackle projects.
If you don’t know where to start, don’t worry because we’ve got you covered. Here are some of the soft skills that can help set you apart in the digital marketing world:
Curiosity and Creativity
As a digital marketer, it’s your job to help your client boost their reach, execute their projects, hit their goals, and gain profit. More often than not, you’d be the person in charge of coming up with an advertising plan that can help a brand stand out amongst its competitors. In some other instances, you will also act as a consultant whom clients refer to when they face challenges in day-to-day operations.
With the rise of technology, there will always be new ways to tackle a project, so it is up to you to craft a plan that utilizes the latest tools to create an impactful advertisement. Keep in mind that all companies are also targeting the same audience that you are, so it is important to be curious and creative when crafting a marketing proposal. Most of today’s social media users are experiencing ad fatigue from being inundated with advertisements, so you have to use your soft skills to ensure your campaign is far from ordinary.
Empathy
You need to be able to put yourself in other people’s shoes and understand how your client’s products and services benefit the target audience, At the same time, you have to be able to predict how the audience would react to the specifications of said products and services. This will help you to tailor a marketing plan that satisfies both parties. At the end of the day, marketing is all about win-win scenarios.
This skill will also prove to be useful when you encounter a client that wants to align their business with a social cause. As the professional in charge, you may need to assist and advise your client on the right organizations that they share mutual principles with. When it comes to such a situation, empathy could be the best approach.
Persuasion
A successful digital marketer always knows how to get what they want by using the magic of persuasion. Dare we say, it is the top tool of the trade. After all, your main objective is to get the target audience to respond well to a campaign with that positive reception translating into sales.
This skill may also come in handy when you are trying to convince a hesitant client or employer. In most cases, clients would come to you with a fixed budget in mind. However, there may be more expenses incurred while executing the campaign, so your role is to convince your client that every penny — even extra ones — will be worth it.
Multitasking
This is one of the top skills that employers look for when recruiting. It doesn’t matter which industry you’re working in, an employer always wants to know that you are able to perform multiple tasks at once if need be. The ability to demonstrate this shows that you are a proactive worker — and every business could benefit from having an employee like yourself.
In the digital marketing world, this skill is especially crucial. Why? Because there are a lot of things going on at the same time and you have to stay on top of them all. You have to monitor popular social media platforms, your client’s competitors, newsfeeds, and other websites to learn about what’s trending. Then you can incorporate some elements into your campaign to make it a successful one. Aside from that, there may be instances where your expertise is needed in a team exercise, so you have to juggle multiple projects at once.
Adaptability and Endurance
As previously said, trends can change at the drop of a hat, so what’s “in” today might just be old news when tomorrow comes. To execute a successful marketing campaign, you need to be able to roll with the punches and continue to adapt to what’s current — even if it means going back to the drawing board again. There is nothing worse than presenting an outdated marketing campaign to your client when they are forking out a huge sum of money on advertising.
It is also important that you have a never-give-up attitude and see your projects through. Due to the stiff competition, there may be instances where another brand rolls out a marketing campaign that’s a tad too similar to yours. In this case, you want to ensure uniqueness and avoid plagiarizing. This could take an emotional toll on you considering a lot of hard work goes into your project, so it is important to keep your chin up and not get discouraged.
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