by Digital marketing is one of the hottest careers, and the skills gap is expected to widen in the coming years. According to a report by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, there could be as many as 20,000 new jobs by the year 2024. In other words, you are on the right path if you are looking to grow in the field or switch your career to digital marketing. There is stiff competition in the area, though; thus, you have to keep up with the ever-evolving skill set demand to stay competitive. In this article, we will dive into skills that will propel you to success as a digital marketer today and in the future.
Contents
Data Analysis skills
Data analytics skills are growing paramount for you as a digital marketer with trends like Big Data taking center stage. It is time to boost your skill set in handling data. The good thing is that there are several data analysis tools that can help you analyze data from your websites, email campaigns, coupon codes etc. Data analysis gives you an insight into your customers’ needs and preferences. This insight, in turn, will help you in determining the efficacy of your marketing strategies. You also gather factual information on whose bases you can redesign your marketing strategies to meet the customer needs and improve their experience.
For example, you can use proper tools and analytics to help you know the most bounce rates on a given webpage on a site. This will end up giving you a clear picture on what to do to gain more conversions. It could be a technical error on your site that is letting you down. Data tools can also help cleanse data by getting highlighting and getting rid of incomplete, incorrect or duplicate data.
Tip: It is perhaps the best time to learn to use a bit of data science and programming.
Search Engine Optimization Skills
SEO traffic will continue being king in growing businesses online. Well, your content could be excellent, but if you fail in Search Engine Optimization, then your target audience may not find your content. That’s why, as a digital marketer, you need Search Engine Optimization skills to boost your web page ranking and content. Learn to create high-quality content that answers your customer’s questions. Learn white-hat strategies to optimize the content. Don’t forget about off-site SEO strategies like building backlinks from High-Domain Authority sites to boost SEO. Great content and backlinking can attract popular websites to your page. Remember, Google upgrades its algorithm every so often and so, always remain updated on the latest factors affecting ranking and the latest algorithms.
Email Marketing skills
Email marketing is another digital marketing strategy that you ought to improve to stay competitive. You should learn to use mail as a tool to engage your current customer as well as convert potential customers. You ought to learn to build your own email database and use existing ones. For example, you can create an email list; create a pop-up or of CTA (call-to-action) in your blogs or website encouraging users to give you their mail contacts. Just make the purpose of the email clear so that the user knows what to expect.
Once you create your email list, craft and send great content to your target users. You can use an autoresponder to send scheduled emails or respond to queries other than “leaving your target audience in the dark” for a long time. Again, you are better off if you have the analytical skills to mine opportunities from the email campaigns.
Image, Video and Audio Editing Skills
Uploading substandard content will harm your marketing strategy. Thus, it is essential to learn how to edit images, videos and audio if you are to be a Rockstar digital marketer. Learn to edit social media and web images using tools like Canva, Fotor, GIMP, Photoshop, etc. Learn to edit your videos using Premiere Pro, Corel VideoStudio, Filmora, Final Cut Pro, etc. Learn to edit and convert audio files from one format to the other faster. You can use tools like the m4a to mp3 converter to do this quicker. Of course, content that looks more appealing attracts more views. It will help if you learn to use some professional editing tools but don’t forget the easy to use tools that get the tasks done faster.
Customer engagement skills
Good customer engagement skills play a significant role in your career as a digital marketer. You are responsible for making your customer feel important by treating them in a helpful, friendly and positive way. Improve your communication skills to interact with customers. Try to give them a nice experience by connecting with them at an emotional and personal level. When you treat your customers well, there are high chances of repeat purchase. They will refer other potential customers to your business, generating more sales and profit in your business. It is also good to listen to the perception your target audience has of your product, services or brand. Your customers will give you their views in comparison to your competitors, and this will help you learn your competitors’ tactic and identify your strength and weakness.
Social media skills
Social media platforms are now indispensable if you want to succeed in digital marketing. From a marketer’s perspective, it is a tool that has more than just posting lovely photos and having fun. You can use it to grow your clients and business. But, you can only do so if you can learn social media marketing tactics like using hashtags, boosted posts and community engagement strategies like opening business pages and creating groups. Moreover, develop your skills on paid social media advertising strategies like creative ad experimentation, CPM bidding and data analysis tools like Facebook insight so that you can invest in what works perfectly for you.
Tip: Every social media varies and you have to fine-tune your skill set to tap into the tool that suits you best.
Ability to evolve with changing digital marketing trends
Last but not least, the digital marketing space is always changing, and thus you have to ensure that you keep up with the current trends. For instance, know the current hashtags and the popular acronyms that are trending online so that you boost your online visibility as well as engage more with customers. You can also subscribe to newsletters, videos or podcasts that give a regular update on digital marketing. Staying up to date helps you grow into a better digital marketer.
Final remarks
You have to be open to learning, work hard and stay determined if you want to be an expert in digital marketing. Keep honing the skills that are on-demand now and in the future to stay ahead of the competition.
