Resilience, flexibility and creative thinking under pressure are all traits that digital marketers innately possess. And these also just happen to be the ingredients for success during times of uncertainty, which is why the demand for passionate people in this space has never been higher.
In this article, you will learn why this is the best time to start your digital marketing career (even as a complete beginner).
Why Digital Marketing and Why Now?
Digital marketing has drastically evolved over the last decade and continues to change with each new iteration of our favorite platforms and analysis tools. But no matter what changes may come in the future, one thing is clear, digital marketing will continue to thrive.
This is due to a lot of factors, but one main one is the large number of new businesses being created every single day. The U.S. Census Bureau states that on average there are about 2-4 million new business applications filed every single year.
But as you’ll see from the image above, this average has increased dramatically since the start of the pandemic. In fact, in 2021 there were 5.4 million new business applications in the U.S. which was the highest of any year and a 53% increase from 2019.
That’s millions of new businesses which now need help with creating and growing their digital presence.
And in knowing this, it’s no surprise that interest in this career path has also been on the rise.
Digital Marketing Is An In-Demand Skillset
So we now know there’s an increase in interest in learning these skills. But what about the demand from employers?
Well, over the past year we’ve seen a 12.2% marketing job growth according to data presented by Deloitte. Companies surveyed by Deloitte also estimated a further 10.5% marketing hire increase over the next year.
Not to mention that LinkedIn reported ‘Digital Marketing Specialist’ as the most in-demand job title based on volume of postings on the platform.
But these roles don’t look the way they used to.
According to a study done by Upwork, it’s predicted that 36.2 million workers in the U.S. will be fully remote by 2025. That’s an 87% increase from pre-pandemic rates.
This means that not only is there an increase in demand for people working in digital marketing, but employers are significantly more open to people working for them in whatever way suits them best.
We’re no longer (necessarily) bound by the 9-5 workday, full-time working relationships, or even being in the same geographic location as our employers. We can work when we want, how we want, and from wherever we want.
So we now know there’s demand and flexibility – next, let’s get into what it really means to be a beginner in the world of digital marketing.
Digital Marketing is Incredibly Beginner-Friendly
Some of the most brilliant digital marketers you’ll come across have no formal qualifications in the marketing field. But what they do have are skills, passion, and practical experience built through determination and a willingness to work from the ground up.
And that’s because unlike in many other fields, people looking for talent in this space don’t place nearly as much importance on having decades of experience or years of formal training on your resume.
Digital marketing itself hasn’t even been around for that long, and many universities and colleges still don’t offer practical training on the subject. The marketing world is evolving so quickly that by the time you finish a four-year degree on the subject, you would have to begin all over again to learn about all the changes.
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Instead, employers are a lot more interested in well-rounded soft skills. So this might just be the career path for you if you are able to:
- Commit to lifelong learning
- Continuously innovate and explore new creative ideas
- Lead and inspire, but be willing to work effectively as a part of a team
- Be both creative and analytical in your approach to your work
- Have general knowledge of the field but be a specialist in a few key subjects
- Take risks and back yourself
- Embrace setbacks as learning opportunities
- Approach every new task with flexible thinking and without bias
And with access to so many amazing self-paced digital marketing courses, it’s easier than ever before to upskill yourself in the more technical skills required.
Skills You Need to Succeed as a Digital Marketer
We’ve already discussed some of the softer skills and traits that can make someone an excellent digital marketer. But of course, technical skills are a large part of your success in digital marketing too.
As you’ll notice from the image below, the top in-demand skills in the marketing world on LinkedIn are: social media marketing, paid search, social media, search engine marketing, and marketing in general.
In addition to the above, as a digital marketer, you might also have to be across the basics of:
- Search engine optimization
- Email marketing
- Influencer marketing
- Copywriting
- Data analysis
- Video marketing
- … and more
The key here is not to overwhelm yourself by trying to specialize in all areas, as no one will expect this of you. A positive attitude, passion for your work, and a willingness to upskill yourself in areas you’re not confident in as you go, are what will matter most in your digital marketing career.
And if you ask seasoned digital marketers what their career path has looked like up to this point, they’ll likely say it’s been like a Jackson Pollock painting. It might not make sense to people who don’t work in the field, but to them, it’s a beautiful masterpiece of diverse skills coming together and acquired over time.
So if you’re ready to get into a career that’s bold, versatile, exciting, and rapidly evolving – digital marketing might just be the right fit for you.
