Is Digital Marketing a Good Career Option? Here’s What You Need to Know

We cannot imagine a world without the internet today – on both professional as well as personal fronts. If you are someone who is looking to build a career in the digital space, digital marketing is perhaps the most popular option you’ve come across. According to the CMO Survey, marketers are predicted to allocate 57% of the total budget to digital marketing activities and are likely to increase their spending by 16% in 2023. As a beginner, it is common to wonder, ‘is digital marketing a good career choice?’ Well, if you are enticed by a fast-paced working environment that holds the power to transform a business through engagement, digital marketing is a prospective career path for you. Let’s take a closer look at what this career path entails and why it is here to stay. 

What is Digital Marketing?

In the era of instant gratification, marketing is the bridge that connects brands with the right customers and vice versa. Traditional marketing is the act of promoting a service or a product to increase sales. Digital marketing or online marketing, on the other hand, is the process of promoting products through digital mediums like social media, online ads, emails, and multimedia messages. It involves creating web-based solutions in order to market brands and help them connect with potential customers through digital marketing campaigns. 

What are Some Popular Digital Marketing Methods?

A well-rounded digital marketing strategy comprises a combination of tools and techniques that form a successful marketing campaign. Given the vast scope of digital marketing today, there are many different ways to engage with customers and build brand awareness. Here are a few popular digital marketing methods: 

• Social Media Marketing
• Search Engine Optimization (SEO) 
• Pay-Per-Click (PPC) or Web Advertising 
• Email Marketing 
• Content Marketing 
• Search Engine Marketing 
• Affiliate Advertising 
• Google Analytics 
• In-App Marketing
• Ecommerce Advertising 

Let us address the question of the hour, ‘is digital marketing a good career’ by looking at some popular careers in the field.

What are Some Popular Careers in Digital Marketing?

Most digital marketers kick-start their careers with entry-level job roles such as digital account executives. Eventually, they move into managerial positions. These are some of the most popular and trending digital marketing jobs today:

• Digital Marketing Manager
• Social Media Marketer
• SEO or SEM Specialist
• User Experience (UX) Designer
• Email Marketing Specialist 
• Virtual Reality (VR) Developer 
• Content Strategist
• Artificial Intelligence (AI) Specialist

Now that we have looked at in-demand job roles in the digital marketing industry, let’s take a brief look at the salary scale of digital marketers. 

What is the Average Salary for a Digital Marketer?

Factors like educational qualifications, location, job title, skills, and years of work experience are likely to influence the pay scale of aspiring marketers. According to talent.com, the entry-level salary for digital marketers begins at USD 49,480 and goes up to USD 105,354 for experienced professionals. Whereas the average salary of a digital marketer in the USA is USD 65,917. 

For an insight into the average pay scale based on job role, check out our detailed blog post on the Best Salary Range a Digital Marketer Can Expect. 

Career Outlook for Digital Marketers

Digital marketing ranks among the top three hottest skills that Americans are learning in 2022. As per a recent CMO survey, digital marketing activities have become a key investment for marketers today. They are known to lead digital transformations in 73% of companies. In fact, 77.4% of businesses are now investing in website optimization and 69% in digital media.

The future looks bright for digital marketers as increasing competition among data-driven businesses contributes to a growing demand for skilled professionals in the field. 

Is There a High Demand for Digital Marketing Jobs?

There are nearly five billion internet users across the world as of April 2022. Since over 63% of the global population widely uses the internet, there is no doubt why there is a growing demand for skilled digital marketers. In fact, according to a recent LinkedIn report, digital marketing is among the top ten most in-demand skills that employers are looking for. 

There is a rising need for marketing professionals with the right hard skills to fulfill specific digital marketing roles. For example, skills like ad serving and marketing analytics have grown by 84.6% and 46.1%, respectively. 

Since there are so many facets to digital marketing and an apparent digital skills gap, now is a great time to kickstart a career in the field. 

Tips for Getting Started in Digital Marketing

Digital marketing is a lucrative career path that is constantly evolving, which can be intimidating for beginners. We have put together seven tips to help you break into the field with ease. 

• Enroll in a digital marketing course 
• Choose a specialization
• Earn a Google Ads certification
• Master Google Analytics
• Become an SEO expert 
• Understand marketing and data analytics
• Learn Pay-per-click (PPC) advertising

If you are a marketing professional who is creative and enjoys a fast-paced work environment, a digital marketing career might just be your calling. Building a career in such a highly competitive field demands you to be well-prepared with the right skill set. Take your preparation to the next level with online digital marketing courses at Emeritus and embark on a successful digital marketing career! 

By Neha Menon

Write to us at content@emeritus.org