Can you tell me some more about digital marketing and how I would know if it’s the right fit for me?

I’ve been working in administrative roles in a software business for the past 15 years, and I’m ready to move on. I’ve been hearing about digital marketing, and it’s piqued my interest — I’m good at technology, and I get people. But I don’t quite comprehend what I would actually be doing on a daily basis if I went into the field.

Can you tell me some more about digital marketing and how I would know if it’s the right fit for me?

Have you ever heard of a sanitation engineer? How about a coiffeur? Those are just fancy titles for a garbage man and a barber.

Similarly, the term digital marketing can confuse people into thinking that the job is something more complicated than it actually is. So what is it in simple English? Someone who does marketing — the activity or business of promoting and selling products or services, including market research and advertising — online.

Just like in the field of regular marketing (or any field really) there are subsets of jobs a person can have.

Here a few jobs that a digital marketer can do:

PPC Professional (Pay-per-click): Those ads that pop up when you’re online? There’s a PPC expert behind them who decides where to advertise online, what you’ll see, and that the right keywords are being used so the right people see it.

Content Marketer: These professionals develop a strategy, create the content (think graphics, blog posts, white papers, infographics, videos, and social media posts), and decide where to distribute the content.

Google Analytics: Who came to visit my website? What pages did they spend the most and least time on? Where are they located? How can I use this information to get more people to come and spend money? Gather this information to help businesses make data-driven decisions.

SEO — Search Engine Optimization: How do you ensure your website shows up when someone performs a search? SEO specialists work to drive traffic to your website by optimizing your pages, monitoring metrics, and working with the marketing department.

Now that we’ve cleared up what a digital marketer actually does, the question is how do you become one?

The good news is that you don’t need to spend years in college to get started. A good digital marketing course can give you all the skills you need to get a job or start your own service.

Some of the key skills required for success in digital marketing include creativity, analytical thinking, communication, and the ability to adapt to change. Digital marketing can be a highly competitive field, and individuals who are able to differentiate themselves through their skills, experience, and creativity may have an advantage in securing employment or building a successful freelance business… it’s not about a college degree.

You’ve said that you’re good with technology and understand human psychology, so digital marketing might be a good fit. It often involves understanding consumer behavior and creating targeted organic and/or advertising campaigns.

You can expect a course to teach you about search engine optimization (SEO), pay-per-click advertising, social media marketing, content marketing, and analytics.

Digital marketing is a rapidly evolving field. Staying up-to-date with the latest trends and technologies is essential for success. Add practical experience to the mix, and you have a winner.

Did you know?

You can work in digital marketing without using social media.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, job demand is expected to increase by 10% by 2026.

In the US, a digital marketing specialist earns $52,000, a mid-level digital marketing manager earns $70,000, and a senior-level digital marketing director earns $105,000.

Thank you to Danny Gavin of Odeo Academy for your insights in preparing this article.

(Originally featured in Mishpacha, Issue 981)