How to Start a Lucrative Digital Marketing Career: High-Demand Skills, Networking Tips, and Job-Ready Strategies

How to Start a Lucrative Digital Marketing Career: High-Demand Skills, Networking Tips, and Job-Ready Strategies

There are various pathways to becoming a Digital Marketer. While many start their careers in traditional marketing roles before specializing, this is not a strict requirement;

there’s no specific prior experience necessary to enter digital marketing—just a specific skill set. People often transition into digital marketing from diverse roles such as Copywriter, Webmaster, or even Influencer.

Steps to Becoming a Digital Marketer in Five Stages:

1. Understand Digital Marketing Basics

To start a career in digital marketing, you should first gain fundamental technical knowledge in SEO and SEM, analytics, social media marketing and advertising, and email marketing.

Additionally, aims to showcase the essential soft and transferable skills that a Digital Marketer should have, such as:

• Leadership
• Strong writing skills
• Insight into the online environment

If you’re learning email marketing, SEO, and analytics individually, it may take months or even years to develop a coherent skill set.

Courses like BrainStation’s Digital Marketing boot camp are designed to immerse you in critical aspects of digital marketing for fast and effective learning.

2. Familiarize Yourself with Essential Digital Marketing Tools

Gaining experience with various digital marketing tools will facilitate your transition into the role of a Digital Marketer. For instance, Google Analytics and Google Ads help measure and track digital marketing campaign performance.

SEO tools such as Ahrefs, Moz, and SEMrush are also crucial, providing insights into relevant keywords, backlinks, related keywords, and competitor SEO analysis.

Key Digital Marketing Tools to Learn:

• Google Analytics

• Google Ads

• MailChimp

• Ahrefs

• Salesforce

• Moz

• Buffer

• Canva

• HubSpot

Experience with email campaign tools like MailChimp or SendGrid is valuable for entering digital marketing. Familiarity with CRM programs such as Salesforce and HubSpot is also beneficial.

Social media is a good starting point. Digital Marketers increasingly utilize platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, and TikTok to drive traffic, generate leads, and enhance their brands.

Developing a following or a cohesive style, and using social media management tools like Hootsuite, Later, and Buffer, can help you stand out when applying for digital marketing positions.

3. Create a Digital Marketing Portfolio

not all companies measure ROI for all digital marketing strategies, SEM and SEO have relatively straightforward metrics.

If showcasing work done for clients, ensure you have their consent before sharing any proprietary details.

As a Digital Marketer, assembling a portfolio can be challenging. You’ll need to present not just the final product but also your processes and results to highlight your teamwork, planning, and strategic abilities.

Include examples of published work such as newsletters, social media posts, or content marketing articles, and clearly state your role in their creation—did you devise the strategic plan, write the copy, design the layout, or coordinate the ad-buying campaign?

When sharing the results of your efforts, provide as much data as possible. Digital Marketers rely on hard numbers, so include metrics such as

“I generated 1,200 qualified leads through a targeted social media campaign in Q2 of 2020” or “I increased organic web traffic by 18 percent year-over-year.”

If you lack professional experience, your portfolio can include results from hands-on exercises completed during digital marketing coursework.

Once you’ve compiled your materials, present them online in a polished, well-organized format. Use this space to describe your process and the creative solutions you implemented.

Your online presence should showcase your creativity, unique voice, and professional demeanor. If you prefer to keep your social channels private, consider starting a passion project—like an Instagram account for sharing surfing photography or a blog about cooking—and include it in your portfolio.

How to Create a Marketing Portfolio:

• Showcase your teamwork, planning, and understanding of digital marketing strategies
• Incorporate newsletters, social media posts, or content marketing articles that you have created.
• Use data to support your achievements
• Obtain permission before publishing client work
• Create an Instagram account to showcase your projects
• Start a blog dedicated to your interests

4. Craft Your Marketing Resume

Typically, your resume is your first interaction with a potential employer, so it's crucial to get it right.

Keep it straightforward and use bullet points where suitable. Focus on highlighting your marketing skills and experience, with hard numbers adding value (keeping in mind that your portfolio is where detailed information should be).

Tailor your resume for each application. Review the job posting and the company’s online presence; ensure your cover letter and resume match their tone.
Demonstrate your personality and creativity in a way that aligns with the company’s brand.

These skills generally fall into three categories:

• Marketing skills (including software and technical requirements)
• Transferable skills (like sales, design expertise, or writing experience)
• Adaptable skills (such as leadership or problem-solving)

The marketing skills should be prominently featured at the top of your resume, with transferable and adaptive skills listed at the bottom or integrated throughout.

Resume Tips:

• Keep it clean and concise
• Use numbers to highlight marketing skills and experience
• Customize your resume for each job application
• Show your personality and creativity
• Prioritize marketing skills, followed by transferable and adaptable skills

5. Build Your Network in Marketing

Building a network as a Digital Marketer often starts online. Besides using social media or blogging, consider starting an industry-related newsletter to showcase your content, exhibit thought leadership as a digital marketing expert, and grow your platform.

Attend networking events for Digital Marketers, both online and offline, to connect with others in the field.

For example, Toronto hosts an annual Digital Marketing Conference, and the industry website MarketingTerms lists numerous virtual networking events focused on various specializations and market sectors.

Is There a High Demand for Digital Marketing?

Yes, digital marketing is highly sought after, being one of the fastest-growing areas in technology. The need for digital marketing skills is growing at a rapid pace.

According to Bullhorn, 71 percent of Hiring Managers find it challenging to find skilled digital marketing professionals for their openings.

HubSpot reports that 70 percent of companies now invest in content and social media marketing, with 64 percent of Marketers noting that their marketing budgets have increased this year.

How to Enter Digital Marketing:

To enter digital marketing, develop your marketing skills and experience through a digital marketing boot camp or course, seek opportunities to expand your professional network, and start applying for entry-level digital marketing jobs and internships.

Entering digital marketing without prior experience is possible, but you need to acquire the right skills and demonstrate them effectively.

Core technical competencies for Digital Marketers include:

• SEO and SEM
• Marketing Analytics
• Social Media Marketing and Advertising
• Email Marketing
• CRM

If you’re unsure how to begin in digital marketing, note that gaining piecemeal experience in these areas can be time-consuming. Digital marketing degrees are not very popular due to the rapidly changing landscape.

For up-to-date training focused on essential skills, consider enrolling in a digital marketing course or boot camp.

Your online presence will be a significant part of your professional profile but also engage with the digital marketing community through networking events both online and offline.

As you refine these skills, compile your projects—newsletters, social media posts, content marketing campaigns, and more—that demonstrate your abilities. These will form the basis of your professional portfolio, a powerful asset in your job search.

Once your materials are ready, present them online in a polished, well-organized manner. Describe your process and creative solutions at each step. Your online presence across social media should reflect creativity and professionalism.

With a robust portfolio, tailor your resume for each job application to highlight relevant skills and start networking.

What Is the Time Frame to Become a Digital Marketer?

Depending on your current experience, you might acquire the necessary skills to become a Digital Marketer in as little as 12 weeks.

However, mastering many techniques, especially soft skills like leadership and communication, may take years.