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How to Kickstart a Digital Marketing Career

There isn’t a better time than now if you are interested in getting into the digital marketing industry. Research has shown that the digital economy is growing three times the US DGP with those working in this industry making an average of $114.275 a year, which is more than what 72{eae666a590290af8b72b2a1801dfbd3ccca230c379c8715b3047c7e2785ce9a4} of workers in the country make.

Below are the top tips that will help you kick start your digital marketing career. If you are interested in research project manager jobs then see here.

1. Eagerness to learn

The digital marketing industry is growing fast and it is very competitive. Businesses can easily differentiate between those willing to learn and those who are just there for the ride. You need to have the desire and passion if you want to succeed in this industry.

2. Staying updated

You need to be on top of the industry news and you can do this by following influential people on social media and the major digital marketing sites. Major platforms such as Facebook, Google, and Twitter tweak their paid advertising algorithms and platforms regularly, and things will be hard for you if you don’t keep up with these changes.
Below are some recommendations on websites that you can check out-

  • PPC – Search Engine Land, PPC Hero
  • SEO – SEOGadget, Distilled, Search Engine Land, Moz
  • Content – HubSpot
  • Social Media – Social Media Today, Social Media Examiner

3. Networking

Try surrounding yourself with people who are more talented than you. These people are going to be your support network when you run into problems, and this will also open doors to opportunities you wouldn’t come across.
Attend industry conferences and meetups in your area to meet other digital marketers and nurture relationships. Presentations and in-depth workshops will enhance your skillset.

4. Personal projects

You need to try your own ideas and don’t treat opinions from industry leaders as gospel. In the digital marketing industry, everything isn’t always black and white, there is a lot of grey areas between best practices and what delivers the best results for the business.

5. Learning the terminology

As a digital marketer, it is important to be comfortable with acronyms like SEM, PPC, and SEO. These terms are different and misunderstanding them is a clear sign that you are still a beginner and need more training. You need to understand industry jargon because it allows you to analyze campaigns and understand the elements that worked. Take the time to learn the terminology used in the digital marketing industry because it will be something you deal with every day. This is the one area you shouldn’t mess up with.

6. Building your personal brand

How can you see yourself as a digital marketing expert when you don’t even have a visible online presence? If you plan to show a prospective client or employer that you can improve their company visibility, it becomes hard to do it if you cannot build your own personal brand. Do that first because it will show that you can do it for them too.
Your online presence can be the deciding factor when you are two candidates interested in the same position.

7. T-Shaped Marketer

This is a term commonly used on Moz and it refers to the basic understanding of many disciplines and specializing in one or two skills.

Companies can find candidates with broad digital marketing skill sets to be more valuable because they can cross over between the channels. You will also be equipped to choose a specific path to specialize in.