Managing Your Career in Digital Marketing

So you have a job in marketing, and as the world goes digital, you’re feeling pretty good about your decision to enter this ever-changing industry. But where do you go from here? Specialized roles emerge as technology grows, and it can be difficult to know how to manage your digital marketing career, especially when the average person in the industry stays at their position for 1-2 years. Where do you go from here, and what’s out there for you?

Post-Pandemic Demands Still High

A digital career is one of the most promising job prospects for Millennial and Gen Z professionals, allowing them to showcase creativity and sharp thinking skills. In fact, according to a recent report, hiring for digital marketing roles grew nearly 33 percent in 2020 with roughly 860,000 job openings. Digital marketing positions remain one of the top in-demand jobs, coming in at #6, according to LinkedIn.

The current average age of digital marketing managers is 39 years old, and that number continues to decrease as Baby Boomers and Gen X members are retiring around 50 years old in a post-pandemic world.

Nearly all members of the Millennial and Gen Z generations grew up with social media and the internet, and most know it like the back of their hands. They already have built a rapport with influencers and brands, allowing them to witness, experience and contribute to the power of digital marketing first-hand. 

It’s a field where someone with a flair for creativity and an understanding of consumer behavior, with curiosity towards understanding what makes people click and how to stay on top of trends, can be a part of. No one is too young or too old to make a difference or make a point in this environment. It’s a field that anyone, regardless of their educational background, can enter. It’s a field for growth and youthful thinking.

Emerging Skills Needed in 2022 and Beyond

Artificial intelligence is embedded in (almost) everything we do, and while many people believe AI will replace many digital marketing jobs, it’s important to remember that AI doesn’t work on its own. Competent people have to be on the other end to analyze the information gathered and move it to the next step. There are plenty of opportunities to grow in digital marketing if you have an AI background, but you have to stay in the know as AI transforms marketing so you can remain successful.

Conversational marketing, which is a branch of artificial intelligence, happens when a person visits a website and receives a greeting from another person or a chatbot that engages the visitor in real-time. It’s been estimated that the global conversational AI market could grow from$4.8 billion in 2020 to $13.9 billion by 2025. The division of conversational marketing requires a wide range of skills, depending at which level you’re entering, but overall it can be very important for companies with complex products. People want to truly believe they are interacting with another human being, which will help these businesses foster high engagement rates and present opportunities to convert leads faster.

Interactive content marketing is more common than you realize, and chances are, you’ve engaged with interactive content recently without realizing it. This includes things like video tours, augmented reality interactions or website polls, all shifting focus from text-based information to a more immersive and engaging user experience. By using these techniques, companies can show the customer a snippet of what life would be like if they used their products. 

At Epic Search Partners, we focus on recruiting the professionals essential to the digital marketing space. Reach out to us today so we can help you manage your career within digital marketing, putting you on the path to the best possible job.