If you’re as analytical and business savvy as you are creative and curious, you might just make one heck of a digital marketing manager. But before you make the leap into digital marketing-dom, find out what those in the position have to say about the job.
What exactly does a digital marketing manager do?
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A digital marketing manager is responsible for developing, implementing and managing marketing campaigns that promote a company and its products and/or services. He or she plays a major role in enhancing brand awareness within the digital space as well as driving website traffic and acquiring leads/customers.
A digital marketing manager also identifies and evaluates new digital technologies and uses Web analytics tools to measure site traffic to better optimize marketing campaigns, email marketing, social media and display and search advertising.
“This person is responsible for driving relevant consumers with the goal of improving brand recognition [and] trust and ultimately drive purchase intent,” says Justin Emig, with digital marketing agency Web Talent Marketing in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.
As director of search marketing, Emig does everything from developing media strategies that put clients’ brand or product in front of their target audience to writing and pitching content and digging through the trenches of Web analytics to unearth invaluable info about target consumers.
What skills are required?
Leadership skills are paramount. “This job requires you to influence others and drive results through collaboration,” says Sandra Rand, director of marketing at OrionCKB, a direct response ad agency in Walpole, Massachusetts. “You must be able to work with colleagues and contacts at all levels of an organization to develop compelling offers and drive growth.”
Also important are strong writing skills, to effectively communicate your brand’s message, and data analysis skills, to extract value from reporting tools, says Rand.
Adaptability in the ever-changing digital space and the ability to think like a consumer are also essential, adds Emig, as are cojones. “A digital marketing manager has to not be afraid to try new things, take chances, fail and test everything,” he says.
Who is a digital marketing manager’s boss?
A digital marketing manager often reports to a director or VP marketing, and may have one to two direct reports executing social, email and other digital marketing tactics.
What do I need to get ahead in this position?
“A never satisfied and unwilling to stop testing mindset,” says Emig. In other words, don’t take your foot off the pedal.
How can I get my foot in the door?
There’s no hard, fast rule about landing a digital marketing manager job. You don’t need a fancy-schmancy Ivy League degree (or the hefty tuition bill that comes with it) to break into digital marketing. A degree helps, of course, but internships and job experience are far more valuable than where you went to school or even what you studied, says Rand.
Adds Emig, “Certifications are the new degree.” Having a healthy Rolodex of certifications adds social credibility to your resume that’s sure to catch a potential employer’s eye.
