Make your work work for you: a career in Digital Marketing

As technology’s influence on the way we live and work continues to develop, so too does the modern employment landscape. The digital age has presented myriad possibilities for employers and employees alike, with many organisations taking advantage of technology and incorporating new digital strategies into all areas of their business.

As this digital world evolves and innovation heats up across all industries, we can expect to see the digital skills gap growing wider and an increased demand for professionals with digital expertise. In fact, just 16% of executives think their teams have the capabilities to deliver their digital strategy, with ongoing investment in new technologies and digital platforms predicted by employers across the board.

For those working – or planning to work – in the digital space, this skills gap and demand for talented professionals can only be a good thing. Take digital marketing as an example: with the digital marketing software market expected to grow from US$37.48bn to $74.96 in 2022, we need savvy digital marketers who can harness that software to drive positive business results. As the skills shortage increases, candidates with specific digital experience will be in huge demand throughout the UK and internationally, which means now is the ideal time to upskill and look for new opportunities.

A breadth of roles

Digital marketing spans many sectors and roles, which is great news for anyone looking to move into - or upwards in - the industry. Businesses of all shapes and sizes need digital marketing strategies in order to survive in the highly-competitive digital space, and as such, digital marketing teams are popping up everywhere from charities and government sectors through to niche small businesses like beauty salons and moving companies. Essentially, any company that has an online presence needs a considered digital marketing strategy, and as such, roles within this space have diversified.

For technical, analytical types with an interest in data and figures, roles in search engine optimisation (SEO) and pay-per-click (PPC), data analytics, paid social and conversion rate optimisation (CRO) can be particularly attractive. For wordsmiths, there’s email marketing and content writing, while visually creative types can explore graphic design, user experience (UX), user interface (UI) and web design and development. Add in the in-demand areas of digital acquisition, analytics and e-commerce and you’ll find an incredibly diverse range of roles to suit marketers of all levels and interests. Because of this breadth and the ongoing demand for digital marketing all over the world, the opportunities to progress and diversify are significant.

Work-life balance, flexibility and culture

While salary is an obvious pull factor for most when looking for a new job, the importance of flexibility and work-life balance should not be understated – particularly when it comes to millennials and Gen-Z. Deloitte’s 2018 Millennial Survey shows that culture and flexibility are the second- and third-most important priorities for millennials when considering employers, with more than half of this demographic saying that increased flexibility from employers has made them want to stay with the company for longer.

The clue to the opportunity for flexibility within the digital marketing industry lies in its name. The online nature of much of this work lends itself perfectly to flexible hours and locations, with remote working a very real possibility for many within the industry. Glassdoor’s list of 25 best jobs for work-life balance features 6 marketing jobs, including SEO Manager, Social Media Manager and UX Designer, with high rankings of work-life balance reported across the board. This approach to working hours and locations naturally promotes a positive, relaxed culture where employees feel valued and understood.

A future-proof career

Digital marketing is unlikely to disappear any time soon. With voice search, video and augmented and virtual reality continuing to shake up the way products and services are marketed, there continue to be new avenues for organisations to explore. And with more than 3 billion active social media users around the world, the market for social media marketing alone is only going to expand – that’s before we think about how chatbots, influencer marketing and AI will shape the future of digital marketing.

Ever-changing consumer consumption, new devices and increasingly sophisticated technology mean that not only will digital marketing continue to expand and evolve, but there’s enormous opportunity for marketers to expand their skillset and pick up new roles and responsibilities. That means potential progression pathways and vertical as well as lateral movement – ultimately, a career that grows with you. And while the opportunities are particularly appealing for those new to the sector, there’s also significant scope for those already working in digital marketing to make vertical and lateral career movements. The most in-demand areas of expertise within digital marketing are digital advertising, content creation, curation and strategy, email and social, according to US firm McKinley Marketing Partners’ 2018 report. Marketers looking to take their career further could explore these areas in order to take advantage of increased client demand and skills shortages.

Whether client- or agency-side, the abundance of job opportunities in digital marketing shows no signs of letting up, and at EMR we’re always looking for skilled and savvy marketers to take make the most of these opportunities.

Make your next career move

At EMR, we’re proud to be at the forefront of the ever-evolving digital sector. As part of this, we have a wide range of permanent, temporary and contract jobs across industries of all sizes and disciplines. Interested? View our digital marketing jobs and take your next career step today or register a vacancy with us and let us help you recruit talented candidates for the role.