How to Become a Digital Marketer

The digital marketing industry is highly competitive. Ahead of landing your dream digital marketing job, you might want to look at some online courses and on-site training choices. There are several different career path options you can take, depending on your current qualifications:

If you haven’t been to university, you could apply to study marketing at degree level, or see if you find a degree through clearing. Most degree courses are accredited by the Chartered Institute of Marketing and some include a valuable year-long placement in a marketing role.

If you already have an unrelated degree but you’re keen to pursue a career in digital marketing, why not study a master’s in Digital Marketing? Master’s degree courses are open to graduates of any discipline and government-funded loans are available.

If you don’t want to commit to degree level study there are plenty of short, affordable digital marketing short courses that offer tuition on Google AdWords and Facebook Insights. You can also access Google Analytics courses or alternatively, you could opt for a longer diploma that covers all of the main digital marketing specialisms, from social media marketing to online social marketing courses. Gaining some form of digital marketing certification will help supercharge your career.

A digital marketing apprenticeship will provide you with valuable on-the-job marketing training and experience. The type of apprenticeship you apply for depends on your current level of education. However, you could learn a rainbow-array of skills including the fundamentals of marketing, ecommerce, mobile marketing, digital advertising, how to use Hubspot, and online advertising. These entry-level roles will sharpen your skill set.

A simple search online will reveal a multitude of free resources to help you increase your digital marketing know-how. Google’s Digital Garage is a great place to begin. It’s also worth following a few digital marketing experts. The Moz Blog and Social Media Examiner are also good for starters.

Experience is highly valued in the world of digital marketing, so if you’re doing a course that doesn’t include a placement, try asking local marketing agencies whether you could do a couple of weeks’ work experience. This will help you to understand how digital marketing campaigns work and give you the chance to network with professionals. Alternatively, ask local charities or small businesses whether you could produce some content for their blog or social media accounts.

Most marketing positions require you to have some form of experience. Understanding the software that digital marketers use, the various digital channels, and the world of online advertising is sure to be a bonus. Regardless of your current education levels, there are plenty of online courses you can look into. You can study full or part-time, depending on your current commitments and learn at a pace that suits you.

While every digital marketer needs to know how to carry out essential tasks like keyword research, there are also a number of digital marketing skills you could specialise in.

If you become a digital marketer you could work with businesses, charities and government organisations. Larger companies often have in-house marketing departments, while smaller ones tend to offer work on a freelance or contract basis. Remote and flexible work are also common. 

When you start applying for roles with digital advertising agencies, be sure to ask them what the scope of each position is. Understanding the average salary you can demand as well as the specifics of the digital marketing role will help you make an informed decision. 

Many aspiring marketers start their career by joining a digital marketing agency. These provide general online marketing services to a range of clients, although some specialise in particular sectors.

The field of digital marketing offers a very broad spectrum of possible career paths and salaries. Before you start applying for marketing positions, it pays to know the average salary for each of them. According to the National Careers Service, Marketing Managers can earn wages of £65,000 or higher with experience. With that in mind, let’s take a look at some positions, from entry-level to senior roles: