Choosing a career in digital marketing has many benefits for graduates. Not only are online marketing executives in high demand right now, but the trend isn’t about to slow down anytime soon. With the development of the IoT (Internet of Things) and other advancements that will require web-based skills, jobs within this area are only set to grow substantially.
In fact, 150,000 digital jobs are predicted for 2020, and there won’t be enough people to fill them according to the calculations, no matter how hard you work. The digital skills gap as it is referred to means that those with the right training and expertise can have extremely prosperous careers with huge earning potential. If you are thinking about what major to take at university or what discipline to train in after graduation, here are some of the top paths to consider.
Digital Project Management
A digital project manager is one of the top paid roles in the world of digital, and anyone who has natural leadership skills will be suited to this. As jobs in this area have become more specialized over the year, there has been an increased need for a project planner, someone who has both the digital skills and knowledge as well as the vision to see a campaign from start to completion. As a project leader, you will need to be both hands-on and a visionary. The ideal hybrid between a doer and a thinker.
Search Engine Optimization
Whether you choose to work in-house for a brand, agency side, or freelance, Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is a very lucrative path to take. Even at entry level, salaries can be very competitive. And by the time you become an experienced SEO consultant, you should be earning a very good annual wage. According to the employment search engine, Indeed.com, the average salary for an SEO specialist is $62,592 per year in the United States.
Content Planning / Creation
Have you ever heard of the phrase Content is King ? When it comes to effective inbound marketing techniques, creating relevant, useful and interesting content is key. Content marketing is an integral cog in the wheel for a brand’s online strategy and for attracting customers in the most organic way. So content planners will always be in demand for businesses of every size. Developing content requires someone who is efficient, well organized, and is able to use analytics tools to study performance KPIs. It also requires a lot of creative thinking, so if you’re as much of an ideas person as you are practical, this role could be suited to you.
E-commerce Management
Retail shopping is at an all-time high, not only in the US but worldwide, with almost 60% of search queries now being performed on mobile devices. So good e-commerce knowledge (in particular mobile or app specialisms) is something that is highly sought after. Closely linked to Conversion Rate Optimization (CRO), anyone specializing in e-comm will be required to know about everything from optimizing product pages and basic SEO to perfect placement of buttons and banners. The end goal is to create conversion, and the process is always measured, so analytical skills are a must.