Digital Marketing Salary: Pay, Job Description, & How to Be a Specialist
In the Creative Careers series, we discuss creative positions, pay, skillsets, and how you can land a job. Today we’re discussing digital marketing: salary, job description, and more.
Welcome back to the Creative Career Series! In our last post, we covered UX design and the steps someone could take to become a UX designer.
Today, we’re going in a bit of a different direction, focusing on digital marketing. Specifically, we’ll discuss your potential digital marketing salary as a specialist and all the tools you can use to break into this niche.
What is a digital marketer?
Digital marketing encompasses a number of jobs, like marketing management, content marketing, and paid search. But today, we’ll focus on an entry level position in digital marketing: a digital marketing specialist.
A digital marketing specialist uses online marketing channels (like social, SEO, content, and paid search) to appeal to prospective customers. As a digital marketer, it’s your job to gain marketing-qualified leads (MQLs). In other words, you attract people who could be good customers.
Digital marketers don’t necessarily have to be experts at all marketing channels, but they should have an understanding of how marketing channels work holistically.
How much can I expect with a digital marketing salary?
Okay, so how much does a digital marketing specialist make each year? Well, that depends on a few things, like location and experience.
Luckily, many companies now allow employees to work from home, which could get you higher pay, even if you live in a less urban location. Here’s a general idea of what you can expect on average:
Average digital marketing specialist salary:
According to Glassdoor, the average digital marketing specialist in the United States, including all industries and years of experience, is ~$57,000 - $58,000/year. (This includes benefits.)
Beginner digital marketing specialist salary:
According to Glassdoor, the average salary for digital marketing specialists with 0-1 years of experience, including all industries, is $52,539/year. (This includes benefits.)
Senior digital marketing specialist salary:
According to Glassdoor, the average senior digital marketing specialist in the United States, including all industries and years of experience, is $79,096/year (including benefits).
Digital marketing skills:
Wondering what you’d need to increase brand awareness and generate leads? Below we’ve listed the digital marketing skills and programs that could put you above the competition.
A/B testing
Analytics reporting (e.g. Google Analytics)
Attention to detail
Communication
Content writing/editing
Email marketing
Excel/Google Sheets
Graphic design (e.g. Canva, Adobe Suite, etc.)
Public Relations
Being a self-starter
SEO (e.g. Moz, SEMrush, etc.)
Social media
Understanding of marketing automation
Digital marketing job description example: what you can expect
Most companies will require a few key abilities when hiring digital marketing specialists. In addition to the skills listed above, you’ll need to be able to do the following:
Understand and utilize marketing and sales KPIs
Create campaigns to increase sales and retain customers
Lead email marketing campaigns with testing and nurtures
Report data findings with clarity
Lead projects from start to finish
Build a strategic content plan
Maintain brand consistency across campaigns
Coordinate marketing materials (e.g., signage, brochures, newsletters, etc.)
Create and manage mailing lists within a CRM
How to become a digital marketing specialist
Luckily, specialist roles are often entry-level, so you can break into digital marketing without necessarily having to go to school for it. Here are some ways to become a digital marketing specialist:
Take classes
Practice with your own website
Apply for an internship or volunteer
Apply for roles
Take digital marketing classes
When it comes to digital marketing classes, there are a number of different kinds to choose from. You can take classes in-person or fully online through free videos, paid bootcamps, and e-learning services, like Coursera or Udemy.
Here’s a list of digital marketing classes you can check out:
Digital Marketing playlist from from Simplilearn
Free on YouTube
Over 7 hours of content
Covers different aspects of digital marketing
Classes start at $14.99 for new students
Various classes to choose from
7-day free trial
$39/month after the free trial
Official Google Certificate offered
Udacity Digital Marketing Bootcamp
Price ranges from $399/month - $1017 total tuition
Personalized feedback and mentor support
Career services are included
“Become a Digital Marketing Professional” - Vanderbilt University Bootcamp
Course tuition: $8,745
Paid micro-internship available
Optional 1:1 tutoring
Financing available
Practice with your own website
One of the best ways to learn digital marketing is through first-hand experience. Consider building a website or portfolio to familiarize yourself with marketing basics.
If you do develop a personal brand, you’ll be free to experiment with different digital marketing techniques. You’ll likely see which experiments work, which programs can simplify your workload, and which channels you need to improve. Plus, these experiences can be leveraged into a position later.
Apply for an internship or volunteer
If you’re still in school, internships are an excellent way to gain experience and connections. Internships can often be found through colleges, alumni, and local businesses.
But maybe you’re not in school—and that’s okay! For those looking to switch careers, volunteering can offer a chance to (A) gain experience and (B) give back. You might join a local group you support, or offer marketing services for a community event.
You may also consider using a website like Catchafire, where you can match your skills to a nonprofit in need. This not only helps a worthy cause, but you can get real-world experience for your portfolio.
Apply for roles
Because some digital marketing positions are entry-level, you may consider asking around and applying for available positions. (Some companies even offer jr. specialist roles.)
Alternatively, you may be able to transition into a digital marketing role at your current company. If there’s a marketing team, consider making connections within the group to learn more.
Early in my career, I was able to transition into different roles and teams by talking to my managers and clearly outlining my goals. If possible, consider discussing your goals with your bosses and mentors. You never know what opportunities are available unless you ask.
Conclusion
If you’re interested in digital marketing (or you’re just curious about earning a digital marketing salary), now may be the time to become a specialist. Start developing hard and soft skills that will help you stay ahead of the competition.
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