Over the past few years, there have been some major changes in the way we use the internet for digital marketing. We started from merely creating a website to now harnessing data and user activity. With the intense competition in the digital space, having a website will not simply cut it. Digital marketers have to step up their game in order to stand out in today’s ever-changing landscape.

Marketing in the digital world is exceedingly different from the traditional marketing that we are used to. Creativity is still an essential skill; however, it does not guarantee your success. There are several tools, skillset, and applications that you need to know in order to become a successful digital marketer today.

With that in mind, we have listed five must-have skills to help you jumpstart your career in digital marketing.

Search Engine Optimization

Search engines like Google and Yahoo help drive more traffic to your website and lets potential customers find you easily. By having a solid foundation of how SEO works, you can create a customized marketing campaign that would improve your website’s visibility in search engines.

SEO can also affect user behavior. For instance, users are more likely to click websites found on the first page of the search results. The higher you are in the search results, the better your exposure to potential customers.

So to help you understand the basics of SEO, you can read this Starter Guide posted by Google. It is a great introduction to SEO.

Data Analytics

One of the best ways to track and assess your market progress is through data analytics. Nowadays, you can analyze a customer’s activity as well as what they want or how they feel about a certain product. As a result, marketing campaigns and strategies have been heavily influenced by data analytics.

Data analytics have made it possible to track a customer’s journey, from the moment they click on the website to ultimately purchasing an item on the same website. With that, knowing how to use data analytics tools (e.g. Google Analytics, Adobe Analytics, HubSpot, and so on) has become a requisite for every digital marketer nowadays.

UX and UI development

User Experience (UX) and User Interface (UI) greatly contribute to customers’ retention.

UX development is the overall experience of the users and how they interact with the website/application; while UI is the overall feel of the website/application, its visual element and structure.

Together, they grab and maintain users’ attention to the website or application. E-commerce companies like Amazon heavily invest in UI and UX development to boost conversion rates and increase online sales. So it is not surprising why there is an increasing need for UX and UI designers. 

Basic Coding Language

Programming is one of the best supplementary skills for every digital marketer. Despite not having that technical or more in-depth coding skill, knowing the basics would essentially help you in the long-run.

When you understand the basics of programming, you can have a more effective collaboration with the development team. You can easily achieve your marketing goals because you are able to clearly communicate it with them. Aside from that, you would be able to pinpoint and make useful suggestions to the development team as well.

Coding is a new and important literacy. No matter what age or industry you are in, it is never too early or too late to learn it. Your coding skills will always come in handy, especially since more and more businesses are moving online.

David Dodge, Game Designer, Columnist, Educator, and CEO of Codakid

Content management system

Content management is extremely crucial in the digital world. Given that more than half of all websites use CMS, it is no wonder why it is a necessary tool for every digital marketer.

CMS helps marketers work more efficiently, from regularly updating a website to uploading new content. It streamlines the workflow and allows digital marketers to be productive and achieve more in less time.  Since content mainly contributes to SEO rankings, most businesses integrate CMS to their website.

To that end, being familiar with the different CMS platforms (e.g. WordPress, CMS Hub, Squarespace, and so on) will be an advantage.  Aside from that, you can also use these platforms to create your marketing portfolio as well as demonstrate your familiarity with CMS for potential employers.