15 Essential Digital Marketing Skills For The New- Age Marketer (2023)
Digital marketing is one of the most prolific industries today. With the tremendous technological evolution, it becomes essential for individuals to keep up with the changes that are intrinsic to digital marketing. It has become essential for digital marketing professionals to have a grasp of the various nuances that digital marketing is comprised of. Essential digital marketing skills constitute the areas of specialized knowledge in the digital marketing paradigm that a digital marketer needs to be conversant with.
Core digital marketing skills mainly involve understanding and maximizing the plethora of opportunities in this dynamic field of marketing. They should not only continuously hone their existing skills but study new areas too.
Below is the list of 15 essential skills that every digital marketing individual should focus on to optimize their online marketing initiatives.
Digital Marketing Skills – SEO Skill
SEO skill is one of the most coveted useful skills for a digital marketing professional. The foremost elements of writing search engine-optimized content are to know the meaning and usage of KEYWORDS. As the word suggests, it is the key to your brand’s exposure and reaches among the online masses. For Example, you have written a very good article on a trending topic. If you do not know the basics of SEO (Keyword insertion on your post, keywords search about your article) your effort is completely futile.
SEO is responsible for attracting consumers to your website organically without any sort of persuasion which is the primary aim of any business. Fundamental knowledge of Google algorithms goes a long way in creating topics that have specific keywords to rank on the search engine results page(SERP). It should align with the consumer’s demands and searches on the net. Therefore, keep yourself abreast of the new algorithms and their purpose. Google is altering and making changes consistently.
Also, insight into various tools is beneficial for any digital marketer.SEO skills enable digital marketers to make informed decisions regarding web campaign strategies. The ability to search for relevant words and incorporate them in your article holds the greatest importance for engaging and attracting clients. If you type in a query and notice the results you will see that Google comes up with results from 2,3, and even 4 years back. The reason- these articles have been written keeping in mind the SEO demands.
Digital Marketing Skills – Paid Ads Marketing Skill (Pay-per-click)
Where SEO services traffic to a site through natural means. SEM or as it is popularly known as Pay Per Click (PPC) aims to drive traffic to the site by a monetary model. PPC marketers have to be skilled in bidding, ideation, and implementation. They also have to be able to gauge the analysis of an ad campaign and its performance. SEM skills include organizing, observing the different trends that are ever-changing, adapting to the pace of technological advancements.
When you see a small dialogue box with an Ad written at the top corner of your search engine results page, you know it is a PPC model of promoting the brand. Therefore, from the digital marketers’ perspective, they have to possess a clear understanding of what an online user searches for on a search engine. This, in turn, helps them to design a strategy whereby the brand invests prudently to appear on the first item on the SERP page.
SEM skills help in maintaining the position in a SERP page irrespective of changing algorithms by Google. As placements also help augment the growth to a considerable extent in a short time. SEM skills required a mix of analytics skills (Measuring of ROI competitor Analysis). Digital marketers should also aim to have quality content to display when people click on their link owing to the ad placement. Maintaining ethical standards in promoting the product is an essential element.
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Digital Marketing Skills – Content Marketing Skills
Content Marketing Skills are increasingly becoming popular and have become an indispensable skill set for someone aspiring to be a digital marketer. When stalwarts like Seth Godin emphasize the huge importance of content marketing in the future, you know the impact it holds for the online masses. Therefore, a good understanding of search marketing and its elements is extremely well appreciated. The zeal to create content that inspires people to make a decision, as well as exceptional editing skills, comes in the purview of content marketing skills.
It is important to understand the expectations, needs, and demands of your consumer to churn out articles that hold the highest utility for them. Ultimately, high-quality content is only going to help you achieve your goals and objectives of an online campaign. When you glean the most pertinent information on your consumers, only then will you be able to create compelling content that will educate as well as inform your readers.
Entertainment is a very big aspect of any content marketing initiative. If your content is not entertaining enough your audience will shift to some other content even if the copy is educational. Educating and informing are the fundamental elements, but mixing them with entertaining content helps to garner even more recognition.
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Now, let us look at the two crucial areas of content marketing skills
Digital Marketing Skills – Writing, and Editing
Any type of content marketing is pale and incomplete without writing skills. Content writing is the foundation on which you build a successful content marketing campaign. Apart from knowing the nitty-gritty of keyword research, and including them in your content for positive SEO results, you need to have an excellent grasp of vocabulary and grammar. There are many tools to help with writing and editing. But, your innate understanding of the language is an essential component to create inspiring content. Write concise snackable content that can be easily scanned by Google for ranking purposes.
When we talk about content writing skills in digital marketing we don’t only talk about content specifically for SEO. You have E-books, white papers, press releases, the script for videos, landing page content, social media content. All of this requires the same precision in terms of writing acumen.
You must discern the demands of your clients and consumers and align your content based on those preferences.
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- Digital Marketing Skills – Video
We know that the attention span in the digital space is very little. People tend to switch from topic to topic in a very short time. Videos in your digital marketing mix help to retain the attention of your customers for a longer time.
This has been reinforced through various Statistics available to us.
- For example, 60% of people prefer watching online videos.
- Mobile video consumption increases by cent percent every year(Insivia)
- 78% of people watch online videos every week and 55% view online videos every single day(HubSpot)
- Marketers who use video grow revenue 49% faster than other business (Renderforest)
There are more than 100 Statistics that reveal just how efficient video is for any marketing campaign.
It is engaging, attractive, and has the relatability factor. For content marketers, you don’t have to be an absolute authority on video production from the very beginning. Instead, you can always cultivate skills that assist in making videos all by yourself. Check out the tools available to you online.
Wideo, Animoto, Vidyard, Fimora, Common Craft are some very helpful tools. If you decide to invest your time and efforts in learning this special skill set in detail then you have a very lucrative career option to look ahead at. Video skills will always be in demand. Its efficacy will go up exponentially in the coming years.
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Digital Marketing Skills – CRM
CRM or customer relationship management entails all the elements required for great customer service. You have to observe the behavioral patterns of your consumers keenly. Their attitude towards your brand and that of your competitors plays a key role in your relationship management.
Good communication abilities, the urge to solve problems and grievances, critical thinking all comprise customer relationship management. The other factor that plays a huge role in your tone and the manner in which you interact with your customers. Hence, you have to exhibit empathy, genuinely try to understand their complaints, have an enormous amount of patience, to be a skilled customer relationship manager.
Your customers are your brand promulgator. Invariably, it is their positive perception of your brand that helps the business to grow through their written reviews, word of mouth, and promotion through different channels. Be someone your customers are willing to reach out to for redressal of any issue. The job of a customer relationship manager is demanding and yet very fulfilling.
For a skilled CRM, you must gain basic knowledge of data analytics, marketing technology, and CRM software. Make sure you get information from several blogs on CRM. Read up on CRM software like Salesforce, ZOHO, Hubspot Oracle CRM, etc. They will give you a good idea of how CRM software enables greater focussed interaction.
Digital Marketing Skills – Designing Skills
Digital content is a visually appealing mix of various multimedia elements. The vast positive reactions to visuals are an example of the great impact of the aesthetics of design on consumers. A digital marketer with skilled design skills is an added advantage to the team. But every digital marketer should have a basic knack to create appealing designs if need be. Any digital marketer should be able to perform the basics of designing software applications to meet business objectives.
Also, there are a lot of many tutorials on how to start designing. Also the tools like Canva, piktochart, Animoto makes it easier to refine your amateur design skills. There are so many templates available, you can always use them for creativity. The important areas in designing are PHOTOSHOP, CSS, and HTML. A skilled designer should be able to work effortlessly with this software.
Data Analysis
Data analytics is the application of the various techniques available to collect data and information on consumer behavior and then analyze it for more focussed targeting of leads. The collection of data is the first step to a successful marketing campaign. The skills of a data analytics expert are high in demand. There are several metrics to assess for effective implementation of the goals of a business. There is also software that helps to collect data. But assessing all of that accurately requires skilled expertise.
The number of quality materials on a page, the % of visitors, content consumed, online transactions, bounce rate, page load speed, the reasons for a page not performing optimally are some key metrics that require a skilled data analytics expert to analyze and prepare extensive reports. There are many such footprints of your website online that are essential to decoding for your business efforts.
A web analytics expert is generally from a technical and mathematical background who has an affinity for numbers and calculations. An adept data analytics expert is a great blessing to a business. Their proficiency in this complex area can help businesses cope with the ever-changing rapid pace of the digital space. With the required insight into these various metrics, businesses can perform exceptionally well.
Basic Website Building Skill
Websites are created mostly on CMS and web builder platforms like WordPress, Wix, Joomla, Weebly, etc. WordPress is the go-to platform for building a clean engaging website. It is a rudimentary knowledge of digital marketing. It is one of the foremost skills that a digital marketing professional has to learn and study. The entire process of creating content to publishing it is made very easy by this website building software. Thus a proper understanding of the primary elements of WordPress is an essential skill for digital marketing initiatives.
Soft Skills
When we hear digital marketing we immediately think of are individuals great with content, design, numbers, data, etc. Everything that requires a person to sit with a laptop and work. But a digital marketer needs to have a set of soft skills that will help them to interact effectively. Soft skills are those communication and social skills that a digital marketer should possess to work harmoniously with other members. A digital marketer should be creative, honest with adequate social media skills. Being tech-savvy comes as a great advantage along with having the enthusiasm to learn new concepts and developments.
There is no harm in admitting that you don’t know a certain aspect of a digital marketing area. It is always beneficial to be forthright when it comes to your skills and abilities. A digital marketer has to be persevering with a penchant to multitask. Curiosity is another trait that is of great value. The curiosity factor makes a person willing to learn constantly and acquire new skills. With the paradigm of digital marketing shifting ever so rapidly, it is essential to have the dogged determination to change with the changing dynamics of the online world.
According to CIODIVE, up to 70% of web traffic happens on a mobile device. According to reports more than five hours a day is spent on smartphones and the growth of the time spent on smartphones is more than 85% every year. Whether it is a B2B market or a B2C market, transactions are mostly done via mobile phones today. People might not possess a laptop or a desktop, but most of them have a smartphone with them. This alone speaks for the tremendous impact of mobile devices. Therefore, a digital marketer will have to be an accomplished mobile marketing expert.
They should be competent in creating and disseminating content relevant to mobile users. Another important aspect is to create a webpage or site page aligning with the requirements of mobile devices. In other words, create mobile-friendly design pages or make your page design responsive to fit into any screen they are viewed on.
The vast market that a business has in the form of online users is humongous. Therefore a digital marketer must formulate Innovative ways of engaging consumers through mobile marketing. Customizing apps for optimized mobile usage, having a smooth payment gateway, distributing the different components of multimedia aesthetically to impress a mobile user are some steps that a digital marketer with mobile marketing skills should look into.
Social Media Skills
Digital marketers should be conversant with social media especially the paid social media advertising element of these different socials available for marketing. Today, there has been a great change in the social media landscape. It’s no longer just a channel to “socialize” Per Se. These social media channels like Facebook, Instagram which started as mere socializing mediums have turned into potent business channels that can yield higher results than any other digital marketing channel.
They provide marketers with opportunities to place ads to relevant focus groups. A digital marketer should know about the characteristics of the social media channel and should learn thoroughly about their attributes. FACEBOOK ads help greatly in placing ads to target audiences as well as displaying ads for mirror audiences based on user activity on their platform. But a digital marketer has to be at home with the terms and conditions and processes like oCPM (optimized cost per mille) bidding for Facebook, social media data analytics, behavior, and taste of target audience for each channel.
Creating content keeping in mind the unique traits of the particular social media channel you are investing in is of prime importance. An in-depth insight into these channels makes for cost-effective promotions. Social Media channels offer abundant opportunities to create extremely cost-effective digital marketing campaigns for great results.
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Listening skills
Listening skills can be referred to as our competency in deciphering the information coming our way from our consumers. A digital marketing specialist should have the ability to listen to people of various categories from consumers, clients, to the other business groups an enterprise deals with. Social listening is a very popular term that refers to gleaning information about consumers through different analytics. Moreover, listening and gaining insights can help in settling disputes and putting an end to conflicts. Listening skills are extremely crucial to any digital marketer, one that employers actively look for.
Email Marketing skill
Over the years, email marketing which was relatively simple and unassuming in the initial years has now become a much sought-after channel for digital marketing. A digital marketer has to be fluent in the workings of email marketing to reap its tremendous benefits. Since emails are a more personal way of engaging with a prospective customer, a digital marketing executive has to create a relevant dynamic email marketing campaign keeping in mind that most of your customers are niche target audiences.
Drip campaigns are also a very important part of the skill set for digital marketers. Sending bulk emails no longer does the job effectively. Further, it is about attending to that niche audience with an email that lends a personal touch to the copy. Consumers should know that the business cares enough to give importance to their needs and preferences. A strategic approach and listening skills combined give optimum results. The data collected would help in creating campaigns unique to a particular set of consumers.
Email marketing is generally an engagement strategy. Positive sales results are sometimes a direct result of innovative email campaigns. Digital marketers should assess the email list and create content aligning with consumers and their demands. They should also acquire skills for focussed email content. Several tools help in this regard.
Basic spreadsheet knowledge
Knowledge of Excel, Google Sheet, and other such spreadsheets is important for digital marketers. They have to be able to create reports right from the planning stage to the completion of a campaign. Table formatting, Charting, CounTifs, VLOOKUP are some of the key areas for study. A skilled digital marketer has to be proficient with handling and creating excel and such reports.
Crisis Management
A digital marketing professional will have to be circumspect where the crisis is concerned. A challenge is often a regular part of the digital marketing process. It makes sense to plan and think about the probable areas of challenge that can come up. Moreover, it is important to recognize that there is a problem and communicate to the concerned authorities. For digital marketers, it becomes all the more important to be proactive and take steps. Some methods of effective crisis management can be to evaluate, to reschedule posts that were supposed to be published, to take the onus of the crisis, and not play pass the parcel. And most importantly a digital marketer should be transparent in dealing with and communicating challenges and discrepancies.
Objective thinking
This is also one of the fundamental skills in digital marketing. You have to be objective in assessing your work and results. Just because it is your creation, it doesn’t have to be flawless. To accept the flaws and rectify them helps in building mental strength to face any challenge that the ever-moving online world may throw at you.
Conclusion
The essential digital marketing skills delineated in this topic are some of the qualities required to be a competent digital marketing professional. However, a specialized skill set in a digital marketing module can be of great benefit to digital marketers. Take out time and learn some of the skills in detail. They will help you to stand out in the crowd, boost your confidence and lend you the much-needed impetus to work in the complex web world.
