Towards a digital world: Marketing careers

However, the landscape of marketing is changing fast. While traditional marketing avenues, such as billboards and newspaper ads, still have a role, the majority of marketing today uses digital technology to target a global audience.

Why is digital marketing so important? Data from July 2021 indicates that there are 4.8 billion internet users, over 60% of the global population, and this figure is growing at the rate of 700,000 people every day. In an increasingly digital world, digital marketing makes a lot of sense. It comes as no surprise that this sector of the economy is set to double in size between 2020 and 2026.

If you want to make this your career, it is of paramount importance to study a digital marketing degree at Nexford University.

So, is a career in marketing a good move for you? Here we’ll look at the different roles within the marketing sector, and the steps you need to take to make it a successful vocation.

What to expect from a career in marketing

Careers in marketing today are many and varied. They involve a myriad of platforms and the use of technology to market each product and its features to its unique target audience. From creating demand and anticipation for a product through its launch, to retaining existing customers and pulling in new ones, the marketing field is truly diverse.

Marketers oversee planning and executing a company’s marketing initiatives in order to increase its promotional efforts. Their purpose is to recognize an audience’s desires and use this information to increase sales and profits.

Your guide to a career in marketing

There are several characteristics that all of these jobs have in common, the key being communication. Communication is less about knowing what to say and more about the ability to listen. A marketing professional must be open to new ideas and have a drive to comprehend a notion that may appear complex at first glance. They must be able to collaborate creatively with others in a team and maximize creativity while doing so.

Typically, employers look for at least a bachelor’s degree in business, marketing, or communications. Candidates with a graduate degree are preferred for management-level positions. Senior product management directors, group product managers, and vice presidents of marketing are the top three highest-paying marketing jobs.

Previous work experience in sales, purchasing or public relations can also stand you in good stead. For example, experience working as an advertising agent or sales representative prior to pursuing your degree will be beneficial as you look to move your career forward.

Market Research

All good marketing starts with market research, where a company collects data about its customers’ needs and pain points, so that they can target their products and services to relieve those pain points. The employment opportunities in market research are expected to increase by 22% between 2020 and 2030, substantially faster than the average for all occupations.

Market Analyst

A market analyst is responsible for researching market conditions so as to forecast product and service sales. A good market analyst will be able to assess qualitative data, trends, strategies, and competition in order to boost their company’s competitiveness.

In the United States, the national average salary for a global markets analyst is $83,000.

Market Research Manager

The market research manager tracks, analyzes, and interprets data such as survey and focus group transcripts in order to find patterns and solutions. They must advise customers or senior management on how to best use research findings.

As of September 2021, the average market research manager salary in the United States is $118,500.

Advertising

Once the results of the market research are in, the next step is to advertise. Several different careers fall under the umbrella of advertising, offering a diverse choice of roles, each with their own responsibilities, career paths, and salaries.

Promotions Assistant

Promotions assistants are marketing specialists that work at the basic level. They help to raise brand awareness and interest in the company’s products. Approaching new consumers, giving sales presentations, resolving client questions, educating prospective customers about product benefits, and cultivating relationships with retail partners are some of their responsibilities.

They aid in the authoring or design of marketing materials such as brochures and posters, and they help drive the success of promotional campaigns. They also assist the marketing team in coordinating and setting up special events.

Advertising Manager

Advertising managers oversee a company’s advertising efforts and work with employees to create brand-specific marketing campaigns that are both innovative and consistent. They manage and collaborate with other employees, set project goals, and track, approve and assess the status and impact of projects.

Account Planner

An account planner steers the creative campaigns’ overall direction, ensuring the creative team’s work is strategic and adheres to brand rules. They collaborate with the customer to define the campaign’s goals and objectives.

They uncover consumer truth and insight, allowing creative teams to produce work that is not just entertaining and memorable, but also relevant to consumers and marketable. In the United States, the average account planner earns $66,500 per year, while the top 10% earn around $104,000.

Media Coordinator

A media coordinator is responsible for coordinating the implementation of marketing and advertising campaigns in a variety of broadcast, digital, and print media. Meeting with clients, establishing media strategy, managing budgets, and negotiating the costs of advertising spaces are all common responsibilities.

SEO and Social Media Manager

Inbound traffic to your website will rise in number and quality as a result of search engine optimization (SEO). It is advantageous to both consumers and businesses since it connects searchers with the most relevant material. A search engine optimizer earns an average salary of $94,000 per year.

In order to increase awareness and consumer and client interaction, social media managers drive an organization’s social media strategy. They will manage an organization’s online presence by creating a plan and good content, analyzing usage data, facilitating customer support, and managing projects and campaigns. The average salary is $58,000 in 2021.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) predicts that social media manager roles are predicted to grow at an annual rate of 7% from 2019 to 2029. At Nexford, you can study a BBA in Digital Marketing, which includes SEO, social media management, analytics, and brand management.

Marketing Management

Marketing management is a senior role taking responsibility for the strategic planning, implementation and evaluation of the company’s products and services. It has a huge impact on the financial success of a business, and roles at this level often work closely with the C-suite of the company.

Marketing Manager

Marketing managers evaluate the demand for a company’s and its competitors’ products and services. Pricing plans are also developed by marketing managers to assist firms in maximizing revenues and market share while assuring customer satisfaction. They collaborate with people in sales, public relations, and product development.

A marketing manager, for example, would keep an eye on trends that point to the need for a new product or service. He or she may then help with the development of that product or service, as well as the creation of a marketing strategy for it.

The median salary for a marketing manager with a bachelor’s degree is $102,000 – $111,000. However, many marketing managers pursue postgraduate degrees in business or marketing, and can expect an average salary between $135,000 and $150,000 per year, depending on the sector in which the company operates.

An MBA in Marketing Strategy from Nexford focuses on advanced marketing and leadership, with specializations including leadership, strategic partnerships, and negotiation skills, all of which are essential in a successful business. You’ll get a thorough understanding of the role of marketing in defining and managing a brand, as well as achieving corporate objectives in both traditional and digital channels.

Product Manager

Finding, gathering, handling, and prioritizing client needs and wants is one of a product manager’s responsibilities. A successful product begins with a thorough understanding of the market’s needs. They must comprehend why clients purchase things and what the competition is doing.

The average product manager earns $118,400 per year, with some roles going as high as $159,000. In comparison to private organizations, public companies are more likely to employ product managers.

As brand and product management is going digital, businesses are looking for candidates with digital skills for these roles. At Nexford, you can earn your bachelor’s degree with a specialization by taking the BBA in Digital Transformation. You can also enroll in the MBA in Cybersecurity, which specializes in cybersecurity, IoT, and Agile and Lean frameworks.

Skills needed for a successful career in marketing

To progress along your chosen career path, you need to equip yourself with the skills needed in that field. Some skills are specific to the field, such as knowing how to interpret social media analytics and draw insights from them, and others are soft skills that are transferrable from your previous experience and will serve you well in all your future endeavors.

Here we look at four of the most important skillsets needed for a successful marketing career.

Analytical skills

Excellent analytic skills are the foundation of a solid marketing career. When you understand your data, you can extract the information you need to make your marketing campaign a success and make your company more competitive.

From uncovering new key performance indicators, to analyzing your customer acquisition cost and return on investment, working with data will be part of your daily role. Managers of advertising, promotions, and marketing must also be able to assess industry trends in order to decide the most effective techniques for their company.

Creativity and decision-making skills

Marketers must be able to generate fresh ideas and innovative approaches to advertising, promoting, and marketing their company’s goods to potential buyers. Not only does this need a level of creativity, but it also requires advanced decision-making abilities. This is where the marketer uses the information gleaned from their analysis to choose between the paths in front of them and determine the best course of action.

Communication skills

Communication and interpersonal skills, both within the organization and with external parties, are key soft skills for a marketer to possess. During the advertising, promotion, and marketing process, managers must be able to interact successfully with a broad-based team made up of other managers or staff.

As part of an in-house marketing team, you will need to communicate with external platforms and affiliates to promote your company better. If you are working with a marketing agency, you will have to communicate with a range of clients about their marketing needs, and ensure expectations are clear on both sides.

Organizational skills

Marketing is an essential part of every business: it directly affects the company’s bottom line, and there isn’t space for projects to go off track. In a senior marketing role, you will be handling a large team of people with different specialties and controlling the budget.

To keep on top of such a large project, marketers need exceptional organizational skills. These help you predict how long a task will take, decide which resources to use, and schedule the time necessary to complete it.

A great way to enhance your personal organizational skills is through a remote learning program. This builds the soft skills of time management and task structuring, so that you achieve your learning objectives on time. These same skills are invaluable when later applied to your career path.

Marketable attributes for a marketable future

According to LinkedIn research on marketing positions and major hiring patterns, there is more demand for marketers than ever before, and new job vacancies are increasingly focusing on remote employment. It reports that demand for marketers increased dramatically during the pandemic. A marketing management education is the most effective approach to breaking into this exciting sector.

To follow a marketing career path means possessing the soft skills and necessary qualifications, be they at the undergraduate or graduate level. With Nexford, you can complete these courses from wherever you are, alongside your current work. Take the first steps by investing in your skills for a successful marketing career.