It is no secret that digital marketing skills are in demand in a variety of industries. The future of digital marketing is depending on it. Current restrictions caused by CoVID-19 social distancing rules have paved the way for a myriad of job openings in the digital marketing industry, including opportunities as a digital marketing manager, online media buyer, social media marketer, digital copywriter, digital copyeditor as well as online reputation manager.

Digital marketing is a changing field. It is very detailed and requires specialized skills. It is also much more than posting shares on social media accounts and promoting products and services through search engines and other host platforms. Digital marketing is about employing well-calculated and innovative strategies and combining the best of inbound and outbound marketing to get a business’ products and services in front of customers.

Like with traditional marketing methods, digital marketing strategies must be purposeful, deliberate and result driven. The goal of any digital marketer is to get their message across to the right people, at the right time and at the right place. Phrasing a message in a way that is authentic and persuasive is another goal of all digital marketers. One wrong move or word can easily push consumers away or worse waste valuable budget on efforts that do not bring results.

As a result of digital marketing being so specialized, it is becoming harder for employers to fill positions. Very few job candidates have the real-world training around new technologies and digital skills to land jobs in the field and thrive in them. According to a recent Business Development Bank of Canada survey, 53% of small-to-medium sized businesses have admitted to limiting their business ventures because of labour shortage, causing the skills gap crisis to widen even more.

5 Most In-Demand Skills Every Digital Marketer Should Have in 2020 | Online Digital Marketing Certification

Beyond the basics (e.g., social media marketing, SEO, PPC advertising), what advanced digital skills are likely to give you the edge over other job candidates in 2020?

After connecting with brands who are currently recruiting in the industry and carefully studying the current digital landscapes, our online digital marketing course instructors have come up with a list of 5 lucrative and valuable skills required of all digital marketers in 2020.

5. Digital Analytics

A candidate with knowledge of digital analytics is someone who can interpret data found on platforms like Google Analytics, HubSpot, Google Keyword Planner and semRUSH.com. The expert also tracks things like page views, bounce rate and conversions over time and uses the information to improve the web experience for visitors and increase conversions for a business. More importantly, the candidate can attribute every sale and traffic that comes to a website to a source (e.g., a social media platform, Google paid ad, off-site blog post)

4. Customer Insights

Customer insights clearly spell out who your customers are and what they need and want. The data can be used to either validate or invalidate established assumptions about your customers. It may also be used to hone in on narrower demographic and psychographic distinctions. This ultimately empowers you to understand the unique segments of your customer base. When and if used correctly, customer insights can easily become your brand’s cheat sheet for exponential growth.

Customer Insights is an essential part of digital marketing. Digital marketers with a background in customer insights have a unique ability to understand, translate and manipulate the data collected through a variety of tools, such as Google Audience Retention Tool and Facebook Analytics. They also have the unique ability to utilize the information collected to better understand customers and make decisions about how, when and what to sell. Without this vital insight, it would be impossible to run effective and efficient marketing campaigns that result in increased profitability for businesses.

3. UX Design

Website and web applications are not as simple as they once were. If you look at a website that was created 15 to 20 years ago, you will notice that it was a one-way static media. Today’s websites and web applications are increasingly dynamic. Meaning they are interactive, media-rich, visually attractive, and responsive.

Regardless of how much websites have changed over the years, a website’s success still depends on one factor- how consumers perceive it. Is the website easy to use? Is the website visually attractive? Is the website safe enough to complete transactions on it? Can I find the information I need in the least number of clicks? These are some of the questions that run through the minds of visitors that enter your website and interact with the content on it. The job of a UX design is to ensure that the majority (if not all) of the experiences are positive for visitors.

UX design is an invaluable digital marketing skill to have in 2020. In today’s day in age, employers look for someone who can create a unique online experience that is easy to follow and satisfying for their consumers. That person must also be adept at conducting user research and testing and developing wireframes and task flows based on user needs. UX Design is an important skill that employers look for because it almost always translates to increased sales, repeat business and happy customers.

2. Social Video Marketing

Videos are game changers. It is an essential tool for increasing engagement, especially on social media platforms where there are no visible signs of slowing down.

There are numerous reasons as to why video is exploding on social media. For one, people are impatient and browsing through content on their smartphones. They are looking to find answers to their pressing questions with the least amount of effort and in the least amount of time. Secondly, videos are easier to consume than written content. For example, if you are looking for advice on how to complete a home repair you would prefer to watch how it is done rather than reading the steps. No matter your industry or what you are selling, you need to bring video marketing strategies in use to stand out among competitors and improve your ROI.

Social Video Marketing is therefore an essential skill that employers are looking for in a digital marketer. That is, someone who has advanced knowledge of video production and script writing. This is also a person who can create engaging videos that nurture leads and converts them into customers. The same person also must have some background knowledge of how videos work on various social media platforms and how to use paid ad programs to promote and target the content effectively.

1. Visual Content Writing

Visual media for marketing purposes as well as visual content consumption continues to be on the rise in digital marketing. The fight for users’ time and attention is fierce. In today’s world, it is not enough to create huge amounts of mundane content that can be found on hundreds of other websites. Rather, high-quality visual storytelling is what is making waves in the digital marketing world and generating engagement and conversions. In this context, graphic design and creative skills are as important as ever.

Today’s employers are not looking for just any copywriters and editors who know how to write the conventional blog posts and press releases. Rather, they are seeking out candidates who have advanced knowledge of consumer habits and can create innovative content that are visually appealing to the eyes and gets the point across in as few words as possible. That is through the design of infographics, Slide Shares, Flip charts etc.

Conclusion & Takeaways

A good digital marketer is a person who can adapt quickly and seek out professional development opportunities to further their knowledge and expertise of best practices. Likewise, the person is versatile and can easily pivot themselves into different directions should old skills become less popular.

Our online digital marketing training team truly hopes that these skills prove to be useful to you as you advance in your career. Very few people can claim that they have checked off all 5 of these digital marketing skills. In case you are one of those people, congratulations. You are ready to make waves and enter the field.

However, it is important to always keep in mind that being complacent is the first sign of death in the digital marketing world. Digital landscapes are always changing and so are the rules for how to navigate them. There will always be new things to learn every day. So, stay curious and keep on learning. Lifelong learning is essential for continuous growth and future success.

DMAC Offers a Free Facebook & Instagram Social Media Marketing Course to Help Close the Skills Gap

Yes, you heard us right. DMAC is giving back to Canadians in these trying times .We are offering our Facebook and Instagram 10 hour online course, with certification for free. No strings attached and no credit card required.

The course is ideal for all individuals interested in learning Facebook and Instagram marketing and advertising, including:

o Traditional marketers who want to learn more about Facebook and Instagram marketing quickly.
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o People looking for certification in social media marketing.

Some of the topics covered in our course are: Importance of Social Media in today’s world of advertising.

o Creating Facebook and Instagram marketing strategies
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