DIGITAL MARKETING: SKILLS YOU SHOULD MASTER IN 2023 - IIE VEGA

Over the past two decades there has been a substantial increase in marketing, especially online marketing. Add the pandemic to the mix and the use of technology has soared. With this unprecedented increase, all businesses have realised the need for skilled digital marketing professionals. In 2020, LinkedIn listed ‘Digital Marketing Specialist’ among the top 10 most in-demand jobs. This niche career combines traditional marketing with web design, search engine optimisation, social media marketing and content writing to use technology to reach the customer and allow the customer to reach the company.



Right now, businesses recognise that there’s a huge gap between the marketing skills they have and the digitally driven skills they need. To overcome this gap, digital marketing courses include these skills that need to be mastered and utilised.

1. Accurate content creation

At the heart of digital marketing lies content creation. This could be anything from posting on Instagram, TikTok or Facebook to writing blog posts or creating vlogs on YouTube. When done effectively, content has the power to change perceptions, increase sales and drive engagement.

2. Data analysis and insights

Data analysis is another skill that is needed for digital marketing. It’s all about making sense of data and uncovering meaningful insights. Analytical insights can be incredibly powerful for any business as they can be used to grow a business by identifying areas of opportunity. Today’s digital marketers need to be well-versed in how data can shape, drive and influence customer behaviour across online platforms. This includes understanding and taking advantage of tools like Google Analytics, Google Ads and Facebook Ad Manager. Without these tools, data is fundamentally useless.

3. SEO and PPC

In simple terms, Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) is the process of improving a website’s visibility when products or services, related to a business, are searched for in Google or any other search engine. Having good knowledge of SEO and its dynamics is crucial when creating content online. Pay Per Click (PPC) is where marketers pay for ads on search engine results pages. Understanding this will also help push content to the relevant target market.

4. User experience (UX) skills and understanding the customer experience (CX)

In the past, making a sale was what marketing was all about. Nowadays, marketing is about creating experiences that encourage sales. To do this, digital marketers must understand their customers, how they think and where they are. The better a brand knows their consumers, the more able they are to build, organise and create positive experiences before, during and after sales. This will ensure complete satisfaction and potentially result in brand advocacy. When done correctly, UX and CX has limitless possibilities. Done poorly, even the most loyal of consumers could feel neglected.

Digital marketers solve problems creatively. They tell stories and conceptualise unique experiences while driving sales. This leads to a career which could be both challenging and rewarding. Graduates of the IIE BCom in Digital Marketing Degree are able to act as a stand-alone digital strategist and marketer for any company. They will be equipped with a firm understanding of the capabilities and limitations of each digital marketing channel. They will also be able to conceptualise, plan, create and execute a digital marketing campaign, with the ability to measure the effectiveness of the campaign.

The following skills are necessary when applying for the IIE BCom in Digital Marketing Degree:

· Numeracy skills and the potential to master accounting, finance, statistics and analytics.

· The potential to learn how to master rudimentary coding.

· An inherent curiosity related to connecting products or services to consumers.

· The ability to conceptualise certain ideas and the drive to ensure these ideas manifest in reality.

If you think you’ve got what it takes to make your mark in this exciting field, find out more on this career and the cutting-edge digital skills you’ll acquire while studying the IIE BCom in Digital Marketing Degree here.