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Digital Marketing Career Options

Digital Marketing Career Options

High-paying Digital Marketing Careers, Freelancing, and Agency-building Opportunities. Learn About Key Roles, Salaries, and Skills Needed

Prof. Soham Pratap
June, 20 2024
118

Digital Marketing Career Options

With the major shift in communication outlets, digital ad spending is only expected to increase in the upcoming years. In 2022, digital ad spending was $549.5 billion, and it is projected to reach $870.9 billion. So, in simple terms, it's about time you learn about digital marketing if you have even the slightest interest.

Whether you want to join an executive role or build your own digital marketing agency, today we will discuss all the scope and requirements. So, let’s look at the career options after learning digital marketing.

Career Paths After Learning Digital Marketing

Whether you crave the stability of a high-paying job, the freedom of freelancing, or the thrill of entrepreneurship, digital marketing opens all the gates for you. Here’s what the career path looks like after learning digital marketing.

Get a High-Paying Digital Marketing Job

Digital marketing expertise is in high demand across industries. With your newfound knowledge, you can land lucrative positions at established companies, marketing agencies, or e-commerce giants. Popular roles include:

  • Search Engine Optimization (SEO) Specialist,
  • Pay-Per-Click (PPC) Advertising Specialist,
  • Social Media Manager,
  • Content Marketing Specialist, and
  • Digital Marketing Analyst.

As a job, they can pay up to ₹7.5 lakhs per annum for intermediate experience. However, if you go with freelancing or building your own agency, the income opportunity is significantly more.

Become a Digital Marketing Freelancer

If the job is not your cup of tea and you enjoy autonomy, you can still lead a good lifestyle by freelancing with digital marketing skills.

As a digital marketing freelancer, you'll be your own boss, setting your rates and working with clients on a project-by-project basis. This option allows you to leverage your skills across different industries and build a strong network of clients.

But to be a successful freelancer, you'll need excellent communication, time management, and self-marketing skills.

To give you a basic idea, here’s an approximation of the average hourly pay for different digital marketing roles in and outside India.

        Job Title

Average Hourly Pay in India

Average Hourly Pay In US

SEO Specialist

₹450

$25

Digital Marketing Manager

₹200

$35

Freelance Writer

₹1000

$30

Digital Marketing Analyst

₹300

$37

Do remember that freelance projects might not always be paid hourly, especially in India. In most cases, you may get paid per project or based on the terms and conditions of your contract. However, the numbers above are quite close to what the Indian market usually pays.

Start a Niche-Specific Digital Marketing Agency

For those with an entrepreneurial spirit, starting your own digital marketing agency can be a rewarding venture.

For example, one of the biggest names in SEO is Rand Fishkin. He is the founder of Moz and Spark Toro and has authored books like Lost & Founder. His liquid net worth is now around $800,000, all of which he built based on the foundation of his SEO knowledge.

There are several such examples of those who used their digital marketing skills to build their multi-million-dollar empires.

Identify a specific industry or niche where you have the most interest and knowledge and start building upon it. Tailor your services based on the market and cater to the unique needs of that audience.

To build an agency, you will need to have strategic planning, business acumen, and the ability to assemble a talented team of specialists.

Start Your Own Business and Grow with Digital Marketing Skills

Even if you're not interested in a traditional marketing role, your digital marketing knowledge can be a game-changer for your own business. The best example would be all the online gurus who use digital marketing to promote and sell their courses and services.

If you are a finance enthusiast, you’d be familiar with the name Sharan Hegde, popular as “Finance with Sharan.” This Indian finance guru took advantage of social media marketing and built a social media following of 2.5 million and counting. He uses the following to drive traffic to his podcast and paid community, the One Percent Club, and of course, to grow his personal brand.

He was listed in Forbes 30 Under 30 and recently walked the Cannes red carpet—and it only took him three years! This is the power of digital marketing.

He started his online journey in December 2020 with YouTube and eventually used all the other social media networks to help him reach where he is today.

In fact, there are online digital marketing programs that will teach you to become a top digital marketer with practical experience and real-world case studies.

For example, Growth cad is one of the digital marketing training institutes in Pune that offers practical, hands-on digital marketing projects and placement assistance to students.

Top Career Options in the Digital Marketing Field

Hope now you know the possibilities you have after learning digital marketing. But keeping aside freelancing and other entrepreneurial ventures, if you want to land a job, then these are your options.

SEO Executive/Manager

  • Average salary in India: ₹2.3 Lakhs per annum (LPA) for fresher roles, upwards of ₹4 LPA for over 5 years of experience.

  • What does an SEO Executive/Manager do?
  1. Develops and implements Search Engine Optimization (SEO) strategies to improve website traffic and organic ranking on search engines like Google.
  2. Conducts keyword research, analyses website performance, and identifies areas for improvement.
  3. Creates high-quality, SEO-optimized content to attract organic traffic.
  4. Builds backlinks from reputable websites to enhance website authority.
  5. Monitors website analytics and tracks SEO campaign performance.
  • Key skills required:
  1. Strong understanding of SEO principles and best practices.
  2. Keyword research and analysis expertise.
  3. Content creation and editing skills.
  4. Analytical thinking and problem-solving abilities.
  5. Experience with SEO tools and website analytics platforms.

Social Media Marketing Manager

  • What does a Social Media Marketer do?
  1. Develops and executes social media strategies to achieve brand awareness, engagement, and lead generation goals.
  2. Creates compelling social media content, including posts, images, and videos.
  3. Manages social media communities, responding to comments and messages.
  4. Analysis social media performance metrics and refines strategies accordingly.
  5. Stays updated on the latest social media trends and platforms.
  • Key Skills Required:
  1. Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
  2. Creativity and a knack for storytelling.
  3. Strong understanding of social media platforms and their algorithms.
  4. Analytical abilities and data interpretation skills.
  5. Experience with social media management tools.

Performance Marketer

 

  • What does a Performance Marketer do?
  1. Plans and executes online advertising campaigns across various platforms like Google Ads, Facebook Ads, and programmatic advertising.
  2. Sets campaign goals, budgets, and bidding strategies.
  3. Monitors campaign performance, analyses data, and optimizes campaigns for better ROI.
  4. Tracks conversions and measures campaign effectiveness.
  5. Stays updated on the latest performance marketing trends and technologies.
  • Key Skills Required:
  1. In-depth knowledge of performance marketing channels and platforms.
  2. Expertise in campaign setup, management, and optimization.
  3. Strong analytical skills and data-driven decision-making capabilities.
  4. Experience with conversion tracking and attribution modelling.
  5. Excellent communication and presentation skills.

Email Marketing Manager

  • Average salary in India: ₹9.4 lakhs per annum, which can go up to ₹16.5 lakhs per annum.

  • What does an Email Marketing Manager do?
  1. Develops and executes email marketing strategies to nurture leads, drive sales, and build customer loyalty.
  2. Creates engaging email campaigns, including newsletters, promotional emails, and automated sequences.
  3. Manages email subscriber lists and ensures compliance with data privacy regulations.
  4. Analysis email campaign performance metrics like open rates, click-through rates, and conversion rates.
  5. Optimizes email campaigns to improve engagement and ROI.
  6. Stays updated on email marketing best practices and technologies.
  • Key Skills Required:
  1. Strong understanding of email marketing principles and best practices.
  2. Copywriting and email content creation skills.
  3. Experience with email marketing automation platforms.
  4. Analytical abilities and data interpretation skills.
  5. Excellent communication and project management skills.

Influencer Marketing Manager

  • What does an Influencer Marketing Manager do?
  1. Develops and executes influencer marketing strategies to achieve brand awareness, engagement, and sales objectives.
  2. Identifies and researches potential brand ambassadors (influencers) who align with the brand's target audience and values.
  3. Negotiates contracts and collaborates with influencers to create engaging content.
  4. Tracks campaign performance metrics and measures the return on investment (ROI) of influencer marketing initiatives.
  5. Stays updated on the latest influencer marketing trends and platforms.
  • Key Skills Required:
  1. Strong understanding of influencer marketing strategies and best practices.
  2. Excellent communication and negotiation skills.
  3. Relationship-building and interpersonal skills.
  4. Content marketing and brand storytelling expertise.
  5. Analytical abilities and data-driven decision-making capabilities.

PPC and Paid Advertising Experts

  • Average salary in India: ₹8 lakhs which goes up to ₹10.3 lakhs.

  • What does a PPC and Paid Advertising Expert do?
  1. Manages paid advertising campaigns across various platforms like Google Ads, Facebook Ads, and other programmatic platforms.
  2. Conducts keyword research and competitor analysis to identify profitable targeting opportunities.
  3. Creates and manages ad copy, landing pages, and ad extensions.
  4. Sets campaign budgets, bidding strategies, and optimizes campaigns for maximum return on ad spend (ROAS).
  5. Tracks campaign performance metrics and generates reports.
  6. Stays updated on the latest PPC trends and platform updates.
  • Key Skills Required:
  1. In-depth knowledge of PPC advertising platforms and campaign management tools.
  2. Keyword research and competitor analysis expertise.
  3. Experience with conversion tracking and attribution modelling.
  4. Strong analytical skills and data interpretation capabilities.
  5. Excellent communication and presentation skills.

Copywriter and Content Writer

  • Average salary in India: For content writers, the average salary is around ₹3.6 lakhs per annum, whereas for copywriters it is around ₹5.5 lakhs per annum.

 

  • What do Copywriters and Content Writers do?

Copywriters: Craft persuasive and engaging marketing copy, including website copy, ad copy, social media posts, email marketing content, and product descriptions. Their focus is on driving conversions and sales.

Content Writers: Create informative and valuable content to attract and engage an audience. This could include blog posts, articles, website content, white papers, case studies, and social media content. Their focus is on building brand awareness and thought leadership.

  • Key Skills Required:
  1. Excellent writing and editing skills with a strong understanding of grammar and punctuation.
  2. Ability to research and gather information on various topics.
  3. Creativity and storytelling skills.
  4. Content marketing knowledge and SEO best practices (for content writers).
  5. Understanding of target audience and brand voice.

Conversion Rate Optimization (CRO) Expert

  • What does a Conversion Rate Optimization (CRO) Expert do?
  1. Analysis website traffic and user behaviour to identify areas for improvement in the conversion funnel.
  2. Develops and implements A/B testing strategies to optimize website elements and user experience.
  3. Tracks and measures the impact of CRO initiatives on conversion rates (e.g., leads generated, sales conversions).
  4. Recommends data-driven strategies to improve website usability and user experience.
  5. Stays updated on the latest CRO trends and best practices.
  • Key Skills Required:
  1. Strong analytical skills and data interpretation capabilities.
  2. Experience with web analytics tools and A/B testing platforms.
  3. Understanding of user behaviour and conversion psychology.
  4. Excellent communication and presentation skills.
  5. Ability to work collaboratively with designers, developers, and marketers.

Marketing Automation Specialist

  • Average salary in India: ₹8.6 lakhs per annum, which can go up to ₹18 lakhs per annum.

 

  • What does a Marketing Automation Specialist do?
  1. Creates and manages automated marketing campaigns using marketing automation platforms.
  2. Segments target audiences and personalizes marketing communication.
  3. Develops email workflows, lead nurturing campaigns, and automated social media posts.
  4. analyses marketing automation campaign performance metrics and optimizes campaigns for better results.
  5. Integrates marketing automation tools with CRM and other marketing platforms.
  • Key Skills Required:
  1. Strong understanding of marketing automation principles and best practices.
  2. Experience with marketing automation platforms like HubSpot, Marketo, or Pardot.
  3. Excellent email marketing and campaign management skills.
  4. Analytical abilities and data interpretation skills.
  5. Excellent communication and project management skills.

Final Takeaway

These were just a few popular career options, and as digital marketing is still expanding, new and exciting roles are popping up periodically. However, as a beginner, it can be very challenging to navigate all of that.