Do you have a business marketing degree but not really sure how it’s going to help your future career? Maybe you’ve realised that digital marketing is where it’s at these days, and you’re wondering if your traditional marketing degree can help you make it in the exciting world of digital marketing.
You’ll be happy to know that there are many similarities between traditional business marketing and digital marketing management. As a digital marketer, you’ll be assisting brands and businesses in their launching of products and services, the advertising of these goods and services, and engaging their customers.
The primary difference here is that instead of using classic marketing methods like billboards, pamphlets and magazine features to promote a brand’s wares, you will be using online tools like social media, SEO, and PPC tactics instead. The growing power of the world wide web has transformed the digital setting of marketing and sales and made it easier than ever before to reach a target audience of eager consumers.
Digital marketing careers require experts in a number of diverse roles, each of which demands specific sets of skills and expertise. This is a versatile, engaging, and often creative career path, but in most cases, due to the specialized knowledge it requires, you will need a business marketing or marketing management degree to pursue it.
Here’s how earning a business marketing degree can equip you and further your progress in digital marketing careers.
The Basics of Business Marketing
Business marketing takes place when a business markets and sells its goods and services to other businesses, entities, or customers. The companies and people that buy these products may use them to operate their own businesses, to resell them, to manufacture other goods with them, or retain them for personal use.
In the world of consumer marketing management, advertising can take a wide range of forms, and B2C (business-to-customer) interactions tend to take place through large-scale retailers. Business marketing differs from this approach, as it relies on more direct and personal connections between businesses and people.
The American Marketing Association says that a company’s marketing sales team is largely responsible for facilitating and maintaining relationships with customers. Business marketers often work closely with customers, which means that they need strong customer service and communication skills. Digital marketers will also need a keen understanding of popular data analytics tools, social media platforms, and eCommerce to perform their jobs well.
Exploring the World of Digital Marketing Careers
A degree in business marketing can set you on the path to success as an aspiring digital marketing expert. According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, marketers usually need at least a bachelor’s degree in marketing, business, statistics, or another pertinent field. Higher-level positions might require master’s degrees.
Many top schools and universities offer marketing and business administration degree programs with marketing concentrations. The curriculum in one of these programs will typically include foundational business courses like economics, finance, management, and business operations, as well as modules on marketing research, data analysis, and consumer behavior.
Modern degrees include courses on computer applications and business statistics to equip future digital marketers with the skills they need.
Essential Skills for Employment
Digital marketers need a unique set of skills that enable them to navigate modern online marketing methods. Your business marketing or marketing management degree should cover some, or all, of these topics. You can take supplementary courses and diplomas to obtain additional skills if necessary.
These are the skills that every digital marketer should have:
Marketing video production and deployment
Search engine optimization (SEO) and search engine marketing (SEM) knowledge
Content marketing through videos, social media, emails, web content, blogs, eBooks, white papers and more
Data and analytics monitoring and reporting skills
A comprehensive understanding of design-based thinking and planning. Design Thinking consists of five key elements: empathizing, defining, ideation, prototyping and testing
A solid understanding of technology, including web coding and content management systems (CMSes) like Wordpress
A persuasive personality, sharp analytical skills, and a creative approach to problem solving
...and other unique or niche skills that can be applied to digital marketing efforts, including content writing, programming, graphic design, product design and extensive back-end SEO experience.
How a Business Marketing Degree Will Help
A business marketing degree will give you the fundamental business, customer service, and analytical skills that you need to pursue any one of the world’s many digital marketing careers. This foundation is crucial for all types of marketers, and many modern degree programs now include digital marketing-specific modules in their programs as well.
This gives you the best of both worlds, providing both a solid foundation of knowledge and the targeted digital skills you need to thrive as a marketer in the age of technology.
Having a professional resume that includes a marketing management degree can open up a wide range of career options in the digital marketing field. If you hold such a degree, you can pursue a career or specialization in fields like:
eCommerce
Analytics
Email marketing
Social media marketing management
Video and audio production
SEO and SEM
Mobile marketing
Interactive technologies like artificial intelligence and augmented reality
Web content curation and management
Digital marketing automation
Web design and development
Copywriting and editing
A Golden Industry Advantage
Marketing online is more cost-effective, engaging, and simpler to track. Businesses are increasingly aware of its benefits, making the world of digital marketing a great field to break into.
Bear in mind that while a marketing management degree will provide a solid foundation of knowledge, you will need to constantly use and improve your hard and soft skills to stay competitive in this industry. It’s essential to gain new marketing management-related skills to ensure that you are always appealing to prospective employers.
The rest of your success will rely on your performance, innovation, and ability to meaningfully connect with customers through a variety of digital platforms.
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