7 Ways to Become the Best Digital Marketer

Our lives are more entwined with the digital realm than they were a decade ago. However, technology alone is not the future of marketing; it’s a combination of talent and tech, according to DMI-led research ‘Perpetual Evolution’ that will reap rewards for companies for years to come. 

With so many people playing, working, and shopping online, it's no wonder that digital is front and center when it comes to the priorities of a marketing department. From staying relevant in customers’ minds to building a profitable brand, organizations are investing a lot of time and money in digital marketing. In fact, by 2022, digital advertising spending in the U.S. is projected to surpass $200 billion.

Whether you've set your sights on a career as a digital marketer or just want to level up your skills, certain tactics and steps can be taken to find success in any position. Whether it’s working as a freelancer or landing a high-level digital marketing position, there are many jobs available to marketers with relevant and up-to-date skills and great salaries to match!

So what can you do to become the agile, in-demand digital marketer that companies seek? Here are seven tips to help you specialize, strategize, and streamline your career as a digital marketer.

1. Attend Networking Events

Although knowledge and resources on digital marketing are widely available from sources such as podcasts and online articles, investing in registering or joining a conference offers you benefits that other sources just can't.

At these conferences or networking events, you have the opportunity to listen to global industry experts, take advice from best-in-class digital marketing professionals and get insight into the future trends in the digital marketing industry. These types of events also have presentations, workshops, and lessons geared to help you build your digital skillset and expand your understanding of why you do what you do.

Not only can local or international conferences revamp your professional skills, but they allow you the opportunity to build relationships with peers and mentors.

2. Learn from Digital Marketing Brands and Entrepreneurs

If you're considering or just starting out in a career in digital marketing, making the investment in a professional digital marketing conference may be too big of a leap. Luckily, there’s a lot of great content online geared towards making a successful digital marketing career.

Digital marketing 'thought leaders' have the experience, expertise, and knowledge needed to create content that’s accessible for beginners. And since most of these industry leaders are digital marketers themselves, they know exactly how to make their content easy to find on search engines and social media platforms.

Chances are you've already seen articles from experts like Neil Patel and webinars by Neal Schaffer. 

You may also know that DMI’s membership library is packed full of toolkits, e-Books and podcasts that cover every subject and brand you can think of within digital marketing. These resources are designed for both industry newcomers and high-level marketers to help you reach your career goals.

3. Connect with Like-Minded Individuals and Peers

As a digital marketer, a large part of what you do is develop communities online. Whether it's for your personal brand or a global organization, a strong community can make or break your business. So why wouldn't you want to be actively involved in a like-minded community of peers?

Active digital marketing communities (online or offline) can help you recognize the importance of what you do and how it can fit within the 'big picture' of your business and life. As a DMI student or member you get to be part of a global digital marketing community where you can post on forums, network, collaborate and find support from peers.  

By communicating frustrations or asking a question about an area of digital marketing you're unfamiliar with, you can gain confidence in your abilities and push yourself to learn and try new strategies and processes.

4. Find a Digital Marketing Internship

As with any internship position, many people do them for the opportunity to work in a professional environment that pushes their capabilities. An internship can be challenging, but when surrounded by the right team, you can learn from their mistakes and successes.

Not only can an internship help expand your digital marketing portfolio and experience, but it can help determine what you appreciate in a work environment.

As there are so many facets of digital marketing, you may find that you appreciate solitude when writing creative content, or that you thrive by collaborating on a new campaign to market a new product or service.

While you can learn on your own, an internship will give you real-life experience and help you understand the challenges that marketers face daily. If you do land such a role, make sure you figure out ways to maximize your internship.    

You can also do some behind the scenes research of your own to impress your new boss or team. Here are a few great resources that will help:

• Podcast - Kickstart your digital marketing career
• eBook - How to Become a Social Media Manager
• eBook - How to Become a Digital Manager
• Blog - How to Become a Social Selling Specialist
• Toolkit - Channel Performance Tracker

5. Become a Member of a Professional Body

Did you know that becoming a certified member of a professional body isn’t just for careers like architects, solicitors, or doctors?

Digital marketing is a professional global industry, meaning that being a member of a professional digital marketing body can help demonstrate your credibility and stand out from competitors to land that dream job.

Often, becoming a part of a professional body can only be achieved after completing a certificate program. For digital marketers, a Professional Diploma in Digital Marketing course can qualify you to be a certified professional. This course covers all the key elements of digital marketing in depth, including:

• SEO - how does it really work?
• Pay-Per-Click marketing
• Email marketing strategy
• Social media management
• Website optimization
• Content marketing and online writing

6. Stay Up to Date on the State of Digital Marketing

In the same way that programs, apps, and social media platforms keep evolving, so is how marketers must interact with audiences. From keeping up with popular acronyms (PAA anyone?) to knowing the impact of AI and machine learning, digital marketing never stays still and it takes adaptability to keep up.

The good news? Keeping up with the industry isn't hard. Informative digital marketing podcasts are widely available, and websites such as HubSpot and our own membership library publish clear and well-researched pieces on anything you want to know about the subject to keep you up-to-date with new developments like TikTok, the top social media influencers, and more detailed topics like Core Web Vitals and the cookie-free future.

Whether you subscribe to your favorite publications or tune into a podcast as part of your morning routine, this in-depth understanding of your industry can help you become a digital marketing expert.

7. Never Stop Learning

Although education can be a valuable asset to any career in digital marketing, learning doesn’t stop when school is out. Investing in training throughout your career will help you become a stand-out digital marketer with varied and in-demand skills.

As we already mentioned, the digital marketing industry continually evolves so your industry knowledge should too. We all know that you’re more likely to follow through with a course or certification if it’s an area you are passionate about. Are you curious to understand if PPC or SEO is better? The best email marketing metrics? Or if it’s worth marketing on WhatsApp?

Luckily there are great digital marketing courses that can help you answer these questions and more. Don’t be afraid to invest in yourself and your career.

Power up your career with a digital marketing course

Whether you want to start a successful online business or advance to a senior marketing position, the industry is full of opportunities for those that put in the time to hone their craft. Boost your career with DMI’s Professional Diploma in Digital Marketing by learning the fundamentals of digital marketing along with specialities like analytics, digital strategy, and website optimization. 

First published September 2018, Updated November 2021