How I Reinvented My Career And Set Up My Own Agency

Pierce is a graduate of the Postgraduate Diploma in Digital Marketing programme and is currently studying for the Masters in Digital Marketing. After working in the traditional print industry for years, Pierce took his new digital marketing knowledge base and set up his own agency. He tells us how his career has changed and how he’s already making waves in the digital marketing industry…

My typical working day starts about 9am with a quick read through emails. I then update my workflow and concentrate on the weekly strategy for each of my clients, cross referencing our editorial calendars and Google Analytics constantly. I’m always jotting down ideas I think of that will help the clients presence online. On average, I spend about 4-5 hours per day copywriting and the rest on social media, SEO and analytics.

I have only left the print industry this year and have already gone straight into setting up on my own. My business is Rivelino Digital and I am helping small businesses and individuals with their online presence. I am building a network of people around me so that I can draw on their expertise and offer this as expert services.

Before I got involved in digital marketing, I was in production management in a print company in Dublin. We had no online presence at the time but my gut feeling told me that we needed it to survive in the future, especially with the dramatic downturn in the print industry. I felt at the time that my print experience gave me a great understanding of offline marketing as I was heavily involved in many advertising campaigns

I felt I needed to step up and take a deeper dive into digital marketing. I inquired about the Postgraduate Diploma in the Digital Marketing Institute and was instantly won over. It was a no-brainer for me, as the print industry was getting smaller and I needed to upskill with something that would be relevant in any industry. Digital marketing fitted the bill. I took the plunge and signed up for the Masters in Digital Marketing in March of this year. I have chosen to specialize in semantic search and personalization for my thesis.

My career has taken off in many directions with doors opening for me all the time. I am no longer in the print industry as I have become a freelance digital marketer. The same print company I worked for are now one of my best clients; what a turnaround that was. I look after their digital strategy, content, copywriting, social media, email campaigns and now, because of the Masters, I can implement semantic markup into their content. I have a few more clients and I am building a business at a pace I am in control of. I have a freedom that I never had before which wouldn’t have materialized if I’d stayed in the print industry. I am always looking for opportunities and if the right company came along with an offer I would certainly give it some thought.

The advice I would give to anyone looking to get into digital would be to firstly educate yourself through much reading and signing up for a course in the Digital Marketing Institute. Networking on the likes of Google+ and LinkedIn is a must; it’s where I have met some of the most knowledgeable people. Going to seminars is also great for keeping up to date. I would recommend Google Breakfast Briefings as they are free and all you learn is coming straight from the horses mouth.

What's next for me? Well, I want to really get stuck into my Masters and write a thesis that people will want to read. I’d love to become the ‘go-to guy’ for semantic search. I want to develop my business and continue to help small business online. For me, it’s not about winning awards or being the “coolest” digital marketer. It’s about gaining trust and reputation, so that small businesses and individuals have confidence in Rivelino Digital.

Think you could emulate Pierce’s success? Check out our online postgraduate diploma in digital marketing course to find out more.

Whether you’re a recent graduate or a professional who needs to upskill, the postgraduate diploma will provide you with digital skills, knowledge and experience to drive your career forward.