Which Countries Have the Most Demand for Digital Marketers?

The ways we access information, communicate with one another and carry out day-to-day tasks such as banking now take place solely online. With over half of the world’s population using the internet, it’s no wonder that the demand for highly skilled digital marketers is growing. If you’re not convinced, have a look at the Salary Guide for Digital Marketers.

However, not all internet usage is shared equally around the globe. For example, according to Internet World Stats, 94% of North Americans access the internet regularly compared to only 43% of Africans.

For digital marketers and marketing graduates, this rate of internet usage can significantly impact where their skills are needed most around the globe. In a career that thrives on connections, digital marketers must focus their efforts on the right demographic and the right service or product.

So how do digital marketing efforts measure up when compared to other countries around the world, and where are the best cities for marketing jobs?

A Skills Gap in Digital Marketing

For companies around the world, the need for digital marketing, technology know-how, and social media management has become a necessity. This is amazing news for ambitious digital marketers as even high-profile brands want to invest in digital specialists to grow and advance their marketing teams.

Our research ‘Perpetual Evolution’ in collaboration with The Economist Group found that there’s high demand for skilled digital marketers. However, the issue is that many marketers are struggling to keep up with new technologies and demands, particularly since the Covid-19 pandemic forced many brands to market and sell online due to global lockdowns. This means that companies are finding it even harder to hire people with the specialized skills they need - hard and soft skills alike.

What are the hard skills needed in digital marketing?

According to the report, the key drivers of success for companies are customer experience, data and analytics followed by strategy and planning/brand management.

Senior marketers also recognized the need for soft skills to help drive change, growth and build a cohesive marketing team in the future. The top three soft skills identified were technology, creativity, and analytical thinking.

What are the soft skills needed in digital marketing?

Although the skills gap in digital marketing is apparent in countries around the world, it is being felt more severely in some areas. By 2028, Salesforce research predicts, G20 countries could lose out on $11.5 trillion if the growing digital skills gap is not addressed and it will harm:

• Product development
• Delivery and innovation
• Customer experience and satisfaction

Although many of the in-demand digital skills often fall into similar categories, the need for a specific set of digital-based skills is different between countries. For example, the rise of mobile use across Africa and South America makes mobile marketing strategy a high-demand skill.

Social media is another area growing globally, but usage is particularly high in Asia, particularly the Philippines and in many African countries. The use of social media platforms also rose during the pandemic as people went online to communicate and purchase. This makes digital marketers with social media expertise very valuable to brands of all sizes.

What Countries have the Highest Demand for Digital Marketing Skills?

So, what countries have the highest demand for digital marketers globally, and why is the demand so high in some places compared to others?

• Canada
• India
• United States
• United Arab Emirates
• Australia
• Ireland
• Philippines
• United Kingdom

Let’s look at each country in more detail:

Digital Marketing Skills in Canada

According to a KPMG survey, Canadian businesses are struggling to find people with digital skills. This has become increasingly difficult due to the acceleration of technology and automation as a result of Covid. “While the pandemic provided a catalyst for many businesses to accelerate their digital strategies, competition for digitally-skilled talent has made implementing these strategies more difficult,” said Armughan Ahmad, President & Managing Partner of Digital at KPMG, Canada.

Digital Marketing Skills in India

In India, research by Amazon Web Services found that the number of workers in India requiring digital skills will need to increase nine times by 2025 to keep pace with technology advancements and demand. Currently, digitally skilled workers represent only 12% of India’s workforce, so the need to upskill is crucial to work in a marketing role.   

Digital Marketing Skills in the United States

As one of the most digitally competitive countries in the world, the US is at the forefront of digital innovation and transformation. To maintain that title, American companies need to hire marketers with digital skills - generalist and specialized - to keep up with technological advancements.

Digital Marketing Skills in the United Arab Emirates

In the Middle East, 30 percent of decision-makers found it difficult to fill technology roles, particularly in the areas of data analytics, cloud, AI, mobile technologies, machine learning, and advanced security. Soft skills such as problem-solving and critical thinking will also be in demand as companies realize they need a balance between people and technology. With the UAE’s population shrinking by up to 15 percent due to the pandemic, digital skills will be highly valued. 

Digital Marketing Skills in Australia

A new report by RMIT University revealed that 87 percent of jobs in Australia now require digital skills and there’s a need for 156,000 new technology workers to keep up with digital transformation. Post-pandemic, one-third of Australian professionals felt their jobs had changed while one in four said they didn’t have the skills needed to complete their day-to-day job.

Digital Marketing Skills in Ireland

In Ireland, many tech leaders believe that schools are not equipping students with digital skills meaning that many graduates leave with scarce digital knowledge. While half of Irish adults lack basic digital skills due to an absence of training or upskilling. This lack of talent is hampering the digital transformation and innovation of Irish businesses.

Digital Marketing Skills in the Philippines

With technology advancements and a commitment for a more digital Philippines set on digitalization to contribute $8 billion to the economy, the demand for digital skills is on the rise. LinkedIn research found that the top 5 skills in demand by Philippine businesses are data scientist, application development analyst, back-end developer, full-stack engineer, and sales development rep. Companies are also on the lookout for hires that are adaptable, resilient, and entrepreneurial.   

Digital Marketing Skills in the United Kingdom

Experts in the UK say that digital skills are crucial to economic recovery following the pandemic. Similar to Ireland, half of UK employers believe that school leavers and graduates do not have sufficient advanced digital skills that are required to compete in the workforce, while 76 percent of employers think this lack of digital talent will impact negatively on their bottom line.  

Average Salaries for Digital Marketers Around the Globe

As you can see there’s huge demand across the world for digital marketers but the average salaries can vary widely between countries. The average salary* for a digital marketing specialist in US dollars is:

• Philippines: $6,362
• United Kingdom: $43,384
• India: $4,468
• Australia: $58,374
• Canada: $40,141
• Ireland: $49,557

(*These salaries from Payscale, November 2021)

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Updated 2022