The world of the internet and social media is a powerful one when it comes to pushing a brand to greater heights. But as competition peaks, it surely won’t happen on its own! It requires dedicated efforts to channel each route to its best potential! Enter a digital marketing manager. They are responsible for looking after and implementing digital marketing campaigns that enhance brand awareness, engagement, and conversions. These professionals make use of various online channels like social media, email, search engines, and websites to reach the brand’s target audiences. But if the brands put their trust in them, what do they really look for? Let’s figure out the skills a digital marketing manager needs and the tasks they perform on a daily basis.
What Does a Digital Marketing Manager Do?
A digital marketing manager is one who looks after a brand’s online marketing strategies – from development, execution, and monitoring. In synergy with cross-functional teams, including content creators, designers, and data analysts, they ensure impeccable messaging across all digital platforms.
From looking at content creation and email marketing campaigns to checking social media interactions, the role requires a holistic approach. Only then one can ensure all online touchpoints contribute to a great customer experience and also brand growth.
What Are the Tasks of a Digital Marketing Manager?
Campaign Planning and Strategy: Digital marketing managers create detailed plans outlining the objectives, target audience, platforms, and timelines for each campaign.
Content Creation and Management: They manage website updates, email newsletters, blog posts, and social media content.
SEO and SEM: Since Search engine optimization (SEO) and search engine marketing (SEM) play a crucial role in driving organic and paid traffic to websites, they need to be on top of it.
Data Analysis: They have to monitor key performance indicators (KPIs). They can use analytics tools to track campaign performance and then adjust strategies to improve results.
Social Media Management: They need to keep track of the brand’s presence across various social media platforms. They need to check the engagement, create strategies, and engage with the audience.
Paid Advertising: Their job includes running and optimising pay-per-click (PPC) campaigns. This could include Google Ads or social media ads.
Budget Management: Running online marketing needs a handsome sum of money. They need to look after allocating marketing budgets to ensure cost-efficient spending and maximum return on investment.
Key Skills Of a Digital Marketing Manager
Now that we understand the tasks, let’s explore the 8 key skills a digital marketing manager needs to succeed in this role:
Strategic Thinking
To succeed as a digital marketing manager, one needs to be able to think strategically. The person must be able to develop long-term marketing plans that align with business goals. This could involve identifying customer personas, understanding market trends, and predicting digital behaviour to create effective campaigns.
Content Creation and Management
In Content is the heart of digital marketing. Whether it’s blog posts, social media updates, or email newsletters, a digital marketing manager must know how to create and manage high-quality content that resonates with the audience. Experience with content management systems (CMS) like WordPress or Shopify is also valuable.
Data Analysis and Interpretation
Digital marketing is a data-driven field. Every data point speaks volumes about the progress of a campaign and the changes that might be needed. Managers should know how to gather and interpret data using tools like Google Analytics, SEMrush, or HubSpot. This helps measure campaign success and make informed decisions. They must also know how to translate these insights into actionable plans that enhance success.
SEO and SEM Knowledge
One of the many skills a digital marketing manager needs is a strong understanding of SEO (organic search optimization) and SEM (paid search). SEO helps ensure content is optimised to rank higher in search results, driving organic traffic. On the other hand, SEM involves using paid strategies like Google Ads to boost visibility. If the manager is proficient in both areas helps create a balanced and efficient strategy.
Social Media Expertise
Social media is a powerful tool for speaking your mind out, showcasing your offerings, engaging with audiences and building brand awareness. As a digital marketing manager, you have to be adept at managing multiple social media platforms, be it Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, or others. You need to know the art of creating engaging content and staying up-to-date with trends and algorithms.
Paid Advertising Management
Running a successful paid campaign needs an understanding of platforms like Google Ads, Facebook Ads, and Instagram Ads. A digital marketing manager needs to fully understand these to choose successful campaign objectives, choose the right audience, and monitor ad performance. In this case, budget management skills are also essential as overspending is always a blink away.
Communication Skills
You must have impeccable communication skills. These come in handy when working with various stakeholders, including team members, clients, and other departments. A successful manager needs to know how to clearly present ideas, explain strategies, and share reports. This skill ensures that the entire marketing team works cohesively and successfully.
Adaptability and Continuous Learning
The digital marketing landscape is constantly evolving. There are new tools, platforms, trends, and algorithms every now and then. Digital marketing managers need to stay updated with the latest developments and learn how to leverage new technologies or platforms to stay competitive.
