The field of digital marketing offers tremendous opportunities for creativity and development. Pursuing in-demand marketing roles can positively impact company growth and foster communication between audiences and organizations.

There’s a significant demand for those working in careers in marketing. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the need for advertising, promotions, and marketing managers is expected to grow 6% between 2022 and 2032, resulting in 24,300 new jobs.1 Marketing research analysts are seeing an even higher demand, rising 13% between 2022 and 2032, resulting in 116,600 new jobs.2 These are two of the many titles experiencing significant demand in the coming years.

No matter your interests and skills, there’s likely a marketing career that will interest you. Take a look at some areas of digital marketing that are experiencing growth.

Digital Marketing Career Paths

Digital marketing is an excellent career choice for those wishing to apply their knowledge and passion for creativity in unique ways. The field offers an array of jobs with individual career trajectories, allowing professionals to specialize, gain new skills, and try new things throughout their careers.

Explore the various career paths you can take in digital marketing below.

Social Media Marketing: Social media marketing involves communicating with audiences through platforms where users share content online. Social media marketing professionals create social content that sparks conversation about a topic or brand. They also interact with users online and coordinate efforts with content creators to promote their brand or cause. Those in more senior roles develop strategies and budgets that fit into overall marketing and promotion strategies.

Content Marketing: Content marketing focuses on developing and promoting relevant content that triggers interaction and awareness. This can include blogs, emails, social media posts, white papers, videos and more. Depending on seniority, a content marketer might spend time developing content, strategizing content plans, or analyzing results. Many content marketers work closely with designers and user experience professionals to develop creative assets.

Search Engine Optimization (SEO): SEO professionals work to increase a website’s traffic by improving search engine rankings. Some of their duties include optimizing copy for search engines, performing keyword research, making content recommendations and analyzing SEO performance. SEO professionals often participate in strategy building and developing marketing campaigns. SEO is an ever-changing field, so professionals must continually research and learn to stay successful.

Pay-Per-Click (PPC) Marketing: PPC marketers plan and execute online advertising campaigns. They identify targeting strategies, maintain budgets, and analyze and report results. They collaborate with other marketing teams or clients to manage PPC advertising within the overall marketing strategy on platforms including – but not limited to – Google, Facebook, and LinkedIn. Some PPC professionals develop ad copy and creative assets.

User Experience (UX) Marketing: Marketers who focus on user experience optimize digital resources, like websites or apps. They ensure that design and content are user-friendly. UX marketers spend time testing and speaking with users and stakeholders. They must also have a firm grasp of the technical aspects of marketing and analytics.

Mobile Marketing: Mobile marketers focus on promotion via mobile devices, including smartphones and tablets. They use technical skills to target marketing based on location and activities using features like location services. Mobile marketers must be skilled at creating targeted campaigns and understanding data about consumer behavior.

Analytics: Marketing analytics professionals collect data and provide insights about improving marketing plans. They develop actionable feedback and make recommendations for marketing plans. They also test creative and marketing strategies to provide results for the best path forward. They advise professionals in other functions about their analysis, so they touch many functional teams in their day-to-day work. Analysts must stay on top of trends in the marketing world to advise and analyze successfully.

Growth Marketing: Growth marketing professionals focus on driving business growth through strategies for various marketing functions like PPC, social media, and SEO. They also focus on increasing organizations’ brand presence and customer base. They understand customer behavior and marketing principles and use those skills to execute their strategies. Like many other marketing professionals, growth marketers work with multiple functional areas to achieve their goals.

Essential Skills and Requirements

Marketers must constantly learn new skills and keep an eye on new trends. No matter the field you enter, a curious mind and love of learning will help you succeed. Many attributes will help all marketers perform at their best. The general skills necessary for a career in digital marketing include:

  • Creativity
  • Analytical thinking
  • Strong communication
  • Interpersonal skills

Depending on the career path you want to pursue, other skills are required. For example, those in analytical roles should understand and successfully communicate data, while those in social media roles should understand online media and consumer behavior. Some overlap between skills can help collaboration within marketing teams.

Because digital marketing is incredibly diverse, there are plenty of opportunities to study new things and develop professionally. A degree in digital marketing is a great place to start. You can also earn many certifications that will help you advance to the next level and stand out among job candidates, including Google Analytics certification and Hootsuite certification. There are also HubSpot certifications that can help you learn specific aspects of digital marketing.

Marketing Career Progression

Your career progression, salary, and growth potential in the marketing field depend on where you are in your career, where you live, and what specialty you pursue. Here’s a look at some of the top marketing careers:

Entry-level

Below are some of the job titles you can expect when you enter the field, depending on your digital marketing specialty:

  • Social Media Specialist
  • Content Marketing Coordinator
  • SEO Analyst
  • Growth Marketer
  • PPC Specialist
  • Junior Marketing Analyst

In these entry-level positions, you’ll support the day-to-day work of developing and implementing marketing strategies, learn the ins and outs of marketing operations, and prepare for the next step on the career ladder. Marketing specialists and research analysts made a median annual salary of $74,680 in 2023.3

Mid-level

Here are a few of the titles that mid-level marketers might hold:

  • Social Media Manager
  • Content Manager
  • SEO Manager
  • Senior Growth Marketer
  • PPC Strategist
  • Marketing Analytics Manager
  • UX Designer

Mid-level professionals can expect to have one foot in the day-to-day work while contributing to planning, strategy, and budgeting. Many people begin to manage others at this level as well. In 2023, marketing managers made a median salary of $156,580.1

Senior-Level

Explore the titles marketers hold at this level:

  • Social Media Director
  • Director of Content Marketing
  • SEO Executive
  • VP of Growth Marketing
  • Creative Director
  • Senior PPC Strategist
  • UX Director

When you reach the senior level of your career, you’ll oversee marketing plans and strategies, along with multiple functional teams. Senior-level marketers work with other executives and directors to drive organizations forward. In 2024, the average annual salary for marketing directors is $111,515, with top earners making as much as $260,000 when factoring in additional pay like bonuses and profit sharing.4

Start Your Digital Marketing Career Today

Gain the expertise you need to succeed in the top marketing careers with the 100% online Master of Science in Digital Marketing from Fairleigh Dickinson University. With an innovative curriculum that prepares you in a full suite of digital marketing areas, you’ll gain the comprehensive training to complete a digital marketing portfolio and reach the next level of professional success.

In small classes led by expert faculty, you’ll get hands-on experience that caters to your individual needs and goals. At the end of the program, you’ll be equipped to advance into any number of roles within the world of digital marketing. These include positions in content creation, social media, digital and interactive marketing, creative services, production, and operations. The program will also help you gain certification in Google Analytics and Hootsuite.

Graduate in two years, ready to move through the ranks of a top digital marketing career.

Sources

  1. Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor. Occupational Outlook Handbook. “Advertising, Promotions and Marketing Managers.” Retrieved July 24, 2024, from https://www.bls.gov/ooh/management/advertising-promotions-and-marketing-managers.htm.
  2. Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor. Occupational Outlook Handbook. “Market Research Analysts.” Retrieved July 24, 2024, from https://www.bls.gov/ooh/business-and-financial/market-research-analysts.htm.
  3. Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor. Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2023. Retrieved July 24, 2024, from https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes131161.htm.
  4. Glassdoor. Director of Marketing Salaries. “How Much Does a Marketing Director Make?” Retrieved July 24, 2024, from https://www.glassdoor.com/Salaries/director-of-marketing-salary-SRCH_KO0,21.htm.