The Best
Digital Marketing Careers of 2021
Digital marketing careers are becoming increasingly popular thanks to advancements in technology and social media. Careers in this field include public relations managers, email marketers, and social media managers.
The Bureau of Labour Statistics estimates the job market for these professions to grow much faster than the national average. If you are interested in this field, check out the following guide to learn more about the best digital marketing careers in 2021.
Why Digital Marketing?
You should pursue a career in digital marketing because this field has numerous career opportunities. You could become a UX designer, content manager, content strategist, or email marketing specialist.
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Not only that, but careers in digital marketing also have slightly better career prospects than the average occupation in the United States. The Bureau of Labor and Statistics (BLS) estimates that there will be a six percent increase in digital marketing jobs by 2029.
This means that there will be many employment opportunities in the future for those interested in digital marketing. Regardless of your background, you can make a career transition into digital marketing.
Where Do Digital Marketing Professionals Work?
The BLS reports that 43 percent of advertising and marketing professionals work in advertising, public relations, tech jobs, and other related industries. Many digital marketing professionals are also self-employed and can be found on freelancing platforms like Upwork and Fiverr.
Other areas that digital marketing professionals work in include information technology industries, finance, insurance, manufacturing, management, and wholesale trade companies. Almost every type of business can benefit from digital marketing.
The Highest-Paying Digital Marketing Careers: 2021 List
There are many viable options for those interested in digital marketing careers. This list features 10 of the highest-paying digital marketing careers to help you make an informed career choice.
Director of Marketing Research
As the director of marketing research, you will lead a team that performs market research to collect insightful data. This data is helpful in the achievement of organizational goals in line with digital marketing campaigns.
You’ll also analyze data using statistical techniques to derive insightful information for digital marketing strategy. You’ll need a Master’s Degree in Marketing, Business, or Statistics. You will also need at least four years of career experience because this is a senior position.
Public Relations Manager
Public relations managers are highly sought after by large corporations and firms to create and maintain a favorable brand image. In recent years, these professionals have expanded their scope of work to include online websites and social media platforms.
Companies such as Amazon employ public relations managers to help develop relationships with key stakeholders or help avoid potentially damaging situations. To become one, you’ll need a Bachelor’s Degree in Public Relations, Communications, or Business.
Product Marketing Manager
Product marketing involves any goods or services offered to consumers. Companies such as Microsoft and Old Navy employ product marketing managers to process customer feedback for the launch of a product.
To become a product marketing manager, you’ll typically need a Bachelor’s Degree in Marketing or Business along with work experience. You’ll also need to demonstrate your project management skills.
Corporate Communications Director
Handling the press and media in the right way is often a big challenge for large companies. For this reason, they employ a director of corporate communications to help with press releases, media responses, internal communications, and corporate speeches.
The minimum education requirement is a bachelor’s degree, although many professionals have a master’s degree because of the competitive industry. You’ll also need to be proficient with communication software like Microsoft Office.
Demand Generation Manager
Median Salary: $89,008
Projected Job Growth: 6%*
Min. Education Required: Bachelor’s Degree in Marketing or Business
Demand generation managers are part of a team of professionals responsible for marketing an organization’s products or services. These professionals utilize digital marketing skills to lead campaigns and strategies across all digital media channels.
Other responsibilities of demand generation managers include developing and executing marketing campaigns in line with customer data. A demand generation manager is also responsible for creating healthy and long-term customer relationships.
Digital Strategist
Median Salary: $81,099
Projected Job Growth: 18%**
Min. Education Required: Bachelor’s Degree in Marketing, Business, or Journalism
Digital strategists combine information from multiple digital marketing platforms to develop plans that can be used in market campaigns and product launches. They also develop strategies that enhance a brand’s image or content marketing strategies in the digital space.
Companies like Google and IBM employ digital strategists to help with their digital marketing operations. As a result, the demand for such professionals has significantly increased over the years. You’ll need a Bachelor’s Degree in Marketing, Business, or Journalism.
Email Marketing Specialist
Median Salary: $77,080
Projected Job Growth: 6%*
Min. Education Required: Bachelor’s Degree in Marketing or Business
Email marketing refers to the use of emails in a marketing campaign to promote products or services. Email marketing specialists design and create content to target a specific customer base.
Email marketing specialists utilize extensive skills like copywriting to deliver unique and engaging content. Other responsibilities of an email marketing specialist include performing market research and maintaining a database of potential customers.
Brand Marketing Manager
Median Salary: $75,919
Projected Job Growth: 6%*
Min. Education Required: Bachelor’s Degree in Marketing, Advertising, or Business
A company’s brand refers to how the public views a particular business. Brand managers are hired to preserve the image of a company or brand. They mainly oversee the strategies involving the online marketing campaigns and product launches that align with the way an organization wants to be perceived.
Apart from ensuring the brand image resonates with the target audience, they also conduct market research to determine the most effective strategies. These professionals mainly work in manufacturing, finance, and wholesale trade industries.
Digital Community Manager
Median Salary: $57,647
Projected Job Growth: 6%*
Min. Education Required: Bachelor’s Degree in Marketing, Communications, or Business
Organizations and businesses hire digital community managers to maintain a reputable brand image and increase customer engagement on social media. Digital community managers enhance the relationship between a business and its online audience.
Big companies like NBC and Monster Energy have been known to use digital community managers. These professionals interact with the target audience and use digital tools to create brand loyalty.
Social Media Manager
Median Salary: $48,022
Projected Job Growth: 6%*
Min. Education Required: Bachelor’s Degree in Marketing, Communications, or Business
Social media managers are responsible for creating strategic marketing campaigns to enhance brand awareness across social media platforms. They are responsible for improving a company’s presence on social media.
Many companies, including Athleta and WeWork, have been known to employ social media managers. These professionals can also find success working for individual influencers or small brands. To become one, you’ll generally need a Bachelor’s Degree in Marketing, Communications, or Business.
*Project job growth percentages are sourced from Bureau of Labor Statistics data for advertising, promotions, and marketing managers.
**Project job growth percentages are sourced from Bureau of Labor Statistics data for market research analysts.
What Education Is Required to Pursue a Career in Digital Marketing?
A bachelor’s degree is the minimum education requirement for careers in digital marketing. Programs like marketing, communications, and journalism are the most helpful if you’re interested in a digital marketing career. If you want to work in a management position, however, you should aim for a master’s degree.
There are many education paths that you could follow to land a job in the digital marketing industry. Many employers prefer hiring certified candidates. Certifications are a great way to prove your skills in a particular area of digital marketing. They also increase your marketability while applying for jobs.
Can I Study Digital Marketing Online?
Yes, you can study digital marketing online. Studying online is becoming a popular choice for many students for many reasons. It is usually more affordable than traditional courses. Many institutions and online colleges offer digital marketing courses online. Online course providers like Udemy and edX offer many useful classes for free.
Common Entry-Level Jobs in Digital Marketing
Digital marketing is rapidly growing and creating more employment opportunities. You should consider pursuing any one of these entry-level digital marketing jobs to start your journey in the field.
Strategic Partnership Manager
Entry-Level Salary: $59,440
Projected Job Growth: 7%
Min. Education Required: Associate Degree in Communication or Public Relations
Partnership marketing refers to a relationship between two parties aimed at enjoying mutual marketing benefits. Online influencers can promote a product to their audience, bringing more business. This job growth percentage is from BLS data on public relations specialists.
Marketing Web Developer
Marketing web developers help organizations design, develop, test, and deploy websites and other related software. Most businesses understand the importance of having a business website and employ these professionals. Marketing web developers specialize in creating websites using information from their marketing background.
Content Strategist
Entry-Level Salary: $48,181
Projected Job Growth: 6%
Min. Education Required: Bachelor’s Degree in Marketing or Business
Content strategists help organizations plan, develop and implement content in media form to generate brand awareness. In an entry-level position, you’ll be part of the content strategy team. The job growth percentage above is from BLS data on advertising, promotions, and marketing managers.
Social Media Marketer
Entry-Level Salary: $41,217
Projected Job Growth: 6%
Min. Education Required: Bachelor’s Degree in Public Relations, Communications, or Business
As the name suggests, social media marketers are responsible for creating brand or product awareness on various social media platforms. To become one, you need a bachelor’s degree in a field like communications or marketing. Job growth statistics have been sourced from BLS data on advertising, promotions, and marketing managers.
SEO Specialist
Entry-Level Salary: $40,754
Projected Job Growth: 8%
Min. Education Required: Associate Degree in Computer Science
Search engine optimization (SEO) is important for company websites. SEO specialists help businesses become one of the first results that show up in a search engine. They use data analysis to find relevant keywords and information. Job growth has been sourced from BLS data on web developers and designers.
Is a Digital Marketing Career for Me?
Yes, a digital marketing career is for you if you have a knack for identifying trends. Digital marketers can work in a variety of fields and have numerous career opportunities. For most related jobs, you’ll need a bachelor’s degree, which typically takes four years to complete.
You could become a successful web developer in a reasonably short time, propelling your career towards digital marketing. In addition, you will find most senior digital marketing positions highly rewarding. If you are tech-savvy and interested in producing content online, you should consider a career in digital marketing.
