Discover the role of a digital marketer and the key strategies they use to drive online success.
As of 2024, there are more than five billion active internet users around the globe and over two-thirds of the population has access to the internet. Nearly 66% of web traffic is from mobile phones and 5.04 billion people use social media. So, when it comes to the marketing mix, digital channels simply cannot be ignored…
Delivered by the triple-crown accredited King’s Business School, our online Marketing MSc has been designed to meet the ever-growing demand for highly skilled digital marketing professionals. Here we take a closer look at one of the world’s fastest growing occupations.
What is digital marketing?
As the largest professional marketing body in the world, the CIM defines digital marketing as follows: “Marketing of goods and services though digital channels to reach consumers. Channels may include the internet, social media, mobile phones and electronic billboards, as well as digital Radio and TV. The key difference to traditional marketing is the ability to receive real-time analysis of the campaign through the digital channel.”
Digital, like traditional, marketing involves devising and executing marketing campaigns to reach, raise awareness, communication and influence audiences to drive interest, loyalty and sales, but in a ‘digital’ environment; i.e., online, electronic, or mobile.
Some of the key digital marketing tactics used to drive traffic, engage and convert prospects include:
- Search Engine Optimisation (SEO): Key words within content and other tools ensure your content is found and ranked as high as possible in searches by users online.
- Search Engine Marketing (SEM): A form of internet marketing to promote websites by increasing their visibility in search engine results pages (SERPs) primarily through paid advertising.
- Pay-Per-Click advertising (PPC): A targeted form of paid advertising online which involves a charge for each click made from an ad to your website.
- Social Media Marketing: Connecting with your audience and growing your brand with tailored content across social media channels, such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, TikTok, Pinterest etc.
- Content Marketing: Creating and distributing digital assets, such as blog posts, videos, podcasts, emails, newsletters, webinars, event invitations and other forms of digital content to inform your audience.
- Email Marketing: A way to send targeted, often personalised, promotional messages to prospects and existing customers.
- Mobile Marketing: A multi-channel technique to reach audiences based on their use of smartphones, feature phones, tablets and other related devices e.g., using e-mail, SMS, MMS, social and mobile apps.
- Affiliate marketing: Also referred to as influencer marketing or sponsored content, this rewards and incentivises specific users to promote products and services.
What does a digital marketer do?
A digital marketer is someone who understands which digital marketing tools are available and can determine the most appropriate digital marketing strategy to meet their organisation’s goals – whether that is to launch a new product or strengthen reputation and brand.
They know how to test, measure and evaluate the effectiveness of digital campaigns, using appropriate digital and social media metrics and analytics, for example, Google Analytics, website traffic, average session duration, click-through rates, social media reach, conversion rates, and cost per lead.
The duties of a general digital marketer role may include the following:
- Drive traffic to company web pages, developing and implementing digital marketing campaigns, including SEO, SEM, content marketing, email marketing, social media marketing.
- Create and manage link building strategies, content marketing strategies, and social media presence, including advice on optimal social media platforms and channels.
- Identify new opportunities to generate leads and boost conversion.
- Create and manage digital assets, developing engaging online content.
- Monitor, measure and report the performance of all digital marketing content and campaigns, determining the right metrics and key performance indicators (KPIs) to use.
- Manage email and social media marketing campaigns, using Google Analytics, Google AdWords, and other relevant sites.
- Keep abreast of emerging technologies and digital marketing trends, making recommendations to capitalise on new digital marketing avenues and strategies.
Within these activities, it is also possible to develop and focus your expertise, pursuing marketing manager roles focused on emails, content or social media, or as an SEO, SEM or paid media specialist. However, whether you choose a general or specialist role, demand for your skills will be high. Recent research identified social media and digital marketing as two of the three most sought after marketing skills by employers when hiring marketers.
How will our MSc help you become a digital marketer?
The King’s College London online Marketing MSc course is carefully designed to equip you with the necessary soft-skills, hard-skills and knowledge to thrive in a vast array of marketing positions, including digital marketing. With modules ranging from International Marketing, Marketing Analytics and Brand Management to a dedicated Digital Marketing module, you’ll develop a holistic understanding of your profession.
For example, our International Marketing module will challenge you to delve into the complexities of global markets, which is essential for those planning to navigate today's borderless digital landscape. Understanding cultural nuances, market entry methods, and global segmentation are pivotal in crafting effective digital strategies for diverse audiences.
The Research in Marketing module will equip you with essential skills to navigate the digital landscape, where new technologies not only present vast opportunities for innovative marketing research but also introduce significant challenges.
The Consumer Behaviour module delves into the psychology behind customer actions, which is crucial when tailoring digital campaigns to resonate with specific target groups. It explores how culture influences consumer decisions, which is vital knowledge for digital marketers aiming to create culturally relevant content.
Business to Business Marketing provides insight into marketing activities that effectively sell products and services to organisational buyers. With startups and companies emerging everywhere, this skillset is increasingly important in the B2B digital space. On top of this, our Sustainability and Ethics module highlights the pressing need for marketers to consider the impact of their strategies on society and the environment, a growing concern in the digital era.
Digital Marketing is, of course, the most directly relevant module of the course for aspiring digital marketers. It provides an in-depth exploration of digital technologies, from web optimisation to analytics. Throughout this module, you’ll learn to leverage these tools to enhance brand-consumer relationships and optimise your marketing strategies.
Modules such as Marketing Strategy and Planning will equip you with the ability to craft comprehensive marketing plans, which is crucial for successful digital campaigns. Likewise, Marketing Analytics will hone your skills in drawing meaningful observations from sizeable volumes of customer data. This ability to harness the power of big data is now a fundamental aspect of effective digital marketing.
Lastly, modules like E-Services Marketing and Marketing Communications offer practical skills in managing digital customer expectations and creating impactful multi-platform campaigns.
In essence, our Marketing MSc course acts as a springboard for aspiring digital marketers like you. With a robust foundation in theory, practical skills, and the latest industry insights, you’ll graduate with everything you need to excel and thrive in digital marketing positions.
Does the prospect of becoming a digital marketer appeal to you? Find out more about the King’s College London online Marketing MSc:
