9 Crucial Skills You Need To Master Digital Marketing

Constant change makes it difficult to master digital marketing.

Just when you think you’ve mastered one skillset, along comes a whole new tool that every digital marketer on the block is raving about, and before you know it, your free time just got chewed up learning how to use it.

We get it. 

Digital marketing can’t be learned, understood, and mastered overnight. Google wasn’t optimised in a day! To really master digital marketing, you need the skillset to create engaging and valuable content that both Google and your customers love.

So, how can you future-proof your space in digital marketing? By mastering these 9 essential skills to keep you relevant in this ever-changing industry. 

Master digital marketing to set you apart from the crowd

Trying to keep up with all the changes in digital marketing is frustrating and challenging as a small business owner.

The tools and skills you need to create, analyse, implement, and engage with content marketing strategies just seem to be constantly evolving. And it can be a constant challenge trying to navigate this busy, digital world. 

And these skills aren’t just technical. They include things like being a good listener, communicator, and writer. But before you start panicking, just relax. If you’re dreaming of a career as a successful digital marketer, then make sure you take the time to master these essential skills.

#1 Writing and editing like a pro

As a digital marketer, knowing how to write well – both for the search engines and your audience – is probably one of the most important skills you can possess. 

In pretty much every piece of work you do in digital marketing, writing and editing of some description will be involved. And this could be short-form copy (such as social media posts or ads) or long-form (including blog posts, articles, and newsletters.) This is because content marketing and content writing play a huge part in any digital marketing strategy. 

If you know how to write a great blog post, optimise it for Google, and repurpose it for other uses, then this skill will take you far in digital marketing.

#2 SEO skills

If people can’t find your content online, then does it even exist?!

Even if you have the most beautifully written content, if your audience can’t find it then it’ll just get lost in a digital minefield. This is where having SEO knowledge comes in. 

In fact, organic search results are way more likely to be clicked than paid results, so understanding how to utlise SEO for your digital marketing efforts is super important. 

SEO is a way to drive traffic to your website and your content. Using things like keyword research, on-page SEO skills such as formatting, metadata, backlinks, guest blogging, link-building, and mobile optimisation. It’s crucial to stay updated and aware of the latest updates and trends that can affect search ranking. Having a solid SEO skillset will help keep you ahead in a career in digital marketing.

#3 Communication

This is a soft skill, but a great one to have as a digital marketer. Having the willingness to listen, learn, and communicate will help you create better content, as well as be a better team player.

This is vital when it comes to working with your team and with your clients. Understanding instructions, making sure you give your feedback and taking on board constructive criticism. Being a good communicator also includes creating and spreading impactful messages and building relationships with your audience by establishing trust. And you do this by communicating with them in a way that’s clear, concise, interesting, valuable, engaging, and relevant. 

It might sound obvious, but being a great communicator is a skill no digital marketer can be without. 

#4 Research and data analysis skills

You also need to practice those communication and listening skills with your audience, because these are essential for researching who your ideal audience is. And what kind of content you should be making them.

There’s no point just churning out loads of content if it isn’t directed to your audience and it doesn’t serve them. You need to do your research on who they are, what they need, and how they want it. Only then can you create effective content using the data you’ve researched and analysed to speak directly to them.

Research means getting to know your audience on a deeper level.

Start using Google Analytics and other analysis tools to understand data about your audience and how they find you. And how you can make their user experience better. Use social media and forums and listen to how your audience speaks. What language they use, how they talk about the service you provide. This form of social listening is one of the most effective ways to research, so as a digital marketer, it isn’t one you can ignore.

#5 Meeting deadlines

This might sound like a no-brainer, but being able to meet deadlines has to be like second nature to you if you want to succeed as a digital marketer. 

Your fingers will be in so many different pies, and in an average week, you might need to write a blog post, create social media posts, analyse some data, create a campaign, not to mention a million different meetings, Zooms, quick Whatsapp chats and catch-ups with your team or clients. That means being able to master your time and plan your work so you don’t miss a single deadline. 

Yep. This means being super organised – a skill that, if not innate – might take some time to perfect. This leads us to the next skill.

#6 Adaptability

You already know by now that the world of digital marketing and content creation is ever-changing. As are the algorithms that dictate how our content is found by consumers. Therefore, being adaptable is one of the best skills you can possess.

Workload and assignments can vary from month to month, and you need to be ready for it.

Make sure you’re prepared for anything by keeping up with the latest news, updates, and changes in the digital marketing world. You need to always be able to adapt to unexpected developments. This is a sure-fire way of keeping yourself ahead of the game. 

#7 Basic design skills

We know, we know. You’re a marketer, not a designer. 

BUT having even the most basic design skills will help you stand out from the crowd. Because so much content is visual and tends to have a higher conversion and engagement rate, this is a skill you can’t afford not to have.

If you are completely new to the world of design, then just getting a grasp of basic knowledge for software such as Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, Canva, Inkscape, etc, will be amazing for your digital marketing efforts. Imagine what a powerhouse you’ll be if you can offer writing, editing, AND basic design as a package! By understanding even simple design skills, you’ll be able to complete tasks such as manipulating images, creating a layout, or completing a design for banners and social media posts. You’ll be a digital marketing one-stop-shop.

#8 Be persuasive

Being a marketer, one of your main jobs is to sell without actually selling. You need to be persuasive. To be able to change people’s minds, and master the art of selling – but never the hard sell. 

Can you use your skills to convince someone to make a purchase? Or get someone to read a blog post, sign up to your emails, or click on your call to action? 

#9 Understanding social media

Using social media to engage and connect with your audience is a huge asset. But with the amount of different social media platforms around, mastering each one can take time. 

Working with social media professionally is totally different from using it personally. And with Instagram and Facebook frequently changing how content is communicated to users, you always need to be up to date with the latest rules and regulations. Community management is a vital skill to have within social media, as you’re constantly communicating with your audience – allowing you to develop and build relationships with your people. 

You have to understand that the content you create needs to be of high-quality, relevant, engaging, and shareable. It’s also highly beneficial to know how to analyse data from social media, so you can use it to your advantage.

Use content to stand out in the digital marketing crowd

When you’re ready to grow your career, then enhancing your skillset is the number one way to do it. And there’s a lot if you want to master digital marketing.

Creating killer content to speak to your audience and market your brand is one such skill. And, as a digital marketer, understanding how to create brilliant content that connects with your ideal audience is one of the most vital skills you can have.

But if you need a little guidance creating your content, or you just don’t have the time to do it yourself, then get in touch, and let us do it for you.