There’s a point in time when we all go through a phase of asking ourselves – am I truly on the right career path? I asked myself that question a year ago, and began my journey down the Digital Marketing path! I started my program with only a basic knowledge of Marketing and what that might entail, so building up my experience with both digital and traditional aspects was a key focus.
The tips you’ll find in this post are from the perspective of someone that sought out Digital Marketing with only a basic understanding and a drive to see myself improve and my career become one filled with a good base of experience and digital marketing knowledge.
Find the Program that Works With Your Prior Experiences
Everyone’s journey is going to be different, and each of us will walk into that classroom (digital or physical) with varying degrees of experience both in our personal and professional lives. That’s why it’s important when you first begin looking for Digital Marketing programs that you look for ones that match your career goals as well as your previous experiences.
For me, I had a basic knowledge of how Marketing worked from a brand ambassador level. I knew that this would help as a good base of experiences to draw on, but knew that I still needed to learn the basics to really build on that skeleton of information I already knew.
Look for “programs” that match your career goals as well as your previous experiences.
Look for programs that will build on what you already know, and also ones that will work with your personal schedule. You won’t learn when you’re constantly stressed for time!! In Digital Marketing terms, look for programs that offer:
- Market Research
- Digital Marketing Principles
- SEO and Analytic Classes
- Relevant Certifications
This is just the start of what you need to build up a good base of Digital Marketing experience to truly make you feel confident in this new career adventure!
Find an Aspect of Digital Marketing That Draws You In!
Digital Marketing involves so many aspects of Traditional Marketing, with the added flair of having to adapt and stand out within a digital world. From Social Media all the way down to Search Engine Optimization, Digital Marketing experience can be built into either finely tailored angles, or wide-spread nets of broad experiences, this is a field that you can truly tailor to your strengths!
Don’t be afraid to branch out into areas that you wouldn’t normally gravitate to as well! In my case, I thought that content creation would be the strongest skill that I could bring into my Digital Marketing experiences. As I continued on in my schooling, it quickly became clear that I really enjoyed more analytical aspects of Digital Marketing.
Just like all things in life, don’t let your past experiences define your goals. Be flexible, because out of all things, Digital Marketing is a very flexible field. So, adapt and grow and you’ll never know what you’ll find interesting!
Continually Expand on Your Digital Marketing Experience!
The digital world is ever evolving and expanding, from Social Media to AI one thing is for sure; you need to keep learning! Whether you have an established career or are still studying, continual learning is important. Already in my short experience with a career in Digital Marketing I can tell you, flexibility is key.
I always try to stay up to date with industry trends through blogs and YouTube videos from thought leaders within the field. Don’t be afraid to branch out! And don’t be afraid to read up on topics that don’t play into your strengths. If you are more of a Social Media content pro, dive into some of the latest trends on analytics. If you don’t like the rise of AI, still read up on ramifications and potential pros and cons!
The biggest thing to takeaway is to never stop learning. Even if you just graduated and secured that dream job, you should always keep an open mind.
In Summary:
Out of all the things that this post goes through, I hope that it at least gives at least an insight on the steps you might have to take to embark on your own Digital Marketing journey. A career within Digital Marketing means you might have to learn many things, wear many hats, and take many new steps. But I promise you, that once you’ve established a good base of experience within your Digital Marketing journey, you’ll be set!