What is Digital Marketing?
Marketing done through digital mediums like the Internet, search engine, social media, blogs, video channels, websites, and applications, is known as digital marketing. This is the fastest-growing form of marketing owing to its reach, cost-effectiveness, measurability, and accuracy. It is overtaking all marketing platforms and will soon become the primary form of marketing.
Digital Marketing refers to the marketing of products or services via digital channels to reach consumers. Brands used to get promoted before too, but the means and mediums were limited. With the advent of digital media, the norms and rules are changed. And rightly so.
Today, as per the stats, nearly about 60% of the world’s population use the Internet. Just two years ago, it was 40%. One can imagine the rate at which people are using the Internet to do almost everything. From ordering foods and vegetables to booking cabs to leasing furniture to people becoming viral influencers, everything has gone digital. A business without a digital presence is bound to go kaput in no time.
The Future Scope of Digital Marketing in India
India is a prime sector for digital activity. The country has one of the largest populations of internet users in the world. By 2025, India will have close to 974.86 million internet users. The sector is experiencing double-digit growth in the country, so it only makes sense that digital marketing will have a lot of scope in the country.
The digital marketing is worth $68 billion and is growing at a 40% growth rate. With the increase in internet users and organizations adopting digital marketing, job roles and options are only going to advance.
So, let’s have a closer look at the scope of digital marketing in India regarding different sectors:
1. Scope of the Digital Marketing for Business
Businesses in the country are becoming digitally aware, and realising the potential of digital marketing. Therefore, many of them are investing in digital marketing to have a strong online presence and sell their product and services to potential customers.
Digital marketing is affordable as businesses have control over the budget and campaigns can be optimised. Campaigns can be accurately targeted with measurable results. All of these are difficult with traditional marketing; hence, businesses are shifting to digital marketing. 40% of today’s businesses depend entirely on digital marketing and it is estimated that more than 90% of businesses will go digital.
2. Scope of the Digital Marketing for Jobs/Career
In 2017, which was one of the earliest phases of digital marketing growth, the sector created close to 8 lakhs jobs in just one quarter. So, you can imagine the jobs created so far. This sector was also largely unaffected during the pandemic owing to its digital nature and is expected to create more jobs in the coming years.
Digital marketing has many different aspects like copy, design, technology, social media, marketing, finance, and business development. Therefore, with the growth of digital marketing, all these aspects will also grow. There will be many jobs available in these sub-sectors, and students can make strong long-lasting careers. Most of the jobs in digital marketing also pay really well.
Top Digital Marketing Career Options
The digital marketing industry has many career opportunities. The great thing about these careers is that they cover a wide spectrum of skills and competencies, so you can choose from a wide variety of careers that suit you best.
Many private institutions and universities in the country have also begun offering courses and degrees that focus on different aspects. So, getting a career will not be difficult.
Here are the top digital marketing career options you can choose to pursue:
1. SEO (Search Engine Optimizer)
SEO stands for search engine optimizer and it is one of the most important professions in digital marketing. Their job is to optimize websites and drive relevant traffic to the websites. For this, they employ many creative and technical strategies. This is a difficult job as search engine algorithms keep changing, and the SEOs have to adjust and re-strategize accordingly. Their main aim is to get a website onto the first page of the search engine.
Businesses who want their digital marketing to be at the top invest in strong SEO professionals as their work ensures relevant traffic and organic leads. You need to have excellent technical skills and a strong understanding of content. The SEO profession is set to grow in importance as search engines become smarter. Therefore, it is one of the best professions to consider.
2. SEM/PPC Specialist
The Search Engine Marketing/Pay-Per-Click specialist handles the marketing and advertising strategy for the search engine. They have to create marketing strategies for products and services and have to execute them as well. These professionals use paid and organic mediums to improve website ranking and run pay-per-click ads on the search engine by bidding for certain keywords. SEM/PPC specialists are important for successful digital marketing campaigns.
The SEM/PPC specialist is a good career to pursue. These professionals are in high demand and many companies even hire these professionals full-time to handle all the in-house campaigns. You can do many professional courses that are available in colleges and private institutes. There are also online courses that can help you become an SEM/PPC specialist.
2. Social Media Marketing (SMM)
Social media marketing has emerged as another strong digital marketing platform. Previously, search engine marketing dominated this sphere but now, social media marketing has caught up. A social media marketing specialist is the person who handles everything from strategy to execution of marketing and advertising on social media platforms.
If you have the technical knowledge, analytical skills, and a deep understanding of all social media platforms, you should consider this interesting career. Businesses are realising that social media is another strong platform to engage their potential customers and market to sell to them. Therefore, there will be a huge demand for SMM professionals who can conduct excellent marketing over social media platforms.
3. SMO
SMO stands for social media optimizer. This professional is in charge of handling a business social media pages and creating a strategy to increase followers and create a positive impression of the company on all social media platforms. An SMO needs to have an excellent understanding of social media as it is where people show their true nature and human nature is unpredictable. Its a real challenge to get people to follow a business, hence, they need experts like SMOs.
If you want to work on social media strategies and create organic traffic and sales through social media pages, you should consider becoming an SMO. Imagine getting paid to be on social media all day. But it is a lot more serious than that. You need to know the pulse of the audience and ensure the business you handle has a positive outlook. You have to be able to use social media to improve the customer experience.
4. Content Writer/Copywriter
Every form of advertising and marketing requires the written word. The writing is what truly communicates the message. Therefore, digital marketing needs content and copywriters, who can write great content and copy that can be used by SEOs, SMOs, SMMs, SEMs, and website developers to be used in digital marketing mediums like websites and ads.
If you have good writing skills, you can consider becoming a content or copywriter. You need to have a good command of the language and should have a decent typing speed. If you can communicate and type in more than 1 or 2 languages, thats even better as digital marketing is progressing into marketing in regional languages. Content/copywriters get paid well for their expert services.
5. Content Manager
Dont confuse this profession with a content writer. The content manager has a lot more responsibilities than writing. They have a say in the marketing and social media strategies. They work closely with all the professions involved in digital marketing and also manage the complete content department, including all the writers.
To be a content manager, you will have to start as a content writer or social media specialist and then move up to the position. You need to have a good understanding of all the aspects of digital marketing. You also need to have good coordination skills. The content you create needs to be of excellent quality that can be used across all digital mediums. The content manager is an amazing career to aim for, and its importance is only going to grow as digital marketing continues to grow in India.
6. Website Designer & Graphics Designer
Although many times, the website designer and graphics designer are different positions, companies prefer a professional who can handle both responsibilities. When it comes to graphics, the designers design images and posts that can be used for marketing content, ads, social media posts. They have to design according to the brief in the content and social media strategy.
As a website designer, they have to design websites according to the latest trends. This is very important as in digital marketing, a website is an important sales point and all campaigns bring users to the website. Therefore, you need to be good with all forms of designing to succeed as a designer. Designers are some of the highest-paid professionals in the industry and command a lot of respect.
7. Website Developer
A website is a companys primary salesman in the digital marketing world. Most activities done on the digital platform are to bring the right users on to a website from where they can get information, and make up their mind regarding the companys product or service. Therefore, the website needs to be good, and this is possible through the services of an expert web developer.
To be a website developer, you need to be good with web development languages like HTML, CSS, Python, Java, JavaScript, Ruby, and PHP. You should also be good at using website building platforms. Your main job will be to follow the web designers design and develop a technical sound, high-functioning website. Web developers are highly sought-after professionals who are paid well. With enough experience, web developers can move on to become UI/UX developers.
8. UI/UX Designer
UI and UX stand for User Interface and User Experience. The UI/UX designer is the professional in charge of designing and developing a website from start to finish in regards to the users experience. Rather than looking at just some aspects of a websites design, they have to judge how the website works as a whole and how it delivers on marketing. They also look into other online marketing tools.
After gaining enough experience as a website designer or developer, you can aim for a career as a UI/UX designer. You need to have a lot of technical expertise, but you should understand how a website would work and deliver the main tasks it was designed for. You should be able to create a unique experience for the users that will lead to marketing success. For this, you need to have a deep understanding of design and marketing. UI/UX designers are important, highly-paid professionals who are responsible for the evolution of designs.
9. Digital Marketing Analyst
The main job of a digital marketing analyst is to analyse every aspect involved in the marketing campaign. From the copy and designs used in the campaign, to the execution of strategies and the results, they have to analyse everything and provide a roadmap to improve marketing campaigns.
The digital marketing analyst is an expert position, so, you need to know everything involved in digital marketing, even the technologies behind the marketing tools. As a digital marketing analyst, you will play an important part in the improvement and success of digital marketing activities. No wonder, this is one of the highest-paid professions in digital marketing.
10. Influencer
Now, many would wonder why this profession is on the list, but the truth is that an influencer today is a legitimate career. Influencers are pseudo-celebrities who have a large number of fans and followers on their social media pages. They use this follower-base to market and advertise products to create brand value and sales for the product. Today, influencers have become a strong part of digital marketing campaigns and can make a difference to the bottom line.
To be an influencer, you need to have a unique talent that you can showcase on social media to gather followers. You need to have decent photo and video editing skills. But most important of all, you need to have marketing skills. When you have enough followers, you can make money directly from a few social media sites, but the real money comes from brand endorsements. Influencers also get opportunities to work in the radio, television, and film industry. Models, amateur chefs, fitness instructors, dieticians, comedians, singers, and dancers are some popular types of influencers.
Benefits of Digital Marketing
What makes digital marketing such an exciting area for study and work is the lightning pace at which it is changing. New technologies, apps, and devices are changing the way we market to consumers quickly. There is so much widespread advancement that it is bringing in many benefits. To truly know the importance of digital marketing, you should know about the benefits of different areas.
So, here are the benefits of digital marketing for business and students:
1. Digital Marketing Benefits for Business
- Digital marketing uses technologically advanced mediums for marketing.
- The effectiveness of campaigns can be measured and optimised.
- Marketing can be targeted at anyone irrespective of geographical location.
- Businesses have many marketing options within the digital spectrum.
- Digital marketing is very cost-effective compared to traditional media.
2. Digital Marketing Benefits for Students
- One of the fastest rising streams of education amongst emerging technologies.
- Digital marketing courses are available in all the top universities and institutes.
- Courses and certifications can also be done online.
- Digital marketing courses are job-oriented, and you can easily start your career.
- Digital marketing courses will also get a good salary and benefits.
How to Start Career in Digital Marketing
Now that you know about the advantages of digital marketing and the potential it has to become the primary form of marketing, it’s only logical youd want to have a career in this industry. This is a smart choice that will reap a lot of career benefits for you.
Heres how to start a career in digital marketing:
1. Formal Education
- Many universities and institutes are offering full-fledged digital marketing courses.
- Students are also getting digital marketing certification courses as an add-on in their undergraduate and postgraduate education.
- Many online certification courses are being offered that are also of value and accepted in the professional world as qualifications.
2. On-the-Job
- There are many digital marketing courses that you can do while you are on the job and get formal training.
- Irrespective of what qualification you have, you can intern in a digital marketing position and learn on the job.
- Digital marketing can also be learned on your own, but it would be difficult to find someone who will allow you to be professional without qualifications.
Summary
Digital marketing has immense scope in India. It has the power to help businesses grow and tap into potential customers at a fraction of the price. It also gives students a chance to make creative and technical careers that pay well and have many opportunities to grow. Digital marketing is going to revolutionise the industry, and now is the right time to be a part of this revolution.
At ASMs IMCOST, many courses also provide digital marketing certification along with your degree course. Visit the website, fill the form, and IMCOSTs representatives will contact you with all the information you need. So, hurry and fill the form and get started in your digital marketing career.
