Digital Marketing has expanded over the last few years as it has had to keep up with the ever-changing state of technology, and it will keep growing in the coming years. Most companies already have a social presence on social media and the web, meaning digital marketers have to stay on top of the trends and simultaneously develop brand-new digital marketing strategies. However, digital marketers must have essential skills to become successful digital marketing experts.
SEO & SEM
SEO refers to Search Engine Optimisation, a key part of any digital marketing strategy. SEO is when companies try to get traffic to their web page from free or natural search results in search engines. SEO aims to improve a company’s website position in search results pages. Therefore, if the website is higher on the search results page, it will attract more traffic from potential customers.
SEM refers to Search Engine Marketing. SEM is an important digital marketing strategy used to increase the visibility of a website in search engine results pages. SEM is when a website pops up at the top of a search result page, and normally we would see this as a Google ad. SEM is a great way to promote a brand, as it will always be on the top of the list whenever someone searches a keyword related to your brand. Although SEO and SEM are two sides of the same coin, they are vastly different. SEO is used for organic traffic, meaning it is unpaid, while SEM is a targeted ad normally paid for.
As a side note, Google processes over 3.5 billion searches every day, converting to 1.2 trillion searches per year, which accounts for around 93% of web traffic arriving through search engines. Additionally, 50% of all search queries on Google only contain four words or less.
Social Media
Social Media is an effective way to reach new audiences via platforms such as Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter and even TikTok for younger audiences. Social Media platforms create a massive potential for businesses as individuals habitually log on to these sites daily and are always exposed to companies through ads. Social Media could boost your visibility among potential customers, which helps reach a wide audience range. It is important that companies have a concrete plan for engaging content to post on their social media pages. Building on social media pages shows a company’s brand personality, which leads to the build-up of trust and authority.
Most marketers have reported that they post on social media platforms around four to six times a week, and 73% of marketers believe that social media marketing has been “somewhat effective” or “very effective” for their business. Facebook is the most used social media platform, as almost three billion people use it.
Basic Design Skills
Basic design skills are a very important aspect of digital marketing. Content on social media is normally driven by visuals nowadays. A social media post must be paired with a visual as it performs better. To improve on your basic design skills, one should first understand the basic design principles, which for example, could be by making use of effective writing by using bold or italics. It is important to note that design is not only based on making your webpage look attractive but also on effectively conveying your message and creating a visual identity that would appeal to your target market.
It has been studied that 75% of clients rate a business’s credibility based on its web design – therefore, first impressions are important. Additionally, when people hear information, they are likely to remember only 10% of that information three days later. However, if a relevant image is paired with the same information, most people retain 65% of the information three days later.
To be a successful digital marketer, you need to keep up with the constantly evolving trends. Therefore, these three essential skills will be helpful if you would like to start a career in digital marketing. On top of these essential skills, there are still a handful of different skills that need to be mastered when it comes to the qualifications of becoming a digital marketer.