Digital Marketing Entry-level Jobs Jobs in Nigeria (Page 114)

What is digital marketing? 

Digital marketing is the promotion of a brand or business online to attract customers using digital communications and channels like the Internet or social media. It is any form of marketing that involves the use of electronic devices to support a customer’s journey. It is also known as online marketing and can be done through search engines, websites, social media, email, mobile apps, text messaging, or web-based advertising. 

Digital marketing actually takes the same principles as traditional or offline marketing. It considers the customer’s journey and preferences. The difference is that it happens in a digital space. 

Uses of digital marketing 

1. Digital marketing allows you to give your business a global reach and opens you up to a new market.

2. A properly planned and well-targeted digital marketing campaign can reach the right customers at a much lower cost than traditional marketing methods.

3. It allows you to have a personalized plan and interaction with your customers through websites, emails, etc. 

4. With digital marketing, converting leads to customers is a lot easier. A customer may only be a click away from purchasing from a business with a website. 

5. Digital marketing lets you create engaging campaigns using content marketing tactics. This content (images, videos, articles) can gain social currency - being passed from user to user and becoming viral. 

Types of Digital Marketing 

Search Engine Optimization/Marketing (SEO/SEM) 

The goal of SEO/SEM is to get a business to rank higher in Google search results, ultimately increasing search engine traffic to the business’s website. To accomplish this, SEO marketers research words and phrases consumers are using to search for information online and use those terms in their own content.

Social Media Marketing

Social media marketing is the art of using social media platforms as a digital marketing channel to reach connect with customers and generate leads. You can create a profile for your business on any social media platform like Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Tiktok, etc., and create posts to advertise new products, sales, or freshly published content, and ads can be bought to reach out to a new audience.

Content Marketing 

Content marketing uses storytelling and information sharing to increase brand awareness. Ultimately, the goal is to have readers take action toward becoming a customer, such as requesting more information, signing up for an email list or making a purchase. “Content” can refer to blog posts, resources like white papers and e-books, digital videos, podcasts and much more. 

Email Marketing 

Email marketing is about creating personalised emails for clients to increase their customer base. It involves leveraging content, developing email lists, and creating newsletters and promotional copy content to keep customers engaged and also create more brand awareness.

Chatbox Marketing 

This is a form of digital marketing that involves utilizing chatbots for customer interactions on websites, social media, and messaging apps. The goal is to assist with customer inquiries, provide information, and guide users through the sales funnel.

Mobile Marketing 

This digital marketing type is focused on reaching your target audience on their smartphone or tablet. Mobile marketing reaches people through text messages, social media, websites, email and mobile applications. Marketers can tailor offers or special content to a geographic location or time, such as when a customer walks into a store or enters an event.

Other forms of digital marketing include:

• Audio marketing 

• Pay-per-click advertising 

• Video Marketing 

• Affiliate marketing 

Skills required in digital marketing

There are so many in-demand digital marketing skills needed for a digital marketer. Some of them are: 

• SEO/SEM 

• Email marketing skills 

• Content marketing 

• A/B Testing 

• Marketing Analytics 

• Copywriting 

• Data visualization 

• Research skills

• Design skills 

• Video creation and editing 

• Conversion Rate Optimization 

How do I become a digital marketer?

1. Assess Your Current Skill Set: To begin the process of becoming a digital marketer, you must assess your skill set and identify the skill gaps you have. This will help you know what skills to go for and learn.

2. Take online courses: Online educational courses can give you an opportunity to enhance your current skills, expand your knowledge of digital media and potentially find new interests in other aspects of digital marketing.

3. Self-study: As an alternative to more traditional educational routes, you can build their skill sets in a less formal learning setting. This involves studying recommended reading material, listening to podcasts of respected marketers, following digital marketing blogs and social media channels of marketing experts, and watching educational videos. 

4. Internships/Volunteering: To build the skills you need to launch a digital marketing career, you can volunteer for an organization or take up an internship. This will help you learn what you need to know about digital marketing and increase your experience.