11 Desirable Skills Sets Needed for Digital Marketing Jobs

Marketing jobs don't have the same descriptions or skill set as they did a few years ago. With the shift towards digital marketing, SEO, social media, content marketing, and online engagement, the skill sets needed to be successful in a new job are more than writing some persuasive copy. We asked 11 entrepreneurs from YEC: when hiring for a marketing role, what newer skills or competencies are now critical?

The Ability and Desire to Learn

Marketing, in particular digital marketing, is constantly evolving, so it's critical that my marketing staff have the ability and desire to learn. In order to be effective and excel in their roles, they need to be on top of any changes and also have a constantly fresh set of creative ideas to help the company stand out from the competition. This all stems from continual learning.

-Diana Goodwin of AquaMobile

Knowing How to Influence the Influencers

One big skill that rises to the top is an ability to influence the influencers in your space in a way that favors your brand. Marketers should now realize that the method in which you do that seems to change every week. Whether via social, direct or in person, today's marketer needs to be creative in attracting and influencing the people who can influence your customers.

-Andrew Thomas of SkyBell Doorbell

A Data-Driven Mindset

No matter what marketing position you're hiring for, having a data-driven mentality is crucial for the team and company's, growth. As your team creates new content, makes changes to the website, executes on A/B tests, etc., you should always be tracking and making decisions based on data.

-Kelsey Meyer of Influence & Co

Leverage Different Media Mediums

There used to only be so many media outlets for marketing your business. Now with video, podcasts, live webinars, live streaming (Facebook) etc., there are an incredible number of mediums out there to spread the word about your company. Someone in a marketing role these days needs to understand not only how all of these work, but also which ones will be most effective for your business.

-Sean Ogle of Location Rebel 

Knowledge of Video and Graphics

Great videos and graphical content are at the forefront of social media. If you cannot work with video and graphics to tell a story, your social media platforms are going to struggle to take off. These are now a must for any marketing hire.

-Murray Newlands of Sighted

Ability to Adapt

The marketing world had a complete overhaul in the past 10 years, and continues to change each day. Whether it's in fields like SEO or even in simple webpage elements, we can expect it to change even more. It's crucial for anyone in the marketing field to be able to adapt to new responsibilities they will most likely have in the future.

-Elliot Bohm of Cardcash

Effective Writing Skills

It's one of the oldest competencies in the book, but is more essential than ever in the new media environment. With the importance of email and online communication, effective writing skills are of paramount importance to set any marketer apart. Compelling content begins with effective and engaging written communication.

-Lindsay Tanne of LogicPrep 

Understanding of Workflow Automation

Standard drip campaigns still have a place, but automating and adapting to customer interaction is key. Tools like Active Campaign and HubSpot provide new ways to automate a wide range of information to specific customer interests. It takes a bit to get your head around this and can be a mess if not managed properly, hence the importance of having someone that understands the concept.

-Josh Sprague of Orange Mud 

Ability to Convey Honesty

The new shopper – the online customer – is savvy. They already know what native marketing is. They need to know that they're being marketed to in a respectful and transparent way. Marketing no longer needs to be slick, it needs to promote brand trust. Find a marketer who can convey trustworthiness and transparency and your marketing will thrive.

-Andrew Namminga of Andesign

Great Storytelling Abilities

A compelling and confident storyteller is someone who can guide clients through complex challenges, develop unique and inspiring viewpoints and inspire new ideas that that can change the way consumers engage with your brand.

-Ryan Stoner of Phenomenon 

A Good Balance of Marketing and Computer Science Experience

With so much weight being placed on all forms of digital and online marketing, it's vital to hire someone who has a real computer background on top of their marketing experience. Our CMO, who holds degrees in both computer science and media, finds marketing tricks that none of our competitors are exploiting — it's truly the nexus of creative thinking and technical know-how.

-Nicholas Nadjarian of Industrial Motor Power

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Young Entrepreneur Council (YEC) is an invite-only organization comprised of the world's most promising young entrepreneurs. YEC members generate billions of dollars in revenue and have created tens of thousands of jobs.
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