Digital Marketing Manager
Despite the current economic climate, the demand for digital marketing managers is growing. They are responsible for developing, implementing, and managing digital marketing campaigns to promote a brand, product, or service. Their duties typically include analysing market trends and customer behaviour, identifying target audiences, creating engaging content, managing social media and email marketing campaigns, and measuring and reporting campaign performance.
Digital Marketing Managers may also work closely with other teams, such as web developers, graphic designers, and sales teams, to ensure that marketing efforts are aligned with overall business goals and objectives. Additionally, they stay updated with digital marketing trends and technologies to improve campaign performance continuously.
Depending on the size and structure of the organisation, digital marketing managers may manage a team of people, such as social media specialists, content creators, and email marketers. They would be responsible for delegating tasks, providing guidance and support, and overseeing the overall strategy and execution of the team’s work.
In smaller companies, digital marketing managers often work alone, handling all aspects of digital marketing in-house. They may, however, collaborate with external vendors or freelancers for specific tasks like web development or graphic design. In this case, rather than being a manager of people, they manage the marketing function of the business.
Technical Skills to Look For on a Digital Marketing Manager’s CV
The technical skills a digital marketing manager must have vary wildly depending on their organisation, industry, and specific role. However, here are some technical skills that are generally considered essential for a digital marketing manager:
Knowledge and experience in managing paid advertising campaigns on various platforms, including Google Ads, Bing Ads, social media advertising, programmatic advertising, and other ad networks.
Ability to analyse and interpret data from web analytics tools such as Google Analytics, Google Search Console and other platforms to measure the success of marketing campaigns.
Digital Marketing Managers are expected to have experience optimising website content, meta tags, and URLs (On-page SEO), implementing link-building strategies and outreaching (Off-page SEO) as well as a general understanding of technical SEO, such as website architecture, site speed, mobile optimisation, and schema markups.
Digital Marketers are expected to manage and publish content and have a solid understanding of plugins and extensions. WordPress is the most common CMS platform, but E-Commerce employers might look to hire Digital Marketing Managers with strong Shopify or Magento experience.
Ability to develop and execute effective social media marketing campaigns on various platforms to increase brand awareness, engagement, and loyalty. Digital Marketing Managers often work closely with Social Media Managers and Paid Social professionals.
Understanding user experience (UX) principles and conversion rate optimisation (CRO) techniques to optimise website and landing page performance can be advantageous, as well as having a basic understanding of HTML, CSS and JavaScript, and graphic design tools, such as Figma, Photoshop or Illustrator.
Knowledge of email marketing strategies and best practices, including segmentation, list building, automation, and personalisation to drive engagement and conversion. With the rise of AI, marketing automation is becoming mainstream; Digital Marketing Marketers are expected to understand automated workflows and be able to set up lead-generation campaigns, test messages and nurture leads using automation tools such as HubSpot, Marketo, Pardot or Zapier.
Ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously, collaborate with cross-functional teams, and deliver projects on time and within budget, using project management tools such as Trello, Asana, ClickUp or Airtable.
Soft Skills To Look For In A Digital Marketing Manager
Soft skills are essential for a digital marketing manager, as they drive success. Here are some crucial soft skills hiring managers should look for when considering candidates for a digital marketing manager position:
A digital marketing manager must have excellent written and verbal communication skills. Day-to-day, they communicate with various stakeholders, including clients, customers, team members, and senior management. More importantly, an essential part of a marketing manager’s job is effectively communicating with their target audience.
Collaboration skills are essential for digital marketing managers, who often work with cross-functional teams, including designers, developers, sales teams, and external vendors.
Leadership qualities are valuable in digital marketing managers, even when they are not responsible for managing a team. Such qualities enable them to effectively self-manage, think strategically, collaborate with stakeholders, drive continuous improvement, and navigate challenges. They demonstrate accountability, strategic thinking, adaptability, and the ability to influence others, contributing to the overall success of marketing efforts.
Digital marketing is an ever-changing industry, and a successful digital marketing manager must be adaptable to change and able to pivot strategies and tactics as needed.
A digital marketing manager must be able to analyse data and make data-driven decisions to improve the performance of marketing campaigns.
A successful digital marketing manager should be able to think outside the box and develop creative solutions to marketing challenges.
Digital marketing managers often juggle multiple projects and must prioritise tasks effectively to meet deadlines and deliver results.
A digital marketing manager must be able to think strategically and develop long-term marketing plans that align with business goals and objectives.
A digital marketing manager should be customer-focused, with a deep understanding of customer needs, preferences, and behaviours, and the ability to develop marketing campaigns that resonate with customers.
A successful digital marketing manager should be passionate about the industry and committed to staying up-to-date with the latest digital marketing trends, technologies, and best practices.
Should Digital Marketing Managers Have A Degree?
Digital marketing managers are often not degree-qualified. While having a relevant degree in marketing, communications, or a related field can be beneficial and provide a solid foundation of knowledge, there are other paths to a career in digital marketing. Many digital marketing managers gain expertise through practical experience, self-study, online courses, certifications, and continuous learning. Demonstrating skills, knowledge, and experience in digital marketing, along with a strong portfolio showcasing successful campaigns, can be just as important, if not more so, in securing a digital marketing manager role.
Depending on their specialism, Digital Marketing Managers might prove their skills by having any of the following on their CV:
- Google Ads and Analytics Certifications
- HubSpot Inbound Marketing Certification
- Hootsuite Social Media Marketing Certification
- Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM) Certification
- Digital Marketing Institute Professional Certification
- Content Marketing Institute Certification
- SalesForce Marketing Cloud Certification
Challenges Employers Face When Hiring Digital Marketing Managers
Employers may face several challenges when hiring digital marketing managers. Below, we list some of the most common:
The demand for skilled digital marketing managers is high, but the supply of qualified candidates with the right technical expertise and experience is limited, making it difficult for employers to source the right digital marketer to direct their projects.
Digital marketing is an area of constant change. New technologies, platforms, and new trends emerge every week. Consequently, employers must find digital marketers who can keep up with these changes and adapt their marketing strategies accordingly.
Organisations seek candidates with hard skills and strong soft skills, such as good communication, leadership, and problem-solving skills, to manage their marketing team and interact with stakeholders effectively. It’s never easy to find a marketeer with a strong technical skill set and the right character traits for the role when you are a busy head of marketing!
Some industries have specific marketing challenges and regulations that digital marketing managers must know. For example, individuals working in fintech companies must comply with FCA guidelines and GDPR, while someone working in medtech should be aware of the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA). Finding a candidate with specific knowledge in a particular industry in a sector already suffering from skills shortages can be challenging.
Hiring a highly qualified digital marketing manager can be expensive, and some organisations may not have the budget to offer competitive salaries or benefits packages. That’s why SMEs often hire digital marketing managers to carry out the weight of their marketing campaigns, working with external marketing contractors or marketing agencies.
Digital marketing managers are in high demand, and turnover can be high. To retain their digital marketing talent, employers need to create a supportive work environment and provide opportunities for growth and development.
Start Growing Your Marketing Team With Our Help
Overcoming the challenges of hiring digital marketing managers is only possible when you have a recruitment partner. This is what more than 20 years of experience and industry knowledge will mean to you:
We have a network and database of qualified digital marketing professionals. When you work with us, you tap into this extensive network of digital marketing candidates with the specific skills and experience you require.
Our experience and expertise in screening and evaluating candidates for digital marketing roles save you time. We conduct thorough assessments, shortlist CVs, and conduct preliminary interviews to identify your most suitable candidates.
With two decades of experience in the digital marketing industry, we understand the specific requirements of niche sectors, including FinTech, MedTech, and more. This positions us excellently to match candidates with the knowledge and compliance understanding you require.
Hiring can be a time-consuming process. We handle the initial stages of candidate sourcing, screening, and shortlisting, saving you valuable time. Leaving your recruitment process in our capable hands enables you to focus on core activities. Our expertise can lead to more efficient hiring decisions, reducing the risk of costly hiring mistakes.
We stay up-to-date with market trends, salary ranges and candidate expectations. With this valuable information, we guide employers on competitive salary offers and market insights, ensuring our clients attract and retain top digital marketing talent.
Closing the deal and onboarding are the riskiest points in the recruitment lifecycle. Trusting us to act as intermediaries between employers and candidates, assisting in salary negotiations, clarifying expectations, and facilitating the offer acceptance process ensures a smoother and more positive experience for both parties.
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