A digital marketing strategist is a creative mind behind a company’s online advertising efforts. Digital marketing strategists are responsible for planning, guiding, and supporting the execution of various digital marketing campaigns.
Creative and tech-savvy, digital marketing strategists can audit existing advertising methods used by a brand to determine which are having the right impact on a specific audience. These experts are also effective at analyzing the competition, looking for trends in promotional strategies, and pinpointing changing expectations among customers.
Digital marketing strategists need an aptitude for data so they can analyze the results of both their own campaigns and those of competitors, to move marketing strategies forward. While strategists will often help digital marketing specialists and content creators produce campaigns, they’re involved more with planning than production.
Digital Marketing Strategist Responsibilities
The role of a digital marketing strategist can vary depending on a company’s needs. Some employers will use their strategists primarily as consultants, asking them to analyze inbound marketing trends, and suggest potential campaign opportunities.
As experts in digital advertising, strategists will usually have a range of responsibilities to consider, including:
- Market analysis: Collecting information about a target audience, competitor marketing campaigns, and advertising trends associated with a specific industry.
- Auditing and analysis: Strategists will need to audit previous campaigns and analyze existing marketing strategies to determine which are driving the best results.
- Marketing campaign development: Digital strategists will need to identify opportunities to use digital channels to enhance the overall marketing strategy, using avenues like email, content creation, or social media.
- Search engine optimization: An online marketing strategist will often work with other professionals in the marketing team to find search engine optimization opportunities and develop inbound marketing campaigns.
- Brand management: Strategists may be involved with implementing various frameworks for building brand equity and value online.
Digital Marketing Strategist Skills and Education
As the digital methods used by brands to connect with customers continue to evolve, the skills required of a digital strategist also change.
Professionals hoping to maintain a successful career in digital marketing will often need to commit to ongoing education and learning.
Digital strategists need to be skilled in various aspects of digital marketing, from SEO to social media advertising.
They’ll need to know how to analyze the competition and a company’s target audience, to come up with sophisticated strategies for building brand awareness and capturing leads.
Most recruiters are looking for candidates with at least a bachelor’s degree in communications, or marketing. An online marketing strategist may also need:
- Proficiency and certification in Google Ads and Analytics
- Knowledge of how to use common analytics and marketing tools
- Planning, strategizing, and problem-solving skills
- Basic knowledge of SEO and search engine tools
- Knowledge of public relations, journalism, and brand-building techniques
- Insights into social media marketing methods
- Basic knowledge of email marketing and lead nurturing techniques
Commitment to consistently updating your education with new information about the latest marketing trends and digital strategies will be essential too.
