The digital marketing career field is one of the most rapidly evolving and in-demand sectors in the world. Businesses across the globe have either adopted or are preparing to adopt a digitized marketing model. These companies are seeking talented marketing professionals to oversee their campaigns and help them connect with consumers in a meaningful way.

While this shift has encouraged thousands of people to pursue a marketing career, many are not sure where to begin. You may have even encountered this challenge yourself. This is understandable, as the marketing career path is futuristic and complex. 

With that in mind, the experts at Galactic Fed have created this roadmap to a career in marketing. Below, we highlight 3 digital marketing career opportunities that you shouldn’t miss. We answer important questions like “What is a media specialist?” and “What does a common digital strategist career path look like?”

Read on and learn more about these exciting career pathways from the passionate marketing nerds at Galactic Fed.

Why Pursue a Career in Marketing?

There are many different reasons why you should pursue a career in marketing. First and foremost, digital marketing careers are incredibly exciting. Each day, you will get to tackle new challenges, flex your creativity, and help your organization achieve its growth goals.

Another reason to consider this field is that digital marketing professionals are in high demand. Once you acquire the requisite skills, you can pursue rewarding job opportunities in a variety of sectors. Businesses in virtually every field are looking for skilled marketing pros to manage their digital presence. 

And lest you think it may not be worth the effort, these professionals are well-compensated for their efforts. This table from Comparably highlights the national salary range for digital marketing managers.

Source: Comparably

As you will notice, low-end salaries for digital marketing managers are just under $20,000. However, this figure is somewhat misleading. Many digital marketing professionals take on freelance work, resulting in more part-time work than salaried positions. 

While even small businesses need digital marketing services, these companies rarely have the funds necessary to hire a full-time team. Instead, they will outsource and use the services of freelancers. Therefore, you should think of that $18K in earnings as part-time income. 

Another factor that skews the above salary scale is that some digital marketing pros juggle multiple responsibilities at their company. Again, this is common among small businesses. 

In contrast, the median salary for digital marketing managers (and more along the lines of what you might expect) is nearly $100,000. 

But enough about numbers. Let’s get into the exciting stuff, like our picks for the top three career marketing paths and the journey you can take to these professions. 

Common Digital Marketing Career Progression Arcs

Even if you have a nose for digital marketing, you can’t step right into a mid-level or supervisory position. Instead, you will likely start your journey as a digital media specialist. 

As the name suggests, digital media specialists “specialize” in one area of marketing. Some study search engine optimization, whereas others focus on running paid search campaigns. Social media marketing is another wildly popular digital media specialty. 

We suggest researching each specialty and pursuing the one that appeals to you. You may find that you do not want to branch out into management roles. On the other hand, you might decide to learn other specialties after you master one digital marketing skill set. 

As you acquire new skills and accumulate experience, additional career opportunities will emerge. 

Top 3 Marketing Career Paths

Finally, it’s time to highlight our picks for the top 3 marketing career paths. These pathways include the following:

1. Digital Marketing Manager

A digital marketing manager oversees all virtual brand-building efforts. They work with SEO, paid search, and social media specialists to create winning campaigns. Digital marketing managers must maintain a high level overview of the company’s strategy. 

You will need several years of marketing experience to be eligible for this role. Also, you will need a strong understanding of each digital marketing speciality. If you are unfamiliar with one or more fields of digital marketing, you will not be able to effectively manage the team. 

If you have an interest in this marketing career path, you will need to acquire a diverse range of experience. You will also probably need to take on a mid-level role after gaining experience as a specialist. 

1. Digital Media Specialist

Digital media specialists are primarily responsible for creating content that will be used in digital marketing campaigns. If you want to join the ranks of these talented professionals, you will likely need a digital media degree. However, some employers will hire individuals that have obtained digital media certifications in lieu of a four-year degree.

Since they are tasked with making content for many different mediums, digital marketing specialists need to understand the key tenets of social media marketing, SEO, and videography. Social media-based marketing is one of the most powerful tools used by digital media specialists. As a result, the roles and responsibilities of a “digital media specialist” and “social media specialists” are nearly identical, as evidenced by the chart below.

Source: Medium

1. Digital Strategist

A digital strategist is one type of mid-level digital marketing professional. These individuals exist in the void between specialists and the digital marketing manager. The digital marketing strategist combines multiple disciplines to create a cohesive brand-building plan.

If you like planning and have a knack for looking at the big picture, a career as a digital strategist might be for you. Great digital strategists have a strong grasp of each digital marketing specialty. They also know how to combine various marketing elements in order to help their company achieve growth goals. 

How to Launch Your Marketing Career

If you are ready to pursue a career in marketing, the first step is to determine what discipline interests you. Some top options include paid search, search engine optimization, social media marketing, and content creation. 

From there, find programs that teach valuable skills related to your area of interest. These programs come in the form of four-year degrees or condensed multi-month online courses. Select the route that best aligns with your goals, personal responsibilities, and preferences.

If you would like to learn more about digital marketing or a digital marketing career, check out the Galactic Fed blog. Our team tackles important digital marketing topics in a way that is fun, educational, and informative.