3 May 2017

The Changing Role Of Modern Marketers – What You Need To Know

THE CHANGING ROLE OF MODERN MARKETERS

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

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Photograph: Carlos Muza

It’s all gone digital. Big data has changed the way in which consumers can be targeted, reached and understood by marketers. Marketers now have more access to consumer information than ever before which is why it is vital to have the required skills and understanding to tackle this mass of data and use it advantageously.

A word from Luke Jedeikin –  client, employer and industry leader . . .

We asked Luke Jedeikin, Co-CEO of Superbalist, for his thoughts on the changing scope of marketing:

The rise of digital has meant channels, tools and tactics are ever-evolving. Marketers need a wide variety of skills and redefined roles to remain competitive. Big data for consumer insights, programmatic for media buying and branded content for brand storytelling are just some of the new innovation areas. The most effective marketing now demands the seamless intersection of quantitative analytical skills and qualitative creative skills. Marketers and their organisations have to adapt accordingly.”

And from the recruiters . . .

From a recruiter’s perspective, performance marketing is definitely the skillset that is in the highest demand at the moment. We have found that our clients demand this specific skillset and that candidates with a stronger analytical/mathematical background tend to have more success when hunting for jobs. There are two approaches to performance marketers – either you have a strong technical background or a strong academic background. As recruiters we believe that experience and upskilling yourself goes hand in hand. You can’t expect growth if you stagnate in your trade. It’s not always good to be a jack of all trades, but within Digital Marketing it can be the difference between your career progressing and standing still. Most of these skills can be self-taught online or through various schools such as Red and Yellow.

So what are these skills?

The modern marketer can no longer thrive when only producing big, splashy, cleverly-worded ads. The scope of marketing has become far more data driven and the effects are measurable. So what do you need to know?

  1. Data Science And Analytics. Web Analytics, Tracking and bid management. Be able to analyse and measure customer interaction and behaviour in order to produce reports with relevant strategic insights. One great resource for learning these skills is Google Analytics Academy.

  2. Basic Coding Knowledge. Understanding of and experience with WordPress. Free online coding courses can be completed with Codecademy .

  3. SEO and PPC.  Experience with AdWords, Bing, Display Advertising. SEO and PPC qualifications can be acquired through Google Adwords and Google Webmaster courses.

  4. Strong Statistical And Numerical Skills. Have strong numerical and analytical abilities and be able to accurately target media spend and measure ROI. Be proficient in Excel.

  5. Programmatic/Real Time Bidding. Programmatic / Real time bidding provides a competitive advantage for both a company and a marketer. Experience in ad servers and tools such as DoubleClick are advantageous to be able to optimise media spend.

It’s time to start upskilling yourself. The age of digital not only has new skill requirements but also provides all of the resources to learn these skills. So what are you waiting for?

For more information in the area of digital marketing, whether you’re looking to add new skills to your team or have any queries regarding these skills, please contact our specialist in the field, Tanya Behrendt – tanya@recruitdigital.co.za

where to find us

304 manhattan place, 130 bree street, cape town, 8001

info@recruitdigital.co.za / 021 424 6865