By Tanmay Das
This article will answer questions like “Why learn digital marketing?” and “Is digital marketing a good career”? If you are considering a career in digital marketing, this article will tell you the required skills, education, salary prospects and different career options. Ultimately, you will know the top 10 tips to start a career in digital marketing and how to grow in the competitive industry.
Companies are building their online presence and increasingly investing in it. As a result, digital marketing has become one of the most lucrative career choices. Today, in the world of rapid digitisation, digital marketing is an incredibly fulfilling career that is also future-proof. You just need to know how to kickstart your career, what skills to focus on and how to navigate the industry.
It is a highly competitive industry. So, if you want to succeed in a digital marketing career, these top 10 digital marketing tips for beginners are just what you need to set yourself up for long-term success.
Are you wondering if digital marketing is a good career? The digital marketing industry is flourishing by the minute. It is projected to reach $1.3 trillion by 2033, with a CAGR of 13.6%. More than 860,000 jobs are in the global digital marketing industry, and the number is growing. In 2026, the digital marketing industry’s global revenue is predicted to grow by 10.4%.
More and more companies are moving online. Thus, the demand for digital marketing professionals is also increasing. Along with that, a digital marketing career also offers the flexibility to work remotely across different job roles.
If you are still wondering why learn digital marketing, these statistics and the flexible digital marketing career paths speak for themselves.
Content Marketing:
In 1996, talking about digital marketing in his essay, Bill Gates said, “Content is king”. To this day, this famous phrase still holds. However, in a saturated online world, only good content rules. Everyone with a computer and network access posts content on the internet every day. That’s why digital marketers must produce high-quality content for their online business to rank high in the search engine pages.
Social Media:
Social media marketing is not just about posting on social accounts every day. You must clearly understand your target audience, your niche market and the strengths you can leverage from each social media platform. You need to understand the concept of utilizing algorithms to increase audience engagement, boost posts, hashtags, groups and paid ads.
Strategic Thinking:
To succeed as a digital marketer, you need to be able to think strategically. It is not just about following techniques. Your efforts should align with your marketing goals.
Performance Marketing:
You need to have a clear understanding of PPC (Pay-Per Click) advertising, email marketing campaigns, affiliate marketing and SEM (Search Engine Marketing) and use these concepts to develop a consistent brand presence and build up online reputation.
Creative Skills:
As a digital marketer, you need to have creativity in terms of coming up with ideas to attract and engage the target audience. A talented individual in digital marketing must be creative and know how to use his creative thinking ability to his advantage.
Tech Skills:
Digital marketing is a technology-driven industry. Therefore, you need to be proficient with digital marketing tools like Semrush, Content Management Systems (CMS), Google Analytics, Ahrefs, HubsSpot, Google Ads, etc.
Analytical Skills:
Having good analytical skills is crucial to being successful in your digital marketing career. It involves having a grasp over how the performance metrics function and how your marketing strategies are impacted.
Soft Skills:
Soft skills are essential to be a confident digital marketer. Effective communication skills, good teamwork capabilities, the ability to adapt to changes and collaborating with the clients and stakeholders are all part of the essential soft skills required for pursuing a digital marketing career.
Storytelling:
You have to have storytelling abilities to build a career in digital marketing. When it comes to engaging the audience with your online business, your brand must tell stories. It is a powerful force to drive more engagement and conversions.
CRM (Customer Relationship Management):
A successful digital marketer needs to be proficient with CRM platforms, SEO tools and data analysis techniques to handle customer data, nurture leads and build a strong customer base.
Education | Description |
Bachelor’s Degree | To pursue a career in digital marketing, it is preferred to be a graduate with a bachelor’s degree (10+2+3 or equivalent), however, it is not mandatory. |
Certifications | Getting Advanced certification in Digital Marketing from a reputable organization highly increases your value to employers and regards you as an eligible candidate to hire for specialized roles. |
Online Digital Marketing Courses | Besides a graduate degree, doing an online course on digital marketing provides a solid boost to digital marketing beginners and is also preferred by hiring companies. |
Workshops | Partaking in digital marketing workshops gives you exposure to real-world projects and a scope for professional development. |
Salary prospects for entry-level positions such as Digital Marketing Intern or Assistant range from 1.5 to 2 lakhs per annum. For mid-level positions such as SEO Specialist, your salary ranges from 5LPA to 7LPA. For a highly experienced candidate (10+ years), it can range between 10 to 12 LPA.
Digital marketing professionals can also work as freelancers and earn more. If you do consulting work, your earnings will vary depending on the type of projects and the number of clients.
Certain niches in digital marketing, such as PPC and Data Analytics, offer higher pay due to the increased demand for experienced professionals with these specialized skills.
Career Path | Description |
SEO Specialist | To become an SEO Specialist, you need to possess certain skillsets, which essentially include analytical thinking, problem-solving skills, keyword skills and knowledge of algorithms. |
Social Media Manager | Be proficient in engagement strategies, community building, and performance tracking. |
PPC Expert | A demanding career choice for professionals with the right skills. You will closely work with the data analysts. |
Content Writer | Requires creative writing skills and a clear grasp of SEO-friendly content. |
Graphic Designer | You need to learn graphic design tools and techs to build online brand identities with appealing visuals. |
Digital Marketer | Requires a strong sense of campaign management and execution. A successful digital marketer must have good leadership abilities. |
If you are looking to break into the world of digital marketing, these 10 digital marketing tips for beginners will get you started right away.
1. Networking
Get to know other professionals working in the digital marketing industry. Build a strong network that can work as your support system as well as a door to new opportunities. The best way to build a strong network is to attend workshops, boot camps and industry meetups.
2. Personal Projects
It is always rewarding to work on your projects and not just blindly follow others’ advice. Choose ideas that fuel your passion and give your best. It also helps you master your skills in niches like SEO, social media, content creation and so on.
3. Build Portfolio
Build a professional portfolio to showcase your knowledge, skillset, professional experience and body of work. A professional portfolio is highly preferred by employers, and clients tend to be more impressed when you have a compact documentation to prove your credibility, especially if you are freelancing or giving consultancy. It is like a well-documented proof of your expertise.
4. Leverage AI
Work smart by leveraging AI capabilities. Using AI with tools like Semrush, Canva can make your life easier by ensuring smoother workflows and higher accuracy if you are mindful and strategic about using it.
5. Bag Certificates
If you want to stand out in the digital marketing hiring landscape, certifications are a must. They validate you as a valuable candidate and boost your portfolio, too. Bagging an Advanced Certification In Digital Marketing from a trusted organisation will give you the credibility you need to launch your digital marketing career with confidence.
6. Keep Updating Yourself
Keep up-to-date with the latest industry trends, tools and technologies used in the digital marketing field. For example, what SEO, PPC, and analytics tools are currently preferred by the industry experts, how the algorithms are operating on social platforms, etc. Having current knowledge about these areas will help you build your marketing strategies more efficiently.
7. Create A Solid Online Presence
Build a strong online visibility for your personal brand. It is crucial to have a strong and updated professional LinkedIn profile so that employers can notice you and reach you. It is even better to have freelancing profiles that are well-documented or your own website if you are open to offering consulting services.
8. Focus on A Niche
Pick one particular niche that you find the most interesting. For example, SEO, content writing, graphic designing or social media. Dig more in-depth to uncover advanced skills in that niche. It helps you build more authority and increase your demand when applying for specialised job roles.
9. Join Online Communities
Collaborate with other working professionals by joining LinkedIn communities, Slack groups, etc. It is great for networking and finding opportunities for growth and learning when you are starting a career in digital marketing as a beginner.
10. Stay Open to Learning
A digital marketing career is highly demanding and rapidly growing with high competition in the industry. Therefore, you need to keep evolving with the fast-changing pace. Adaptability is a valuable skill to have to succeed here. You need to be passionate about your job. And keep practising as they say “Practice makes perfect”. Learning never stops.
The digital marketing industry is full of opportunities and is expected to grow more in the near future. So, now is the perfect time to consider a career in digital marketing. It offers enough flexibility and growth if you know how to navigate the digital marketing industry’s waters. These 10 tips to start a career in digital marketing will help you boost your confidence towards building a rewarding career path. Just remember to keep showing up, and success will come to you.
1. Is certification in digital marketing necessary?
Doing an Advanced Certification Course in Digital Marketing will boost your resume and add credibility to your expertise and commitment, especially if you are a digital marketing professional at the beginning of your career.
2. SEO vs PPC vs SMM – which is better?
SEO deals with developing strategies to rank websites in search pages and with content optimisation to increase traffic. PPC is about managing paid ads. If you are good with numbers, PPC can be good for you. On the other hand, SMM deals with creating engaging content and attracting an audience on social platforms. So, it depends on you, and on what interests you the most.
3. Can I get a good job by just learning SEO?
Yes, if you build a strong SEO skillset, you can land specialised roles as an SEO Executive or Specialist. However, you should have a basic understanding of other digital marketing concepts to grow your value.
4. How much time does it take to learn digital marketing?
To become certified through an advanced digital marketing course, you will need around 6 months.
5. Can a non-graduate learn digital marketing?
A graduate degree is not mandatory to learn digital marketing. However, having a bachelor’s degree is preferred by most employers.
6. How to take advantage of AI tools in digital marketing?
AI can be leveraged in content research, campaign management, SEO audits, graphic designing and many other digital marketing niches. Using AI tools wisely can improve your creativity, results and project quality.