May 30, 2017

Here’s how a typical introduction goes for me these days.

Me: Hi, I’m Sebastian. I own my own digital marketing business. (Big smile)
Person: Oh cool! (Somewhat confused look on their face)
Person: I’m so and so. What exactly does a digital marketer do? (Smile)
Me: Well… (long drawn explanation of what I do)
Person: Ohhhhh! So you make websites!
Me: Yes! And much more.

In the simplest of terms, a digital marketer is an individual who specializes in marketing businesses online. They develop, implement, execute and report on strategies surrounding everything from: web design and development to search engine optimization to email marketing to social media marketing to content marketing to online advertising and much more. Typically a digital marketer holds some type of education in advertising or marketing however due to the ever evolving nature of the tactics they specialize in, many digital marketers are self taught (myself included).

What are the primary goals of a digital marketer?

The goals a digital marketer are developed on a project by project basis however they typically include some form of the following. (Credit: Hubspot)

1. Attract – Generate traffic using blogs, social media, SEO etc.
2. Convert – Turn that traffic into leads using landing pages, forms and calls to action
3. Close – Develop strategies to turn those leads into sales
4. Delight – Keep customers and clients happy with on-going email and social media

How is digital marketing different than traditional marketing?

Digital marketing differs from traditional marketing (print, radio, TV etc.) in several ways. The biggest difference between the two is the instant gratification people expect when interacting with a business online. Whether it be a customer support request on social media or a sale on a product-based website, people want an answer immediately. This means businesses must constantly be online or at least have automated systems that can support their customers need for instant gratification.

Another big difference between the two is the quantifiable metrics digital marketing provides to businesses. In real-time, businesses can get information on everything from website traffic to conversions to sales. They can check how many potential customers viewed their ad and how many clicked it. They can setup A/B tests of emails, content, lead generation forms etc. to determine which are working better than others and how they can be improved upon next time around. Stats like these are just not available with traditional marketing campaigns.

What does a digital marketer do?

Here’s a full list of all the services a digital marketer can provide.

• Website design and development
• Social media setup and marketing
• Email marketing
• Content marketing
• Search engine optimization
• Search engine marketing
• Online ad purchasing
• Re-marketing
• Video marketing
• Website optimization
• Reporting