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What is a digital marketing specialist and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
Quoted experts
Dr. Gail Hudson Ph.D.,
Michelle R. Eubanks
introduction image

A digital marketing specialist develops and executes marketing campaigns for businesses using channels such as social media, email, and search engines. They are responsible for creating strategies that increase brand awareness, drive traffic to websites, and generate leads. The role requires strong analytical skills to measure the performance of campaigns and make data-driven decisions. Digital marketing specialists must stay up-to-date with the latest trends and technologies in the industry to ensure their campaigns are effective.

What general advice would you give to a digital marketing specialist?

Dr. Gail Hudson Ph.D.Dr. Gail Hudson Ph.D. LinkedIn profile

Director, College of Business Internship Program, Arkansas State University

As the world has shown us most recently, we need to be flexible as the marketplace can change, without warning.
The need to differentiate yourself from others will always be necessary, so keep learning while you are in school and beyond.
I believe that technology and social media skills will continue to be necessary. Seek and achieve as many certifications as possible to hone these skills and differentiate yourself in the market.
ScoreDigital Marketing SpecialistUS Average
Salary
4.7

Avg. Salary $60,359

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level
4.9

Growth rate 19%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity
3.0
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.13%

Asian 12.35%

Black or African American 5.00%

Hispanic or Latino 11.93%

Unknown 4.96%

White 65.62%

Gender

female 48.94%

male 51.06%

Age - 34
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 34
Stress level
4.9

Stress level is manageable

7.1 - high

Complexity level
8.2

Complexity level is challenging

7 - challenging

Work life balance
4.6

Work life balance is fair

6.4 - fair

What are the pros and cons of being a digital marketing specialist?

Pros

  • High demand for digital marketing specialists

  • Opportunity to work in a variety of industries

  • Flexibility to work remotely

  • Ability to work with cutting-edge technology and tools

  • Chance to be creative and innovative

Cons

  • High-pressure environment with tight deadlines

  • Need to constantly prove ROI for campaigns

  • Can be challenging to balance creativity with strategy

  • May require extensive travel for client meetings or events

  • Can be difficult to keep up with the competition

Digital marketing specialist career paths

Key steps to become a digital marketing specialist

  1. Explore digital marketing specialist education requirements

    Most common digital marketing specialist degrees

    Bachelor's

    76.4 %

    Master's

    10.1 %

    Associate

    8.1 %
  2. Start to develop specific digital marketing specialist skills

    SkillsPercentages
    Digital Marketing23.34%
    Marketing Campaigns5.58%
    Email Marketing5.16%
    Google Analytics4.47%
    B Testing4.04%
  3. Complete relevant digital marketing specialist training and internships

    Accountants spend an average of 1-3 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New digital marketing specialists learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a digital marketing specialist based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real digital marketing specialist resumes.
  4. Research digital marketing specialist duties and responsibilities

    • Manage and distribution integrate product promotion campaigns (B2B and B2C).
    • Set up and manage campaigns on Facebook and LinkedIn including tracking and conversions.
    • Manage photography department in office and on location in numerous national ad campaign shoots.
    • Manage Facebook ads, AdWords and LinkedIn ads while ensuring marketing message consistent with the company goals and objectives.
  5. Prepare your digital marketing specialist resume

    When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your digital marketing specialist resume.

    You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a digital marketing specialist resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

    Choose from 10+ customizable digital marketing specialist resume templates

    Build a professional digital marketing specialist resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your digital marketing specialist resume.
    Digital Marketing Specialist Resume
    Digital Marketing Specialist Resume
    Digital Marketing Specialist Resume
    Digital Marketing Specialist Resume
    Digital Marketing Specialist Resume
    Digital Marketing Specialist Resume
    Digital Marketing Specialist Resume
    Digital Marketing Specialist Resume
    Digital Marketing Specialist Resume
  6. Apply for digital marketing specialist jobs

    Now it's time to start searching for a digital marketing specialist job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

    1. Browse job boards for relevant postings
    2. Consult your professional network
    3. Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
    4. Watch out for job scams

How did you land your first digital marketing specialist job

Zippi

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Average digital marketing specialist salary

The average digital marketing specialist salary in the United States is $60,359 per year or $29 per hour. Digital marketing specialist salaries range between $44,000 and $81,000 per year.

Average digital marketing specialist salary
$60,359 Yearly
$29.02 hourly

What am I worth?

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How do digital marketing specialists rate their job?

-/5

5 stars

4 stars

3 stars

2 stars

1 star

Digital marketing specialist reviews

profile
A zippia user wrote a review on Apr 2020
Pros

The ability to do tasks in a lot of different areas of marketing

Cons

Having to work with clients


profile
A zippia user wrote a review on Nov 2019
Cons

There was a learning about SEO and all the data behind it. Wasn’t taught in school and supervisors were new to it.


profile
A zippia user wrote a review on May 2019
Pros

Overseeing printing For direct mail. Packaging design Developing hot mail list.

Cons

Unreasonable deadlines.


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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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