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Digital Marketing in 5 Minutes
A rapid-fire guide to the basics of digital marketing management for anyone looking to understand the industry at a glance. Ideal for prospective new entrants who want to find out more.
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Digital Marketing Manager
A digital marketing manager oversees all aspects of creating, executing and then monitoring the performance of online marketing campaigns. A successful manager will need to understand key areas such as a content creation, keyword research, digital outreach and email marketing strategy. Depending on the size of the business, they would either be fulfilling all of these tasks on an as-needed basis or directing a team of specialists.
Digital marketing management lends itself to in-person, remote, and hybrid working and is a skill that will be increasingly in demand as more and more business is done online. Many digital marketing managers began their careers by specialising in one aspect of digital marketing and then expanding their skillset.
Digital marketing management lends itself to in-person, remote, and hybrid working and is a skill that will be increasingly in demand as more and more business is done online. Many digital marketing managers began their careers by specialising in one aspect of digital marketing and then expanding their skillset.
Summary
If you have a flair for creative problem solving and feel comfortable working with figures and senior stakeholders, working as a digital marketing manager could be a highly rewarding career.
There are no formal entry requirements, with many senior figures in the industry beginning as freelancers or interns. From there it is typical for a digital marketer to specialise in one or more areas before then taking charge of larger projects. Some do this as the head of an in-house team for a business, while others are consultants or run their own external digital marketing agencies.
A digital marketing manager will have a detailed understanding of all aspects of digital marketing and the ability to network with specialists and influencers. The role lends itself to hybrid working, provides a good work-life-balance and offers a blend of strategy, account / client management and hands-on creative tasks. The need to connect with board members, sales managers and other stakeholders means 100% remote working is not always practical in more senior roles.
A good digital marketing manager will understand the nuances of all types of content (text, image, video) and know how to combine them with SEO and advertising best practices. They will also be adept at mastering emerging forms of media and leveraging new platforms.
Email marketing manager, AdWords specialist and Senior Copywriter are all positions that are open to the right digital marketing manager should they wish to pivot.
There are no formal entry requirements, with many senior figures in the industry beginning as freelancers or interns. From there it is typical for a digital marketer to specialise in one or more areas before then taking charge of larger projects. Some do this as the head of an in-house team for a business, while others are consultants or run their own external digital marketing agencies.
A digital marketing manager will have a detailed understanding of all aspects of digital marketing and the ability to network with specialists and influencers. The role lends itself to hybrid working, provides a good work-life-balance and offers a blend of strategy, account / client management and hands-on creative tasks. The need to connect with board members, sales managers and other stakeholders means 100% remote working is not always practical in more senior roles.
A good digital marketing manager will understand the nuances of all types of content (text, image, video) and know how to combine them with SEO and advertising best practices. They will also be adept at mastering emerging forms of media and leveraging new platforms.
Email marketing manager, AdWords specialist and Senior Copywriter are all positions that are open to the right digital marketing manager should they wish to pivot.
Responsibilities
A digital marketing manager is responsible for the content and strategies that drive online sales of products and services. Their key responsibilities are as follows:
Marketing Strategy Creating the overall direction of the marketing campaign and making sure that it aligns with the core aims of the business. The marketing strategy will typically need to be agreed in advance with senior stakeholders.
Campaign Monitoring All digital marketing campaigns will need to be tracked with key metrics such as a click rates and conversion rates to assess how effective they are.
KPI Creation Digital marketing managers will also take on responsibility for determining the metrics that describe how a campaign is performing.
Creative Direction Many digital marketers coordinate teams of creatives that include copywriters, ad specialists and designers. The digital marketing manager will typically be the central point of contact.
Influencer Networking Digital marketing managers take an active role in identifying and approaching high-profile influencers in relevant niches.
Key skills & traits
Working as a digital marketing manager isn’t as simple as passing a brief to a team of creatives and waiting for the results. Here are the key skills needed to build a successful career.
Marketing & Advertising
Understanding the fundamentals of marketing products and services and the core elements of high-conversion ads.
Communication
As well as reaching out to target audiences, digital marketing managers need to communicate the purpose of their work to their team of creatives. They will also have to interact with senior stakeholders.
Collaboration & Management
Often a Digital Marketing Manager will need to collaborate with a multitude of other roles, including web designers, software engineers, media buyers, SEO managers and more!
Understanding Customers
Creating a campaign that is effective requires identification of pain points, consumer desires and aspirations. Understanding how to profile and separate demographics is essential.
Writing Skills
Having excellent written communication is important for almost all digital marketing managers. Whether you are writing marketing plans, briefs for team-members or copy for advertisements, clear writing will be a bonus.
Technical Know-How
The ability to move between different platforms and online tools is essential. Digital marketing managers will often need to self-teach and then share what they have learned with their team.
Creative Problem Solving
Upcoming releases of new products and services can require fast turnarounds, new approaches and a dynamic approach to solving problems. A flexible approach is highly valued by employers.
Content Creation
While not all digital marketing managers create content on a daily basis, a working knowledge of multi-media content creation is essential.
Education & qualifications
If you want to explore the possibility of becoming a digital marketing manager, there are a range of points of entry. Many digital marketing managers were self-starters who moved into their roles after beginning as specialist in SEO, content writing or email marketing.
While there may be no strict industry qualifications required, building a wide-ranging portfolio of previous work is important. Specific requirements will vary depending on the size of the business offering the position. Others prefer to provide their services on a freelance basis to multiple clients.
While there may be no strict industry qualifications required, building a wide-ranging portfolio of previous work is important. Specific requirements will vary depending on the size of the business offering the position. Others prefer to provide their services on a freelance basis to multiple clients.
Lifestyle
Digital marketing management is popular with creatives who want to move into a more professional or managerial role that still lends itself to remote work. Having the flexibility to work on a wide range of different projects is cited as a plus point by many in the field. Others highlight how tight deadlines and coordinating teams can increase stress at times.
75%
Remote SuitedWhile digital marketers can be fully remote, companies are more likely to ask the digital marketing manager to be in-office 1-2 days a week to meet with senior stakeholders.
50%
StressfulThe management of a larger team and taking on responsibility for meeting targets can make digital marketing management stressful at times.
80%
Work Life BlanceMany professionals achieve a good level of balance and are able to work around short-notice projects while managing their stress levels.
Our reviews from industry professionals have scored being a digital marketing manager as 4.5 out of 5 on average.
40/hrs
WeeklyFreelancer managers or full-time managers working on an urgent deadline will have to work more than the weekly average at times.
Salary data
The average salary for a digital marketing manager in the UK is £45,000. Junior digital marketing managers will make approximately £37,000 per year, while digital marketing managers with 5+ years of experience often earn over £53,000. A mid-level freelancer can expect to earn £25+ per hour.
£37,000
Entry
£45,000
Average
£53,000
Senior
Career path
Digital marketing managers do not necessarily follow a fixed career path. Many digital marketing managers begin as entry-level marketers before specialising in a specific aspect of online marketing or content creation. This is done either freelance or in-house, with many freelancers choosing to remain self-employed and charge higher average hourly rates.
Some digital marketers will choose to specialise further in a given niche, while others will go in the other direction and learn a wider range of skills. It’s the marketers who decide they want to offer a comprehensive service that typically move into digital marketing manager roles as the head of their own agencies. Others will be hired by businesses who need an in-house digital marketing manager to coordinate and oversee their online marketing efforts.
A digital marketing manager is much more of a hands-on role than more traditional managerial roles, with many managers of small agencies regularly creating content and executing campaigns.
Some digital marketers will choose to specialise further in a given niche, while others will go in the other direction and learn a wider range of skills. It’s the marketers who decide they want to offer a comprehensive service that typically move into digital marketing manager roles as the head of their own agencies. Others will be hired by businesses who need an in-house digital marketing manager to coordinate and oversee their online marketing efforts.
A digital marketing manager is much more of a hands-on role than more traditional managerial roles, with many managers of small agencies regularly creating content and executing campaigns.
Digital Marketing Intern / Freelancer
Working part-time or as an intern allows new entrants to learn one or more key components of digital marketing. The focus here is likely to be tasks such as copywriting, ad creatives, SEO research and social media scheduling and posting.
Digital Marketer
Expected to have a comprehensive knowledge of at least one component of digital marketing strategy and a working knowledge and ability to learn many others. Email marketing, social media marketing, content creation and managing paid ad campaigns should be expected.
Digital Marketing Manager
A role typically performed in-house as the head of a team of creatives within a business or as the head of a digital marketing agency. Responsibilities include liaising directly with clients, strategy development, reporting KPIs and networking with influencers.
A Digital Marketing Intern / Freelancer will typically look to specialise so they can command a higher salary / charge more for their services.
An example would be a freelance copywriter who decides to specialise in email copy and then begins to run all aspects of email marketing campaigns. A Digital Marketer who is confident in their ability to create strategies and pitch them to decision makers as part of their work for an in-house team may also decide to leave their position and start their own digital marketing agency.
The pathway from intern / freelancer to digital marketing manager provides many sideways moves into each of the digital marketing specialisms. Some professionals may decide they do not want to manage a team and instead decide to focus on providing consultancy services to businesses or digital marketing agencies.
An example would be a freelance copywriter who decides to specialise in email copy and then begins to run all aspects of email marketing campaigns. A Digital Marketer who is confident in their ability to create strategies and pitch them to decision makers as part of their work for an in-house team may also decide to leave their position and start their own digital marketing agency.
The pathway from intern / freelancer to digital marketing manager provides many sideways moves into each of the digital marketing specialisms. Some professionals may decide they do not want to manage a team and instead decide to focus on providing consultancy services to businesses or digital marketing agencies.
History of the profession
While digital marketing is a relatively new profession, it’s one which has undergone seismic changes in a short space of time.
Reviews
No one can explain the role of a Digital Marketing Manager better than someone with years of experience in the job. Our reviews section is the place to look for real-world feedback on what the industry is like to work in.
Senior Digital Marketing Manager
John
I transitioned from running my own startup agency to landing a position with a major advertising firm. They needed to refresh their digital marketing efforts and I have loved working there for the past 18 months. Digital marketing is changing and becoming much more professional and highly resourced. Working as head of a large in-house team allows me to use my skills on much larger projects that have significantly bigger budgets. With that comes greater responsibility and accountability when it comes to driving engagement and sales, so I make the most of my time off.
💰£57,000Annual
salary
salary
💼50Weekly hours
🏝️70%Remote suited
🤷♀️40%Stressful
⚖️20%Work life balance
Freelance Digital Marketing Manager
Lauren
I love the fact that I can work on the projects that interest me and set my own hours and hourly rates. There can sometimes be a little stress about filling my pipeline with new work but that is something anyone can learn to manage better. Finding new creative talent for specific tasks is often a matter of hiring via freelance platforms. Building up a network of influencers who are easy to work with is essential in my industry.
💰£51,000Annual
salary
salary
💼40Weekly hours
🏝️90%Remote suited
🤷♀️55%Stressful
⚖️45%Work life balance
Digital Marketing Manager
Chris
My job allows me to work on a wide range of briefs and take the time to get to know my clients. I run my own agency, direct a team of 6, and enjoy how I can still get my hands busy with the creative process.
💰£46,000Annual
salary
salary
💼44Weekly hours
🏝️80%Remote suited
🤷♀️25%Stressful
⚖️30%Work life balance
If you've worked in this role, feel free to leave a review to help out other potential Digital Marketing Managers!
Similar careers
The following careers closely align with the role of a digital marketing managers. They allow for sideways moves, close collaboration and more in-depth specialisation if desired.
Resources
Want to find out more about what it’s like to be a digital marketing manager? Take a look at our curated resources below and keep learning!
Book
Digital Marketing Strategy
A comprehensive guide to the finer points of online strategy for digital marketing managers looking to move into senior positions or scale their agencies.
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Article
The Evolution of Digital Marketing
A comprehensive guide to how the industry has shifted and evolved over the years. Highly recommended entry point for anyone looking to understand the varied life of a digital marketing manager.
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