Core skills of Digital Marketing & E-commerce Specialists

Similar skills are required for roles in digital marketing and e-commerce. However, these skills are often applied in different ways. The following table gives you an idea of how job responsibilities might differ slightly between entry-level roles in digital marketing and e-commerce. 

	In House vs Agency Roles As an in-house employee, you get to know one company and  its products extremely well.  You also gain deep knowledge and expertise in a specific industry.  So, if you work for a cosmetics company,  your experience will translate most directly to a similar company.  On the other hand,  if you're the sort of person who likes working on a lot of different projects,  working with one company on one type of product might not be for you.  And if you do want to move to a different type of business,  your specialized experience can make it harder to break into a new sector.  Now, if you work for an agency, you're unlikely to get bored,  because agency work is project based,  you get to collaborate on a variety of initiatives and multiple industries.  By working with different clients, you can develop a broad and  flexible expertise that will serve you at a variety of companies.  But that doesn't mean you can't specialize.  Agencies tend to focus on a few different areas within marketing, like social  media or brand building, so you can get to know certain skill sets very well.  But there can be downsides too.  The same variability that keeps agency work interesting,  can also make things unpredictable.  Sometimes, clients can surprise you with unexpected requests or  ask you to do things in an unfamiliar way.  The hours can be longer too, especially toward the end of a project.  Of course, every workplace is different and  they won't all have the same advantages and disadvantages.  Whichever path you choose, whether it's the deep knowledge and  stability of an in-house role or the broad knowledge and flexibility of agency work,  you'll gain valuable experience that can lead you to the next great opportunity. Roles & Responsibility in Digital Marketing & E-commerce In another reading, you were introduced to examples of job responsibilities in digital marketing coordinator and e-commerce analyst roles. This reading summarizes other associate or entry-level roles and responsibilities in digital marketing and e-commerce. At the end of the reading, you’ll find advice on how you can potentially progress from a starting role to roles with further growth opportunities. Associate-level Roles In Digital Marketing Below are some examples of responsibilities for associate-level roles in digital marketing. These lists aren't comprehensive but are intended to showcase a variety of responsibilities in each role. Digital marketing coordinator* Coordinate marketing activities and initiatives  Identify target audiences through research Run campaigns Monitor metrics to evaluate trends * Also described in another video and reading Marketing associate Prepare reports on marketing and sales metrics Collect and analyze customer behavior metrics, such as web traffic and search rankings  Coordinate with marketing teams to generate digital advertising materials Assist with ongoing marketing campaigns Search Engine Optimization (SEO) specialist Develop optimization strategies to improve search rankings Implement keywords for SEO  Monitor metrics to understand SEO performance Update links for optimization of search rankings Search Engine Marketing (SEM) specialist Identify customer personas to enable marketing to identified audiences Perform research on keywords for SEO and Pay Per Click (PPC) ads Monitor metrics to optimize paid search performance Identify and monitor key performance indicators (KPIs) for SEM Social media specialist Develop, implement, and manage a social media marketing strategy Collaborate with sales and marketing teams on social media campaigns Create content to build customer connections and increase brand awareness  Monitor metrics in social media campaigns for customer engagement and content optimization insights Email marketing specialist Create email marketing campaigns to promote products or services Create an archive of emails for lead generation Purge non-deliverable and unsubscribed email addresses Use metrics to monitor the performance of email campaigns  Associate-level roles in e-commerce Below are some examples of responsibilities for associate-level roles in e-commerce. These lists aren't comprehensive but are intended to showcase a variety of responsibilities in each role. E-commerce analyst* Implement e-commerce strategies to support business goals Set e-commerce goals and key performance indicators (KPIs) for key attributes like audience, acquisition, behavior, and conversions Monitor and analyze e-commerce metrics  Leverage e-commerce data for operational insights * Also described in another reading E-commerce specialist Develop and run campaigns to increase digital sales as part of an overall digital marketing strategy Optimize paid advertising campaigns using SEO and other tools Manage an online marketing presence, including social media platforms Monitor metrics for spikes in website traffic or sales Advance to roles that further your growth Starting an entry-level role in marketing or e-commerce is exciting, but after you gain practical experience and hands-on work using tools in that role, you might be eager to advance your career.   If you’re ready for a new role, below are a few possibilities and a sampling of responsibilities for each. Digital marketing manager Plan and execute digital marketing, including SEO/SEM, email, social media, and display advertising campaigns Measure and report performance and return on investment (ROI) for digital marketing  Plan, execute, and evaluate A/B tests and experiments Evaluate and improve the end-to-end customer experience across multiple channels and customer touchpoints Social media strategist Manage and oversee social media content Measure the success of social media campaigns Monitor and analyze metrics to recommend effective content optimization solutions Network with industry professionals and influencers using social media Account manager Build and maintain client relationships Ensure the timely and successful delivery of advertising solutions based on customer needs and objectives Clearly communicate the progress of initiatives to internal and external stakeholders Forecast and monitor key account metrics E-commerce product manager Conduct market research Develop a product strategy for an e-commerce business based on analytics  Define website and mobile app functionality, and deliver an optimal user experience for both Understand business objectives and coordinate efforts to increase sales