Digital Media Careers 101: All You Need to Know

In the past few years, there has been a decline in advertising, but digital media communications have been picking up where standard marketing left off. Businesses are discovering that a well-planned social media campaign can generate sales equal to or greater than a successful marketing campaign and often for a fraction of the cost.

Nearly 90 percent of business owners of all sizes are using social media as a communication platform, and as a result, there is a growing demand for social media specialists: experts estimate the field will see an 18 percent growth in 2016.

Social and digital marketing specialists are tasked with promoting an organization and maintaining its online reputation, and they represent private businesses, government agencies and non-profit organizations. This is usually done through a combination of press releases, online marketing outreach and social media activity. Specialists often act as an Internet PR person, and along with running online strategies, they may also be called upon to develop them and track their success.

Careers in the digital media space include:

  • Search engine marketing >> Learn More
  • Search engine optimization (SEO) marketing or Digital Marketing >> Learn More
  • Social media marketing >> Learn More
  • Online public relations >> Learn More
  • Web design >> Learn More
  • Email marketing
  • Content strategists
  • Web development
  • Mobile application development
  • Information architecture
  • Online project management

Earning Potential

The salary ranges in the field of social media marketing vary based on someone’s position and experience, but the median range is around $50,000 annually. Copywriters and Interns tend to make around $25,000 per year to start, and the top end, which includes marketing managers, has a potential salary of over $100,000 per year. Major locations for digital media jobs include:

  • Austin, Texas
  • Seattle, Washington
  • Los Angeles, California
  • New York City, New York
  • San Francisco, California

Skills to Have

No matter what position in the digital media, it is required to have some level of technical, creative, strategic, and analytical skills. However, there are some careers that can require you to have more of one skills than others. For example, the digital media careers that require a high level of creativity include:

  1. Online public relation specialists
  2. Web designers
  3. Content strategists
  4. Social media marketers

The online careers that require a high level of technical and programming abilities include:

  1. Mobile application developers
  2. Website programmers
  3. Information architects

The digital careers that require a high level of strategic and analytical skills include:

  1. Search engine marketers
  2. SEO marketers
  3. Online project managers
  4. Email marketers

In order to learn the skills you need it is recommended to get a college degree. There are a lot of universities that are coming out with tailored programs for these careers, however you may need to learn a related subject such as computer programming, marketing, public relations, or creative writing.

Where you can work

Online jobs can be done either in-house or through an advertising agency. Some of the major advertising agencies that specialize in digital media include

  1. Blue Fountain Media
  2. Moz
  3. Stone Temple Consulting

Of course there are a lot of in-house jobs that require a lot of employees that specialize in online roles including Microsoft, Google, Dell, and Apple.

Career Outlook
Enter a career to learn more about:
  • Top 5 Cities and States for Employment
  • Number of People Employed
  • Projected Job Growth

Find the schools and courses that match your career goals.

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