The business world has moved online. Every single day, millions of people are searching for products, reading reviews, and scrolling through social feeds. Companies need to be where their customers are. And that shift has created a huge, huge demand for professionals who can navigate the digital landscape. But for many, the actual day-to-day work remains a bit of a mystery. Loads of people ask what does a digital marketer do, to drive revenue for the business?
It’s more than just posting on Facebook or sending out a daily email. It involves getting your head around data analysis, creating content that people actually want to look at, and doing some proper strategic planning. And if you’re looking to start a career in this field or hire someone for your team, you really need to get a feel for the type of work that this job entails.
This guide covers what does a digital marketer do, across different channels, the skills that you need, and why they’re absolutely essential for modern business success.
What Is It That a Digital Marketer Does?
At a high level, a digital marketer is responsible for selling products or services using online channels. Their main goal is to find and talk to potential customers where they actually spend their time online. Working out exactly what does a digital marketer do starts with getting a handle on what they’re trying to achieve, which is pretty much always to get more brand awareness and drive sales.
The role is about supporting business growth by building a bridge between the company and the consumer. And this requires a constant balancing act between strategy and getting the work done. Strategy is about coming up with a long-term plan, while execution is about doing the actual work – like writing ads or analysing data. Part of what does a digital marketer do is making sure those two sides work together properly.
Core Responsibilities of a Digital Marketer
To get a handle on what does a digital marketer do, just take a look at their core responsibilities. These tasks form the backbone of any successful marketing department.
Running Online Campaigns
Digital marketers plan and launch campaigns across the whole internet. That could be a seasonal sale promotion or a big brand awareness drive. They need to ensure that every single campaign is aligned with the broader business goals. If the business wants to sell more shoes, then the campaign needs to highlight the benefits of the shoes and maybe include a special offer.
Getting People to Visit the Website
If you’ve got a website with no visitors, then it’s pretty much useless. A key part of what does a digital marketer do is getting people to visit. They use loads of different methods, like organic traffic (people stumbling upon the site naturally) and paid traffic (where people click on an ad). They then tweak content and ads to make sure that the right people are seeing them and actually clicking.
Creating and Nurturing Leads
Traffic needs to convert into leads. A digital marketer creates a bit of a funnel to guide visitors towards making a purchase. This involves collecting emails, creating landing pages that are actually interesting to people, and using retargeting ads to bring back visitors who left without buying.
Making Sense of Performance and Data
You can’t market without data – it’s all just guesswork. If you ask what does a digital marketer do with numbers, the answer is pretty much everything. They track things like click-through rates and how much money they’re spending per conversion. And they use that data to keep tweaking and improving the results all the time.
Key Channels Digital Marketers Actually Work With
Another aspect of figuring out what a digital marketer does is managing specific digital channels. Each one demands a different approach, and it’s not as simple as just picking a few tools and calling it a day.
SEO – How to Get Your Site to Show Up in Google
SEO is all about getting your website to the top of Google search results. Marketers are always researching keywords to see what people are actually searching for, and how to make sure your content is relevant to all that. It’s not just about writing a blog post and calling it a day; you also need to make sure the site itself doesn’t go down on you – that’s the technical SEO side of things.
Paid Ads – Where You Pay to Appear in Search Results
Paid ads are all over the place – search engines, other websites, anywhere. Marketers have to keep an eye on the budget so they don’t blow it all on ads that don’t work. They test different ad headlines and images to see what resonates with people.
Social Media Marketing – More Than Just Posting Stuff
Social media marketing isn’t just about posting pretty pictures; it’s about having a strategy for each platform (yes, that means LinkedIn is different from Instagram). Marketers need to build a community, engage with followers, and – if they’re lucky – foster some actual loyalty.
Content Marketing – The King (Whether You Like It or Not)
Content is king, and that’s no joke – it has to be planned out and created with some actual care. Marketers have to write blogs, make videos, and create visuals that will actually educate or entertain people. And once you’ve got all that content, you have to make sure it gets out there consistently, so people keep coming back for more.
Email Marketing – Still One of the Most Effective Tools
Email still blows all the other channels out of the water for effectiveness – and that’s why marketers love it so much. It’s all about setting up automated campaigns that send emails based on what the user has done so far (i.e, did they sign up for your newsletter, or is this their first time on your site?). And to make it even more effective, they segment their lists to make sure they’re sending the right message to the right person.
What a Digital Marketer Actually Does, On Any Given Day
So you want to know what a digital marketer does every day, huh? The answer is – it varies wildly, but most days start off by checking to see how all the campaigns are doing. If an ad is blowing a bunch of money without actually getting any results, they’ll pause it fast.
Mid-morning or early afternoon will often see some creative work – that’s the time when they’ll be writing copy for a new landing page or running down to the designers to see what they think about some new ad visuals.
Afternoons are usually all about reporting and collaborating – that’s when they’ll be working with designers and developers to make sure tracking codes are actually working and images are looking right on mobile devices.
What It Takes to Be a Digital Marketer
Mastering the art of digital marketing requires a serious set of skills – not just technical know-how, but also a lot of creative thinking.
Technical Know-How
You’ve got to be comfortable with all sorts of software – that means being able to navigate analytics platforms like Google Analytics, ad managers like Facebook Ads Manager, and also being able to get your head around how Content Management Systems (CMS) like WordPress work.
Creative Skills
Data tells you what’s working, but creativity is what lets you figure out how to fix it. That means you’ve got to be a good copywriter and storyteller – you’ve got to be able to write persuasive text that people will actually want to read. Visual awareness is important too – you’ve got to be able to look at a brand’s design and know if it’s consistent or not.
Strategic and Analytical Thinking
You’ve got to know your audience inside and out – why do they buy what you’re selling, what are their pain points? And then you’ve got to be able to make decisions based on data rather than just your gut.
The Tools Digital Marketers Actually Use
To get anything done, digital marketers need the right tools. Here are some of the ones we use most often:
- Analytics: Google Analytics (yes, it’s still the best) and Hotjar for that extra bit of insight.
- SEO: SEMrush, Ahrefs, and Moz – the usual suspects for all your SEO needs.
- Ads: Google Ads, Meta Ads Manager – because you can’t have too many ways to spend your marketing budget!
- Automation: HubSpot, Mailchimp, and Zapier – for when you need to automate all the things.
Types of Digital Marketing Roles
Specialisation changes the way a digital marketer operates in their specific role.
- SEO Specialist: Their entire focus is on getting a website to rank organically and staying healthy.
- PPC Specialist: Paid ad budgets and return on ad spend are their main priority.
- Social Media Marketer: They focus on crafting a brand voice and building a community.
- Content Marketer: Their bread and butter is creating all sorts of content – like blogs, videos, and editorial calendars.
- Full Stack Digital Marketer: They’re sort of a jack of all trades, able to handle a bit of everything.
Career Paths and Salary – What to Expect
The career path is pretty flexible. You could start out as a Junior Marketing Assistant and from there work your way up to a Manager, Director, or even VP of Marketing.
You can work freelance, in-house for a single company, or at an agency where you get to work with multiple clients. With the digital landscape constantly evolving, opportunities are endless.
Why Digital Marketers Are So Important for Business Owners
If you’re wondering “what does a digital marketer do” to drive growth, then let’s talk about the bottom line. Digital marketing has a huge impact on revenue and visibility. It’s completely different from traditional marketing (think billboards). With digital marketing, you can actually track your results – you know exactly how many sales came from a specific ad. That gives you long-term value and a lot more control over your budget.
Common Misconceptions About Digital Marketing
There’s a lot of confusion out there about “what does a digital marketer do“, which leads to some pretty silly myths.
- It’s just posting on social media: Actually, it’s a data-driven strategy.
- Results happen overnight: Sorry, but SEO and building a brand take time.
- Anyone can do it without skills: Actually, it takes technical and psychological knowledge to get it right.
How to Become a Digital Marketer
If you’re interested in this career path, then start learning. Google and HubSpot have plenty of certification options, but the best way to really get a grasp on things is to get hands-on experience. Start a website, write a blog, or help a friend out with their business. Having a portfolio of real projects under your belt shows you really understand “what does a digital marketer do.”
Bring Your Digital Strategy to Life
Now you know “what does a digital marketer do” and why it matters. Whether you’re looking to hire someone or learn more about it yourself, the value of digital marketing is undeniable. It’s a way for brands to connect with people in a measurable and meaningful way.
If you need expert help to elevate your brand presence but aren’t sure where to start, we’re here to help. Contact Us to discuss your strategy and start seeing some real results.
