Life and work in the post-Covid world are drastically different from what it was just a few years ago. From AEC and real estate to marketing and education, every sector has either embraced digital transformation or realized the necessity.
Today’s hybrid workforce is reliant on a set of valuable technical skills that enable employees to work, navigate, and thrive in a digital environment. Yet, 74% believe that marketing organizations face a critical talent shortage due to a lack of digital skills that will be needed to meet ongoing customer demands.
The ongoing labor shortage not only exacerbates the digital skills gap, it creates a mismatch between available employees and necessary skills. Fortunately, this guide to marketing technical skills has everything you need to improve your digital skills and advance your marketing career.
Types of Technical Skills
Technical skills are earned by experience or traditional education (data analysis, project management, computer programming, etc.), but also through practice and collaboration with other digital professionals.
According to Global LinkedIn data, recruiters are now 50% more likely to search for candidates based on their skills rather than years of experience, showing a shift in priorities. In fact, 75% of recruiting professionals predict that skills-first hiring will be a top priority for their company in the next 18 months.
This emphasis on skills over background is beneficial not only to employers building their brands but also to marketers looking to advance their careers and leverage their technical skills.
8 Technical Skills Every Marketer Needs to Succeed
Traditional marketing emphasizes creative thinking over technical skills, but creative thinking will only get you so far in the digital world. To succeed in marketing (traditional and digital), you need to apply your creativity in a way that resonates with today’s digital audience.
In other words, you need more than a degree in advertising, business, or design. To truly succeed at marketing today, marketers must have the technical skills that enable seamless movement between physical and digital environments.
Here are eight technical skills you will need to succeed in the marketing world:
1. Digital Media and Design
Regardless of your role within the organization, if you work in marketing, then you are bound to run into digital media and design. From graphic design software (Adobe InDesign, Photoshop, Illustrator, etc.) and content management systems (CMS) to digital asset management solutions (DAM) and content organization, it’s best to at least familiarize yourself with digital media and the tools used to create, curate and publish content.
2. MarTech Platform Experience
According to a chart posted by LXA, the biggest challenge for effective MarTech use is the lack of skills to operate marketing technology (48%).
However, the growing popularity of MarTech platforms throughout the industry means being proficient and skilled in understanding and using various marketing software, platforms, and tools has become essential.
According to Insider Intelligence | eMarketer, here’s how B2B spending on MarTech has progressed and is expected to progress from 2021-2025:
This widespread use of MarTech platforms requires marketers to be fluent, or highly competent, in these technologies to effectively enhance their digital marketing skills and capabilities.
3. Content Creation
Like project management, content creation is not a technical skill in the traditional sense, but is critical to the success of any marketing team. Content creation as a technical skill for marketers refers to the ability to produce engaging, relevant, and valuable material that attracts and retains a clearly defined audience, ultimately driving profitable customer action.
This skill means understanding the target market, crafting compelling messages, and using various formats such as blogs, videos, infographics, and social media posts. It also involves proficiency in tools and platforms for content creation and distribution, SEO knowledge to enhance visibility, and analytics skills to measure content performance and adjust strategies accordingly.
Effective content creation is crucial for marketers to communicate their brand’s message, educate and inform their audience, and build a lasting relationship with consumers.
4. Data Analytics
Data is the leading force behind every marketing effort. 28% of marketers say that marketing analytics helps power their decision-making and 54% of companies that extensively use marketing analytics end up with higher profits than average.
Every marketer needs a working understanding of data analytics and the various tools, plug-ins, and integrations that provide insight, and enable brands to set goals, evaluate their performance, and adjust their marketing strategy accordingly.
With so many analytic tools and plug-ins available, no one can master them all, but most executives agree that an understanding of Google Analytics and at least one social media analytics tool like HootSuite is incredibly valuable to their team.
More importantly, marketers need to know how to leverage the insights provided, i.e., find patterns, adjust targeting, and fine-tune messaging to optimize results from current and future campaigns.
5. Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
If you work in marketing or maintain a website, then you are at least familiar with search engine optimization (SEO). If you are not familiar with SEO, then it’s best that you familiarize yourself with SEO best practices as soon as possible.
SEO is highly important because it enables a brand to build awareness, drive traffic to their website, and turn prospects into customers. Yet, a recent study by Hubspot showed that only 69% of marketers invested in SEO.
If you feel overwhelmed by SEO, don’t worry. It’s a complicated subject, and there is a lot of material on the topic. Thankfully, you don’t have to be an expert in SEO to be an expert marketer. You just need a basic understanding and the willingness to learn.
| TIP: Looking for more ways to improve your digital marketing and SEO skills? Get more information in our Digital Marketing for Construction Companies Guide. |
6. Social Media Marketing
Most marketing positions have a social media component. If you apply for a job as a marketing director, marketing coordinator, or marketing manager, you’ll likely need at least a basic understanding of how social media works as part of an overall marketing strategy.
Social media marketing is also one of the best ways to reach your customers where they are— on their devices scrolling through social media. In fact, according to Demandsage, in the U.S. there are 302.35 million social media users and this number is anticipated to cross 313 million in 2024. 90% of the total U.S. population uses social media actively.
Moreover, social media marketing campaigns are also one of the more affordable ways to attract attention, drive engagement with a brand, and draw traffic to a website.
7. Marketing Automation Tools
Automation removes many repetitive marketing tasks and provides powerful tools that help marketers convert website visitors into customers. Some marketing automation platforms can even track customers through the marketing funnel, and create a more rewarding customer experience with customized texts, emails, and pop-ups.
As such, most marketing teams and marketing executives now expect their employees to be at least familiar with automation platforms like Marketo or MailChimp.
8. Digital Asset Management (DAM)
Digital assets like images, videos, and brand material are critical to the success of a marketing team, but they are especially important to marketers in visual industries like architecture, engineering, and construction.
In fact, a recent survey conducted by OpenAsset found that U.S. construction firms manage somewhere between 5,000 and upwards of 100,000 images. Plus, 81% of firms expect to manage even more images nas time progresses. This means DAM for marketing is highly valuable.
The marketer who knows how to manage these digital assets and make them easily accessible will become an invaluable asset to their team, especially as digital transformation becomes a priority in the years to come.
The MarTech Solution Every Marketer Needs: OpenAsset
Fortunately, there is a tech solution that helps marketers manage their digital assets. Digital Asset Management (DAM) enables marketers to not only store and organize their digital assets but also make them accessible to anyone who needs them.
A project-based DAM solution like OpenAsset will organize your digital assets by specific projects and/or properties, which makes it easy to showcase your work and create more impactful bids and proposals. And there is no better way to advance your marketing career than to help your team win more business.
Want to know more about how you can leverage a DAM tool like OpenAsset? Schedule a demo with one of our solution experts.
