These days, we often come across job postings for Digital Marketing Specialists or Digital Marketing Managers on job listing websites. However, we rarely see job postings for Digital Marketing Consultants. In this article, we aim to provide an explanation of what a Digital Marketing Consultant does and why you might need one.
Therefore, digital marketing is not just limited to online marketing because the internet itself is one of the electronic tools, and even television is considered an electronic tool.
Digital marketing encompasses activities such as SMS or TV advertising campaigns, email marketing, social media advertising, website optimization for search engines, and more.
Who is a Digital Marketing Specialist?
In simple terms, a Digital Marketing Specialist is someone who is familiar with these electronic tools and can help market your products or services using these tools to enhance your brand. They may also be referred to as Digital Marketing Experts. Another term you might encounter is Content Marketing Specialist. To better understand this, it’s important to note that in digital marketing, using electronic tools for advertising and marketing is crucial, and content creation is an essential part of these efforts. Content creation can involve producing videos or images for your website or TV advertising, writing articles for SEO purposes (Search Engine Optimization is explained in a more colloquial sense in the article). Therefore, there is a need for a Content Marketing Specialist. In an ideal scenario, each aspect should have its own specialist. For example, a graphic designer should not necessarily be a proficient article writer. However, in some cases, due to the common practice in Iran where one person is expected to handle various tasks, a Content Marketing Specialist may need to perform most content-related activities, which is not the ideal approach.
Now, let’s assume you have a Content Marketing Specialist and you start creating content on your website and social media platforms.
Without a clear goal and strategy, without knowing where you stand and where you want to reach, and without understanding the needs of your users or customers, you are likely to engage in futile activities.
You might not know your competitors, their strengths, and weaknesses.
This is where, like many other companies, your digital marketing efforts might not yield significant results, leading to frustration.
You might turn to traditional and short-term advertising methods, or you might settle for the same level of customers you had before. This is where the role of a Digital Marketing Manager or Digital Marketing Consultant becomes crucial! But who is a Digital Marketing Manager or Consultant? So far, we’ve introduced the concepts of digital marketing, Digital Marketing Specialists, and Content Marketing Specialists. According to the organizational hierarchy, a manager should have experience in all the sub-disciplines and work their way up the hierarchy. However, in Iran, this structure is not prevalent, except in a few governmental organizations and banks.
Therefore, a Digital Marketing Manager should ideally possess knowledge of management, marketing principles, web design, programming, graphics, and any other tools used in digital marketing. In simpler terms, they should be familiar with all the expertise within their team. For instance, if a Photoshop expert in their team decides to leave, the manager should be able to fill that role or understand SEO and utilize tools like Serp, Google Webmaster, and Google Analytics, conduct social media traffic analysis, and have knowledge of market analysis tools.
They should be able to develop a brand strategy for you and ultimately create a roadmap showing your current position and where you want to go. As mentioned in previous articles, in digital marketing, the sequence and timing of activities are crucial.
For example, deciding which social media platform to use is essential based on your brand, product type, or services. Your brand’s focus on Instagram may not be necessary, but LinkedIn might be crucial.
It’s better to start your activities on the right social media platform first. Based on the brief explanations above, it becomes clear that a Content Marketing Specialist cannot handle all these activities. If you have only one Content Marketing Specialist who creates content for Instagram and your website, you are likely wasting your efforts. Just as financial or accounting departments have become essential for companies, the field of digital marketing will also become indispensable soon. It’s in your best interest to establish this department as soon as possible.
Remember that having a website was not crucial for businesses at one point, but companies that ventured into the online space early on reaped greater benefits.
However, considering the job postings these days, you might also notice job listings for Digital Marketing Managers. These individuals essentially possess the same knowledge and skills we discussed, but due to the shortage of real experts in this field and the high demand for such professionals, their compensation is relatively high. For this reason, these individuals may also work as consultants or part-timers alongside your team and lead your digital marketing efforts.
PS : It’s worth noting that many business owners mistakenly treat digital marketing similarly to direct advertising (such as billboard ads) and expect immediate results. This is a misconception. Digital marketing is an investment, and depending on your budget and the quality of your team, you’ll start seeing results roughly six months after you begin.In summary, the best approach for cost-effective and highly productive digital marketing is to have a Digital Marketing Consultant or Expert within your organization. With their help, gather your digital marketing team based on your budget and needs. Start developing your brand. Postscript: This article aims to provide a simplified and colloquial explanation of the importance of having a Digital Marketing Consultant in a company, based on several years of experience in this field. These opinions may not align with those of all colleagues.
I am Foad Mashayekhi, digital marketing consultant
June 8, 2020
