We are in 2023. You are considering a career in marketing. Maybe you are fresh out of college with a relevant degree or feel yourself gravitating toward this exciting field. Whichever phase you may be in, one fact guarantees you a great starting position – 2023 is the best year to begin your marketing journey!
The marketing industry is booming. Loud. Companies across the world have been scaling their marketing budgets in recent years. The global advertising industry reached a valuation of US$ 590.3 billion in 2021, with projections estimating an $800 billion valuation by 2027. These are promising numbers for any marketing aspirant. It shows vital signs of a growth-oriented industry.
Numbers are just one side of the story. You can see the second side with your own eyes. Look around! Our world is full of innovative ads across billboards and social media, quality content from (the legit) LinkedIn and YouTube marketing gurus, friends in ad agencies with exciting profiles, and people hooked to an endless sea of content. It is foolish to ignore that marketing is everywhere. Every single day. 24x7.
Some quick insight into me. Hi! Abhay here. After an Economics major and a Film minor, I spent a couple of great years writing scripts for commercial cinema. But my interest faded; it took 1.5 years to complete one film, which made for a lousy learning curve. Marketing, I learned, almost always provides instant feedback. Cut to today, where yours truly is thriving as a copywriter at Altorise. Modern marketers want people from diverse backgrounds! Grasp this game-changer well.
Backed by extensive research and professional experience, I will outline 7 exciting marketing careers you can pursue today – what people in these careers do and the best routes to becoming those people. Sorry? Yes, of course, we will discuss expected salaries.
Copywriting
Copywriters write words that sell. They craft subtle, persuasive text to sell customers a product or service. At its core, the job requires talented wordsmiths who understand how people think. For the uninitiated, ‘copy’ is the text seen or spoken in advertisements.
Modern copywriters are the minds behind witty phrases on a brand’s social media page, an unknown company’s compelling commercial, and catchy jingles you can’t stop humming. Traditionally the role involves short-form writing (for ex. “Amul Doodh Peeta Hai India”), but long-form writing is in demand in today’s workplaces. This article is a perfect example! A sibling profile worth exploring specifically for long-form writing, is content writing.
As a copywriter, you will:- Write copy for various media – email campaigns, social media posts, advertisements, and more
- Incorporate client feedback and revise your copy; the client’s always right!
- Ideate creative marketing campaigns for clients; these could be fresh brands finding their footing or reputed brands with established brand voices
- Work in tandem with graphic designers to create an attractive final product
- Pitch innovative concepts to your internal team and eventually to clients
Two habits make good copywriters: reading and writing. Aspirants can try out the following template: Choose your favourite sneaker (anything works) brand, read about some of their successful marketing campaigns, and develop an eye for clever copy. Finally, attempt to write a spec (speculative) ad for the brand.
That is what good copywriters do - research a brand, understand its voice, and convey the product to customers with words. Repeat this process with brands in different spaces to build confidence and a diverse portfolio. Ensure improved understanding of good design; copywriters paint with words. Network well and apply!
On average, an entry-level copywriter’s annual salary is $54,300. Experience improves prospects to a range between $80,000 - $100,000. If you’re the cream of the crop, 7-figure salaries are realistic.
Ideal degree options for prospective copywriters include Journalism, English Literature, Creative Writing, Communications, Marketing, or Digital Marketing. Don’t forget, I am a copywriter with an Economics major! Talent from diverse fields is in-demand.
Graphic Design
All creatives, be they websites or social media posts, are composed of 2 elements: words and design. What you say and how you present it holds equal importance; words often fit into a creative’s overarching design. Only when these two elements join in holy matrimony is good marketing born. Individually, Nike’s ‘JUST DO IT’ slogan is good copy. Individually, Nike’s Swoosh makes for good design. But pair them together? Timeless marketing.
Brands break through the clutter with unique and appealing visual identities. Great graphic design instantly attracts potential customers and creates recall in loyal customers. Keeping design themes consistent, knowing when to tweak tradition, creating space for copy, and building a visual bond with customers are hallmarks of sturdy design philosophy.
As a copywriter at Altorise, I quickly realized the need to forge relationships with graphic designers. They are the other half of my work. If we don’t work together, we don’t work at all. Graphic designers teach copywriters to operate within constraints; that is one of the best learning curves a writer can have.
As a graphic designer, you will:- Plan and create designs for websites, social media posts, infographics, etc.
- Be consistent with brand design over time; tweak when appropriate
- Incorporate client feedback and tailor your work to their requirements
- Pitch design ideas to clients, both fresh and established
- Seamlessly fit copy into your overall design
- Communicate stories without words
The suggestions offered in the previous section also apply here. The common idea is to level up your craft. Designing and studying design will guarantee growth. But one extra skill graphic designers must possess is the ability to adapt to new technologies. Due to an ever-evolving tech culture, mainstream software can become obsolete within a day. The ability to seamlessly switch to newer technologies and workflows is always a bonus skill for employees.
On average, an entry-level graphic designer’s annual salary in marketing is $47,556. With experience, incomes can rise past the $70,000 mark.
Degree options for graphic designers were previously limited but are now growing. Ideal degree options include Graphic Design, UI/UX Design, or Product Design.
Search Engine Optimization
Search Engine Optimization (commonly referred to as SEO) is a crucial component of modern-day digital marketing. It is a relatively new, well-paying, in-demand technical career option.
SEO owes its birth to modern consumer behaviour. Google, a search engine, has ubiquitous usage across the world. Consumers search the website for everything from cat videos to sneaker shopping (can you tell I like sneakers?). But in a world where more than 90% of users never navigate to the second page of Google, being first means everything. Ranking a client webpage on the first page of a search engine has immense value.
SEO is the process of organically (without paying money) tailoring a website to improve traffic by matching search engine requirements. Sounds a little complicated? Let us unpack it.
Google regularly updates its internal algorithms that rank websites. SEO specialists strategize website content to satisfy Google algorithms. The more the algorithms are satisfied, the higher our desired page ranks, and the likelihood of interested parties clicking our page improves. A fun parallel to help simplify this concept: imagine aiming a dart at the center of a rapidly moving dartboard. It is naturally difficult, but with the right tactics one can slow the dartboard’s movements, aim, and shoot a much better shot.
As an SEO specialist, you will:- Ensure publication of consistent, high-quality website content
- Create internal links (other articles on your website) to maximize engagement
- Work with copywriters to ensure keyword optimization
- Building long-term SEO strategies to optimize rankings
SEO requires constant adaptation to the newest technologies. Being proactive by working with different tools will take you far in this job profile. SEO also has an expensive sibling! Search Engine Marketing (SEM) targets potential customers on search engines through paid advertising; this process is inorganic. SEM is another marketing position worth exploring if SEO excites you!
Want to show your dazzling SEO skills to a hiring manager? First, create your own blog/website. Next, apply an organic SEO strategy to your site over time; take in feedback and tweak your approach. Try showing improvisation in the face of changing algorithms. If done well, you can show employers optimized traffic results despite changing SEO requirements!
On average, an entry-level SEO specialist earns an annual salary of $54,508. With experience, incomes can rise past the $75,000 mark. Dramatically boosting website rankings will lead to handsome rewards in today’s market.
Ideal degree options include Computer Science, Mass Communication, Business, Marketing, or Digital Marketing.
Marketing Analysis
Today, two kings reign supreme: content and data. Having discussed the former, we will now explore the latter’s relationship with marketing. Global interest in data analysis is at an all-time high. Marketing analysis is classic number-crunching with an industry-specific goal. Marketing analysts use technical tools to study consumer data, observe relevant patterns, and convert their findings into actionable advice that optimizes future creative campaigns.
Let us assume you are a marketing analyst at a reputed agency. Chanel is a client (well done!) for whom you have launched a social media ad campaign. Being a fashion behemoth, they are bound to generate tonnes of customer data – who clicked on the ads, who bought a product, who chose not to, etc. All relevant metrics are collected within a cohesive data-centric marketing infrastructure.
As an able marketing analyst, it is your job to distill all this data into simple, actionable information for your agency. Say, most of your sales were with 30 to 35-year-old women. This information can improve future Chanel campaigns since you know exactly which segment to target. In today’s age, data partially drives content!
As a marketing analyst, you will:- Create smooth pipelines and workflows for efficient data collection
- Retrieve, clean, and collate relevant data
- Analyze relevant data to find notable patterns
- Research competitors and decode trends
- Convey actionable findings to creative teams and clients
Try showing hiring managers your method of scraping user data (preferably online), display visually attractive and helpful findings, and then match promotional strategies to optimize marketing efforts. If you build a solid portfolio, expect to start a marketing analyst job soon!
Marketing analysts earn good money thanks to their work’s technical nature. Salaries start as high as $60,000 and reach $106,000 with experience.
Ideal degree options include Statistics, Business, Quantitative Finance, or other quantitative fields.
Event Marketing
Event Marketing is one of the most fun job profiles in the marketing industry. If you enjoy planning elaborate parties, this could be your calling! Event marketing is the experiential marketing of a brand through memorable promotional events. Trade shows, conferences, seminars, launches, and brand festivals are all planned and executed by event marketers.
Copywriters sell through words, graphic designers sell through design, and event marketers sell through unforgettable experiences. A good event marketer regularly conducts engaging in-person promotional campaigns that drive awareness and sales. A big part of the fun factor in this profile is the range of projects; an event marketer could work on something as simple as a photo booth or something as complex as a stadium-filling brand event!
Say you are an event marketer employed by a sneaker brand (surely you expected this). The brand offers a conservative budget to promote a new line of fresh kicks. How could you best market this product? First, you would lock which group you want to target; in this case, the youth sector would be sensible. Next, maybe create fun events in line with your target group. Based on your budget, here are possible ideas – treasure hunts in schools, impromptu fashion shows in colleges, flash mobs in a mall, etc. Events, where our sneakers are the central attraction, would inform, entertain, and potentially drive shoe sales.
As an event marketer, you will:- Ideate, organize, and execute promotional campaigns for brands
- Achieve goals of increasing awareness and driving sales
- Pitch event concepts to clients for approval
- Collaborate with other marketing teams to realize your vision
- Have excellent interpersonal skills
Event marketer salaries often depend on the brands and type of promotional events they work on. On average, entry-level positions offer $35,170 annually. This job profile often takes you on the road, so you are compensated for a lot of travel. Hopefully, you enjoy it!
Ideal degree options include Event Management, PR, Tourism, or Communications.
Human Resources
Human resources, commonly referred to as HR, is an integral department within every successful organization. HR traditionally performs various functions that manage human capital; broadly speaking, recruiting, hiring, training, retaining, and supporting employees are some of their essential tasks. But this seems to be a generic role. Why are we discussing it in the marketing sphere? Because a reliable HR department is key to long-term success in the modern marketing industry.
Marketing and HR are two sides of the same coin. While marketing seeks to convey brand voice to consumers, HR focuses on communicating brand voice to employees. The collaboration between both demands consistency and synergy. Only then is a universal brand voice created - one which consumers are compelled by, employees live and breathe, and potential employees gravitate to.
As a member of human resources, you will:- Manage employee hiring, satisfaction, retention, and training among other functions
- Work closely with the marketing team to craft a universal brand voice
- Strategically create engaging activities to boost employee morale
- Be expected to have excellent interpersonal communication skills
On average, entry-level HR salaries in the marketing world come up to $53,752 a year. Experience can easily boost salaries beyond the $100,000 mark.
Here is a relevant parting note for this section. At its core, this role requires you to care about people. Be it a veteran or a newcomer, HR shapes every employee experience at the company. Admittedly, this is a tall order. However, if you genuinely enjoy interacting with people (and they enjoy yours!) and can communicate with clarity and empathy, this is the profile for you!
There are many educational routes for an HR aspirant. Ideal bachelor’s degree options include Human Resource Management, Organizational Management, Communications, and Marketing.
Product Marketing
This career option is as lucrative as it is multi-dimensional. Product marketing sounds simple enough, but the profile demands an aptitude for product, sales, customer success, and marketing! Sounds overwhelming? Let us break it down with one final sneaker example.
You are a product marketer for a sneaker that will hit the market next year. In consultation with product managers, you will first decide which sneaker to sell. Next, aided by extensive research, you lock your target group for advertising purposes. As the launch gets closer, you work closely with multiple departments. Together, you create buzz and a bridge between the product and targets. Intelligent marketing tactics are key: attractive prices, targeted promotions, etc.
If everything goes well, your sneaker will have robust sales! It is important to note that even after the sale, a product marketer's job is far from over! Product marketers must continue creating eye-catching campaigns for successful products; this helps drive sales in future phases. A good product marketer is comfortable executing across all 4 domains.
As a product marketer you will:- Extensively study a product’s target audience
- Create buzz and drive sales of a product
- Devise and maintain sales playbooks and tools
- Communicate and collaborate with multiple marketing departments
- Execute product launches and post-sale marketing efforts
Product marketer salaries are the best in the business. The average annual entry-level salary is $67,560. With good experience, incomes can rise to $1,50,000; top product marketers are known to earn 7-figure incomes. There is massive scope for financial growth with this profile.
Ideal degree options include Marketing, Advertising, or Business.
This final point is crucial to grasp, so pay attention. Whichever marketing career you pursue, honing soft skills is a must. You substantially improve your chances of doing well in this industry if you can communicate well, learn fast, multitask, and develop familiarity with data.
Best of luck on your marketing journeys!
