Digital marketing: Breaking career stereotypes

Hyderabad: Have you ever noticed advertisements popping up while you open your Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn accounts or received an e-mail or text message on your mobile phone offering a list of movies that are being screened in your nearest theatre or on products being launched, then you are no longer a stranger to digital marketing. With internet connectivity increasing among people, more and more companies are shifting to a new way of marketing i.e. online marketing for their products.

Digital marketing is nothing but the use of internet for product advertisement and promotion. The emergence of digital marketing has opened up new career opportunities to students.

Digital marketing /internet marketing training includes Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) training, Pay per click advertising, Search Engine Marketing (SEM), Social Media Optimisation (SMO), Affiliate marketing training and so on and so forth.

“According to a recent research, at least $100 million are being spent on digital marketing in India. Since digital marketing is on a growth curve, job prospects in this industry look very bright for skilled professionals. In the coming years, there will be an incredible demand for online marketing managers, social & digital marketing managers, social media directors, interactive media strategists, web marketing & PR managers, marketing programme specialists and similar profiles,” says Nitin M, one of the founders of Digital Cutlet.

Asif Hussain, trainer in digital marketing, says “digital marketing not only boosts career opportunities, but is also very fetching. A fresh graduate can earn around Rs 25,000 per month, while for experienced professionals, the sky is the limit. This course is ideal for all MBA – marketing students. Recently digital marketing was included as a subject in MBA syllabus in most B-Schools.”

For Archana P, SEO executive and quality analyst at Traffika, who was in search of a creative and dynamic field, digital marketing came as a boon for her, she says “I was looking out for a career which is really dynamic and gives me job satisfaction at the end of the day.”

“In order to succeed in the digital marketing business, you have to understand these platforms inside out. Be active on social media too, it helps increase your understanding of the unique nuances of each platform,” she shares.

The profession requires a strong command over content writing and social media. Emails, social posts, blogs, website content, contracts, proposals, and press releases are all part of a digital marketers daily routine.

The course requires a working knowledge in statistics, artistic visualisation, science and e-commerce. Students of any field can opt for digital marketing as a career. Courses offered in this field are diploma in digital marketing, executive programme in digital marketing, MSc digital marketing and many more. While many of the management institutes are already offering the programmes, NIIT, Digital Cutlet and Digital Marketing Academy in Hyderabad are also offering the course.

“I always like to try new products or services, I am creative and I can think ‘out of the box’ which is why I believe that digital marketing is a better career for me. I am sure that I will earn more than my friends who are all software professionals,” says Ashok, a student of digital marketing.