Digital culture has contributed to an advertising area niche over the past few years; however, finding a person with the relevant skills can be difficult. Online marketing requires a specific set of skills that will vary dependent on the position. According to statistics, the trend of hiring online marketing experts is on the increase. Approximately 44% of all businesses have been seeking freelance marketers over the past two years. From SEO for dentists to content creation for travel agents, read on to find out more.
1. Online Marketing Prompts Professional Development
With the increasing need for digital talent, there has also been an increase in hiring online marketers. Statistics showed a 19% growth in online hiring over the past 12 months. This can be because this area of specialisation will continue to be in demand as the years progress. Reports indicate that of all staff hired, 42% of the posts were permanent positions. It was also seen that the US digital skills are more prominent in the professional development industry with a forecast of £6.6 billion in the next year.
2. Increased Demand for this Skill Set
A survey of several companies indicates that 56% of the businesses surveyed have plans to hire digital marketing experts or individuals with digital marketing skills over the next year. The skills include the following:
- Mobile content maintenance
- Social media maintenance
- Content creation
- Content development and curation
- Lead generation
- SEM and SEO.
While these skills are seen in online marketing jobs, they are not exclusive to online marketing positions. This is particularly true for traditional advertising posts; therefore, it is more important than ever for individuals to be trained in online digital skills to remain updated in the changing market.
3. A Gap in Skills
The majority of skills required for traditional advertising and marketing roles are over-saturating the market. The skills range from the analysis of market data to research and product creation.
The gap in marketing hires presents a supply of 24% and a demand for workers at 54%. In the creative skillset, there is only a 27% supply with a 35% demand for workers.
Based on research by The European Commission, the use of online services has increased in approximately 90% of all companies in the last five years. The gap in skills between staff is becoming more evident with 38% of businesses who are lacking skills influence performance. This can result in a 46% decrease in business productivity. It should also be noted that 88% of these companies will not admit a lack of online marketing skills, even though it can increase profitability.
Below are figures from surveys by Statista indicating the use of smartphones in different countries:
- The USA – 260 million
- Australia – 19.4 million
- Hone Kong – 5.6 million
- Singapore – 4.3 million
- The UAE – 3.9 million.
The same survey indicates that the forecasts will be approximately 3 billion users by 2020.
4. The Digital Invasion
Based on social media growth surveys in 2018, there is an increase in digital usage in many different areas of communication; therefore, this is the best means of reaching an audience.
Online marketing jobs are required to promote advertising on social media as these platforms continue to grow. The recent report from Hootsuite and We Are Social shows that use of top social media platforms has approximately one million new users daily. In 2018, three billion people were utilising social media globally in a single month.
Final Words on the Matter
The increasing need for online marketing experience will continue to grow as years progress. This results in many digital teaching opportunities for colleges, training services and universities. When a workforce misses the mark on online marketing skills, they will more than likely see a decrease in productivity. To avoid this, the use of online marketing courses is a worthwhile investment.
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