WHO IS A MARKETING SPECIALIST: Meaning, Duties, Salary, Requirements & Guide

Marketing specialist
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A digital marketing specialist assists an organization in monitoring its marketing advertisement to boost products and services, spotlight an organization’s mission, or gain benefactors’ attention in the nonprofit sector. Also, they handle social media accounts, generate steady branding elements, sales leads, and participate in other marketing and sales activities. In other words, understanding a marketing specialist job description helps you decide whether to pursue this career or not. To help you, we will provide answers to questions like “What the salary of a marketing specialist is? how to become one? and what their average salary is. 

Overview

A marketing specialist is someone who, as the name suggests, develops within a particular area of marketing, such as influencer marketing, SEO, social media, email marketing, market research, branding, etc. Thus, they are accountable for activities across the entire marketing channel and handle projects in sales marketing, product marketing, and corporate communications.

How Do I Become a Marketing Specialist?

The role of marketing specialist requires a wide type of functions that involve certain abilities, including:

#1. Obtain Education

A marketing specialist starts chasing their considered career by acquiring an associate degree in marketing or sales. Also, some people go as far as acquiring a master’s degree. Additionally, other subjects in which a striving marketing specialist can get their college degree include public relations, journalism, or English.

#2.  Get Training

Marketing specialists get training through a combination of education and acquired experience working in the field of marketing. To that effect, making them more qualified for a role as a marketing specialist when they have at least three years of experience in an internship or an entry-level marketing role. This is because some specific areas of knowledge, such as digital marketing, can make employers consider an individual more closely for a role. Also, many marketing employees take online marketing, communication, and business courses to enhance their knowledge.

#3. Certifications

Marketing certifications help employees show their qualifications to prospective employers. In essence, marketing specialists should earn professional certifications to expand their skills and knowledge to advance their careers. Furthermore, one helpful certification to earn is the Professional Certified Marketer (PCM) certification. Because this certification is available in four specialties and comes from the American Marketing Association. However, depending on the specific certification an individual chooses, they may explore topics like email marketing, online advertising, lead conversion, and content marketing.

#4. Acquire Experience

Gaining relevant work experience is an important aspect of becoming a marketing specialist, as employers commonly seek candidates with several years of experience in marketing. Prior to this, Experience enhances the contributions that a marketing specialist brings to brainstorming sessions, pitch meetings, and presentations. Additionally, marketing experience can be gained while earning a bachelor’s degree in communication by participating in internships and taking on entry-level positions.

#5. Skills

Marketing is an essential position in businesses. Hence, to adapt and develop in today’s fiercely competitive environment, marketing “warriors” must combine many different skills. Below are essential skills that every professional marketing specialist needs to possess,

  • Search engine optimization skills (SEO) 
  • Return On Investment (ROI) measurement skills
  • Analytical skills
  • Project and time management skills
  •  Market research skills
  • Digital Marketing skills
  • Communication skills

Marketing Specialist Job Description

A marketing specialist is part of an organization’s marketing team and assists in developing and executing campaigns to gain prospective customers while increasing sales. They may also work within the nonprofit sector to help build awareness about an environmental, social, or cultural challenge and appeal to proposed donors.

Hence, the role of a marketing specialist is basic to any marketing team due to the variety of functions performed by the individual. For instance, developing marketing materials for websites and other marketing platforms and liaising with sales teams and other departments to carry out various internal and external communications for the company.

Marketing Specialist Job Description: Duties & Responsibilities

A marketing specialist should be able to fulfill various duties and responsibilities. Hence, the followings are some duties and responsibilities in the job description of a marketing specialist,

  • Conduct market research to identify customer trends, competitor offerings, and demographic data
  • Liaise with creative teams to come up with branding ideas, graphic designs, promotional materials, and advertising copies
  • Discover effective marketing and promotional channels, including media platforms to be used to relay product messages to customers
  • Investigate the performance of a company’s marketing campaigns and strategies by evaluating key performance metrics
  • Create innovative marketing campaigns depending on robust data and present the recommendations to management
  • Establish and maintain relationships with new and existing clients through networking and prospecting
  • Create goals and objectives in order to approach customers through appropriate marketing channels
  • Help in outbound and inbound marketing activities by displaying expertise in certain areas such as events planning, advertising, optimization, and content development
  • Promoting brand awareness through marketing efforts
  • Generating marketing materials for our website and other marketing platforms
  • Supporting the marketing team with marketing activities by demonstrating expertise in various areas, including optimization, advertising, social media, direct marketing, and event planning
  • Assisting with the analyses of marketing data, including campaign results, conversion rates, and online traffic in order to improve future marketing strategies and campaigns.
  • Performing other duties when needed

Marketing Specialist Job Description: Education & Experience Requirements

Below are the necessary requirement to become a certified marketing specialist while earning a salary,

  • 3 or more years of marketing experience (digital and traditional) in a corporate, or agency environment.
  • Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, Outlook, and Access), Adobe Creative Suite, and CRM and CMS software.
  • Working knowledge of HTML and CSS
  • Experience using analytics software
  • Excellent written and verbal communication skills
  • Ability to work in a fast-paced, high-pressure environment
  • Multi-tasking and time-management skills, with the ability to prioritize tasks
  • Highly organized and detail-oriented
  • Bachelor’s or Master’s Degree in Marketing and Communications or a similar field 

Marketing Specialist Job Description: Skills

Below are the essential skills for the qualification as a marketing specialist,

  • Creating and maintaining client relationships
  • Self-motivated yet customer-focused
  • Proficient in marketing research and statistical analysis
  • Skilled in SEO and SMM content writing. 
  • Excellent Organizational and Management skills. 
  • Good Verbal and Written Communication skills. 

Marketing Specialist Salary

The average total salary for a marketing specialist is $58,000 per year. Also, entry-level positions start at $45,000 per year while most experienced workers make up to $82,552 per year. Additionally, this is based on data from 626 TurboTax users who reported their occupation as marketing specialists and includes taxable wages, tips, bonuses, and more. Also, marketing specialist salary differ between $22,000 to $102,500

Factors Affecting The Marketing Specialist’s Salary

Below are the few common factors affecting the salary of marketing specialists depending on,

  • Education
  • Skills
  • Experience 
  • Employer 
  • Location
  • Area of specialization

Digital Marketing Specialist

A digital marketing specialist specializes in developing and implementing online marketing strategies to promote products, services, or brands. Hence, they are well-versed in various digital channels and platforms, such as search engines, social media, email, content marketing, and display advertising. Typically, their primary aim is to drive targeted traffic, increase brand visibility, engage with audiences, and generate leads or conversions.

Types of Digital Marketing Specialists

Digital marketing is a wide field with various specializations. Here are some common types of digital marketing specialists with higher-paying salary,

#1. Search Engine Optimization (SEO) Specialist

SEO specialists focus on improving a website’s visibility and ranking in search engine results pages (SERPs). They also conduct keyword research, optimize website content and structure, analyze website performance, and carry out strategies to increase organic search traffic.

#2. Pay-per-Click (PPC) Specialist

PPC specialists manage paid advertising campaigns on platforms like Google Ads, Bing Ads, and social media advertising platforms. Typically, they create and optimize ad campaigns, set budgets, select targeting options, and monitor ad performance to drive relevant traffic and conversions.

#3. Social Media Marketing Specialist

Social media specialists are experts in managing and promoting brands on social media platforms. In addition, they create social media strategies, develop engaging content, manage social media accounts, monitor audience engagement, and utilize analytics to optimize social media performance.

#4. Content Marketing Specialist 

Content marketing specialists focus on creating and distributing valuable and relevant content to attract and engage the target audience. Also, they develop content strategies, produce blog posts, articles, videos, infographics, and other forms of content, and use content distribution channels to reach the target audience.

#5. Email Marketing Specialist 

Email marketing specialists design, execute, and analyze email marketing campaigns. In addition to that, they develop email marketing strategies, create email templates, segment email lists, and implement personalization techniques. Thus, they monitor email deliverability and engagement metrics and optimize email campaigns for maximum effectiveness.

What Does A Digital Marketing Specialist Do?

Digital marketing specialists typically work for marketing firms and corporations to provide creative solutions for brands. Also, they work closely with the marketing department to determine unique ways to spread awareness about their company and drive product sales. Typically, their job is to review market trends and identify one or more target audiences to establish a direction for their campaigns. Below are the duties and responsibilities of a digital marketing specialist,

#1. Developing Digital Marketing Strategies

Digital marketing specialists are responsible for developing effective digital marketing strategies aligned with the organization’s goals. They analyze target audience demographics, conduct market research, and identify key performance indicators (KPIs) to create thorough plans that maximize online presence and achieve marketing objectives.

#2. Managing Digital Advertising Campaigns 

They plan, execute, and optimize digital advertising campaigns across various platforms, such as search engines, social media, display networks, and mobile advertising. They create compelling ad copies, select relevant keywords, set budget allocations, and monitor campaign performance to ensure maximum reach, engagement, and return on investment (ROI).

#3. Implementing Search Engine Optimization (SEO) Techniques

Digital marketing specialists optimize websites and digital content for better visibility in search engine results pages. They conduct keyword research, perform on-page and off-page optimization, monitor website rankings, and analyze website traffic to drive organic search traffic and improve search engine rankings.

#4. Creating Engaging Content

They develop and manage content marketing strategies, including creating engaging blog posts, articles, social media content, videos, and other digital assets. Also, they ensure that the content is aligned with the brand’s voice and resonates with the target audience to increase brand awareness and drive customer engagement.

#5. Social Media Management

Digital marketing specialists oversee social media channels, create social media campaigns, and develop social media content calendars. They also engage with the audience, respond to inquiries, monitor social media trends, and analyze social media analytics to optimize social media performance and increase brand visibility.

#6. Analyzing Data and Reporting

They utilize various analytics tools to measure and track key performance metrics, such as website traffic, conversion rates, email open rates, and social media engagement. Also, they analyze data, create reports, and provide insights to improve marketing strategies and make data-driven decisions.

Digital marketing is a constantly evolving field, and specialists are responsible for staying updated on the latest industry trends, emerging technologies, and digital marketing best practices. In addition, they attend industry conferences, webinars, and workshops, and participate in continuous learning to enhance their skills and knowledge.

#8. Participation and Communication

Digital marketing specialists collaborate with cross-functional teams, such as graphic designers, content writers, developers, and marketing managers. They also communicate marketing goals, coordinate campaign activities, and ensure effective teamwork to achieve desired outcomes.

What Skills Does a Digital Marketing Specialist Need?

 There are many hard and soft skills prospective digital marketers should consider honing, including:

  • Social media marketing
  • Basic IT troubleshooting
  • SEO and SEM
  • Basic graphic design and editing
  • Copywriting and editing
  • Data and business analytics
  • Communication skills 
  • Creative problem-solving 
  • Project leadership 
  • Adaptability 
  • Time management 
  • Strategic planning  

What is the Difference Between a Marketing Specialist and a Marketing Executive?

Digital marketing specialists are responsible for developing the strategy used in marketing a company’s product online. On the other hand, digital marketing executives oversee the online marketing strategy for their organization.

Why Should a Become a Marketing Specialist?

It’s creative and challenging and because marketing is always evolving and changing, it’s a field that always delivers new challenges and offers ample opportunities to learn and grow as a professional. If you like variety and change, marketing is a great career choice.

References

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  5. WHAT A UI UX DESIGNER DOES: Duties, Salary, Course & Difference
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