There’s no denying that digital marketing is the future of marketing—and niches within the field are also on the rise. As more companies, products, and brands take their business to online platforms (or simply use various digital channels to network, promote their goods and services, or drive consumers to a brick-and-mortar shop), digital marketing professionals are in high demand. So many businesses need help with search engine optimization, email marketing, creating content, and all the other hard skills associated with the profession. And you can learn many of those skills through education and experience. But what about soft skills? Although soft skills aren’t necessarily taught in digital marketing bootcamps, they are still critical for the field. And while you don’t need to have every single soft skill in your toolbox, the more you have, the better. Check out these essential soft skills that can help you succeed in a digital marketing career.
Tenacity
Being successful in a digital marketing career takes tenacity. Being able to be patient, and knowing you might have to keep trying to find what clicks can be discouraging. You may not immediately understand what’s working and what isn’t. But stay the course. Remember that a successful digital marketing strategy takes time. Don’t give up if you don’t find instant success overnight. It takes patience to wait for results—which can sometimes take months!
From challenges such as a client not liking a website or analytics not performing, digital marketing can feel like an ever-changing work in progress. Being able to stay tenacious and hear criticism without your ego getting in the way is a soft skill that will serve you well no matter the field. But especially in a field like digital marketing where constant and consistent feedback—from peers, clients, and consumers—is part of the gig, it’s important not to get caught up in your static vision. Digital marketing and positions within the field are ever-evolving, which leads to another important soft skill that can serve digital marketers well: adaptability.
Adaptability
In the digital marketing realm, a day’s work is rarely the same, no matter the channel. Those in the field must be ready to adapt as quickly as the internet—which we all know moves incredibly fast. Being able to change directions at a moment’s notice will keep your job interesting—as well as keep your business on point.
If you work across a variety of different channels, part of your job will be to regularly switch up your tasks and focus. Analytics roles are continually transforming to keep up with the times: even the Google algorithm is constantly evolving, so it makes sense that those working in digital marketing should be adaptable, too!
Ability to Multitask
Another soft skill that goes along with tenacity and adaptability is the ability to multitask. All three of these skills speak to the fast-paced, ever-changing nature of the field. Working in real-time along with digital marketing means being able to perform multiple tasks at once and have several balls in the air. Multitasking is part of any job in digital marketing. Keeping up with all that’s going on in the field is a tall order, but staying on the pulse of the fast-moving industry and being able to pivot when necessary comes with the territory.
Social Skills
Social skills is a broad term. Defined as skills “used to communicate with others daily in a variety of ways including verbal, nonverbal, written and visual,” there are a few that stand out as crucial for those in the digital marketing field.
Keep in mind: not everyone is going to be rich in social skills. You’ll encounter people who are not good communicators or collaborators or listeners. That’s what makes these skills even more desirable. When we choose who we want to work with, we pick those we get along with every time.
Teamwork & Collaboration
To be blunt: if you can’t work as a team, find another career. Digital marketing is a collaborative profession. Even as a freelancer or a contract worker, while you might work solo on day-to-day tasks, in this field, it’s impossible to do it all on your own. And the better you work with others, the more successful your business, product, or brand will be. It may be a cliche, but it still rings true: “Teamwork makes the dream work.”
Hand in hand with teamwork comes collaboration. Collaboration can sometimes mean sharing your great ideas. It can also mean taking a backseat while others take the lead. Willingness to collaborate will help you achieve more and ultimately be successful. And let’s face it: the better you work with others, the more people want to work with you, and the more work you’ll get.
Empathy
Empathy means being able to see things from another perspective, to walk in someone else’s shoes. It means nourishing relationships with coworkers and clients alike. In digital marketing, this can look like showing you understand where others are coming from. It can mean offering more inclusive options such as adding closed captions to your videos on social media and voice functionality to your website or app. Empathy is acknowledging where your business might be falling short when it comes to awareness and inclusion. Honoring all people’s experiences makes others feel seen and understood. Since connecting with others is a foundational element of digital marketing success, empathy is a soft skill that will benefit those in the field.
Listening
Listening to—and showing a willingness to learn from—others will take you far in digital marketing. Whether it’s a colleague or a client, although you may have much to say and to contribute, give others a chance to share their thoughts and ideas, too. You can work on active listening by taking notes as others talk instead of focusing on what you want to say when they finish.
Curiosity
Just like listening, being curious, asking questions, and paying attention to the answers is good practice in digital marketing. Staying curious means you’re not complacent. Being hungry to learn is an asset in both personal and professional areas of life. With so many niche areas under the umbrella of digital marketing, curiosity is always welcome! If you find something you’re interested in and/or excel at, dig deeper! A willingness to explore more rather than simply staying in your lane with your blinders can help you move forward in your career faster.
Staying curious about what’s happening in the field overall can help your career as well. There are even programs available to help pull together daily news and trends in the digital marketing realm. Knowing what’s current in your industry will add to your foundational knowledge of the field as well as keep you apprised of current digital marketing news and events.
Honesty & Transparency
Mistakes are inevitable, especially in a fast-paced field like digital marketing where much of the work is public-facing. And while owning up to messing up is no fun, it’s appreciated in the long run. Being able to admit when you’re wrong and move forward is a skill that will do you well across digital marketing channels.
Being able to say “I don’t know” is a strength, and provides opportunities to learn. With an industry that is growing and changing at breakneck speed, there’s no way anyone can know everything or be right all the time. Being honest about what you don’t know and transparent when you make a mistake makes it easier to solve the problem, and move forward. Hint: you’ll probably even learn something in the process!
Creativity
Let’s not forget that digital marketing grew from marketing, which grew from advertising. And while digital marketing today may not be the same as wooing a client with print mockups and poster boards of magazine ads, most career paths within the industry require creativity. With so many choices out there, it’s imperative to be creative. Bringing something fresh to the table is always welcome. Whether it’s a pitch to a client, company brainstorming, or even figuring out what to do for your personal strategy as an entrepreneur, creativity is what keeps ideas flowing and the industry moving. And while it can feel like a lot of pressure to perform, to be creative, and sometimes your ideas can fall flat, remember at the end of the day that your work is not you. Sometimes your creative ideas may not mesh with a client or others on your team or resonate with an audience—and that’s okay! Be tenacious and try again. Keep that creative spark alive and use it to keep churning out ideas and innovation.
Learn Digital Marketing
If your soft skills are strong but you need to learn or brush up on some technical skills, Noble Desktop’s digital marketing courses deliver. Digital marketing classes teach students how to level up on the hard skills necessary for success in the field. You can attend in-person classes at Noble Desktop’s New York City location or attend live online digital marketing courses from anywhere in the world. You can also find other digital marketing courses, bootcamps, and certificate programs in your area using Noble Desktop’s Classes Near Me tool.
For a more comprehensive look at digital marketing strategies, check out Noble’s Digital Marketing Strategies bootcamp, a 12-hour course that delves into the important role digital marketing strategy plays in a company’s overall success. This course is also offered as part of the more intensive 78-hour Digital Marketing Certificate, which delves deeper into each aspect of digital marketing.
Other resources offered by Noble Desktop include its digital marketing blog which has detailed articles about skills needed, career paths within the field and offers other industry tips and tricks. You can also watch Noble’s seminar on YouTube: The Pillars of Digital Marketing Success.