The world of marketing is changing, rapidly. The introduction of digital techniques such as social media, email and inbound have made it an exciting, fluid playing field virtually anyone can aspire to enter.

Getting any job isn’t easy, but when it comes to online marketing, the process is further complicated by the many paths you can follow. Do you head down the inbound route? What about content marketing? But, then, there’s always email and social media marketing, too… What about a combination of them all?

Don’t fret, because before you get too specific, there are some basics to cover. In this post, I’ve got 6 tips that will help you land a job in online marketing. Some may seem obvious, but others will surprise you.

Become a great writer

Online marketing involves words. Lots of words. Without decent literacy skills, your ability to land that dream job will be severely hampered.

If you’re a natural with the written word – great! But if you know you’re more likely to opt for ‘text speak’ than a well-constructed, grammatically-correct sentence, spend as much time as you can learning how to become a better writer.

Remember that it isn’t all virtual

Ok, so the majority of the work you’ll be performing in online marketing is, well… online, but don’t assume the same applies when you’re pitching yourself; the usual job hunting rules apply; you need to consider your outfit for an interview,  find out what you shouldn’t wear and be coherent and engaging when speaking to potential employers.

Observe your favorite brands

Chances are, you want to land a job in online marketing because you’ve been inspired (sometimes subconsciously) by your favorite brands. Before applying for jobs, take some time to observe those brands. What are they doing to engage you? What type of content are they posting on their blog? How are they using social media?

Take notes, because a question you’re likely to be asked by potential employees is ‘which companies inspire you and why?’.

Become a dab hand with Excel

Microsoft’s venerable spreadsheet software is so old it practically predates online marketing, but any modern marketer worth their salt will confirm it is one of their most relied upon tools.

As an online marketer, you’ll be doing lots of post scheduling, analyzing and testing, and Excel will likely play a central role in all of those arenas. Start digging into its colossal range of features now!

Build your social profile and manage your online reputation

These are two things you’ll be aiming to do for businesses, so start as you mean to go on and set an example with your own social profile.

If you’re absent from any social media services, create accounts and learn how to use them. Be sensible; combine expressing your true self with the ability to listen to others, avoid conflict, be non-offensive and make sure you are approachable online.

Potential employers will always hunt you down and suss you out on on social media before giving you the keys to their online presence.

Start a blog

Blogging is an intrinsic part of online marketing. It is usually the heartbeat of any content marketing strategy and your ability to publish blogs that are well-written (see tip 1), attractive and engaging will be crucial.

Hone your skill by starting your own personal blog (if you haven’t already) and familiarize yourself with services like WordPress.

Summary

Online marketing is an exciting, dynamic and rewarding career path. Follow the tips above before you hit the job listing websites and you’ll lay the groundwork for a successful and long career as an online marketer.