The most-read article ever of the 3,786 on this blog comes from back in 2011, entitled 74 Activities of a Marketing Department: a List. And that’s all it is. A list. Maybe that’s a lesson for all of us – people look for lists, and providing them can generate a lot of traffic.
74 Activities of a Marketing Department: a List
Today I thought I’d write another one of those lists, because a section the post above does not have is a separate list of the activities involved in online marketing (also awkwardly known as ‘digital’ marketing), and the skills required. These are incorporated in the big list under different categorisations, but could be worth highlighting on their own, as many people are employed specifically by businesses to manage online marketing. So, here we go with…
Online (Digital) Marketing Activities: a list
In B2B marketing, I would highlight those 6 major activities. They have considerable overlap, but taken together are a good representation of the skill set required for someone in an online marketing role. In a little more detail, the skills required for these are as follows.
Content Marketing: Content marketing requires strong writing and storytelling skills, along with the ability to understand the target audience and create valuable and engaging content. This includes creating blog posts, white papers, case studies, videos, infographics, and other formats. Additionally, skills in content strategy, keyword research, content distribution, and analytics are essential for optimising content for search engines, driving organic traffic, and measuring the effectiveness of content marketing efforts.
Search Engine Optimisation: ‘SEO’ involves optimising websites and content to improve their visibility and ranking in search engine results. Skills required for SEO include keyword research, on-page optimisation, technical SEO, link building, and understanding search engine algorithms. An SEO specialist should also have analytical skills to track and analyse website performance using tools like Google Analytics and SEO software.
Social Media Marketing: Social media marketing requires strong creativity and communication skills to develop engaging and shareable content on various social media platforms. This includes creating compelling posts, managing social media accounts, developing social media strategies, engaging with the audience, and measuring the impact of social media campaigns. Understanding social media algorithms, staying up-to-date with platform trends, and utilising social media management tools are also important skills.
Email Marketing: Email marketing involves crafting effective email campaigns to nurture leads, build customer relationships, and drive conversions. Skills required for email marketing include copywriting, email design, segmentation, automation, A/B testing, and analysing email performance metrics. Familiarity with email marketing platforms and best practices for deliverability and compliance is also necessary.
Search Engine Marketing: ‘SEM’ involves running paid advertising campaigns on search engines like Google through platforms like Google Ads. Skills required for SEM include keyword research, ad copywriting, bid management, campaign optimisation, and understanding metrics like click-through rate, conversion rate, and return on ad spend. Analytical skills are crucial to monitor and optimise campaign performance and ensure cost-effective results.
Video Marketing: Video marketing requires skills in video production, editing, and storytelling. Creativity and the ability to convey messages effectively through visual content are essential. Understanding various video platforms, optimising videos for SEO, and measuring video performance using metrics like view count, engagement, and conversion rates are also important skills. Additionally, familiarity with video editing software and the ability to adapt to evolving video trends and formats is beneficial in the dynamic video marketing landscape.
I hope the list above proves useful in some way, either as a checklist of the skills required from anyone responsible for a business’s online marketing, or perhaps as a starting point for a job specification. Let me know of any additions in the comments.
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