Entering into an industry you don’t have too much experience in can seem intimidating and almost impossible to someone starting out. At least that’s what was running through my mind before getting my first digital marketing position.
Before starting as a Paid Media Specialist at Brainlabs in the latter half of 2020, I was working in the hospitality industry and hopping around from gig to gig during the pandemic. It was tough, but from then until now, there has been nothing but growth for me – for which I am grateful, as I fully understand not a lot of people can say they had.
So, in that sense, I want to share a letter with you all – something that I wish I could have read when I found myself in a tough situation early on in 2020. I want it to be a source of motivation for those getting started in the Digital Marketing world, whether you’re just starting a new job at an agency or freelancing, in the midst of interviews, or still just searching.
I’m hoping you find some sort of resemblance with your own situation and encouragement with this letter. It may take some grit, curiosity, and good old-fashioned hard work to enter into this industry, but you CAN do it.
Dear New Digital Marketer…
Welcome! Look at you. Changing career paths or job searching in the midst of a pandemic.
First of all, give yourself a pat on the back for not losing hope. It’s tough out there, but you’re killing it. You may have just landed a job at an agency or you’re looking for the next opportunity and that’s great!
There are some tips I want to share with you; things that you can actively do now to jumpstart your growth as a digital marketer or PPC specialist.
Tip Number 1: READ, READ, READ
This tip isn’t new. It’s probably something you’ve heard before, and it will always be reiterated. It’s important to keep up with platform updates and industry trends.
There are always going to be changes, whether they have to do with privacy, match types, product updates, etc., and it’s vital that you keep up to date with these. It’s important not only to read about new trends and updates, but also articles and blogs written by experienced PPC strategists sharing their tips, tricks, and insights regarding applying certain bid strategies, targeting settings, keywords strategies, etc., to their campaigns.
Some great blogs that you can keep bookmarked are, of course, PPC Hero, Searchengineland, Bing/Microsoft Blog and Google Blog. You absolutely have to have a flexible attitude about your account and be ready to adapt and make changes when necessary.
Tip Number 2: Trust Your Gut and Your Capabilities
You might not realize it, but as you dive into an account on Google/Bing Ads or any other social platform, you’re bound to learn something new every single day. And every day, your knowledge base grows more and more.
With that said, you may surprise yourself and realize you know more than you thought you did. So take a mental note of this! Try to take time to reflect on your day in the evening or in the morning before you get started for the next day. This way, if your manager or account lead asks you to do something, you can feel confident that you know how to complete that task.
Tip Number 3: Expose Yourself to New Experiences and Challenges Early
Something that is highly beneficial is not being afraid to jump into tasks or projects that you haven’t done before.
Take initiative in your progress and learning. Wondering what goes on during a product pitch? Ask your manager to shadow it!
Wondering how your account lead prepares for their weekly/bi-weekly client calls? Ask them! Shadow them when they gather data, or pull reports to share with their client.
Intimidated by budgets? (I know you are) Ask for every budget sheet that your account manager owns, and study it! Ask them their strategy on how they allocate budgets.
If you’re a free agent, you can google all this information like agenda structures for client calls, reporting of specific metrics/data, budget allocation, etc.
What I’m trying to say here is, GO FOR IT. Trust me, no one will ever be mad or frustrated with you for wanting to learn.
Tip Number 4: Your Clients May Surprise You
Don’t underestimate your clients’ level of knowledge of digital marketing and PPC.
Some clients may have a few years of experience themselves, or they’re just really interested in the world of PPC. It could very well be that they know just as much as you do about platform updates or trends in PPC and they want to collaborate with you in coming up with ideas for their account. You would be able to bounce ideas back and forth with someone who is an expert in their field and has some interest in what you do as well and that’s always great!
To sum it all up in a few words: Be open, be eager, be flexible and collaborative.
I hope these tips help you, and as well, help anyone else wanting to dive into this industry. Keep these tips in mind and pass them along to others who are new to digital marketing and PPC, or trying to enter the industry, as it could be a source of motivation and encouragement to them. It’s important that we all help each other during this time!
