For the last few years, I have established some roots in marketing. I have worked throughout various areas like; content creation, campaigns, fundraising, print, traditional media, analytics, event marketing and more. While it has been a fulfilling and joyful time of growth, I have concerns about my lacking skill sets towards digital marketing. It’s not that I haven’t dabbled in it, but I do not feel as comfortable with the topic and the vast number of avenues and opportunities available. Plus, with so many technological advancements happening in short time periods, I truly had a pit in my stomach that this could be the root rot that may kill my career if don’t gain more insight. So here I am…soaking up some educational sunlight.
As I am starting to pivot my career into the strategic planning side, I realize digital marketing is an area I, nor my company, can overlook much further. I am sort of embarrassed to say that most of our digital marketing services are outsourced. I would like to see if this can be brought into our department within the next couple of years, so that our brand’s online reputation can be handled by those who know it best, love it, and want to see it reach its greatest potential.
Part of this shift entails a change in our view of what marketing is now. I think marketers should start looking at digital marketing, not as an additional section of their strategic planning, but as a part of marketing. It has been a separate aspect for many companies, but it should not be considered detached. If marketing’s purpose is to connect, why are some of us leaving out one of the most powerful tools available to us now?
“They realized that successful marketing demands understanding the customers, in order to be relevant to them. It wasn’t about products and services anymore, and it wasn’t about print ads, TV spots, or even selling. It was about connecting.”
The End of “Digital”: Why You Need to Stop Separating Traditional and Digital Marketing
By: Ida Cheinman
However, I do realize that saying that is one thing… convincing board members or senior management is a whole other issue. Most do not understand marketing well to begin with, so it is often much simpler to separate them in planning conversations. I think a few people believe that digital has something to do with a separate reality and often imagine the future with groups of people lacking human interaction while playing on devices like Oculus VR Headsets. What we fail to understand is this is not a separate reality. Digital is a part of the human world now, and like it or not, the customers are already there.
Don’t get me wrong… I do believe that when learning about digital marketing, it almost has to be separated from other types of marketing due to the sheer variety of programs and processes. For instance, I was recently attending a digital marketing conference in Wisconsin Dells where one of the main speakers was focusing on social listening. While it is not necessarily a new tactic in digital marketing, the articulation of “social listening” has brought definition and refinement to the concept. It also brought along with it a greater understanding and examples of how to connect, and listen to our customers online. One challenge the speaker gave attendees was to look outside the social media platforms in which we have accounts on. By searching through other social avenues that a company may not be directly connected with, they may be able to see more authentic conversations about their company or brand.
So, I got home and looked up what people were saying about our brand on social platforms in which we did not have a presence. Some examples were Tik Tok and Reddit.
WOW.
The comments, perspectives and what people choose to talk about were vastly different than the social media platforms where we had created accounts. This was not a good or bad thing, but it certainly gave a more holistic view of my company’s brand. This is where I connected with Oli Gardner’s quote from our expert session.
“Silence is better than bullshit.”
Oli Gardner, 7 Principles of Conversion-centered Design Video
I do not have to be everywhere to listen. I do not need to make accounts on every platform to stay relevant or be digital. I should not create content for the sake of content. I don’t have to be in the forest to hear the tree fall. This insight helps when managing and organizing resources, and will also assist when having those higher-level conversations on where my department is heading next.
This is why I am quite excited to begin this course as I pursue a digital marketing certification. I do believe it will open up my eyes to a lot of deficiencies within our department, but it should show just as many opportunities.
My purpose and intent with this class is simply to grow. I love being a student of marketing. I love the pursuit of growth and realization of new processes. I am hoping to strengthen an area within my current skill sets and apply it to a job and position I love. My goal is to gain a greater understanding of digital marketing in order to bring more of our digital marketing aspects in-house. I think this certification will grant me a wider understanding of marketing and ultimately give me more room and roots to grow.
Eagle Digital 
Great read! I really enjoyed this and reading about you have switched your focas and are learning to grow. I think we all will keep growing as new stuff comes out daily.
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The fact that you love your job and you care enough about your company to take courses to grow and help shift your company is invaluable!! Not many people are motivated much beyond themselves let alone for another’s “cause”, if you will. I hope your board members and senior management see that alone as reason enough to consider your proposition to keep more digital marketing in-house.
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