A Student’s Guide to Pursuing a Digital Marketing Degree

Our reliance on technology and the internet is at an all time high. Products and services are available at the click of a button, leading to a steep rise in demand for professionals who successfully help businesses market their offerings online.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, we can expect to see a 10% surge in job openings in advertising and marketing over the upcoming decade, which is far greater than any other occupation. This goes to prove that the perfect time to get a degree in digital marketing is right now!

Getting a digital marketing degree could be an exciting way for you to dive into the fast-paced world of online marketing. Not sure where to start your search or how to pursue this degree? We’re here to help! With CollegEnroll, you can find a digital marketing degree that helps you succeed and thrive in digital marketing roles like SEO specialist, content lead, social media manager, and more. Let’s start with the basics.

To put it simply, a digital marketing degree teaches you how to market products and services using digital channels. These channels usually include social media, content marketing, email marketing, and web analytics. With a degree in digital marketing, you’ll learn how to create digital marketing strategies, analyze campaign data, and understand online consumer behavior, helping you kickstart your career as a digital marketer.

Typically, the courses in this program include digital marketing principles, web development basics, graphic design, and marketing analytics. Once you graduate, you can find yourself working in various settings, from startups to large corporations or even starting your own digital marketing agencies.

A relatively new field of marketing, potential employers are looking for digital marketing graduates who can help them scale their business. This is why digital marketing degrees are hot property right now! Let’s dive in and look at the undergraduate and graduate degrees options available in digital marketing.

Undergraduate Degree Options

1. Associate’s Degree in Digital Marketing:  An associate’s degree in digital marketing typically takes two years to complete and offers a solid foundation in the basics of online marketing. In this degree program, you would learn about search engine optimization (SEO), social media marketing, email marketing, and content creation.
   
   The typical  curriculum includes courses on digital advertising, web design, and basic analytics. The admission requirements of this program include having a  high school diploma or an equivalent, along with transcripts showing relevant coursework in English and mathematics. Some programs may also require a minimum GPA. You may also be required to submit a personal statement or essay to showcase your interest in digital marketing.
   
2. Bachelor’s Degree in Digital Marketing: A four-year degree program, a bachelor’s degree in digital marketing offers a comprehensive understanding of the digital marketing landscape. As a student of this program, you would gain a thorough understanding of advanced topics like SEO, pay-per-click (PPC) advertising, digital strategy, and web analytics. This undergraduate degree often includes hands-on projects, internships, and courses on digital branding, e-commerce, and mobile marketing.
   
   The typical admission requirements for a bachelor’s in digital marketing include having a high school diploma or equivalent and official high school transcripts. Some institutes may request for SAT or ACT scores. You would also be required to submit a personal statement or essay on why you want to become a digital marketer. Reputed institutes like the Fisher College offer this program as a Bachelor of Science in Marketing degree with a concentration in Digital Marketing. 

Graduate Degree Options

1. Master’s Degree in Digital Marketing: A master’s degree in digital marketing is typically a one to two-year program that you can enroll for, if you wish to seek advanced knowledge or leadership roles in online marketing. This degree goes deeper into digital strategy, advanced analytics, consumer behavior, and digital branding. Courses may include digital marketing analytics, strategic digital communication, and global marketing strategies.
   
   Once you graduate, you could apply for senior roles such as digital marketing managers, strategists, or directors. Most master’s degree programs in digital marketing ask for a bachelor’s degree and official undergraduate transcripts for admission. Some institutions may require you to submit your GRE or GMAT scores as well. You may also be requested to submit letters of recommendation from academic or professional references, along with a statement of purpose outlining your career goals in digital marketing.

With a thorough understanding of the different kinds of digital marketing degrees and what you will learn in each, let’s take a quick look at how obtaining a digital marketing degree through an online medium might also be a great option.

If you’re someone who’s interested in gaining a degree in digital marketing, but doesn’t have the time or luxury of attending traditional classes, then obtaining an online digital marketing degree might be a good choice for you. This degree equips you with the skills you need to excel in the ever-evolving digital landscape by teaching you the core concepts of SEO (search engine optimization), social media marketing, content marketing, email marketing, and web analytics. You’ll also learn how to implement effective digital marketing strategies, analyze campaign performance, and understand online consumer behavior.

The flexibility of an online marketing degree allows you to balance your studies with other commitments. Upon graduation, you would be prepared for a plethora of roles in digital marketing, like being a digital marketer, social media manager, SEO specialist, and content strategist. Most online programs offer opportunities for hands-on projects and internships, helping you gain real-time experience in a professional setup.

Earning a digital marketing degree online is ideal if you’re looking to kickstart your career in a rapidly growing field that lets you work in diverse business settings. It’s safe to say that this online degree would be a valuable investment for anyone aiming to build a successful career in digital marketing.

Pursuing a digital marketing degree comes with its fair share of benefits. Apart from giving you credibility in a field that’s in very high demand, it also gives you a leg up on the competition in the job market. Let’s take a quick look at seven benefits of earning a digital marketing degree.

1. Extensive Knowledge and Skills

A digital marketing degree offers comprehensive education in multiple aspects of digital marketing, including SEO, social media marketing, content creation, email marketing, and digital analytics. This knowledge can equip you with the skills needed to excel in multiple roles within the digital marketing field, making you a versatile and valuable asset to any company.

2. Career Advancement Opportunities

You can significantly enhance your career prospects by earning a digital marketing degree. Employers now prefer candidates with a higher education degree in the field, as it showcases a solid understanding of marketing principles and digital strategies. This degree can open doors to advanced positions, such as digital marketing manager, SEO specialist, and social media director, helping you advance in your career. 

3. Higher Earning Potential

If you have a digital marketing degree, you are in a position to command higher salaries, thanks to the specialized knowledge and skills you possess to excel in the field. The demand for skilled digital marketers is increasing, and employers don’t mind paying a premium for professionals who know how to successfully drive digital marketing strategies and achieve business goals.

4. Working With Cutting-Edge Technologies

As a student of a digital marketing degree, you may gain access to the latest tools and technologies used in the industry. Hands-on experience with software and platforms like Google Analytics, HubSpot, Hootsuite, etc. helps you enhance your technical proficiency, making you an attractive candidate for potential employers.

5. Building a Professional Network

Pursuing a digital marketing degree comes with the benefit of networking with professors, industry experts, as well as fellow students. These connections can lead to internships, job placements, and collaborations. Being part of a network of like-minded professionals lets you keep up with industry trends and opens doors to career opportunities.

6. Stay Updated with Industry Trends

Considering the constant evolution that the digital marketing landscape is witnessing, it is important to stay updated with new trends and technologies that are emerging regularly. A digital marketing degree program could ensure you’re aware of the industry’s latest developments. Most digital marketing courses are often updated to reflect current best practices, enabling you to apply the most effective strategies in your work.

7. Credibility and Recognition

Holding a digital marketing degree is a great way to add credibility to your professional profile, as it showcases the rigorous training you have undergone to possess a thorough understanding of digital marketing concepts. This recognition can set you apart from other job candidates and increase your chances of obtaining higher positions in the competitive job market.

Overall, earning a digital marketing degree is a smart move as it equips you with the tools and expertise needed to succeed in the ever-changing world of digital marketing.

Once you obtain your digital marketing degree, entering the field as a digital marketer doesn’t seem overwhelming. There are a plethora of career options in digital marketing that can help you fulfill your professional and personal aspirations. Let’s look at some of the popular careers you can explore with a degree in digital marketing. 

1. SEO Specialist

As an SEO specialist, your primary focus would be on optimizing websites to rank higher on search engine results pages (SERPs). You would be conducting keyword research, analyzing website performance, and implementing on-page and off-page SEO strategies.

Your main goal would be to increase your website’s organic traffic by improving its content, structure, and usability. You would also be required to stay updated with the latest search engine algorithms and trends to ensure that your strategies remain effective. On average, an SEO specialist can take home a handsome pay of around $102,855 per year.

2. Content Marketing Manager

One of the most popular career choices among digital marketers is content marketing. Content marketing managers are responsible for creating and managing a company’s content strategy. This may include developing content plans, creating relevant and engaging content, and distributing it across a number of online channels.

As a content marketing manager, you would work closely with writers, designers, and other marketers to produce blog posts, videos, infographics, and social media posts that possibly attract and retain customers. Your main goal would be to build brand awareness, generate leads, and drive traffic to your company’s website. Data suggests that a content marketing manager can earn anywhere from $110,116 to $143,846. However, this varies as per industry, level of education and experience.

3. Social Media Manager

With the rise of social media platforms, marketers have found these to be quite effective in attracting relevant audiences to their offering. This is why social media managers have become almost imperative to any company’s marketing team. As a social media manager, you would be overseeing your company’s social media presence by creating and scheduling posts, engaging with followers, and analyzing social media metrics to measure the success of your campaigns.

You would also be responsible for developing strategies to increase followers, enhance engagement, and drive traffic to the company’s website. Being a social media manager also means you need to stay current with social media trends and algorithms to optimize your efforts across platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn. While salaries may vary by industry, education level, and years of experience, a social media manager can potentially earn about $115,780 every year.

4. Digital Marketing Analyst

If you’re someone who loves digital marketing and numbers equally, then you could explore being a digital marketing analyst. In this role, you would collect and analyze data from various digital marketing campaigns by using tools like Google Analytics and other data analytics software. These tools help you track performance metrics, identify trends, and make data-driven recommendations. Your professional insights can help marketing teams refine their strategies, allocate budgets effectively, and achieve better ROI. As a digital marketing analyst, you can possibly earn an annual salary of about $64,088.

5. PPC Specialist

A PPC (Pay-Per-Click) Specialist is responsible for managing online advertising campaigns on platforms like Google Ads and Bing Ads. They conduct keyword research, create ads, manage online bids, and track campaign performance. Their primary goal is to maximize the effectiveness of paid search campaigns by driving high-quality traffic to the company’s website at the lowest possible cost. To do this, they’re required to continuously monitor and adjust campaigns to improve click-through rates (CTR), conversion rates, and return on ad spend (ROAS). A PPC specialist’s salary varies as per the company, industry, level of education as well as years of experience.

6. Email Marketing Specialist

If you choose to be an email marketing specialist, you would be designing and implementing email marketing campaigns like newsletters, promotional emails, and automated email sequences. Your main aum is to nurture leads and engage customers. You could do this by segmenting email lists, personalizing content, and analyzing campaign performance to improve open rates, click-through rates, and conversions. Recent data suggests that an email marketing specialist can earn anywhere from $66,251 to $84,211 every year.

7. Digital Marketing Manager

The role of a digital marketing manager is to oversee all aspects of a company’s digital marketing strategy. Once you are employed as a digital marketing manager, you would be coordinating and managing a team of specialists, including SEO experts, content creators, social media managers, and PPC analysts. Your primary responsibilities include developing marketing plans, setting goals, and ensuring that all digital marketing efforts align with the company’s objectives.

You would also be regularly tracking performance of various campaigns, optimizing strategies, and reporting on results to senior management. As a digital marketing manager, you would need a comprehensive understanding of all digital marketing channels and how they work together to achieve business goals. The annual salary range of a digital marketing manager stands anywhere between  $108,680 and $142,274.

These are just a few career options that let you leverage your creativity, analytical skills, and strategic thinking in digital marketing. With the constant evolution that the digital marketing space is witnessing, there are many other job opportunities that can help you excel as a digital marketer. 

If you’re passionate about digital marketing, getting a degree in this field is a wise decision. Not only does it set a solid foundation in marketing principles and digital strategies, it also prepares you for a dynamic career in a constantly evolving field. Online marketing programs that focus on digital marketing typically include courses in SEO, social media marketing, and digital analytics, providing you with essential skills to excel in various digital marketing roles.

From internships to entry-level positions, this degree opens doors to numerous job opportunities. Also, having a degree can give your credibility a considerable boost, giving you an edge over your peers and colleagues. To sum up, a digital marketing degree can be considered a valuable investment in your career, as it offers both immediate and long-term benefits in the digital landscape.