In businesses across the world, marketing is an absolutely essential component. Without marketing, potential customers would struggle to determine the quality and usefulness of the business to them, or learn about a product in the first place. As such, it’s a vital cog in the machine, crucial for oiling those capitalist wheels and keeping the train moving.
But if you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em. Though the world of marketing can sometimes feel like it’s full of management speak and jargon, a degree in the subject can illuminate some of the more interesting concepts and mechanisms involved, potentially landing you a lucrative career at the end of it.
If you are trying to decide on your future career and want to get a degree that can help you work in a wide range of industries and enjoy a sense of both career responsibility and freedom (as well as helping you distinguish your ‘content syndication’ from your ‘sales funnel’), then you’ve come to the right place.
Since businesses of all shapes and sizes, in all industries and levels of growth, all require marketing to gain new customers and sell their products and services, there are plenty of opportunities out there for a fulfilling, financially rewarding career. If you’re wondering what jobs you can get with a marketing degree, here are just 9 of them.
Social Media Manager
‘Hey Siri, provide me with a social media stat that’s suitable to this article’…
Well, here’s a pretty incredible one; 45% of the world (that’s a staggering 3.55 billion people) are signed up to a social media account. Just think how many millions of marketable mortals are out there right now, scrolling and feeding on what they find.
As such, a huge amount of marketing work now occurs on social media, with lucrative career channels available if you have a keen grasp of Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Tiktok et al, as well as the zeitgeisty and unique ways in which each platform likes to communicate.
SEO Specialist
SEO, standing for Search Engine Optimisation, is a relatively recent addition to the world of marketing, but it’s one that only gains more traction with each passing day.
To reach the passive consumer or potential customer, it’s vital that a business’ website ranks well on Google and is responsive to as many keywords and searches as is virtually possible. This is where an SEO specialist comes in, helping with both technical and conceptual knowledge of the way the web and Google works, in order to optimise pages to be as visible as possible on the search engine.
Some of the responsibilities involved include performing SEO audits of websites, assessing a website’s content, links, performance, reliability, and image optimisation, as well as enacting a plan to improve these elements.
You can read more about SEO strategy here, if you’re interested in learning more.
Email Marketing Specialist
In the digital age, direct communication with potential customers through their inboxes remains a highly effective marketing strategy. An email marketing specialist is tasked with crafting compelling email campaigns that engage and convert recipients. This role involves segmenting target audiences, testing email layouts and subject lines, analysing open and click-through rates, and ultimately driving sales and customer loyalty.
With the rise of personalised marketing, specialists in this field are becoming increasingly valuable. For instance, dental marketing companies will often seek out skilled email marketers who can tailor content to specific segments of their market, such as new patients, regular clients, or those interested in cosmetic dentistry, ensuring that the right message reaches the right audience at the right time.
Customer Experience Strategist
The role of a customer experience strategist is to design and improve the end-to-end journey of a customer with a brand, ensuring that each touchpoint is optimised for satisfaction and engagement. This role is crucial as it directly impacts customer retention and brand loyalty. A strategist in this field will use data analytics to understand customer behaviour, map out customer journeys, and identify pain points that need addressing. In sectors where competition is fierce and service is a differentiator, such as in dental marketing companies, a customer experience strategist can play a pivotal role in setting a brand apart by creating a seamless, positive experience that resonates with patients and encourages them to become brand advocates.
Public Relations Officer
The role of a public relations officer is to cultivate, maintain and nurture a positive perception of the company they work for. The ways in which they do this are myriad and, sometimes, verging on mythical.
Press releases and social media campaigns are two of the more upfront and obvious ways in which a positive brand image can be managed, but there is also a fair amount of ‘dark arts’ acknowledged within the profession. For those looking for a career in marketing, be warned that the world of PR is particularly cut-throat. Tread carefully.
Market Research Analyst
Knowledge is power, as they say, and knowledge of the markets and their unique movements certainly goes a long way. That’s why the role of market research analyst continues to be a lucrative one, even as the way the market engages with a product changes irrevocably.
Companies simply cannot can’t afford to be lazy while researching their specific target market, but they can afford to spend good money on analysis of that market. A market research analysis has a surprisingly broad range of roles, gathering data on consumer demographics and behaviour, preferences, buying habits and even how they engage with a company’s marketing. Once analysis has taken place, recommendations are given. It’s an all-encompassing role, make no mistake.
Siriphat Jirapathomsakul, who recently gained a masters in marketing from Stirling University, tells us that her course ‘’put learning into practice for a local business, which gave me an understanding of the marketplace’’. Such understanding can set you up succinctly for a role in market analysis and leave you equipped to provide the necessary recommendations with confidence and clarity.
Content Creators
There were over 2 billion digital buyers worldwide in 2020, and many of those rely first on informative content to make educated decisions about their potential purchases.
Content plays a major role in this reach, and therefore, content creators command vital roles within any modern company. This content can take many forms, be it podcast, video, blog, infographic, article writing, listicles or case studies, and often, the most adaptable creators receive the most work.
If you’re the visionary type, content creation might be the perfect field for you.
Brand Manager
A brand manager is in charge of making sure that new products and services are resonating with potential customers in the intended way, and that a brand’s overall image goals are reflected and reiterated by each and every product and media interaction.
Some of a brand manager’s responsibilities align with those of a PR officer, as protecting brand perception is a key element of both roles. That said, the consumer (rather than the media) is very much the focus of a brand manager; it’s the opinion of those who might buy the brand’s products that matter here.
Brand management is an all-consuming, high-pressured job, but one that can be richly rewarding.
Digital Marketing Analyst
Completely distinct from a market research analyst, a digital marketing analyst carries out detailed examination not of the market, but of the success of online marketing campaigns.
Rather than witter on, we’ll redirect you to this guide on how to tell your digital marketing campaign is working.