We all know that social media is where it’s at, whether you’re looking to become an influencer or sell products. But did you know that it’s so much bigger than that? Social media is just one part of the online marketing industry, and there are so many opportunities available.
What is online marketing?
Broadly speaking, online marketing means using the internet as a marketing tool to build a brand, sell a product or advertise a service. But there’s more to it. It includes writing for social media, newsletters or websites, photography, graphic design, website building, client liaison and so much more. The internet has so much power to reach a wide audience of people that care about the same things you do. So, the question remains: if you decide to work in online marketing, which jobs can you do?
Graphic designer:
If you’ve got an eye for style, being a graphic designer could be exactly what you’re looking for. Working with Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator, graphic designers take an idea and turn it into a beautifully designed graphic for social media, websites or anywhere else online. You know those designed ads you see on Instagram? There was a graphic designer who sat down and created that for you.
Web developer:
If your favourite brand has a website, it was created by a web developer. Learning how to code isn’t the only way to build a website. Helpful tools like WordPress and Wix make website building less about different coding languages and more about being able to successfully implement a vision.
Copywriter:
Every social media post, website or newsletter needs a copywriter to write the words that you read. If you consider yourself a wordsmith or know how to rock a pun, this is definitely a career you should consider. Copywriters are versatile, and write captions, website text and emails that captivate an audience and encourage them to engage with the brand.
Content creator:
Content creators are all about vision. Doing this job means knowing what you want your audience to see online and creating content for them. Whether it’s planning out engagement campaigns, organizing collabs with different influencers or working together with other big brands to highlight your own, a content creator is always looking at the bigger picture and finding out what will work best for their brand.
Photographer:
Being a photographer always starts with wanting to save an image in your head. Photographers have an eye for the perfect shot (whether it’s natural talent or a skill that you learn), and always do their best to highlight a product or a model. Photographers are key to online marketing because they help create the real, relatable and attainable aesthetic that your audience is looking for.
Videographer:
Videographers and photographers are very similar, except where photographers are looking at just the one shot, videographers are always thinking of the whole movie. Creating videos for advertising, social media and websites are great ways to captivate an audience. Most of YouTube’s ads were created by a videographer, working closely with a graphic designer and content creator.
Brand ambassador/influencer:
We all know about Instagram influencers. You could do it too, if you work hard at it. Having something to say that your followers find interesting and aligning with the personality of a brand is what being an influencer is all about. You could even take it one step further and become the face of a brand, turning you into a brand ambassador. Using your follower base to highlight the offerings of a brand can give both you and the brand a boost.
Advertiser:
Online advertising isn’t like the advertising they used to do for newspapers. You have to know how to navigate Google, Facebook and Twitter’s advertising platforms, and have a good idea of who you want to advertise to. Knowing your audience and making sure that the adverts created appeal to them are essential.
Systems administrator:
Every online marketing business has a systems administrator or systems leader. These people are able to pull all the strings together and ensure that the content being created goes out efficiently and on schedule. Think of them like the cog that keeps the wheel turning.
