Ways to Stand Out in the Digital Marketing Job Market

I’m a huge proponent of career longevity and dedication to one’s employer. When I’m personally evaluating candidates, I always enjoy seeing commitment. Those that stick around for at least two (and preferably three or more years) at their previous employers are dedicated. They have been through the ups and downs with any job, and have the creativity, intelligence, and scrappiness to make any situation work.

That said, let’s say you’re ready to move. There is always a time and place to make that move. In today’s competitive digital marketing job market, I wanted to share a few tips on how to stand out and land your new digital marketing job. My tips are a little off-the-beaten-path, ones that will help you stand out, assuming you are doing all of the basics really well already.

digital marketing job market

Tip 1: Run Paid Ads Targeted Towards Your Dream Employer

Are you targeting a specific company? Consider running targeted Facebook Ads against employees that work at the employer in question. Of course, this won’t work as well if you are targeting a huge company. If you are interested in a startup, however, these types of things go incredibly noticed. Get clever, make a landing page and everything (see Tip 3 below). Paid media is all about investing, make sure to invest in yourself!

Tip 2: Leverage Twitter To Break Through The Noise

Twitter is a wonderful platform, it connects you to anyone in the entire world. Consider @ messaging your target employer. Again, consider a very clever and creative strategy here. Really think it through. Bonus tip: Consider @ messaging the specific department you are targeting (at larger employers). At large employers, different teams often have their own Twitter handles. Don’t get discouraged if you go unnoticed, and keep trying. The persistent salesperson always wins.

Tip 3: Build A Landing Page That Defines You

Marketing and product are converging. Marketing is just as much about off-site ads as it is about on-site experience. Prove to your potential employer that you have a product-focused approach, and build a landing page for yourself. Short on time? Your LinkedIn could be your landing page (make sure it is exceptionally strong). Have a little more time? I recommend leveraging WordPress (or a landing page platform like ion interactive). Get clever, and consider including video. Let your personality shine through, and convey to the world that you are a true master of the digital marketer’s toolkit. It’s one thing to work at a company with resources to build a great websites. It’s another to do it all on your own. Employers want those who are scrappy.

Tip 4: Leverage Retargeting To Offer Subtle Reminders

Here we are getting a little crazy, but you’re trying to stand out, right? Here’s the idea: Leverage tips 1 and 2 to get people to your landing page. On that landing page, make sure to embed retargeting cookies. One way to do this is via the Google Analytics pixel. Build some banners and pitch yourself as an amazing candidate via retargeting. Set impression and frequency caps, so you don’t come across too strongly. You’re walking a fine line here between looking impressive and looking a bit crazy, so be careful and know your audience. (This type of thing will work better with a more progressive, tech-forward culture.) Bonus tip: Consider leveraging a more advanced retargeting platform like SteelHouse, and build interactive ads. Consider leveraging video. Programmatic advertising is the future, and this strategy clearly defines you as someone who knows and values programmatic.

Tip 5: Build Your Online Reputation

When you apply for a job, your potential employer is going to Google you. Make sure the results are amazing. I built a reputation for myself via my blog, PPC Ian. You don’t have to go that far (a blog can be a lot of work to maintain), but consider at least having some sort of personal website with your professional vitals. (This could be a superset of the landing page Tip 3 above.) Also, I’m the biggest proponent of LinkedIn around. Invest in your LinkedIn. Consider writing posts on LinkedIn, really amazing ones that add true insight to those reading. Invest in recommendations (the more you write and the more you help others, the more you will receive).

Tip 6: Consider All Your Options

Many digital marketers have the mindset that they must work at a company managing digital marketing campaigns, the end advertiser. However, if you’ve been at this a while, you can have just as much success (or even more) by working at a B2B company that empowers marketers. Why run campaigns for one employer when you can help the teams that manage campaigns at tens (or even hundreds) of employers (true scale)? Additionally, by going the B2B route, you get exposure to incredibly complex products (experience that is highly valued in today’s marketplace). The perfect example: Acquisio is the dream employer for the digital marketing expert. I would argue that working somewhere like Acquisio is going to be a lot more fun and rewarding than working at an end advertiser, especially for someone who has some experience in the field.

While there are more digital marketers than ever before and the digital marketing job market is getting a bit more competitive, there are still more than enough amazing opportunities to go around. Get clever and you will be on your way to your next dream job!

There are always positions open at Acquisio, check out their career pages!

Ian Lopuch

Ian Lopuch

Ian Lopuch is a digital marketer, technology executive, investor, and blogger. Lopuch enjoys educating, empowering, and helping others grow their careers.

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