In today’s digital age, where every click, like, and share can influence a brand’s success, digital marketing is a powerful force driving business growth and consumer engagement. Imagine being able to craft strategies that reach millions, tailor messages that resonate with diverse audiences, and create campaigns that turn casual browsers into loyal customers.
If you’re passionate about the digital world and eager to harness its potential, an MBA in Strategic Brand & Digital Marketing could be your gateway to an exciting and fulfilling career. This advanced degree equips you with the expertise and skills needed to navigate the complex landscape of online marketing, from search engine optimization (SEO) and social media marketing (SMM) to data analytics and content management.
Whether you aim to lead marketing teams, develop cutting-edge campaigns, or drive strategic business decisions, a master’s degree in digital marketing can open doors to endless opportunities. Let’s take a look at what digital marketing entails and what skills you need to succeed in the field!
What Is Digital Marketing?
Digital marketing encompasses all marketing efforts that use an electronic device or the internet. Businesses leverage digital channels such as search engines, social media, email, and websites to connect with current and prospective customers. At its core, digital marketing is about promoting products or services through various online platforms, making it an essential strategy for any business aiming to succeed in the digital age. Digital marketing is a fast-paced, ever-changing industry, where savvy marketers need to stay on top of trends and technologies.
What Can You Do With a Degree in Digital Marketing?
Digital Marketing Strategy
With a master’s degree in digital marketing, you’ll know how to develop and execute a sound marketing strategy. This means outlining a comprehensive plan for a particular business objective, whether it’s sales, engagement or simply building awareness — then identifying the tools, platforms, and activities needed to reach that goal. Most digital marketers put a wide range of methods to use, but it all begins with a solid strategy that’s rooted in data and built on expertise.
Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
Digital marketing experts have Search Engine Optimization (SEO) down to a science. SEO requires a deep understanding of search engine algorithms, keyword research, user experience, and much more. Because search algorithms change frequently, SEO marketers must stay on top of the technology and understand the ever-changing landscape of consumer behavior and content relevance.
Pay Per Click / Search Engine Marketing (PPC / SEM)
Every time someone clicks an ad online, a digital marketing expert is behind that action. Search Engine Marketing (SEM) and Pay-per-click (PPC) take a targeted approach to driving traffic to a website. During a master’s in digital marketing program, you’ll learn the best techniques to drive traffic, from copywriting and keyword research to measuring how a campaign is performing. It’s valuable for businesses to have an SEM/PPC expert in their ranks because this specialized skill helps brands target their audience more precisely.
Social Media Marketing (SMM)
Social media marketing (SMM) employs social media platforms to attract an audience, keep them engaged, and ultimately get that audience to take action. In today’s day and age, this is a basic function of marketing. However, SMM requires technical knowledge and involves creating content and campaigns specific to each social media platform – a task that requires strong attention to detail and the ability to stay on trend. Social media marketers must understand what kind of content performs best, and interpret the data on how ads and campaigns perform.
Content Management & Development
Content managers and developers are responsible for the creative behind campaigns, advertising, and any other customer-facing material that a brand appears in. Often content managers work closely with many teams across an organization, particularly writers, graphic designers, social media specialists, and SEO experts. Content managers must make sure that the final product is engaging, visually appealing, on-brand, and optimized to perform well in all digital aspects, including search, website, emails, and social media.
Email & Mobile Marketing
This digital marketing strategy targets individuals in order to develop leads, send special offers, or build loyalty. Earning a master’s degree in digital marketing is particularly helpful for this role because it requires a significant understanding of the strategic planning behind email and mobile campaigns. Email and mobile marketers must possess a strong understanding of the various technologies and platforms for these campaigns, as well as how to segment audiences, interpret data, and adjust the marketing based on past performance.
Consumer Behavior Analysis & Research
The most successful marketers have a deep connection with their target audience, and they build that knowledge with the help of a consumer behavior analyst and researcher. This job is another great example of what you can do with a master’s degree in digital marketing. Behavior analysts and researchers dive into what motivates consumers to buy something or not, what small changes can impact behavior, and what tweaks can be made to a campaign in order to improve performance. This specialized knowledge is developed with advanced research, strong data analytic skills, and an understanding of the psychological motivations behind consumer actions.
Data Analytics & Performance Measurement
In digital marketing, data analytics and performance marketing are very important. Without that in-depth information, marketers would be operating in the dark. A master’s degree in digital marketing is invaluable to this role because the program instructs students on how to collect, interpret, and make use of vast amounts of data for marketing purposes. With this knowledge, marketers can make informed decisions, refine marketing strategies, and ensure their marketing strategy is based on fact, not guesswork.
Digital Marketing Skills
Problem-Solving
Perhaps a digital marketer’s number one task is problem-solving. Marketing is a mix of art and science, and often digital marketers must be able to quickly pivot in order to resolve an issue. Strong problem-solving skills allow marketers to navigate the complex digital landscape, adapt to trends with ease, and identify new opportunities before the competition.
Critical Thinking
Another essential digital marketing skill is critical thinking. Students must be able to think objectively when evaluating campaigns, developing new strategies, and uncovering insights. Being able to think critically also helps ensure that a marketing strategy is not only sound but grounded in data.
Analytical Mindset
Successful digital marketers are analytical by nature; they must always explore the “why” and “how” behind an issue or objective. Because digital marketing is so heavily informed by data, it’s important that marketing professionals have an expert-level understanding of interpreting data, raising hypotheses, testing strategies, and refining campaigns based on statistics and insights.
People Skills
Ultimately, marketing is a person-to-person activity. The goal of any campaign is to get people to understand, connect with, or buy into an idea. Because of that, it’s vital that digital marketers be able to tap into what motivates and excites people, and then infuse those findings into marketing efforts. Successful digital marketers can seamlessly bridge the gap between metrics and people, developing creative campaigns that resonate with and engage the audience.
Entrepreneurial Attitude
Having a proactive mindset and the ability to take risks is a huge asset for digital marketing professionals. The drive to be first and the confidence to experiment with new approaches is typical in marketers who are highly successful. Being able to navigate setbacks and challenges and adapt to a dynamic marketing environment are skills that are continually developed within a master’s degree in digital marketing program.
Benefits of a Master’s Degree in Digital Marketing
If you’re curious about what you can do with a master’s degree in digital marketing, know that this degree program provides a front-row seat to a rapidly evolving landscape. This program not only provides a comprehensive understanding of digital marketing strategies, tools, and technologies, but also allows for specialization in key areas like social media, SEO, and data analytics.
Earning an advanced degree in digital marketing is also a standout in a competitive career field because the program provides lots of networking and the ability to get hands-on experience in the industry. The job outlook for skilled marketers is positive, with 6 percent growth expected over the next decade. That means every year, an estimated 34,000 openings will need to be filled for advertising, promotions, and marketing managers.
Is a Digital Marketing Career the Right Path for You?
Tiffin University’s MBA in Strategic Brand & Digital Marketing program helps you develop marketing expertise that employers can’t help but admire. Learning from faculty with invaluable real-world experience, you’ll develop a comprehensive skill set that makes you career-ready.
Offered both online and on-campus, Tiffin University’s master’s degree in digital marketing is tailored to be flexible, affordable, and immediately relevant to the changing demands of this fast-paced industry. Learn more about Tiffin University’s program and how it can help you pursue your dream digital marketing career.