You would have heard of the word ‘marketing’ and will probably know someone who works in this field.
But what does marketing actually mean? And more to the point, what do marketers actually do?
In my personal experience, people have a whole host of ideas about what they think this expansive job category entails.
Very often, it’s confused with sales. But we’ll be covering that in another blog post, so keep an eye out!
I used to work in a marketing department and whenever I quizzed my Dad on what he thought that meant the response was always ‘well, you just sell stuff.’
Now although this really frustrated me at the time, my Dad isn’t alone in his way of thinking.
One of the biggest problems with defining a marketing job description is that there’s so much to talk about. It’s almost impossible to drill it down to a few bullet points, as marketing branches out into all sorts of different areas. And thanks to technology, these areas are continuing to increase.
But we’re gonna try and keep it simple. We’re going to identify what marketing actually is (hopefully in less than 10,000 words) and explore the different job roles under this mammoth umbrella.
What is Marketing?
Marketing is the process of promoting a company’s products or services to customers.
Now you might be thinking:
Oh so it’s basically advertising then?
Whilst that is part of it, marketing covers a whole range of responsibilities with the aim being to showcase a company in a positive light. In any marketing role, it is your job to instill a sense of trust in customers and clients, and encourage them to invest in your offering over someone else.
So this isn’t achieved by just advertising, but also through social media campaigns, printed leaflets, content writing, exhibitions and events, websites, graphic design, and much, much more.
It’s essentially referring to any means in which you talk to your target audience.
Buying any product or service is a psychological process and customers need to engage in your offering. Everyone is influenced by marketing in some form or another. Whether it’s an involuntary reaction or a subconscious response, we all wear the brands we wear, and eat at certain restaurants for a reason.
Think about it.
Why do you eat at Nandos?
After all, there are other places to get chicken!
Is it because the food comes super quick?
Or because you can choose exactly how you want your food?
Or because it always feels warm and welcoming?
Any of these are credit to Nandos marketing. They’ve made you choose to eat at their restaurant and spend your money here.
A marketing department is responsible for developing innovative and creative ways to reach out to customers, and ultimately finding ways to make them invest. It’s a job which requires a broad range of skills and a genuine interest in thinking outside the box.
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Digital Marketing vs Traditional Marketing
Marketing covers both digital and traditional means, with pretty much every company employing a hybrid of the two. It’s impossible to have a job in marketing which totally excludes one or the other as companies must exist in both spaces to remain competitive.
Both forms of marketing have their place and speak to customers in different ways.
As you can imagine, digital marketing is huge. If you just think about how much happens online these days, anyone working in this role will be very busy.
Whether it’s designing a website, writing content, planning social media ideas, developing an email campaign, or engaging in SEO, digital marketers have their hands full!
As technology continues to advance there is so much more you can do with your marketing online. Instead of just having the good old fashioned email, there are tons of ways you can reach out to a customer or client. It’s the job of a digital marketer to get to grips with these advancements and stay ahead of the game.
When it comes to traditional marketing, you should cast your mind back 20 years. Back then, your main form of communication was from the TV, radio, newspapers, magazines, or through attending events.
These are the sort of things traditional marketing refers to. However, as mentioned above, these types of media cannot exist on their own and must be supported by digital communication.
By covering both bases you can make sure you are still connecting with your audience on a personal level whilst taking advantage of what the digital world has to offer.
Marketing Job Descriptions
To make it easier, we’ve rounded different job titles up into the categories that they tend to fall into. However, there are numerous job titles that exist under one category so two people doing the same job can have two different job titles.
It’s dependent on the company you work in which is why people can get confused. There is also a lot of crossover between different roles so only because you work in social media for example doesn’t mean you won’t engage in graphic design.
A marketing job description is usually very varied and you’ll find yourself being pulled in a lot of directions. That’s why these jobs require such a varied skill set as you need to be able to adapt and manage different tasks as and when they crop up.
Below are the most common job categories within marketing with a brief overview of what each role entails.
Pay Per Click (PPC) Marketing
This involves sponsored content in search engines and on websites. People working in this role need to make sure a business is visible and appears near or at the top of search results by paying to be placed there.
However, advertisers cannot simply pay more money to be seen above their competitors, but instead Google decides their relevance and validity through a process known as ‘Ad Auction.’ That’s why anyone working in PPC marketing needs to be capable of writing engaging copy and researching keywords that will increase the chances of their ad being seen and clicked.
This form of marketing is defined as paid, since you are paying to be seen by your audience. Every time someone clicks on your website or advert, you are charged a fee hence the term ‘pay per click’.
When working PPC, your main duties will involve:
Undertaking required analysis and A/b testing to identify relevant and strong keyword searches in order to optimise the success of a campaign
Creating targeted campaigns including writing engaging copy and testing landing pages
Providing updated reports on key performance metrics and provide market related insights
Analyse, monitor and report on ROI for all PPC campaigns to identify areas for improvement
Analyse, monitor and report on competitors PPC campaigns including which keywords are being targeted
Manage and monitor spend to ensure it is in line with the assigned budget
Job titles in this category include: PPC Account Executive, PPC Account Manager, PPC Analyst, PPC Executive, PPC Manager
Search Engine Optimisation
Instead of paying to be at the top of search results, SEO appeals to a search engine’s algorithm.
Let’s take Google as an example.
Google wants to deliver you (the user) the best possible results which will answer your search query. So, for your website to stand any chance of appearing at the top of the search results it needs to serve user demand.
Of course, there are absolutely loads of factors which Google considers before choosing to show your specific website near or at the top of their results. One of the most important things is that it is user friendly and easy to use. Unless you have the patience of a saint, no one is going to stay on a website which takes ages to load.
People are looking for a solution to a problem whether that be a new pair of jeans, the best places to eat in Newcastle, or a new iPhone cover. They want the answer, and they want it now.
For SEO to work, it is part of a long term strategy and businesses shouldn’t expect to see results straight away.
If a strategy is planned and delivered correctly, SEO is one of the most effective ways of marketing. However it can be difficult for businesses to stay ahead of Google’s ever changing algorithm so it’s important to keep up with these changes and adapt your strategy.
When working in SEO, your main duties will involve:
Develop strategies that increase a company’s search engine results rankings
Research keywords to use throughout content to optimise reach
Monitor performance metrics to understand how the SEO strategy is performing and identify areas for improvement
Effectively liaise with other marketing departments to align business goals
Audit client websites to identify any technical issues that negatively impact SEO performance
Write engaging and high-quality website content including blog posts, ebooks, page descriptions, newsletters, and more
Update content and website links to maximise optimisation and search engine rankings
Job titles in this category include: Content Writer, Content Strategist, Content Marketing Officer, Content Specialist, Content Manager
Social Media Marketing
As you can probably guess, anyone working in the role is heavily involved in social media. But it’s not just a case of drafting a few tweets or uploading a few pictures to Instagram, it’s a strategic process which needs to support the objectives of the business.
Anyone who thinks working in social media is easy, couldn’t be more wrong!
If executed correctly, social media can add a personal touch to a business and connect with audiences on a deeper level. It’s about understanding how each platform works, who uses each platform, and how they engage with it. You can then use this knowledge to drive your social media strategy forward.
Maintaining a consistent presence on social media is a full time job, and requires thoughtful planning and creation.
More and more companies are realising the potential of social media platforms in attracting new customers to promote their products and services.
When working in social media, your main duties will involve:
Capable of managing social media channels including Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, and other relevant platforms
Keep up with emerging social media trends and utilise these to the advantage of the business
Create dynamic written, graphic, and video content to maximise reach
Optimise content following Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) practices
Create engaging content that encourages audience interaction and audience participation
Be capable working independently and as part of a team to develop social media campaigns
Provide reports to outline the success of existing social media campaigns
Jobs titles in this category include: Social Media Specialist, Social Media Executive, Social Media Assistant, Social Media Manager, Content Creator
Content Marketing
Now this one is my favourite.
I’m biased of course, but who cares!
The difference with this type of marketing is that you’re not proactively selling a product or service. Instead you’re educating people about your offering and talking about topics which interest them.
It’s not a hard sell as by educating people, you’re instilling a sense of trust and credibility. People will read your content and think ‘these guys know what they’re talking about’. In turn, this encourages them to invest in your offering as they’ll feel confident you’re the best person for the job.
In this role you need to be capable of producing high quality content that position your company as an industry leader. You need to understand that the modern day consumer is savvy and will be immediately disengaged if all of your marketing efforts rely on pushing sales.
Content marketing is often done in tandem with SEO and can take a while to see results. However, as an evergreen form of marketing, your content will never go out of date. Even years after your blog has gone live it will still generate leads!
Working in this role myself, I can tell you first hand how much there is to it! It’s not just about creating a whole load of content, but also understanding how to optimise your content.
When working in content writing, your main duties will involve:
Producing well-researched content which includes keywords
Working closely with a range of clients from different industries to understand their business goals and develop new content ideas
Auditing existing content to reflect changes in the business
Developing content for a range of platforms, including websites, email marketing, ebooks, and blogs
Monitoring and analyse the performance of campaigns and offer suggestions for improvement
Using search engine optimization (SEO) strategies in writing to maximise online visibility
Planning and executing a social media strategy to increase traffic to the website
Job titles in this category include: SEO Specialist, SEO Executive, Online Marketing Executive, Digital Marketing Executive
Video Marketing
Video is everywhere these days.
As a form of marketing it’s really effective as it draws people in to find out more. It’s a powerful method of communication and is easily accessible to large audiences.
In contrast to static imagery, businesses can communicate their offering so much better in a video and tell their story to customers. They have the opportunity to connect with their audience and delve deeper into the benefits of choosing their product or service.
There are endless opportunities to be creative when it comes to video marketing. Whether you choose to share snippets on social media platforms, create a vlog, or conduct webinars, you can reach out to your audience in various ways.
And thanks to technology, companies can take advantage of software to create eye-catching and inspiring video campaigns relatively quickly. Anyone working in this role needs to be comfortable with camera equipment including microphones, tripods, lights, and anything else you might need for a photoshoot.
You also need to be creative and capable of developing imaginative storyboard ideas that communicate your offering.
When working in video marketing, your main duties will involve:
Thorough understanding of how to use a camera to capture effective imagery and video footage
Create video storyboards to plan and communicate video ideas
Be comfortable setting up cameras, audio recorders, lighting, microphones, and props
Good understanding of video editing software and know how to insert captions, graphics, or other on-screen text into a video
Be creative and develop video ideas which appeal to a target audience
Plan different shoot by working with the creative team and clients
Ensure that all equipment for a shoot is present and in good working order
Jobs titles in this category include: Videographer, Video Content Specialist, Video Editor, Multimedia Specialist, Digital Video Producer
Email Marketing
Email marketing seems like an old fashioned way of reaching out to customers, but email is definitely not dead!
By creating well written copy and catching subject lines you can encourage audiences to not only open your email, but to also engage with it. Email also provides the perfect space to push promotions and offers in an easily digestible format.
You also have the opportunity to personalise emails by including information such as first names. This allows you to directly speak to the individual and connect with them on a deeper level. As customers will feel more valued, they are more likely to interact and click on your content.
You can personalise your email campaign even further by segmenting your lists. This enables you to send emails to different groups of people based on factors such as job titles and email engagement. By being more strategic, you can tailor content to appeal to different audience types.
As a form of communication, emails are very interactive and can feature a mix of written content, images, and video. To be successful in this role you need to have excellent communication, creativity, design skills, and be capable of interpreting data. It’s not enough just to create a great campaign without knowing if it’s actually been a success.
You’ll need to pull reports and analyse different sets of data to draw conclusions for future campaigns.
When working in email marketing, your main duties will involve:
Identify target audiences and grow email list
Ensure the design of emails are user friendly and are optimised for both desktop and mobile
Write content for email campaigns ensuring they are grammatically correct
Create reports to analyse campaign performance and suggest improvements
Ensure all emails are in line with brand guidelines and follow best practices
Understand customer profiles and data segments to evaluate the performance of customer segment groups
Work with the Digital team to deliver and improve the user experience
Job titles in this category include: Email Marketing Assistant, Email Marketing Executive, Email Marketing Associate, Digital Marketing Executive, Marketing Campaign Specialist
Graphic Design
Graphic design is the visual side of your business.
It’s how everything looks from your website, to your social media graphics, to your printed marketing collateral.
But, graphic design is a lot more than just making things look pretty. Obviously you need to have a creative flair and a good eye for colour, shape, and form, but you also need to understand concepts and how to bring these together in a cohesive way. Design is a communication tool, and the importance of this should never be underestimated.
The way something looks can really affect how people engage with it. As humans, we are visual beings and make snap decisions based on what we see. Even if a business provided a really good service, but their website was an absolute eyesore, the chances are you would click straight off it.
Your visual elements need to engage people and communicate your brand story.
For any graphic designer, either working in-house or for a creative agency, no two days are the same. You might be working on a variety of different projects and will need to be capable of adapting your skills for each. You’re tasked with bringing a brand to life, and making it engaging.
Regardless of the product, you need to make the connection with customers and find imaginative and innovative ways to make it exciting.
When working in graphic design, your main duties will involve:
Creating different concepts for brand building and acquisition campaigns and then bring them to life through engaging design.
Design marketing collateral in a variety of formats, both for digital and print use. This includes social adverts, brochures, web pages, emails, video, packaging, and more.
Work with a range of clients to get an insight into their business and understand their brand identity guidelines. Create graphics to support their business goals.
Have the ability to understand and interpret client briefs.
Keep up to date with design techniques and feel comfortable using a wide range of software including Adobe suite.
As a creative you will think outside of the box and develop fresh, new, and exciting creative ideas.
Job titles in this category include: Graphic Designer, Junior Graphic Designer, Visual Arts Designer, Digital Designer, Creative Lead
Marketing Job Descriptions: What Do Marketers Do?
After reading this blog, instead of asking ‘what marketers do?’ you might be thinking ‘what do marketers not do?!’
As you can see from the job categories explored above, marketing is a very mixed bag. It takes someone with a broad range of skills from having an eye for design to being able to interpret data and numbers.
Marketing is measurable, and it’s not enough to just create a good campaign and leave it hanging. Monitoring performance is a big part of this to allow marketers to identify ways they can improve.
If you didn’t already have enough on your plate, the very nature of this role means you’ll be pulled in a number of directions. Whether you work in a small or large organisation, every department from will rely on your services. Marketing is what brings all entities of the business together.
But, there is a way to take some of this pressure off your shoulders.
Whether you’re a stand alone marketer, a product manager, a startup founder, a student, or working as part of the marketing department, Canny is here to offer a helping hand. From visual branding, to web presence, to content writing, we provide an end-to-end solution for our clients.
This means you can crack on with other things, knowing your project is in safe hands. Take a look at how we can help or reach out to a member of our friendly team.
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