What kind of jobs and roles are there in Digital Marketing in 2018

4m to read / 

The number of job titles and descriptions at agencies that deliver digital marketing solutions is an ever increasing list. What are the roles involved and where do they fit in in the digital product cycle? Ever day in this connected age of marketing, we see new points of engagement come to the foreground, and naturally new positions are created, or current roles are customized to address the new areas of focus. 

Here's a starting-point list of the most common job titles and roles at advertising, media, social media and specialized digital services agencies, and at brands these days. While the highly specialized roles usually are at agencies, a lot of brands are bringing some of the key roles in-house.

Brand

Channel Neutral Planners, Brand Managers, Strategic Planners (non digital specific)

Integration Director/Manager, Integrated Content Manager/Coordinator, Brand Planners

Digital Strategy

Digital Strategists – define the role of the brand in digital specific channels

Audience and Insight: Insight: Insight specialist, data analysts, Analytics Managers, Data Visualizer,

Content Strategy Managers/Directors, Engagement Strategy Managers, Campaign & Eco-system Planners, Social Voice Strategy Managers, Behavior Analysts, Trends Analyst,

Performance Marketing Director/Manager/Specialist, Usability Engineer/Strategist

CRO Specialist (Conversion Rate Optimization), CRO Director, CRO Analyst, CRO Data Specialist

Data Planner, Affiliate Marketing Manager/Specialist, 

Digital Creative

Creative Technologist

Digital Creative Director, Digital Art Director, Digital Production Artist, Graphic Designer,
Digital Identity Development Art Director, 

Video Director, Videographer, Video Editor, Video Producer

Digital Content Director, Content Creation Manager, Copywriter, Content Editor,
AR and VR Creative, AR and VR Producers
Mobile Experience Specialist
AI (Artificial Intelligence) Specialist

SEO-relevant writer, SEO specialist

UI/UX Designers, UI/UX analyst

Digital Programmatic Creative Specialist/Manager/Director

Pre flight manager, Traffic Manager, 

Project Manager

Social Media

Social Media Director, Social Media Manager, Social Media Account Handler/Associate

Social Media Strategists (Director/Manager), Social Media Planners, Social Calendar Developer,

Community Manager

Social Media Data Analyst, Social Media Monitoring Manager/Director, 

Social Media Distribution Manager, Social Content Publisher

Social Specific Content Manager, Social Content Art Director, 

Paid Social Manager, Paid Social Planner

Customer Experience

Web & Mobile Experience Architect, Website Designer, Website Developer, Mobile Apps Strategist, Mobile App Designer, Customer Engagement Analyst, UI/UX specialist,  CMS specialist, 

Programmers, Specialist Programmers, Mobile Code specialists, Applications Designers, Loyalty Specialist Designers, CRM designers, Website Pre-flight Analyst, QA and QC Manager, 

Experience Strategy Director, Digital Activation Manager/Director, 

e-Commerce Director, e-Commerce Strategy Director, e-Commerce Designer, e-Commerce Creative Director/Art Director, e-Commerce Content Analyst, e-Commerce Code specialist, e-Commerce Product Analyst, e-Commerce Content Coordinator

eMail Marketing Specialist/Manager/ Creative Director, eMail Marketing Analyst

Innovation

Innovation Leads, Digital Product & Service Development Manager/Director, Innovation Lab Director, Innovation strategy Director, IOT Specialist, IOT interface designer, Wearables Strategist, Wearables interface designer

Media

Digital Media Director, Digital Media Strategy Director/Manager, Digital Media Engagement Director, Digital Media Data Analyst, 

Digital Media Associates, Media Planners, 

Digital Media Buying Manager/Director, Digital Media Buyer, 

Digital Media Dashboard Manager, Programmatic Director/Manager, Digital Media Content Analyst, Digital Media Pre Flight Manager/Associate, Digital Media Distribution Manager, 

Media Creative Director, Media Art Director, Media Engagement Manager/Director

Media Content Manager, Media Content Writer

RTB Director/Manager, RTB Specialist (Real Time Bidding)

Paid Social Planner, Paid Social Buyer

Search

SEO Analyst, SEO Specialist, SEO Consultant, SEO writer, SEO Coordinator, SEO tag specialist, SEO specialized Web Designer/Developer

SEM planner, SEM strategy director, SEM Buying specialist/Manager/Director, PPC Director, PPC Analyst, Keywords Analyst, Trends Analyst,  Growth Specialist, SEO Editor, Bidding Director, 

Demand Generation specialist, 

Account Management/ Client Interface / Agency Management

CEO – Digital, Digital Managing Director, Digital Group Director, Digital Account Manager, 

Client Services Director/Manager/Associate, Digital Services General Manager

Social Media Director/Manager/Associate, CRM Manager, Experience Director, 

I haven't even mentioned niche job titles like "Snapchat Content Strategist" or "Digital Culture Analyst" – those jobs are either super niche and fall into the "invented here" bracket, or are just ways of luring brands through the front door.

If you're a brand looking for an agency and have really specific needs, you need to figure out if they are equipped to handle what you want, or are they just going to get someone within their staff to just try and "talk the walk". The roles above cover a wide spectrum – some are highly specialized roles needing unique skill sets – the others simply evolve from current roles and job descriptions. Either way, that's how agencies and brands today are defining and rising to the needs of digital marketing. And just knowing about these roles is basic knowledge – its Digital Marketing Strategies 101. 

Please add your comment if I have missed a role or job title that you feel should be included in this list.

Here are some current openings across the region at the group of agencies where I work. A lot of these job openings are for digital roles.

Read this: How to get a job in Digital at an Agency

Here are some posts that address digital marketing needs and how they are best addressed by key people in the roles above:

Insights & Data/Analytics

• Intent is the new black in digital marketing. In-the-moment marketing is what's hot.

• Customer Insights is your First Step in Digital Marketing

• What do women want from brands online today

• Data made simple: What is first, second and third party data?

Customer Experience & Social

• 5 Simple Ways to get your Mobile Marketing Done Right

• The importance of listening in social media, and how to get it right

• 4 ways to build a cool Snapchat audience for brands

• 3 ways to improve your brand's online advertising

• Improve your social media engagement. Move from Selling to building Relationships

• 11 simple ways for brands to build better following on social media

and one transformative development that's redefining roles at agencies:

• Why media agencies are now doing creative: Programmatic and Data Driven Creative is a powerful combination

Read more

What jobs to target in Digital Marketing at Agencies and Brands

4m to read / 

The number of job titles and descriptions at agencies that deliver digital marketing solutions is an ever increasing list. What are the roles involved and where do they fit in in the digital product cycle? Every day, in this connected age of marketing, we see new points of engagement come to the foreground, and naturally new positions are created, or current roles are customized to address the new areas of focus. 

Here's a starting-point list of the most common job titles and roles at advertising, media, social media and specialized digital services agencies...

Brand

Channel Neutral Planners, Brand Managers, Strategic Planners (non digital specific)

Integration Director/Manager, Integrated Content Manager/Coordinator

Digital Strategy

Digital Strategists – define the role of the brand in digital specific channels 

Audience & Insight: Insight specialist, data analysts, Analytics Managers,
Content Strategy Managers/Directors, Engagement Strategy Managers, Campaign & Eco-system Planners, Social Voice Strategy Managers, Behavior Analysts, Trends Analyst,
Performance Marketing Director/Manager/Specialist, Usability Engineer/Strategist

CRO Specialist (Conversion Rate Optimization), CRO Director, CRO Analyst, CRO Data Specialist

Data Planner, Affiliate Marketing Manager/Specialist, 

Digital Creative

Creative Technologist

Digital Creative Director, Digital Art Director, Digital Production Artist, Graphic Designer, Digital Identity Development Art Director, 

Video Director, Videographer, Video Editor, Video Producer

Digital Content Director, Content Creation Manager, Copywriter, Content Editor

SEO-relevant writer, SEO specialist

UI/UX Designers, UI/UX analyst

Digital Programmatic Creative Specialist/Manager/Director

Pre flight manager, Traffic Manager, 

Project Manager

Social Media

Social Media Director, Social Media Manager, Social Media Account Handler/Associate

Social Media Strategists (Director/Manager), Social Media Planners, Social Calendar Developer

Community Manager

Social Media Data Analyst, Social Media Monitoring Manager/Director, 

Social Media Distribution Manager, Social Content Publisher

Social Specific Content Manager, Social Content Art Director, 

Paid Social Manager, Paid Social Planner

Customer Experience

Web & Mobile Experience Architect, Website Designer, Website Developer, Mobile Apps Strategist, Mobile App Designer, Customer Engagement Analyst, UI/UX specialist,  CMS specialist, 

Programmers, Specialist Programmers, Mobile Code specialists, Applications Designers, Loyalty Specialist Designers, CRM designers, Website Pre-flight Analyst, QA&QC Manager, 

Experience Strategy Director, Digital Activation Manager/Director, 

e-Commerce Director, e-Commerce Strategy Director, e-Commerce Designer, e-Commerce Creative Director/Art Director, e-Commerce Content Analyst, e-Commerce Code specialist, e-Commerce Product Analyst, e-Commerce Content Coordinator

eMail Marketing Specialist/Manager/ Creative Director, eMail Marketing Analyst

Innovation

Innovation Leads, Digital Product & Service Development Manager/Director, Innovation Lab Director, Innovation strategy Director, IOT Specialist, IOT interface designer, Wearables Strategist, Wearables interface designer

Media

Digital Media Director, Digital Media Strategy Director/Manager, Digital Media Engagement Director, Digital Media Data Analyst, 

Digital Media Associates, Media Planners, 

Digital Media Buying Manager/Director, Digital Media Buyer, 

Digital Media Dashboard Manager, Programmatic Director/Manager, Digital Media Content Analyst, Digital Media Pre Flight Manager/Associate, Digital Media Distribution Manager, 

Media Creative Director, Media Art Director, Media Engagement Manager/Director

Media Content Manager, Media Content Writer

RTB Director/Manager, RTB Specialist (Real Time Bidding)

Paid Social Planner, Paid Social Buyer

Search

SEO Analyst, SEO Specialist, SEO Consultant, SEO writer, SEO Coordinator, SEO tag specialist, SEO specialized Web Designer/Developer

SEM planner, SEM strategy director, SEM Buying specialist/Manager/Director, PPC Director, PPC Analyst, Keywords Analyst, Trends Analyst,  Growth Specialist, SEO Editor, Bidding Director, 

Demand Generation specialist, 

Account Management/ Client Interface / Agency Management

CEO – Digital, Digital Managing Director, Digital Group Director, Digital Account Manager, 

Client Services Director/Manager/Associate, Digital Services General Manager

Social Media Director/Manager/Associate, CRM Manager, Experience Director, 

I haven't even mentioned niche job titles like "Snapchat Content Strategist" or "Digital Culture Analyst" – those jobs are either super niche and fall into the "invented here" bracket, or are just ways of luring brands through the front door.

If you're a brand looking for an agency and have really specific needs, you need to figure out if they are equipped to handle what you want, or are they just going to get someone within their staff to just try and "talk the walk". The roles above cover a wide spectrum – some are highly specialized roles needing unique skill sets – the others simply evolve from current roles and job descriptions. Either way, that's how agencies and brands today are defining and rising to the needs of digital marketing. And just knowing about these roles is basic knowledge – its Digital Marketing Strategies 101. 

Please add your comment if I have missed a role or job title that you feel should be included in this list.

Here are some current openings across the region at the group of agencies where I work. A lot of these job openings are for digital roles.

Read this: How to get a job in Digital at an Agency

Here are some posts that address digital marketing needs and how they are best addressed by key people in the roles above:

Insights & Data/Analytics

• Intent is the new black in digital marketing. In-the-moment marketing is what's hot.

• Customer Insights is your First Step in Digital Marketing

• What do women want from brands online today

• Data made simple: What is first, second and third party data?

Customer Experience & Social

• 5 Simple Ways to get your Mobile Marketing Done Right

• The importance of listening in social media, and how to get it right

• 4 ways to build a cool Snapchat audience for brands

• 3 ways to improve your brand's online advertising

• Improve your social media engagement. Move from Selling to building Relationships

• 11 simple ways for brands to build better following on social media

and one transformative development that's redefining roles at agencies:

• Why media agencies are now doing creative: Programmatic and Data Driven Creative is a powerful combination

Read more

How to get a break at 'digital' jobs at agencies and brands

6m to read / 

There are an increasing amount of job openings for 'digital' positions at agencies and brands these days. How do you get a break at these 'digital' jobs? How do you get hired for these "digital" jobs? How do you move up the ladder?

What do you want to do, really?

What do you want to do in 'digital' at an agency? The first step is to have an idea of what you want to do in the 'digital' world at an agency? There are plenty of jobs across the whole digital spectrum and they may be in advertising, media, social media or PR. They may be in the creative area, in strategy, in media planning and buying for the digital age, in content creation and distribution, or in digital design and development. There are specializations and jobs in social media, in influencer marketing, in usability, performance marketing, in data and research, in Search (SEO, particularly), online marketing, mobile marketing (both mobile advertising and.or apps etc).

New jobs and titles opening up

There are now job titles and job openings every day. Some are new and unique and are reflective of the ever changing world of digital marketing. We used to have creative directors who did a bit of digital. We used to have digital specialists like coders and app creators. Today we have 'creative technologists'! In social media, we had community managers and strategists. Today we look for 'social insight managers' and in media we hunt down data miners and information engineers.

What kind of agency do you want to work for?

What kind of an agency do you really want to work for? Today there are several kinds of agencies that offer digital services – and are looking for digital people. They may be 'pure-play' digital agencies (only do digital such as online and mobile design and development and production) or 'hybrids' (do both offline and online). Pure-play agencies are often drilled down depending on their specializations – web design, web development and coding, SEO/SEM, mobile, UX, and social media.

I must mention here that while mainstream or brand agencies are heavily into social media these days, and offer services across all of social, there are specialized social media agencies as well. Two big agency models are 'mainstream advertising agencies and media agencies (here's what a media agency does). And, today, the lines are blurring, and media agencies, because of their huge bank of data and insights are also doing creative. That, is a whole new window of opportunity.

Of course, you'll hear a lot about "going back to the old days model" – which is really about how some agencies are fully integrated or 360°– and offer across the spectrum. Take a look at some of the jobs listed by MCN (Middle East Communications Network) – one of the largest advertising, media, PR and specialized communications agencies groups in the Middle East. You'll get a drift of some of the jobs that are on offer in digital at their different agencies.

Start with research

Research the job you have in mind. Research everything you can about the agency where you're thinking of applying. What do they do? Who are their clients? What are their real specializations? What's required of the role? Where do they have offices? Are they a local agency or regional? Or part of a global network.

All of this insight will help you not only get a foot in, but once in, that will give you an idea of how much 'ladder' there is, and how to climb that. What's most important is to try and figure out about their 'digital' capabilities – and their digital clients. What kind of work do they do in digital?

Your research should give you enough information to create a great first impression at an interview. Or even before that, it gives you all the word power you need to make your application cover letter effective and as well 'customize' your resumé. What's the culture of the agency? What's the usual dress code? Which accounts did they win, or lose? You'll have to dig far deeper than just the company website to get proper insights – so work hard on social media.

Identify specializations

The key is identifying your specialization in digital. Some jobs in agencies require specialized skills. Some specialized agencies today offer unique services in UX, usability and CRO – and needs certified skills at top levels.

You'll need a broad base understanding of digital first, and then a deeper knowledge of the specialization you are interested in. You won't be coding programs or building full websites as a digital agency person, but you will need to work with developers and designers or other web specialists to communicate your marketing design needs.

A basic knowledge of how the web works, HTML, and one or two programming languages, such as PHP, JavaScript, CSS and Ruby, will help you understand the current boundaries and opportunities that will affect your marketing campaigns. And of course, today, the basics of social media and Search.

Link with your contacts

Linked-in is a great place to start. Not only do agencies have career pages on LinkedIn, but you'll get a whole lot of insight on the agency, the people there from LinkedIn. Check to see if your contact bases across social media are somehow connected to the agency you want to apply to, and leverage that. Call people you know who may be able to offer you a tip on the job, the agency, the people you may be interviewed by. And, it's not just LinkedIn, look across all other social platforms. Both Facebook and Twitter are amazing sources of information.

Get your CV and your portfolio perfect

When you want to move to an agency, your CV and portfolio needs to be top notch. In the old days, the creative folks would have a 'bag' (a large flat black case with their creative work filed in clear acetate covers).

These days, for digital, you'll need all your work on your laptop, or uploaded on to a website. In fact, the website is much better to show off your work, because the link always stays with the agency team, they can look at it, share it, and decide later. You don't necessarily need to have your own domain and owned website (that is a plus, though), because there are so many free online portfolio sharing options.

About your CV: customize it for each job, each agency. Make it look like you want that particular position at that particular agency. Keep your CV short, and to the point. But do be specific and ensure that it addresses what that digital position might require from both experience and expertise perspectives.

Spellcheck. Double spell check. Grammar check. Remember, if you're emailing, get your subject line to work for you. Brands and agencies know the importance of the email subject line. So should you.

Know your digital

Research your topic. Digital is constantly changing, evolving, and you need to be absolutely up to date with the latest trends, industry news, technology, consumer behavior and more. There's so much information available, that going in uninformed these days is stupid, really. If you are applying for a job in social media and you don't know anything about Snapchat. Stop. Learn. Stay tuned with digital focused portals like Mashable, Wired, digitaltrends, MediaPost, The Verge, etc.

Your interview, your cover letter, what you say across the table are all reflections of how much you really know about digital in general, and about the specialization you want to be in. It's key that you don't come across as shallow and that your information is out of date. Be on trend.

Be Digital

Ask questions, follow up, persist. Digitally. Ask questions that are relevant at the interview. Ask digital centric questions, that, somehow reflect both your interest in the field, in the niche you want to be in, in the agency and the position. Not about how much sick leave you'll get.

Follow up your interview with a thank-you email, again be specific, make it personal, and relevant to why you should be hired. If there's an interesting development in digital, mention it. If you haven't heard back, persist, but don't be annoying. Showing up at the agency reception is not a good idea – sending a quick email with a relevant bit of add-on value (digital info, perhaps) is better.

Play the part. Be 'digital' 24/7Not just at the interview, not just for your job hunt, you need to play the digital part 24/7. Be aware of what's going on. Attend conferences. Show up at tech fairs. Subscribe to digital newsletters and updates. You don't need to be a geek, but you need to have digital at the heart of everything you do.

Agencies today often search on LinkedIn and other social media for digital candidates. Be findable. Be visible. Be digitally eloquent across your social presence. Make sure you are passionate, without faking it. Speak the language.

I just want to say, from what I know because of where I work and what I do, that today, there are more digital job openings than proper qualified candidates. And don't forget that this whole post applies to digital jobs at brands these days as well.

MUST READ : List of Digital Roles at Agencies

And that's the basics of digital marketing strategy. That's 101.

Please share this post with your friends and colleagues today...

If you want to add to this, or feel I've missed something that's basic, please add your bit in comments. 

Read more

Why every brand and every agency needs a Digital Insights Manager

6m to read / 

Today, in this digitally connected age, where the consumer, the customer drives the engine of marketing, it is critical to for brands and agencies that work with brands' marketing departments to have a specialized role in managing 'insights'. This is a role that is a high-octane mix of data science, of innovation, of brand guardianship, social media, search – all coming together to provide that business commodity today that is new oil – insight.

Marketing today is about the customer

Marketing today is not about your brand or product – it's about the customer. Digital marketing is built around the customer, the audience you want to talk to, and getting proper insights about your customer, the consumer, their needs is what should be your first and fundamental step.

Marketing Strategy needs Insight Strategy

Unlike advertising as we know it, today's digital marketing is way beyond the sell-sell. It's about engaging the consumer, and moving them down the funnel from awareness to action with meaningful, relevant interactions. The first thing you need is a Customer or Consumer (your Target Audience) Insight Strategy.

Customer Insights is your First Step in Digital Marketing

The Insight Manager's Role

The Insight's Manager's essential role is to drive analytics across Big Data, measurement & learning in Digital, leveraging the social media partnerships – Facebook, Google, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram towards providing information that is converted to useful insights for the brand. The function requires supporting marketing and sales, planning and content, building and disseminating learning as well as build and pilot new research methodologies in the dynamic digital ecosystem. The role contributes to a brand's efforts across Paid, Owned and Earned Media.

Insight Management is beyond the traditional Planning Role in an ad agency

Yes, an ad agency Planner also comes up with valuable insight, but the traditional Planner as we know him or her isn't really using a lot of data converting. Data science is something almost alien to traditional agencies. The Insight Manager's capabilities and expertise includes data analytics at a deeper level – it involves using dashboards, using technology, using expert toolkits to convert data into usable, reliable insight.

Using Data

Every one in marketing knows the importance of data today. What's important to know and understand the three types of data available to us – first party, second party, and third party data – and how do we benefit from it? Data made simple: What is first, second and third party data?  That benefit from data – that's the Insight Manager's contribution, and particularly for digital marketing and social media marketing, it is crucial.

Insight for Social Media

With the right listening strategy you can achieve a lot to help your social media efforts. Right way, you'll get to know where and when your target audience (your community) is – which platforms they prefer so you can then have conversations with them. You can identify influencers and advocates. You cannot ignore the part social listening plays in improving customer care. It's a great source for feedback. You can target and attract new customers. It helps you generate leads. Overall, listening is the most important component in your social media strategy. It helps and build every other thing you do on social. Read more on The importance of listening in social media, and how to get it right.

Regardless of whether social media marketing is being done in-house by a brand or through a specialized social media agency, that function of an Insight Manager remains a vital one. If you are an agency, you need a specialist who knows and understands the nuances of all aspects of digital and social marketing to do that. If you're a brand, this is an extremely useful role within your marketing team structure.

Understanding Media touch points is important

Understanding the shifts we have had in marketing today from where we were earlier with the simple AIDA (Awareness Interest Desire Action) model is important. This role navigates the consumer to customer journey via all its various touch points. Media touch points influencing the Path to Purchase today: Marketing Strategy 101. This means a basic understanding of all the connections is important.

Key Responsibilities 

The one essential responsibility is to answer to the consumer or the target audience's need. That's done through market research, deep social listening, data analytics, clever use of analytics tools, and finally being able to express all of that learning as insight.

• Lead and drive a strong learning and developing facility to build a continuous stream of knowledge and understanding flowing through measurement and analytics, both online and offline, and share it effectively.

• Development and continuous updating of framework tools – using digital tools and practices for consumer insights. These feed into the marketing teams for them to plan their strategy. For agency functions, this feeds into creative teams, social teams, account service teams.

• Explore and provide guidance to the marketing teams to harness big data, measurement and analytics including predictive analytics in the consumer & marketplace insights area.

• Drive marketing modelling and real-life measurement techniques, combining deep analytical expertise and business understanding. This also requires understanding the power of econometric modelling of media.

• Define social monitoring, social behavior and measurements that complement traditional analytics and provide frameworks for your brand's social media marketing strategy and content planning.

• Continuously scan the external environment to proactively identify and assess new leading-edge thinking, trends and tools in all topical areas of the measurement space to build future forward competitive advantage. That's the innovation bit.

• Developing guidelines, toolkits, process flows, learning decks on identified subjects and disseminating to markets and businesses.

• Pushing the envelope towards upgrading analytics and listening tools using new technology platforms including mobile for generating consumer understanding and insights on a real-time basis for a wide spectrum of areas.

Innovation meets Information meets Search meets Social

This isn't a new role, it's just that today this requires a lot more than just consumer research or data mining in the traditional sense. Innovation, new thinking, new age connecting with consumers is a key part. As is the ability to use the power of Search – and on the reverse side a grasp of the power of both Paid and Organic Search and the way it contributes to marketing (Read here about Search made Simple: Understanding SEO and SEM in 2016). Then of course, it means totally getting the power of social media – not just on the surface, but understanding the various platforms and opportunities they provide. No, it's not developing social media strategy or planning a content strategy, but it sure can provide some guide posts for those areas of expertise.

This is someone who understands today's new world of marketing. This role is not about just following what's hot, what's not, but often being able to find new roads, discover, invent, show how, For example, this role needs to live and breathe in the world of today's consumer where intent is the new black and in the moment is what's hot.

It's not an easy role to fill. You need left brain and right brain thinkers. Ambidextrous folks who more than anything, can look at a beautiful sunset and see tomorrow's dawn already. Predictive people. But not predictable people. Find one. Get one. A genuinely skilled Insight Manager will change your marketing world. And That's the basics. That's Digital Marketing Strategies 101.

Read more

How to get a job in"digital" at an agency

8m to read / 

Apparently, here in Dubai, almost mid-way through 2016 it's a tough job market in advertising and media. What's surprising though is that there are so many positions open across leading agencies – big and small – and a lot of them are in "digital". How do you get hired for these "digital" jobs? How do you move up the ladder?

What do you want to do in 'digital' at an agency?

The first step is to have an idea of what you want to do in the 'digital' world at an agency? There are plenty of jobs across the whole digital spectrum and they may be in advertising, media, social media or PR. They may be in the creative area, in strategy, in media planning and buying for the digital age, in content creation and distribution, or in digital design and development. There are specializations and jobs in social media, in influencer marketing, in usability, performance marketing, in data and research, in Search (SEO, particularly), online marketing, mobile marketing (both mobile advertising and.or apps etc).

There are now job titles and job openings every day. Some are new and unique and are reflective of the ever changing world of digital marketing. We used to have creative directors who a bit of digital. We used to have digital specialists like coders and app creators. Today we have 'creative technologists'! In social media, we had community managers and strategists. Today we look for 'social insight managers' and in media we hunt down data miners and information engineers.

What kind of an agency do you really want to work for?

Today there are several kinds of agencies that offer digital services – and are looking for digital people. They may be 'pure-play' digital agencies (only do digital such as online and mobile design and development and production) or 'hybrids' (do both offline and online). Pure-play agencies are often drilled down depending on their specializations – web design, web development and coding, SEO/SEM, mobile, UX, and social media.

I must mention here that while mainstream or brand agencies are heavily into social media these days, and offer services across all of social, there are specialized social media agencies as well. Two big agency models are 'mainstream advertising agencies and media agencies (here's what a media agency does). And, today, the lines are blurring, and media agencies, because of their huge bank of data and insights are also doing creative. That, is a whole new window of opportunity. Check out UM, one of the leading global media agencies, and how, here in Dubai, they're a 'creative media agency'

Of course, you'll hear a lot about "going back to the old days model" – which is really about how some agencies are fully integrated or 360°– and offer across the spectrum. Take a look at some of the jobs listed by MCN (Middle East Communications Network) – one of the largest advertising, media, PR and specialized communications agencies groups in the region. You'll get a drift of some of the jobs that are on offer in digital at their different agencies.

Start with research

Research the job you have in mind. Research everything you can about the agency where you're thinking of applying. What do they do? Who are their clients? What are their real specializations? What's required of the role? Where do they have offices? Are they a local agency or regional? Or part of a global network. All of this insight will help you not only get a foot in, but once in, that will give you an idea of how much 'ladder' there is, and how to climb that. What's most important is to try and figure out about their 'digital' capabilities – and their digital clients. What kind of work do they do in digital?

Your research should give you enough information to create a great first impression at an interview. Or even before that, it gives you all the word power you need to make your application cover letter effective and as well 'cutomize' your resuumé. What's the culture of the agency? What's the usual dress code? Which accounts did they win, or lose? You'll have to dig far deeper than just the company website to get proper insights – so work hard on social media.

The key is identifying your specialization in digital. Some jobs in agencies require specialized skills. RBBI in Dubai is a niche agency that offers unique services in UX, usability and CRO – and needs certified skills at top levels.

You'll need a broadbase understanding of digital first, and then a deeper knowledge of the specialization you are interested in. You won't be coding programs or building full websites as a digital agency person, but you will need to work with developers and designers or other web specialists to communicate your marketing design needs. A basic knowledge of how the web works, HTML, and one or two programming languages, such as PHP, JavaScript, CSS and Ruby, will help you understand the current boundaries and opportunities that will affect your marketing campaigns. And of course, today, the basics of social media and Search.

Link with your contacts

Linked-in is a great place to start. Not only do agencies have career pages on LinkedIn, but you'll get a whole lot of insight on the agency, the people there from LinkedIn. Check to see if your contact bases across social media are somehow connected to the agency you want to apply to, and leverage that. Call people you know who may be able to offer you a tip on the job, the agency, the people you may be interviewed by.  And, it's not just LinkedIn, look across all other social platforms. Both Facebook and Twitter are amazing sources of information.

Get your CV and your portfolio perfect

When you want to move to an agency, your CV and portfolio needs to be top notch. In the old days, the creative folks would have a 'bag' (a large flat black case with their creative work filed in clear acetate covers). These days, for digital, you'll need all your work on your laptop, or uploaded on to a website. In fact, the website is much better to show off your work, because the link always stays with the agency team, they can look at it, share it, and decide later. You don't necessarily need to have your own domain and owned website (that is a plus, though), because there are so many free online portfolio sharing options.

About your CV: customize it for each job, each agency. Make it look like you want that particular position at that particular agency. Keep your CV short, and to the point. But do be specific and ensure that it addresses what that digital position might require from both experience and expertise perspectives.

Spellcheck. Double spell check. Grammar check. Remember, if you're emailing, get your subject line to work for you. Brands and agencies know the importance of the email subject line. So should you.

Know your digital

Research your topic. Digital is constantly changing, evolving, and you need to be absolutely up to date with the latest trends, industry news, technology, consumer behavior and more. There's so much information available, that going in uninformed these days is stupid, really. If you are applying for a job in social media and you don't know anything about Snapchat. Stop. Learn. Stay tuned with digital focused portals like Mashable, Wired, digitaltrends, MediaPost, The Verge, etc.

Your interview, your cover letter, what you say across the table are all reflections of how much you really know about digital in general, and about the specialization you want to be in. It's key that you don't come across as shallow and that your information is out of date. Be on trend.

Ask questions, follow up, persist. Digitally.

Ask questions that are relevant at the interview. Ask digital centric questions, that, somehow reflect both your interest in the field, in the niche you want to be in, in the agency and the position. Not about how much sick leave you'll get. Follow up your interview with a thank-you email, again be specific, make it personal, and relevant to why you should be hired. If there's an interesting development in digital, mention it.  If you haven't heard back, persist, but don't be annoying. Showing up at the agency reception is not a good idea – sending a quick email with a relevant bit of add-on value (digital info, perhaps) is better.

Play the part. Be 'digital' 24/7

Not just at the interview, not just for your job hunt, you need to play the digital part 24/7. Be aware of what's going on. Attend conferences. Show up at tech fairs. Subscribe to digital newsletters and updates. You don't need to be a geek, but you need to have digital at the heart of everything you do.

Agencies today often search on LinkedIn and other social media for digital candidates. Be findable. Be visible. Be digitally eloquent across your social presence. Make sure you are passionate, without faking it. Speak the language.

I once interviewed a guy for a digital creative role who showed up with an old analog Nokia phone and took great pains to tell me about how he found gadgets to be 'disempowering' and so 'wannabe'. Well, you want to move to a digital job, land a position that is future-proof? You better 'wannabe' digital and show it.

I just want to say, from what I know because of where I work and what I do, that today, there are more digital job openings than proper qualified candidates.

Update: List of Digital Roles at Agencies

If you want to add to this, or feel I've missed something that's basic, please add your bit in comments. 

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New jobs in advertising and media agencies. So, where's the downturn?

New job openings announced, so where's the bad news?

Most everyone in our industry is talking about a downturn for 2016. Yes, there are bland numbers coming out of agencies in advertising and media, but really, it's not that dire. There's a slowdown in growth, but I don't see a downturn – unless of course another 2009-like global economic meltdown happens. Oil seems to have hit the lowest possible, and recovery seems to be on the horizon because production may be slowing down on that front. Which means, there is hope yet. Or thereabouts.

MCN – the group that employs my services – the Middle East Communications Network, one of the largest advertising, marketing, media and PR agency groups in the Middle East region, yesterday announced a whole bunch of new job openings on their website. The jobs are across the region, the positions are in advertising, media, PR and digital spacializations, and they're a bit more than a handful. So, that is a good sign then. Here they are, as of March 2016...

Business Director - Media - Dubai

Looking for candidate with 10+ years’ experience in both offline and digital media, MBA educated, able to strategize, challenge, mentor and lead a team.

Branded Content Director – Media - Dubai

Looking for candidate with 8 + years experience in developing communication strategy on international, regional and local clients.

Regional Strategy Director – Media - Dubai

Looking for candidate with experience in managing the entire strategy process development, also responsible for fronting the strategy side of new business pitches as well as on-going clients.

Associate Media Director - Dubai

8+ years of experience in media planning and buying, preferably for a Media agency within the region, but international experience also valued. Knows how to develop objectives, strategies and plans for clients and also able to develop the skills and knowledge base of the team.

Digital Media Planner – Cairo

Bachelor degree completed ideally in marketing, business or related subject with expertise in digital and social media. 1-2 years of experience in media department or media company.

Senior Media Planner – Dubai

4 – 5 years of experience in media planning and buying. Understand marketing objectives and strategies for all the team’s clients and ensure objectives are on target.

Media Manager – Dubai & Jeddah ( 2 roles )

5-6 years of experience in media planning and buying, preferably for a Media agency within the region, but international experience also valued. Knows how to develop objectives, strategies and plans for clients and also able to develop the skills and knowledge base of the team.

Media Operations Executive – Dubai

Bachelor degree completed ideally in marketing, business or related subjects. 12-18 months in media department or Media Company.

Social Media Executive - Jeddah

1 year of experience in social media advertising including Facebook, Twitter, Quora, YouTube, etc. Prefer experience within the region.

Online Community Manager - Dubai

2+ years of experience in social media advertising including Facebook, Twitter, Quora, YouTube, etc. Prefer experience within the region. Up to date and knowledgeable on social media best practices.

PR Group Director- Dubai

7+ years of experience in corporate communication, managing people, PR agency handling FMCG clients.

Creative Operations Manager - Dubai

5+ years of experience in effective management and control of the creative output of client and internal projects from a traffic context.

English Copywriter – Dubai – Mid & Junior (2 roles)

Copywriter who is looking for their next step, wants to join a global creative agency, able to work seamlessly online and offline, lives and breathes advertising and is of course talented. Send your CV and portfolio link.  

Senior Art Director - Dubai

8+ years in being the working wheel within the Creative groups in the department with award winning experience. Is currently working as a Senior Art Director and is looking for their next step. Wants to join a global creative agency, able to work seamlessly online and offline, lives and breathes advertising and is of course talented. Send your CV and portfolio link.

Digital Designer - Dubai
3+ years of digital design experience, with a passion for excellent design skills and digital. The work demands creative flair, up-to-date knowledge of industry software and a professional approach to time, costs and deadlines.

Multimedia Designer – Dubai

Looking for a graduate or up to 2 years’ experience, design oriented bachelor’s degree, must have photography skills, typography and art illustration skills. Must be based in Dubai.

Digital Analyst – Dubai

3+ years experience in Web, Mobile, Search, Marketing, Campaign, Competitive, Social   Consumer Analytics. Also well versed with Omniture, Adobe Site Catalyst, Discover, Report Builder and Google Analytics for executing analytics projects.

Account Executive - Dubai

1-2 years experience in Advertising/Marketing. Strong facilitation and presentation skills, both in preparing materials required and in delivery. Fresh graduate with advertising degree can also apply.

Studio Operator – Dubai

Looking for someone with quite diverse skills – finished art (online and offline), re-touching, as well as some design skills.

Graphic Designer – Dubai

 2+ years’ experience working on solid graphic design projects that incorporate new technology. Have a passion for design and a good portfolio.

Creative Conceptualizer – Dubai

 3+ years of experience in developing holistic creative retail campaigns across ATL, BTL and Digital and also responsible for creating the work, presenting it to a client and producing it.

Graduates

Whether you're starting a career in Media, Advertising or PR, there’s an opportunity for you at MCN. You need to be creative, articulate, comfortable in analyzing data and highly organized. In addition to this you will need to have a strong team spirit and a ‘can-do’ approach. From time to time, job opportunities open up at MCN.

There are no opportunities available at this time, however, we courage you to share your profile for our future reference.

Please apply to the jobs above and more on the MCN Careers page link here

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