Want to Become a Digital Marketing Expert? Here is How to Get Started.

Q: How do you suggest getting started in a career in digital marketing?

A: Digital marketing is a moving target that is constantly evolving, making it more and more difficult for new comers to learn the art.

It’s this challenge that actually excites me about digital marketing, as you have to work hard to just keep up, as new marketing channels are constantly emerging. Social advertising (Snapchat, Facebook ads, etc.) and content marketing are amongst the hottest new channels of digital marketing.

Related: Why Marketing Is Not the Job for the Lazy

Here are four steps to you get started in digital marketing (and stay ahead for those who’ve been in the industry for some time):

1. Read everything.

Some great sites to stay up-to-date on the latest happenings are Inbound.org and Growthhackers.com. From there, you’ll find your way to thousands of amazing blogs that cover the ins and outs of all things digital marketing.

2. Implement the things you learned.

It’s all about execution with digital marketing. It’s not enough to know the theory of a potential marketing strategy, you need to implement it to truly know the application of the idea. In doing this, you’ll find out the hard way what really works, resources needed and how to get things done.

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3. Help startups/non-profits for free.

After a few months of doing steps one and two, you’ll have gotten a few wins (and losses) under your belt. Now you’re ready to apply your new found digital marketing skill at a real company.

I recommend helping nonprofits and startups out for free as they usually can use all the help they can get. In doing this you’ll learn even more about the real world application of everything you read about (theory).

4. Find a mentor.

Reach out to your favorite marketing blogger and ask questions. Be specific as possible so you can truly learn from their experience. A mentor is also very helpful when you get stuck or hit a wall with digital marketing. You can also find great mentors on Clarity.fm.

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Once you’ve done this keep rinsing and repeating step one and two, you’ll master the art of digital marketing in no time. Remember that digital marketing is a moving target, and if you don’t stay on top of reading about and implementing the latest and greatest you’ll get left in the dust.