Whether you are still trying to pick your major, are fresh out of college, or are considering a career change, you may be considering a career in marketing. However, as with every career path, there are many factors that should be considered before you commit. Below are five things you should know before deciding to pursue a career in marketing.
1. Creativity
No matter what your role in the marketing process may be, you will have to think creatively on a daily basis. Whether you end up specializing in search engine optimization (SEO), content, social media, or one of the many other avenues marketing offers, you need to be creative.
Now being creative doesn’t necessarily mean coming up with the next big marketing trend, it can simply mean using creative problem-solving. Every client is unique, therefore they may not all have the same needs. This means that there is no easy solution that can be applied to every client.
There can be many road bumps in the marketing process, so having the ability to think creatively to solve a problem is a huge asset.
2. Wait to Choose a Specialty
Marketing is a vast field, and chances are, you’re not going to know what you’re good at before you try it out. Whether you pursue traditional or digital marketing, there are many different specializations you can focus on.
The best way to find out what you’re great at is to try everything. Experiment in every different field you are able to, and find one or two things that you love doing, and are good at! After you find your niche, make sure you are constantly working to improve your skill set and evolve within your field.
3. Marketing is an Ever Changing Field
With new technologies and increasing competition, marketers have had no choice but to step up their game. With the introduction of Google Ads and other paid on online advertising platforms, marketing looks vastly different than it did twenty years ago.
If you remain stagnant, there is a solid chance that your competitors will still be finding new and innovative ways to market their customers’ products. This can leave you falling behind your colleagues, and leave your customers falling behind their competition.
4. Don’t Forget About SEO
SEO is a huge part of digital marketing that people tend to overlook. You can have the best campaign out there, but if your site isn’t up to par, it can diminish the effectiveness of your ad.
Soon after you start trying to understand the complexities of SEO, you realize just how many factors contribute to your site’s ranking. Google, and other search platforms, then use these factors as a part of deciding what paid and organic ads to show.
Whether you are trying to rack up the conversions, or are trying to top the organic searches for your customers, SEO is incredibly important
5. Make Sure You Want It.
No matter how much you think you know about marketing, there is still more to learn! With new technologies and practices arising every day, there is no shortage of information you can gather on this industry.
If you start with an existing agency, remember that there will no doubt be coworkers who take time out of their day to help with your training and orientation. If you decide to launch your career on your own, keep in mind the time and energy you will have to expend to establish yourself in the market.
Marketing can be a fun and exciting career, but it doesn’t come without its challenges, so just make sure you want it!
For more great tips on all things related to college, check out the other blogs at College Basics.
