Digital Marketing

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

• What is the salary of a digital marketer?

  The average salary for digital marketing specialists in Canada is $62,788 based on data collected from Talent.com, Indeed, Glassdoor and Canada’s Job Bank. Marketing coordinators start off with an entry-level salary average at $56,554, while email marketing specialists earn $67,250 on average. As for those in management and department head roles, marketing managers take in an average salary of $90,000, while VP of marketing roles average closer to $120,000.

  At the most senior level, chief marketing officers (CMOs) earn about $139,000 annually on average, with top salaries as high as $195,000, according to Glassdoor. Salaries vary depending on what province your organization is based in, as well as the size and growth trajectory of your organization.

• What is the career path for digital marketing?

  Digital marketing is a diverse field that allows for all sorts of potential career paths. Digital marketers may remain generalists, or may specialize in particular niches of digital marketing like content marketing, social media strategy, email marketing or branding.

  Generalist roles include marketing coordinators at entry-level, which can develop into digital marketing manager roles with more experience. At the entry-level, generalist coordinators may focus more on executing campaigns and managing social media accounts, for example, while generalist managers are responsible for developing digital marketing strategy and managing a team of specialists.

  It is possible to specialize in certain areas of digital marketing even at entry-level; roles like content strategist, social media coordinator, email marketer or paid amplification strategist can all be considered early-to-mid career, where the emphasis is on executing brand strategy that is established by higher-level marketing managers. These specialties carve out paths to department head roles, such as vice-president or head of content or digital strategy, which would involve overseeing a team of strategists and producers.

• Do I need a degree to work in digital marketing?

  A degree in marketing specifically is not necessarily a prerequisite to apply for roles. Digital marketing is a field that values creativity, technical know-how and practical experience; employers may prioritize candidates with an extensive portfolio that shows demonstrated results over those with a marketing degree but no actual experience.

  Many digital marketers are self-taught and learn the mix of soft and technical skills necessary to excel through online certifications, internships, and freelance work experience.

  That being said, many employers still request a bachelor’s degree in areas such as communications, business, or English, or a diploma in similar areas, on job postings. These studies can demonstrate core competencies that are essential to marketing success, like clear written and oral communication, research skills, critical thinking and problem solving abilities. If you don’t have a relevant degree or diploma, clearly articulate how you’ve cultivated these skills through other studies or work experience to remain competitive as a candidate.

• What certifications should you get for digital marketing?

  While certifications aren’t essential to landing a job in digital marketing, they’re an effective way to demonstrate your aptitude in certain areas of specialization while also indicating that you’re a hard worker committed to learning and growth via upskilling.

  Google offers a number of popular free certifications for digital marketers. Through their Skillshop, users can take Google Ads certifications, which certify expertise in using Google Ads for search, video, shopping, display, and app advertising; and Google Analytics 4 certification, which demonstrates proficiency in an essential tool for web traffic and user behaviour analysis.

  In addition, colleges, universities, and digital bootcamps also offer a range of digital marketing certificates tailored to particular areas of specialization.

• What are some key trends in digital marketing?

  In order to stay competitive in the job market, digital marketers will have to constantly upgrade their skills and stay on top of new trends.

  You can hardly have a conversation about digital marketing without the mention of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning. While there’s lots of chatter about leveraging generative AI to facilitate content creation, through the fast generation of ideas or fleshing out copy, digital marketers who can leverage AI to automate previously manual research, data aggregation and other time-consuming tasks to free up space for creative work will be positioned for success.

  Social media continues to be the town square and marketplace where most consumers form opinions, share ideas and make purchase decisions – which makes it a vital space for digital marketers to have a strong brand presence. In particular, video platforms like TikTok, YouTube and Instagram have seen sustained audience growth and retention, making this a priority medium for marketers seeking to reach and engage their audiences effectively online. Short form videos (like TikToks, Instagram Reels and YouTube Shorts) are among the most popular and effective content formats, and developing production skills can set digital marketers apart.

  And today, brand building is all about nurturing community, which involves forming personalized connections with audiences who see themselves in a brand’s world and values. Brands that tap micro-influencers (between 10K-100K followers), as opposed to famous creators and influencers, are seeing some of the highest success rates because these partnerships maintain a feeling of authenticity and relatability that sustainably grows the brand’s fanbase. Developing a community-minded digital marketing strategy is key.

• Can I work remotely as a digital marketer?

  For those seeking a remote career, digital marketing is an ideal field. In fact, Forbes Advisor notes that marketing is one of the top industries for remote work in 2024 – second only to computer and IT. This is because digital marketing primarily relies on online platforms, tools, and communication channels, and professionals can execute on campaigns and collaborate with their teammates from just about anywhere.

  Some digital marketer roles are fully remote; this is particularly common at tech companies. Others offer hybrid opportunities with a few in-office anchor days per week.