7 Skills Every Marketer Needs In 2024

Of the digital marketing professionals surveyed across hundreds of companies, most of their time is spent presenting and communicating, 20% of the time is spent with traditional marketing activities, 15% on content development, tactical discipline-related tasks are 10% or less. OMCP Chairperson Mike Stebbins summarized the findings and responses, “Managers will be hiring for soft skills, testing for hard skills, and training for emerging practices.”

The OMCP? identified skill gaps from the study. Here they are:

1.) Skills gap, customer experience.

2.) Marketing and sales collaboration.

3.) Understanding the entire campaign stack and team management.

4.) The ability to turn data into action.

And we see this also, this was done recently with LinkedIn. They identified the top soft skills in demand. It was very interesting that both the OMCP and LinkedIn hiring in their global talent trends report list very similar, the top five emphasis on soft skills or human skills that are in demand.

Here are 7 skills that every marketer should have under their tool belt.

1.) Digital and Media Literacy

The ability to quickly judge and synthesize information presented in the media without being swayed by sensationalism is an essential skill for any digital marketer. This skill equips a person to read through the hype, but also view it critically and assess the claims that are made rather than accepting them at face value.

2.) Writing

Another classic skill in the digital marketing sphere is writing. The ability to develop content that informs, persuades, and moves people to action is vital. From an SEO point of view, search engines have made it easier to balance the need for visitors to find the information they need and ranking well with the same content.

3.) Analytics

Having the skills to read and understand data can help you isolate and identify specific activities worth investigating. KPIs, ROI, CPM are just a few of the most common SEO acronyms that are crucial to understand. Analytics helps track performance, measure success, and inform strategy.

4.) UX Design

The skill of UX, user experience, and UI, user interface, is not only a critical skill now, but it will be in great and increasing demand as more people and places rely on digital interfaces to conduct nearly all of their affairs online. A good UX design ensures a seamless and enjoyable user journey, which directly impacts customer satisfaction and conversion rates.

5.) Experience

Business experience creates an understanding of revenue and profit. It creates a conscious, relentless drive to connect every activity to business value. Don't be afraid to explore and continue to educate yourself! Experience helps to understand the market, audience behavior, and business dynamics better.

6.) Asking Questions

People are often afraid to ask questions -- especially in a corporate or business environment. The fear of looking stupid or foolish keeps the agency relationship or campaigns from reaching their full potential. Good questions, asked appropriately, can put you in a position of influence and authority. It is an essential step in problem-solving and strategic decision-making.

7.) Presentation

Speaking in public is the biggest fear people have! Modern business is built on presenting, pitching, justifying, creating, and showing your work in front of your peers. Presenting is a skill that publicly demonstrates your knowledge and confidence in a subject. It's a powerful tool to convince and convert your audience.

Mastering these skills will ensure that you stay relevant in the digital marketing sphere, regardless of the changes it undergoes. So keep learning, stay curious, and don’t be afraid to ask questions!

For more digital marketing education and training, follow me, Matt Bailey (@mattbaileysl, sitelogicmarketing.com ).