Digital marketing is a constantly evolving niche that offers incredible flexibility, high earning potential, and the chance to work with fantastic companies. It's a great move if you want to make a career change.
Is Digital Marketing A Good Career Choice?
The digital marketing industry is seeing huge growth, with a staggering estimated global market value
expecting to exceed $1.3 trillion (yes, that's trillion…) by 2033.
Yes, we'd say it's a thriving industry…
What Are The Highest-Paying Digital Marketing Jobs?
Well, there are perks, which include remote and office-based work styles, lucrative commissions, and the opportunity to work with some of the world's biggest and most creative companies. But cutting to the chase, which jobs pay the most?
Let's break down each role, responsibilities, required skills, and the average salary that's reported to be achievable.
Chief Marketing Officer (CMO)
At the top of the marketing food chain, we have the Chief Marketing Officer (CMO). Admittedly, this has a much wider scope than a pure digital marketing role, but it merits its position at the top of our list to show how far things can progress. And this C-suite executive is more than just a marketing director; they're the captain of the ship, overseeing the whole strategy.
CMOs are the visionaries and strategists who set the course for a company's marketing efforts. They're responsible for:
- Developing and implementing strategies that align with business objectives, with the aid of business plan templates.
- Overseeing all marketing activities, including branding, advertising, digital marketing, content creation, and public relations.
- Managing and mentoring marketing teams, building and maintaining a culture of creativity and innovation.
- Analyzing market trends and using data to spot opportunities and optimize campaigns.
- Supervising and reporting on performance, making sure there's full alignment with key performance indicators.
The average US salary for a CMO is around $350,000 per year, with top earners making over $500,000.
Creative Director
The Creative Director is the visionary artist behind the content used in campaigns. They're the brand guardians who make sure that every piece of collateral is pleasing to the eye and keeping it aligned with overall strategy.
And above all, they are the driving force behind a brand's visual character and messaging. They:
- Develop and execute creative concepts for activity across all channels (digital, print, video, etc.).
- Lead and develop a team of creatives, including designers, videographers and copywriters.
- Maintain the brand across all activities, ensuring a consistent image at all times.
- Work with other departments, to align creative work with business objectives.
- Stay up-to-date on the latest design styles and technologies, and follow best practices so their creative work is fresh, innovative and well structured … which is a tough combination to achieve.
The average US salary for Creative Director positions is $150,000 annually, with top earners making around $200,000.
Product Marketing Manager (PMM)
Launching a new product into the market is no easy job. It demands a thorough understanding of the target audience, the competition, and the product's USPs. That's where the Product Marketing Manager (PMM) steps in – the bridge between development, marketing, and sales, so that products have successful launches and deliver what customers want.
PMMs are the product champions who guide a product's journey from development to market success. They:
- Conduct market research to discover customer needs, preferences, and their “pain points”.
- Create the kind of persuasive messaging that differentiates the product and positions it in the market.
- Produce effective marketing collateral to promote the product's value, like website copy, presentations, brochures and social media content.
- Provide sales teams with the product knowledge, tools, and training to sell the product most effectively.
- Analyze performance and market reaction to show up areas for improvement and further development.
The average salary in the US for a PMM is $140,000 per year, with top earners making over $175,000.
Content Manager
It doesn't need to be said really, but we'll say it anyway: content is king in all forms of marketing. It drives interaction, builds trust, and (of course) converts leads into paying customers. It's the job of the Content Manager to make sure that all content is high-quality, relevant, and supports the overall strategy.
Content Managers are the storytellers and information architects who shape the way a brand us presented. They will:
- Develop and manage a content calendar so there's consistent publishing across all channels.
- Create and develop different types of content, which can include blog articles, videos, infographics, social media posts and email newsletters. This can involve a whole variety of methods, from AI image generator tools to a team of copywriters.
- Optimize content for search engines (SEO) and social media platforms to boost visibility online.
- Analyze performance using reporting tools to measure effectiveness, identify trends, and adjust where needed.
- Work closely with other teams so that content aligns across the company.
The average salary for a Content Manager in the US is $75,000 per year, with top earners making over $90,000.
Brand Manager
A brand is more than a logo or a strapline; it's the emotional connection a company builds with its customers.
And the Brand Manager is the custodian of this brand identity, making sure it's consistently represented in all sales and marketing messages. They:
- Initiate and implement brand strategies that support wider business objectives, ensuring the brand effectively communicates its value message.
- Create and manage brand guidelines that define the brand's visual identity, messaging, and tone of voice, ensuring consistency across all channels.
- Monitor brand perception and reputation through social listening, customer feedback, and market research, identifying improvement areas and addressing any issues.
- Collaborate with other departments, such as marketing, sales, and product development, to ensure consistent brand alignment.
- Analyze performance to track brand awareness, customer loyalty, and market share, making adjustments to strategy as required.
The average salary for a Brand Manager is $120,000 per year, with top earners making over $150,000.
SEO Manager
Organic search traffic is the holy grail of online promotion. This means that in order to run campaigns and keep everything heading in the right direction, companies need an SEO manager - the overseer and leader of projects to maximize listings on search engine results pages.
We're talking about someone who knows the technical wizardry behind how SEO works, and has a finger on the pulse of current markets and trends, and – don't forget – can lead a team. They are the architects of online visibility, and they:
- Conduct in-depth keyword research to find relevant search terms and get an understanding of users' intent – whether they're looking to buy or just looking around
- Optimize website content by structuring the use of keywords, generating persuasive meta descriptions, and maximizing readability.
- Improve website structure and performance to enhance crawlability and user experience.
- Build high-quality backlinks from high quality websites to boost search rankings.
- Monitor search performance using analytics platforms to chart progress, define areas for improvement, and tweak strategies accordingly.
The average US salary for an SEO Manager is $80,000 per year, with top earners making something like $100,000.
How to Learn About Digital Marketing
Okay, so maybe you're now convinced that digital marketing is the way to go. But where do you go to learn more?
The good news is that you don't need a fancy degree or years of experience to enter this field. With the proper training and mindset, people from all walks of life are successfully transitioning into digital marketing careers.
Online courses and certifications
Online courses and certifications are among the most popular ways to learn digital marketing. There are platforms like
Simplilearn,
Coursera, and
HubSpot Academy that offer a huge range of programs covering everything from SEO and social media to email newsletters and content creation. These courses provide a structured and effective learning experience, often with expert instructors overseeing hands-on projects.
Boot camps
If you prefer more rigorous learning, consider enrolling in a boot camp. These are intensive programs which usually last a few weeks and provide in-depth training on a number of disciplines. Bootcamps often include real-world projects, supervised by industry professionals, and career support to help you land your first job.
Gaining practical experience
Obviously, theoretical knowledge is indispensable. But practical experience is just as important. So be on the lookout for opportunities to put your skills into action through internships, temporary freelance projects, or even a spot of volunteer work for non-profit organizations.
Also try to build up a portfolio of real-world work, which will show that you have capabilities, and experience, that potential employers will value.
And remember, learning is always a continual process. In particular, the digital marketing environment is evolving all the time, so you need to stay up with the latest trends at all times.
Wrapping Up
As you can see from what we've said, a career in digital marketing offers some great opportunities, with high salary potential and the chance to make a meaningful impact. But you need to be willing to make that leap … and judging from the responsibilities associated with the roles, to work hard therafter!
Whether you're a seasoned professional who's looking for a change or just starting out, there's a place for you in this vibrant field. Remember, the key is to stay curious, keep on learning, and never stop trying out new ideas.
So, what are you waiting for? There are endless possibilities with digital marketing jobs. And who knows, you could realize your dream job and reveal a new level of career success.
Sources of information on salaries:
Reported salary information varies enormously, but we have based our figures on data from
builtin.com and
salary.com.
