Digital marketing career handbook

Digital Marketing Career Handbook
1
Digital Marketing Career
Handbook

2
Introduction
Thank you for downloading the Digital Marketing Career Handbook.
Step into one of the trendiest job roles of the decade – the Digital Marketer. Career seekers interested in the field of digital
marketing, read on...
Explore essential skills required as a digital marketer, gain insight into the average salary and career progression of a digital
marketer, and much more here.
Who is this guide created for?
This guide is created for:
• Fresh graduates seeking to embark in career a digital marketing
• Mid-career switchers interested in a career change and want to uncover the ins and outs of the field of digital marketing
• Marketing Executives/Managers who are undergoing digital marketing transformation within an organization
How can you benefit from this guide?
This guide aims to give you a clearer picture on the digital marketing career progression, salary range, team structures, roles and
responsibilities, and other requirements of a digital marketer in modern context.
How can you reach out to us?
If there are any clarifications, suggestions, or feedback about this guide, kindly drop us an email:
mail@equinetacademy.com
Website: http://www.equinetacademy.com/

3
Table of Contents
Digital Marketing Career Progression...................................................................................................... 5
Digital Marketing Salary ....................................................................................................................... 11
Digital Marketing Team Structures........................................................................................................ 17
Digital Marketing Internship ................................................................................................................. 28
Essential Digital Marketing Skills........................................................................................................... 35
Digital Marketing Resume Tips.............................................................................................................. 49
228 Digital Marketing Interview Questions and Expert Tips................................................................... 58

4
Digital Marketing Career Progression

5
What is Digital Marketing?
Digital marketing is an umbrella term that describes any form of marketing activity incorporating any aspect of digital technology.
Examples of digital marketing activities include increasing a website’s visibility on the search engine results pages (SEO), creating
and distributing engaging content through social media platforms (Social Media Marketing), and running digital ads across the web
and mobile (Digital Advertising).
Unlike traditional marketing, digital marketing is primarily data driven. Key decisions are made following careful data analysis of
historical campaign performance and conducting marketing experiments such as A/B tests.
Why Get into Digital Marketing?
Digital marketing is a fun and exciting, yet challenging and competitive field. There is always so much to learn and experiment,
since trends shift, and new technologies emerge at breakneck speeds. In a market with more job seekers than there are digital
marketing job positions available however, one has to be equipped with the right skill sets and be willing to work very hard to
progress far in this field.
Experienced digital marketers are highly sought after and are able to apply for positions across different industry sectors with
ease. However, there seems to be a lack of skilled digital marketers attributable to the rapid evolution in digital technology
according to Upwork.
As Roy Wee, Digital Director at Raffles Medical Group highlighted, “One should aim to cross over to different industries throughout
his/her career while still seeking roles in digital marketing. A digital marketing professional working in the health sector for more
than a decade may find it harder to secure a digital marketing role in a different industry compared to another who had transited
across three different industries over the same period.”

6
A career in digital marketing can be a lucrative one with high flying executives earning over S$180,000 to S$216,000 per annum.
Digital marketing salaries start from S$2,500 - $4,000 as a Digital Marketing Executive and can rise to $5,000 - $9,000 for
managerial roles.
The State of Marketing in Singapore
As cheesy as it sounds, digital marketing is the future.
Owing to the expeditious adoption of the smartphone and increased screen time on digital devices and social media platforms,
consumer shopping behavior has metamorphosed at an unprecedented rate.
More than 9,100 stores closing in 2019 are only a symptom of a larger, staggering predicament. Senior traditional marketers who
had graduated over two decades ago are realizing a huge skills gap in digital marketing yet are ill-equipped to lead digital
marketing transformation within their organizations.
Competency-based training is one of the viable solutions.
SkillsFuture Singapore (SSG) together with the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) launched the Technical Skills and
Competencies for the Skills Framework for Infocomm Technology. Equinet Academy is one of SSG’s Approved Training Providers
(ATOs) conducting certifiable digital marketing courses under this framework.
How Can One Embark on a Career in Digital Marketing?
There are two career pathways and two types of organizations aspiring digital marketers can embark on:
1. Career pathways
1. Generalist
2. Specialist
2. Types of organizations
1. Client-side (Companies - MNCs and SMEs)
2. Agency (Digital and Creative Agencies)
Generalists and specialists can exist in both types of organizations. In the agency-side (client-facing), roles such as Digital Account
Managers (a generalist role) don’t exist in the client-side (companies). On the other hand, Digital Marketing Managers, who are
typically T-shaped generalists specializing in one or two disciplines, and Digital Marketing Specialists, such as SEO Specialists and
Digital Marketing Analysts, can exist in both types of organizations.
It is highly recommended to start out applying for a digital marketing internship in a reputable digital agency or global brand to
gain a good head start. But even getting hired as an intern can be difficult these days as companies have limited resources
allocated for training new hires from ground zero.
Dhawal Shah, Co-founder of full-service digital agency 2Stallions, highlighted, “Candidates who catch my eye are typically those
who have attempted to build up their portfolios through actual practice, whether it’s SEO for a personal blog or managing digital
advertising campaigns for friends or family.”

7
In digital agencies, digital marketing teams are divided into specialist roles (e.g. Performance Marketing Specialists, SEO
Specialists, Ad Operations Managers, Digital Media Planners, Social Media Specialist, Marketing Automation Specialists, Content
Marketing Specialists, Digital Marketing Analysts) and client-facing roles (e.g. Digital Account Executives/Managers). In smaller
agencies, employees usually take on multiple roles (i.e. Account Management and Execution).
The typical career progression of a digital marketer in a digital agency goes like this:
1. Digital Marketing Intern
2. Digital Account Executive ⇔ Digital Marketing Specialist
3. Digital Account Manager ⇔ Lead Specialist
4. Digital Director
Interns don’t get paid a lot, typically making S$800 to slightly over S$1,000 a month. The job contract term typically spans
between 1 to 3 months and even lasting 6 months in some cases, during which interns are expected to assist multiple teams
working on everything from content writing to landing page creation and setting up digital ad campaigns. There is a steep learning
curve and the job scope is demanding. However, this is an accelerated learning path where one can acquire a wide range of digital
marketing skills in a short time.
Interns can then progress to Digital Account Executives or various Digital Marketing Specialist roles. The Digital Account Executive
is a client servicing role, more of a generalist. Depending on the size of the agency, he/she may or may not need to get hands-on
with platforms. However, a Digital Account Executive should still have a general understanding of digital marketing channels and
disciplines.
The Digital Account Executive takes up the key role in communication between the agency and the client. He/she relays the
client’s request and expectation to the digital marketing specialists, who are in charge of campaign execution.
Specialists, on the other hand, rarely communicate with clients. They work in the back and focus on the granular implementation
of each project. Here’s an analogy: in the health sector, you have the general practitioners and medical specialists (e.g.
Cardiologists, Neurologists, Surgeons, etc.).
A Digital Marketing Specialist will require at least a year of experience within a specific discipline. The job scope is technical in
nature and requires deep subject matter expertise in each respective field.

8
Within a couple of years, Digital Account Executives promote to Digital Account Managers and Digital Marketing Specialists
progress to take on lead roles, managing a team of junior specialists. A Digital Director/Head of Digital role typically requires at
least 8-10 years of experience.
Over at the client side, the digital marketing career progression generally looks something like this:
1. Digital Marketing Intern
2. Digital Marketing Executive ⇔ Specialist
3. Digital Marketing Manager ⇔ Lead Specialist
4. Digital Marketing Director
5. Chief Marketing Officer
Assistant and senior roles may exist in between job titles. E.g. Assistant Manager, Digital Marketing. Depending on multiple factors
ranging from individual performance to job hopping and company policies, it may take anywhere between 2 – 8 years to promote
from an Executive to a Manager and 3 – 7 years from a Manager to a Director.
Which Path Will You Take?
The career progression and job scope of a digital marketer can vary quite a bit between agency and client side.
Working in an agency exposes one to a diverse range of industries and boundless opportunities to develop a diversified portfolio.
However, workload can be immensely heavy with evening and weekend shifts a common occurrence. According to ANA, the
average annual turnover rate in an agency is 30%.
Workload in client side tends to run at a steadier pace and is more task-focused, since the scope of work is confined to only one
client. The salary generally tends to be higher but the climb up the career ladder can be slower.
On the bright side, even though digital agency employees generally earn less than their client-side counterparts, career
progression tends to be faster with ample opportunities for new skills acquisition and networking.

9
Digital agency employees hopping over to client side after a couple of years isn’t uncommon, especially since the pay increase can
be relatively significant compared to staying on in the same agency. Lin Xuanbin, Senior Digital Marketing Manager at Experian
observed that the pay increase typically ranges from 10 - 20% after working 1 - 2 years in a digital agency and jumping over to the
client side. He also noted that the pay increase may vary for senior positions and that he had even witnessed pay dips from senior
digital agency employees crossing over to the client side.
And of course, there’s the prospect of going independent. With the skills gained over years of practice, many experienced digital
marketers have gone on to start their own digital agencies, offer digital marketing services on a freelance basis, and even starting
their own companies while leading the reins as Head of Marketing.

10
Digital Marketing Salary

11
Digital Marketing Salary
A career in Digital Marketing can be hugely satisfying. You get to see tangible growth and results from your efforts, and a visible
impact on your audiences or clients through data-driven marketing and analytics. It can be especially rewarding when you find a
fix for a problem that results in measurable improvements to a website’s performance or campaign. Another huge draw of Digital
Marketing is that it provides cost-effective marketing and reach.
Digital Marketing in 2020
According to recruitment firm Robert Walters Asia, the forecast for 2018 onwards looks to be rosy. There has been an increasing
demand for digital marketing candidates in the past 3 years, and it looks likely to continue in the years to come as brands continue
to use online platforms to connect and engage with their target audiences.
The demand for technology jobs in Singapore grew by 20 percent in the last 12 months, according to a recent Salary Benchmark
2019 report by recruiting firm Michael Page.
Of particular interest, the report noted that there had been a surge in demand for digital marketing talent in Singapore, with
corporations seeking individuals who can push digital strategy to the forefront. The obsession with a digital career is not going
anywhere as there are many reasons to pursue digital marketing as a career.
Digital Marketing is more than just creating a Facebook Page and running some advertisements to get Likes on your post.
With companies seeking to reach a broader audience, it is essential for them to utilize digital platforms such as social media,
email, and mobile marketing. Furthermore, an omni-channel approach offers more value for businesses, allowing them to
approach their audiences from different angles and platforms.

12
However, adopting an omni-channel strategy does not mean using every available channel, or as many channels as possible. It is
about figuring the sequence of events (customer buying journey) which takes place leading up to the action of purchase and
determining which channels best lead to the success of that.
Therein lies the difficulty: finding out how to execute efficiently and track accurately. This has also led to an increased demand for
candidates who are comfortable with numbers and using analytics tools.
Salary and pay scale for Singapore Digital Marketers
For junior and executive positions, candidates are expected to have a broad understanding of digital marketing concepts and
strategies. However, if they choose to specialize in one channel, employers would expect them to have a portfolio or evidence of
practical experience.
When talking about digital marketing job roles in the corporate world, you start off your career by either working though client-
side or working for an agency. We shall briefly discuss the career progression pathway for both agencies and client-side.
Full-service agencies are usually referred to as a "one-stop-shop" where you can get all the different components of an ad campaign
done. From market research to content production and programmatic advertising, they have a separate department focused on
account management/servicing and sales.

13
On the other hand, it is more difficult for boutique (small) agencies to take on diverse channels as the workers tend to specialize.
Therefore, their contributions are usually more focused on a specific discipline.
One key difference between job titles on both client and agency side is the word ‘marketing’ usually surfaces up more on client-
side. The structure of the marketing department tends to be flatter than in an agency. There are typically 3 levels: executive,
management, and director.
A digital marketing executive or assistant manager is usually the junior level within a digital marketing team. They report to the team
leads or may have an assigned manager based on the projects they are currently undertaking. Their main goal is to promote and
market the respective organization’s products and services to audiences using various channels.
They are expected to have a comprehensive understanding of digital marketing concepts and are required to oversee the online
marketing strategy for their respective organization. Their job scope may also include liaising with agency specialists in the area of
outsourcing to expedite tasks.

14
The role of a Digital Marketing Manager or senior manager focuses more on strategic decision making and planning on a team level.
They are responsible for all aspects of a company’s marketing operations. Their central goal is to help grow a brand’s influence and
have a conversion strategy in place while also increasing brand loyalty and awareness. Their versatility in their roles will also include
planning, implementing, and monitoring digital marketing campaigns across various digital networks.
For Digital Marketing Director, he/she should have vast marketing experience and passion for digital technologies. They oversee
different teams to ensure consistency through all digital marketing channels. They have a gift of thinking out of the box and have
the quality of forward-thinking to build and maintain a strong company web presence.
Ultimately, being a director, he/she can drive all digital marketing efforts to achieve business objectives for the corporation. To be
promoted to a director-level, it takes about 10 years of relevant experience developing, implementing and managing marketing
campaigns.
The salary package offered will vary with candidate’s years of experience and industry standards. These are not absolute and should
only be taken as a guide. Salary figures are sourced from: Robert Walters, Payscale.com, Morgan McKinley, and digital agencies
based in Singapore such as 2Stallions and iFoundries.
JOB ROLES SALARY RANGE (ANNUAL)
Digital Marketing Executive / Digital Marketing Associate $30,000 - $48,000
Digital Marketing Manager $45,000 - $110,000
Digital Marketing Director $84,000 - $250,000
Digital Planner $42,000 - $54,000
Digital Account Executive $36,000 - $42,000
Digital Account Manager $45,000 - $54,000
Social Media Manager $53,400 - $85,000
Social Media Director $84,000 - $150,000
Search Engine Optimization Specialist $30,000 - $38,000
Search Engine Optimization Manager $54,000 - 85,000
Paid Media Specialist $42,000 - $72,000
Digital Marketing Analyst $30,000 - $48,000
Content Manager $45,000 - $78,000
Conversion Rate Optimization Manager $52,000 - $90,000
Like most other jobs, it takes years of experience to progress up the career ladder. However, the journey will be an enriching and
fulfilling one.
Companies expect candidates to possess a degree in marketing or communications. For entry-level positions, some employers may
consider a diploma.
However, you may wish to supplement your qualifications with certificates from online courses, distance learning programs, or local
institutes, since digital marketing modules in universities and private institutions focus more on theoretical aspects and rarely offer
actionable insights that candidates can apply directly to their work.

15
This puts graduates at a disadvantage since the learning curve at workplace can be quite steep and digital marketing trend shifts
happen frequently.
Ideal Qualities of a Digital Marketer
Being good at this industry requires more than just knowing how to navigate digital tools and platforms.
The ability to condense and present information neatly in a visual manner are some of the core skills of a good marketeer. The ideal
digital marketing employee is expected to be able to articulate their thoughts confidently and coherently.
Demonstrating that you are able to build a personal brand and an online presence adds brownie points to your credentials. Some
examples include having a blog or social media page loaded with shareable content, showing that you have cultivated a small online
following or creating a personal brand.
Most employers will indicate whether a degree or diploma is required. However, it is still possible to land a marketing gig with a
good portfolio, marketing certifications online and offline, and strong commendations from reputable industry professionals.
An internship or online side project in your digital marketing resume will showcase your skills to the hiring manager and put you at
a greater advantage. Don’t forget to also set up a LinkedIn account and feature your achievements. Knowing and understanding the
industry jargon helps too, as it will come in handy if you have to evaluate pitches and hold meeting with a digital marketing agency.
For example, a Search Engine Optimization strategy, a niche yet essential aspect of any digital strategy, has been steadily gaining
popularity in Singapore. A lot of marketers and business owners are starting to recognize the long-term value that SEO brings to
the table.
Want a slice of the pie? Start by familiarizing yourself with the phrases- check out this comprehensive SEO Glossary.
Wang Yaoxian, Senior Project Manager at Zombits, a local digital marketing agency, says that there is high demand for candidates
who are able to demonstrate problem solving capabilities and have an analytical mindset. "Because in real life, things don't go
according to plan and you need to be able to think on your feet and address the problem at the first opportunity. The inability to
assess and process a course of action quickly can be very detrimental."
As for advice on the good habits that a digital marketer should have, he says, "Develop habits that exercise your brain. I like to stay
updated on current affairs, spend some time catching up on what's happening in the world and think about how it could affect me,
my work, or my client, regardless of whether or not it is practical or applicable."
The Biggest Brands of Tomorrow Will Be Built Online
There is no secret to having a successful career in digital marketing. However, do keep in mind two points: be a creative problem
solver, and remember that marketing is about connecting with an audience. Having a finger on the pulse of the industry is great but
subscribing to ebooks and mailing lists won’t be doing much to get you that job offer or promotion.
In an industry that moves at an incredibly fast pace, you have to take action and produce tangible results. Look at ways to upgrade
your digital marketing skills by attending digital marketing courses, reading up on digital marketing resources online, starting a blog
or a website, and getting a digital marketing certificate.

16
Digital Marketing Team Structures

17
Digital Marketing Team Structures
Digital marketing transformation is the shift from a more traditional marketing approach to a digital-first mindset. Traditional brick
and mortar businesses to multinational corporations are adopting digital team structures in efforts to optimize marketing spend
and improve marketing ROI through developing and implementing effective digital marketing strategies.
Even companies who have been outsourcing their digital marketing campaigns have started to reallocate their budgets to train
and equip new and existing marketing employees with digital marketing skills.
What is a Digital Marketing Team?
A digital marketing team consists of several digital channel specialists, led by a VP/Head of Digital or Digital Marketing Director.
Digital specialists may include SEO Specialists, Social Media Managers, and Performance Marketing Specialists. Lead roles may
include Chief Digital Officers, Digital Marketing Directors, and Digital Marketing Managers.
In larger organizations, the digital team may function as a separate department from the traditional marketing team, with the
digital lead reporting to the Head of Marketing. Teams may also be structured by the following models:
• Centralized
• Decentralized
• Integrated
• Geographical
• Product-based
• Market-based
• Funnel-based
• Process-based
• Flexible
• Functional
In smaller organizations, Marketing Executives may be expected to integrate and execute both traditional and digital marketing
strategies and/or manage a digital agency, overseeing the development and implementation of in-house and external marketing
campaigns.
Essential Roles Within a Digital Marketing Team
Essential roles within a digital marketing team include:

18
• Digital Marketing Director: The Digital Marketing Director strategizes and leads all digital marketing initiatives.
• Digital Marketing Manager: The Digital Marketing Manager implements and manages digital marketing campaigns in-
house or through digital agencies.
• Digital Marketing Executive: The Digital Marketing Executive executes the day-to-day digital marketing activities.
• Digital Account Manager: The Digital Account Manager resides in a digital agency and functions as a consultant and
project manager communicating with the client and digital marketing specialists.
• Content Marketing Strategist: The Content Marketing Strategist develops the overall content marketing strategy for the
business from content ideation to creation, distribution and evaluation.
• SEO Specialist: The SEO Specialist monitors a website’s organic search rankings and ensures the website is optimized to
rank highly for target keywords.
• Digital Media Planner: The Digital Media Planner plans the digital advertising campaign channels, budget, and monitors
the execution and performance of all paid media campaigns.
• Ad Operations Manager: The Ad Operations Manager oversees and implements the day-to-day digital advertising
campaigns across various digital advertising platforms such as Google Ads, Facebook Ads, and DoubleClick.
• Performance Marketing Specialist: The Performance Marketing Specialist manages the SEO and SEM campaigns to drive
leads and sales to the business.
• Social Media Manager: The Social Media Manager plans and manages the overall social media marketing strategy for the
business.
• Social Media Community Manager: The Social Media Community Manager interacts with members of the community and
generates reports on the overall sentiment of the community to the Social Media Manager.
• Digital Marketing Analyst: The Digital Marketing Analyst analyzes the performance across all digital channels and
generates comprehensive reports that provide recommendations for improvement.
• Email/Marketing Automation Specialist: The Email/Marketing Automation Specialist manages and implements the
marketing automation workflow and email marketing campaigns.
• Copywriter: The copywriter writes product copy, blog content, ad copy, and any other content requested by the teams.
• Graphic Designer: The Graphic Designer designs creatives for digital ads, social media content, blog content, and any
other graphics requested by the teams.
• Web Developer: The Web Developer supports all website development and customizations required by the marketing
teams.
How Digital Marketing Teams Can Be Structured
There are a number of ways to structure a digital marketing team. The way in which a digital marketing team is organized depends
on the size of the organization. The larger the organization, the more complex the team structures may be.
Each role should be T-shaped, understanding a broad range of disciplines but with in-depth knowledge and skills in one or two
specific disciplines.
For example, a Social Media Manager should understand how a social media marketing plan fits in the overall digital marketing
strategy. We can make reference to IKEA’s photo tagging contest - While planning to launch a viral campaign on social media, one
should also strategize how to pitch the case study to journalists and acquire backlinks (an off-page SEO technique) to the website
at the same time.
Digital Marketing Team Structure for Small Companies

19
• Business Owner
• Marketing Manager
• Digital Agency/Freelancers (external)
In a small company where there is only one marketing personnel or a business owner running a one-man show, he/she is expected
to manage all marketing activities in the company.
Realistically however, it is unlikely for a one-man department to be able to execute marketing campaigns across all digital
marketing channels. More than likely, he/she will only be able to focus on 2 or 3 digital channels such as SEO, Social Media, and
Display. He/she will also require the support of a digital marketing agency or freelancers for other digital marketing initiatives such
as marketing automation, web development, and content marketing.
Digital Marketing Team Structure for Medium-sized Companies
• Marketing Director
• Digital Marketing Manager
• Content Specialist
• SEO Specialist
• Paid Specialist
• Social Media Specialist
• Digital Marketing Analyst
• Digital Agency (external)
For a mid-sized team of 3 to 7 marketers, the marketing department is able to benefit from having T-shaped digital marketing
specialists designated to focus on one or two digital channels.
The specialists report to the Digital Marketing Manager/Digital Marketing Director and work together to develop and implement
integrated marketing strategies.
Unless the company has in-house content creators, graphic designers and web developers, much of the work may still need to be
outsourced to digital agencies and/or freelancers e.g. for content writing, graphic design, web development projects.
Digital Marketing Team Structure for MNCs

20
Multinational Corporations or MNCs are classified as having >200 employees and an annual turnover of >$100 million.
Due to their wide range of product offerings, regional offices, and multiple market factors, large corporations tend to have more
complex digital marketing team structures:
• Centralized
• Decentralized
• Integrated
• Geographical
• Product-based
• Market-based
• Funnel-based
• Process-based
• Flexible
• Functional
Each structure has its own unique features, advantages and disadvantages. It is important to note that some of the team structures
such as the geographical, product-based, market-based, funnel-based, and process-based may also operate on a centralized,
decentralized, or integrated (decentralized + centralized) model.
Centralized
The centralized model is where digital specialists are concentrated within a digital department. All digital marketing campaigns are
run through this team while other marketing campaigns such as field marketing, PR, and print media are run by separate non-
digital marketing teams.
This was a common response to the rapid digital wave and new digital teams were quickly formed to adapt to the digital economy.
Pros:
• Efficient method to “deal” with the rapid changing digital landscape by setting up new digital departments as opposed to
training existing marketing teams on digital marketing
• Digital marketing experts are congregated in a central department resulting in ideas being exchanged efficiently and
digital marketing campaigns being implemented effectively
• Non-digital departments can benefit from digital strategy development, training, and digital campaign implementation
support from the digital team
Cons:
• Difficulty in integrating traditional and digital marketing approaches due to siloed structure
• Inconsistent customer experience across marketing channels (traditional and digital)
Decentralized

21
The decentralized model is an alternative model where digital specialists reside in different product/geographical teams without a
central digital management team.
This model is common in mid to large-sized companies, in which a few digital specialists in each regional/product team are given
autonomy to launch their own digital marketing initiatives.
Pros:
• Efficient implementation of digital campaigns (e.g. creation of microsites, launching of digital advertising campaigns, SEO,
etc.) as there is no central digital team to report to or request for approval
Cons:
• Limited in terms of timely coordination and central control, resulting in inconsistent messaging and branding
• Digital specialists face challenges in pushing for digital initiatives due to lack of buy-in from team leads and members and
limited understanding of potential returns from digital marketing efforts
Integrated
The integrated model combines both centralized and decentralized models where there is a central team of digital experts
overseeing the overall digital marketing strategy, providing training and support for key areas in digital marketing (e.g. technical
SEO, Google Tag Manager, marketing automation) that are not executed by individual teams on a day-to-day basis.
Pros:
• Better scalability, especially when marketers are T-shaped and are able to take on multiple complementary roles
• Decision making is streamlined as digital lead roles report back to a central digital team who decides on the overall digital
marketing strategy
Cons:
• Teams may be organized in a complex manner with overlaps in job scopes, resulting in some productivity loss

22
Geographical
The geographical structure organizes its marketing divisions into regional teams or country-specific teams, with country managers
leading each division or region. This structure may be centralized, decentralized, or integrated, varying from company to company.
Pros:
• More diverse perspectives from country-specific teams, resulting in marketing messaging that various country-specific
audiences can better relate to
Cons:
• Some degree of decentralization is inevitable, resulting in inconsistent messaging and competing campaigns
• A centralized model within a geographical structure can result in slower or limited execution, due to a lack of autonomy
and potential restrictions imposed by the central team
Product-based
This structure composes of marketing teams assigned under individual product divisions in an organization with multiple product
lines.
Pros:
• For businesses with massive product lines and limited resources per marketing team, forming new marketing teams that
mirror existing marketing team structures can shorten the time to get multiple products to market
Cons:

23
• May result in unintentional competition (e.g. bidding on similar keywords in SEM campaigns) and duplicate resources
(e.g. whitepapers and brochures with relatively similar content)
Market-based
This structure is where marketing teams are organized around market segments, industry categories, and customer types (e.g.
B2B, B2C personas).
Pros:
• Better focus for marketing teams as they can focus on marketing campaign efforts within their specialized field of
expertise in each market
Cons:
• Similar to product-based structure, this structure may result in duplication and unintentional competition
Funnel-based
The funnel-based structure assembles the teams along the purchase funnel or customer journey e.g. Awareness =>
Consideration/Evaluation => Purchase => Loyalty/Advocacy or TOFU, MOFU, BOFU, which represents – Top of the Funnel, Middle
of the Funnel, and Bottom of the Funnel.
For example, the Awareness team launches digital ads and PR campaigns to drive brand awareness, while the
Evaluation/Consideration team develops content to engage and convert customers, and the Purchase team focuses on product
marketing and optimizes the website’s landing pages to generate leads/sales.
Pros:

24
• With the customer journey as the key focus across different marketing teams, the customer experiences a more seamless
(omniscient) and integrated online and offline buying experience
• More specialization and better team dynamics within each division, resulting in better productivity and project outcomes
Cons:
• Specialized skills and talents can be hard to find
• Different categories of metrics are measured across the funnel and there may be disconnects along the way
Process-based
In a process-based structure, marketing teams are organized along the marketing process. Processes vary from industry to industry.
A B2B marketing process may start from the content development phase, following with lead generation (using content such as
whitepapers), and ending with lead nurturing via a CRM or marketing automation platform.
An eCommerce marketing process may begin with demand generation (through social media, PR, SEO, marketplaces, and
advertising), to conversion rate optimization and customer engagement.
Pros:
• Easily adoptable once the business process and business strategies are already in place
Cons:
• Rigid in structure, resulting in potential friction in communication between different departments
Flexible

25
Flexible structures refer to organizational models that are flat, organic, or elastic in that there may be little to no hierarchy as
marketers assume various roles as and when they are needed.
For example, in a three-person team with one Digital Marketing Manager and two Digital Marketing Executives, the Digital Marketing
Manager may be working on the SEO/SEM and PR campaign while the Digital Marketing Executives work on Social Media Marketing
and Digital Advertising campaigns and swap roles for different product marketing campaigns.
Pros:
• More efficient decision-making that may be limited in other more hierarchical structures
Cons:
• At times, it may result in difficulty deciding who does what
Functional
The functional structure organizes the team by marketing discipline and expertise, much like a digital agency team structure (but
without the account executives, digital planners, and project managers).
• CMO
o Digital Marketing Director
▪ Digital Marketing Manager
• Digital Marketing Executive
o Content Strategist
▪ Content Specialists
o SEO Lead
▪ SEO Specialists
o Advertising Lead
▪ Advertising Specialists
o Social Media Lead
▪ Social Media Specialists
o Email/Marketing Automation Lead

26
▪ Email/Marketing Automation Specialists
o Digital Marketing Analyst
Some large companies have a digital center of excellence team, housing digital experts and functioning like an internal digital
agency (with account executives, digital planners, and project manager roles).
Pros:
• Digital specialists in each respective function can support specialized campaigns (e.g. technical SEO and digital marketing
analytics) and also contribute to the overall development of holistic digital marketing strategies
Cons:
• It can be challenging finding T-shaped digital marketers (specialists with in-depth knowledge in one or two channels who
are also knowledgeable about the broad spectrum of marketing)
• Siloing teams by specific channels can result in narrow views as opposed to a more holistic all-rounded digital marketing
strategy being developed
Challenges and Considerations
The challenges many organizations face in assembling robust and agile marketing teams range from getting buy-in from c-levels
and employees to budget and resource constraints, integrating departments and systems/processes, and training to close digital
marketing skills gaps.
In the end, it does not matter how the organization is structured or what the processes are, but whether its people and systems
are adequately skilled and agile in adapting and delivering the business objectives while at the same time, providing a seamless
customer experience (customer centricity).

27
Digital Marketing Internship

28
Digital Marketing Internship
Getting into the field of digital marketing can be difficult, especially since many positions in this field require some level of
experience. To compound this barrier, companies are very selective in their hiring process despite having a hard time finding
skilled digital marketers.
However, Shaun Lee, Senior Client Solutions Manager at LinkedIn, advised, “If you’re trying to go after senior positions in
multinational corporations, you need a wealth of experience. But if you’re going for an entry-level position in a startup, the barrier
to entry is usually much lower.”
An internship can give you the experience needed to propel your digital marketing career vertically from ground zero.
What is a Digital Marketing Internship?
A digital marketing internship is a short-term job placement in the marketing department of a company or digital agency where
interns get to assist in the development and implementation of digital marketing campaigns.
The scope of work ranges from creative work to technical implementation varying from search engine optimization to digital
advertising, social media marketing and email marketing. The actual job scope varies from company to company and may extend
to writing articles to designing creatives, supporting lead generation campaigns, and constructing reports.
Digital marketing internships typically lasts from 1 month to 3 months and can even go on for 6 months or longer depending on
the contract and any private arrangements between the company and the intern.
The salary of a digital marketing intern normally ranges from $800 to slightly over $1,000 a month.

29
Benefits of a Digital Marketing Internship
Unlike in school or online-based learning (e-learning), in an internship, you get practical experience working on real world digital
marketing campaigns as you learn on the job, which will benefit you a lot more than theory-based lectures and project-based
assignments.
Getting an internship in a digital agency can be a very different experience from interning at a company (client side). Interns in a
digital agency may get to work on multiple client campaigns across different industries while interns at the client side usually
experience only one industry.
This gives digital agency interns more exposure on how digital marketing strategies can be applied across various industries and
opportunities to get hands-on. However, the workload in a digital agency can be much heavier than the client side.
In larger marketing teams, interns also get networking opportunities and learn the ins and outs of the industry through conversing
with more experienced digital marketers.
Regardless of whether you are interning in a digital agency or client side, there are plenty of benefits starting out as a digital
marketing intern:
Gain a Broad Overview of Digital Marketing and What to Specialize in
There is a whole ocean of knowledge and skills to discover in digital marketing. Even traditional marketers who graduated from
universities a decade ago are baffled by how much marketing has evolved over a short span of time.
The birth of the term “T-shaped marketer” describes someone who has general knowledge across all disciplines in marketing but
has deep knowledge in one or two specific disciplines. Being a T-shaped digital marketer is essential for productive meetings and
effective communication between different marketing departments.
Working as a digital marketing intern can provide you with the optimal learning platform to gain a broad overview of various
digital marketing disciplines. You will be given the opportunity to experience different marketing disciplines and discover your
interests, allowing you to choose your specializations with clear direction on the road ahead.
Hands-on Learning Experience
Being a digital marketing intern, you are basically one of the lowest ranks in a company and will most likely be tasked with the
least favorite job tasks such as uploading content to the website, designing an email newsletter, and writing social media posts.
This is the hard truth. However, there is much to be gained from any of these tasks as long as you keep an open mind.
Ng Zhuo Ling, Marketing Executive at Cycle and Carriage, recalled having to learn how to use SalesForce for lead nurturing
campaigns, navigate a content management system to publish product information, and design graphics with Adobe Illustrator
during her internship at Bosch. The experience from her internship had helped her optimize her productivity in her current role
where she did not have much time to learn how to use CRMs such as SalesForce, content management systems or graphic design
software from scratch.
Bountiful Networking Opportunities
Unlike in school, you get to mingle around with like-minded individuals and industry veterans. The contacts you get to connect
with can help you with your future job hunts. For example, an ex-colleague may refer you good job opportunities or recommend
you to potential recruiters.
Other benefits of networking include establishing future partnerships. For example, you may have joined a new B2B software
company and happen to discover that an ex-team member is working in a company that may potentially become a client. Or that
your future role may require you to headhunt competent marketers and that you can tap on your existing contacts to source for
potential hires. Either way, fostering a strong social network will make your outreach a lot easier.
Enhance Your Interpersonal and Communication Skills

30
Working in a team environment in a corporate setting is very different from working on group projects in school or running a one-
man show in a new startup.
If you’re working in a digital agency (client-facing), you may have to deal with clients or team members who may not be the most
favorable. You will have to learn how to take constructive criticism well.
At the client side, you may have to work with digital agencies who may not provide the best service, or a tyrant boss whom you
have to report to everyday. You will have to understand bureaucracy and learn to adapt to it.
In any case, you will be given ample opportunity to enhance your interpersonal and communication skills during your internship.
Learning to Work Independently
Even though you will be assigned to a supervisor in your internship, your supervisor will mostly be busy with his/her day to day
tasks and will not always have the time to guide you through all the way.
Ng Zhou Ling recounted having to “figure out a lot of things” on her own during her internship at Bosch. Her supervisor had guided
her through SalesForce but it was as brief as pointing to her what to click. She had to spend a lot more time exploring the platform
on her own.
It was through “playing around with the system” enough on her own that she managed to master it. This helped her a lot in her
new role at Cycle and Carriage where she was able to create and manage lead nurturing and customer relationship management
campaigns with ease.
Feeling a Sense of Achievement and Fulfilment
At the end of the day, nothing matters if you don’t feel a sense of achievement and fulfilment.
Your sense of achievement will come from learning new skills and successful execution of your assigned tasks, and your sense of
fulfilment will come from your day-to-day interaction with your colleagues and fostering strong bonds with your team.
Transiting to a Full-time Job
The most important thing is not to forget why you’re doing an internship in the first place – your main objective of securing a well-
paying full-time job as a digital marketer.
The work accomplished during your internship will enhance your portfolio, increasing your chances of getting a new full-time job
or even converting your current internship into a full-time position.
What Should You Not Do as an Intern?
As much as you should do everything you can to get the most out of your internship, these are some don’ts.
As a digital marketing intern, you shouldn’t:
Not Ask Questions
This is the best time to learn and absorb everything you can. Ask your team members for help whenever you need it but be
mindful of how and when you ask. You don’t want to offend anyone unintentionally.
Assume Too Many Things
Spinning off from the previous point, you don’t know what you don’t know.
For example, you may think the email newsletter design you created was the best thing that was created since sliced bread.
Nevertheless, there’s always room for improvement and you should seek a second opinion on what can be improved upon.

31
Be Afraid to Take on New Tasks
It’s normal to be afraid of making mistakes, especially when it comes to working on new and unfamiliar tasks. However, the saying
is true that if you don’t attempt anything, you will never master anything.
Not Socialize
One of the main benefits of an internship is the opportunity to build connections that may help you in your future endeavors.
Strike conversations whenever you’re at the pantry, at an event, or even in the company’s WhatsApp group. Do your best not to
turn down lunch gatherings and company get togethers.
Overwork Yourself
Even though it may be counterintuitive, working long hours without regular break intervals can hinder your creativity, productivity,
and quality output in your work.
Take regular breaks to clear your mind. Work never ends, so leave the extra paperwork for another day.
Not Manage Your Time Well
One of the essential skills a digital marketer needs to possess is good time management and project management competency.
The need to multi-task and run multiple projects simultaneously will be a common occurrence.
Seek advice from your supervisor if you are running late on deadlines and check with your team members if you are able to
offload some work to them. The ability to prioritize and focus on the more important tasks first is an essential skill set.
Not Have Fun While You’re at It
Again, your passion for digital marketing should be reinforced on a daily basis. Digital marketing can be very challenging yet
rewarding at the same time, requiring you to activate both creative and analytical brains simultaneously. Have fun while you’re at
it.
What Does a Digital Marketing Intern Do?
The job scope of a digital marketing intern ranges broadly depending on what the company needs at any point of time. Tasks will
fall quite commonly under any one of the four categories:
Creative
Creatives are one of the most common tasks assigned to interns since the learning curve is less steep than its counterparts.
Creative works include everything from writing ad copies to creating email newsletters and designing graphics used for marketing
collaterals.
Writing
Depending on the size of the organization, the organization structure, and whether a content team already exists within, writing
tasks may or may not be assigned to digital marketing interns.
In a multinational corporation for example, all product copy and articles may be controlled by the HQ and go through strict quality
guidelines.
In smaller companies and digital agencies however, interns may do blog writing and product copy when editorial guidelines and
content governance are not tightly controlled.

32
Campaign
Digital marketing interns may get to assist in the setting up and management of digital marketing campaigns ranging from
SEO/SEM to Digital Advertising (Google Ads), Email Marketing, and Social Media Marketing.
Technical
Interns with a technical background may also be tasked to develop landing pages, maintain content management systems, and set
up marketing tags.
Requirements of a Digital Marketing Intern
What does it take to get into a digital marketing intern position in a company or digital agency?
Even with the thousands of digital agencies and companies out there in the market, job seekers still find it difficult to get into a
digital marketing role.
The main issue lies with having a lack of experience and essential skills and characteristics required of a digital marketer. The need
to stand out from the rest is getting more and more apparent.
Employers are looking for self-driven, passionate and eloquent individuals with experience running digital marketing campaigns
and have achieved some degree of success.
Shaun Lee, who once got accepted as an intern in a global startup firm advised, “If an intern reached out to a potential employer
with a well thought out media plan, laying out all the action plans and strategies, all ready to run, he/she will definitely stand out
from the rest of the job applicants. One should also proactively research about the company’s competitors, try to understand their
business objectives and try to uncover possible struggles before applying for the job.”
He added that having a sales background helps especially when customer empathy i.e. understanding consumer needs on the
ground is necessary for persona marketing.
This is becoming more prevalent since the lines between sales and marketing is getting blurred as sales and marketing
departments begin to merge.
Taking certified digital marketing courses to build some foundations and working on a side project to enhance your digital
marketing resume (CV) and portfolio are additional preparations to stand out from the crowd.
Once you’ve made the necessary preparations, get a third party to vet through your CV and cover letter. At Equinet Academy, our
team of passionate digital marketing trainers are more than happy to review the CVs of their learners and offer pointers on how to
improve on them.
Ultimately, you want to join a company that will be able to provide you with the opportunity to experience areas of specializations
that will benefit your career as a digital marketer. That comes with doing preliminary research on the company and asking the
right questions, which we will cover in the next part.
How to Choose a Good Company for Your Digital Marketing Internship
A fruitful internship programme goes both ways. It should be mutually beneficial for both the intern and the hiring company.
With that said, interns need to probe a little further before and during the interview.
Tiffany Lim, a graduate of Equinet Academy’s Certified Digital Marketing Strategist (CDMS) Programme, shared her experience
working in a digital media event company who had plans to spin off a digital marketing department and put her in charge of
developing and implementing all of the company’s digital marketing strategies. “It was hectic, I was learning everything online for
the first 3 months without much guidance.” The lesson she learned was to make sure to ask the right questions to find out
whether the company had the appropriate infrastructure in place to benefit both parties.

33
“Do not undervalue yourself! Be clear on what you want and find out what’s in store for you before committing your time and
effort.” Shaun Lee urges.
Check the salary range and make sure it is sufficient to cover your basic needs e.g. travelling, meals, and savings (after CPF
deduction). Avoid joining companies who don’t have a salary package (undervaluing your time) or worse, require you to pay a
joining fee (e.g. MLM companies).
Do some research on the company to find out what campaigns they are currently running and ask questions such as:
• What is my job description?
• What campaigns will I be running?
• How much creative work will I be doing?
• Will I be doing any writing?
• What technical knowledge will I learn?
• What are the company’s campaign objectives?
• What are the current struggles and how can I help?
• Who are the competitors?
• Ask respectively and approach it in a consultative point of view e.g., “These are my skill sets, I think this is where I can
help, and how can I help with that?”
If the company does not know where you can fit in, it’s probably not the right company for you.
Look out for companies who also have plans to convert interns into full-timers, as this shows they value talent and have longer
term plans to retain them.
If you’re looking to start your digital marketing internship within the next couple of months, browse through our digital marketing
agency directory or internship portals and start sending in your cover letter, CV, and portfolio!

Digital marketing career handbook

Digital marketing career handbook

Recommandé

Recommandé

Contenu connexe

Tendances

Tendances (19)

Similaire à Digital marketing career handbook

Similaire à Digital marketing career handbook (20)

Dernier

Dernier (20)

Digital marketing career handbook