As technology evolves, so does the marketing industry. Marketers had to adapt to changing trends as consumer behavior continued to move towards greater use of technology in everyday work and life. Increasing technology in marketing practices created more opportunities for marketers but also brought a whole new set of skills needed for business success. Marketing was traditionally focused on well-developed communication and planning skills and, to some extent, creative skills . However, unlike traditional marketers, 21st-century marketers need to acquire a set of additional and diverse skills to meet future work requirements.
In my opinion, these are the top 5 skills that will be essential for future marketers:
Digital Literacy
Digital literacy is the MOST important skill for marketers today. Marketers must become more adept at using different digital channels, tools and technologies. They need to have a good understanding of search engine optimization (SEO), social media management, email marketing and marketing analytics tools and techniques. It is preferable for them also to have a solid base in digital content creation and tools used to create digital content. They should also be well-acquainted with new Generative AI tools and know how to apply them in a way to enhance their marketing campaigns. Digital-savvy marketers can use these tools to target the right audience, create engaging content, and analyze campaign performance. As marketing educators, we must ensure that our marketing graduates have the knowledge and skills to compete successfully in job markets. Digital marketing is all about practice – so many hands-on practical exercises must be included in the marketing curriculum to ensure that students are well-prepared for what awaits them once they graduate.
Analytical Skills
21st-century marketing is data-driven marketing. Marketers who can extract meaningful insights from data and are able to make data-driven decisions will have a significant advantage over the ones who are not proficient in this area. Proficiency in various data analysis tools and techniques, such as Google Analytics, social media analytics software, and data visualization tools, is crucial for successful marketing campaigns. Future marketers must have a good understanding of data trends, be able to identify patterns, interpret data and adjust their marketing strategies based on data-driven insights. This is why at our marketing specialization, we introduced a separate marketing analytics course several years ago to provide students with extensive practice and training in these areas and a competitive advantage once they graduate.