{"id":22239,"date":"2019-01-24T09:30:17","date_gmt":"2019-01-24T07:30:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.getsmarter.com\/blog\/?p=22239"},"modified":"2025-09-18T16:32:16","modified_gmt":"2025-09-18T14:32:16","slug":"digital-marketing-strategist-career-path-profile","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.getsmarter.com\/blog\/digital-marketing-strategist-career-path-profile\/","title":{"rendered":"How to become a Digital Marketing Strategist"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Our world is changing faster than it ever has before, and this is thanks to the rapid evolution of the digital space. This, in turn, has made our biggest advantage simply being human\u2026 which is why those who can determine how best to use the internet for your business objectives are so necessary. They are called Digital Marketing Strategists.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Over four billion people are already using the internet,1<\/sup> breaking the not-so-old assumption that these numbers would only be hit by 2020.2<\/sup> That means that over 55% of the world\u2019s population uses the internet (with an average growth rate over the past 18 years of over 1000%).3<\/sup> This rise in popularity and reliance is astounding, especially when we look back at the birth of the World Wide Web only in 1990.4<\/sup><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Advertising and marketing are directly responding to the digital movement. Traditional marketing has become overshadowed by the likes of digital marketing. Related strategies, and industry spend reveals just how influential it\u2019s become. Reuters reported that contributions to digital marketing grew by 44% in the US and Britain in 2017, amounting to $52 billion.5<\/sup> It was also estimated that global outlays on digital marketing are approaching $100 billion. As this field of business becomes increasingly digital and data-driven, digital marketing will continue to dominate, and strategists will be responsible for paving the way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Learn how to design and implement an integrated digital marketing campaign with a Digital Marketing course<\/a> from the University of Cape Town (UCT).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What does a Digital Marketing Strategist do?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Digital Marketing Strategists plan and advise on the execution of marketing campaigns. They are a mix of innovative, creative, and tech-savvy individuals who have the ability to identify trends before they peak, and use those insights to inform international marketing strategies and campaigns for the brands they champion. A Digital Strategist combines all the relevant marketing channels and platforms – from SEO to paid media, to content – into one actionable plan that is then used to launch the marketing of a product or service.6<\/sup><\/p>\n\n\n\n

A Digital Marketing Strategist must have an aptitude for data, analysing results from their own campaigns<\/a> and that of competitors to determine outcomes and plans to move marketing efforts forward. Perry Hewitt, Harvard University\u2019s Chief Digital Officer, defines the eclectic role: \u201cDigital is part technology, part content strategy, part marketing art – and science. People who very strongly identify with only one piece of the equation will struggle on a high-performing digital team.\u201d7<\/sup><\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, being a Digital Marketing Strategist is not just about using these tools and skills to showcase your company\u2019s product or service. As author Seth Godin put it; \u201cMarketing is no longer about the stuff you make, but about the stories you tell\u201d.8<\/sup><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Marketing is no longer about the stuff you make, but about the stories you tell<\/p>\n

Seth Godin<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

What is a Digital Marketing Strategist responsible for?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s difficult to define precisely what the role of a Digital Strategist<\/a> looks like, as it largely depends on the company that hires you. However, if digital marketing strategy<\/a> is going to be your daily bread and butter, you can expect to have a wide range of responsibilities. These will be dependent on the size of your company, marketing team, and business needs for middle management. You would most commonly be required to serve multiple functions, much like a Jack of all Trades, but at companies with larger marketing teams you might instead specialise on a particular set.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The key responsibilities of a Digital Strategist include making an impact in the following three areas:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Digital marketing strategy<\/h4>\n\n\n\n