The Rise of Digital Marketing Talent in Sheffield: And Why You Need to Pay Attention
The digital marketing sector has experienced huge growth since the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent lockdowns. The kind of growth that you would expect over the course of a decade.
For years, SMEs have relied on traditional forms of marketing to reach customers and entice them to buy from them. However, the COVID-19 pandemic saw more consumers go online than ever before meaning businesses have had to adapt and change the way they reach their target audience. Even though lockdowns are over and the world has opened up again, the trend for searching online for products and services looks like it’s here to stay.
Businesses are having to change the way they reach their target audience by switching to digital marketing methods but there is a skills gap which makes it difficult to find the right resources to do so.
The Digital Marketing Skills Gap
With digital marketing becoming increasingly important, the biggest question is: do marketers have the skills to operate in a new digital world?
The tech industry accounts for 5.5% of the UK economy and research shows it could add another £41.5 billion to the economy by 2025, generating thousands of jobs and providing solutions worldwide.
But, the digital skills gap could be a huge barrier because technology is developing at a faster pace than the skills required to apply the tech. This means there are not enough people required to do the jobs that drive innovation. As a result, the pace of innovation will slow down, slowing the growth of the economy alongside a cost of living crisis.
The Invisible Skills Gap
Alongside the skills gap in tech and digital marketing is also the invisible skills gap. This is the lack of skills that many businesses don’t even know they’re missing. Technical skills such as coding and graphic design leave a gap that’s easy to see. However, there are other skills businesses may not even be aware they’re missing.
This has been exacerbated by the rapid changes in the digital landscape and means that more businesses need to adapt their marketing strategies to keep up and stay ahead of the competition.
According to research, the two most in-demand skills for marketers in 2023 are digital advertising, content creation and curation. In addition, there are other key skills it’s worth being aware of if you’re wondering where to start when it comes to transforming your marketing.
Data Analysis
When you’re marketing online, a huge amount of data is generated, and to understand what’s working and what isn’t, you need to be able to analyse the data. We find that many businesses lack the skills to analyse data effectively and don’t know what data they should be collecting, how to analyse it or what to do with the information once they have it to improve campaigns. Many businesses are looking to agencies with specialist skills in data analysis to ensure they’re getting the best return on investment.
Content Marketing
A huge skill that’s now required when it comes to digital marketing is creating and distributing high-quality content that resonates with customers when they’re researching and browsing online. Content marketing requires a full understanding of your target audience and the ability to understand how content can help them on their customer journey from awareness through to purchase.
Learn more about outsourcing content marketing in our blog: 5 benefits of outsourcing digital marketing.
Social Media
Social media platforms are continuously changing and evolving so, if you want to make sure you’re building a community, you need to stay ahead of the latest trends and best practices. It’s important to understand exactly how to engage with your target audience and provide content that’s engaging and that your audience will want to share.
How does this affect your business and should you address the skills gap?
Many traditional marketers do not yet have the skills or knowledge to implement a full or effective digital marketing strategy for their business. Although traditional skills and brand building are still important elements of marketing your business, it’s not enough to rely on these methods in a digital-first world.
As an organisation, you will need to become more agile and adapt to changes in marketing and consumer behaviour to ensure that your business is reaching the right customers effectively and on the right channels.
Getting ahead now by outsourcing digital marketing, upskilling existing teams or bringing experts in-house means you will be better positioned to keep connecting with your customers in the future, no matter where they’re browsing or researching for information.
Having the best digital marketing talent in place will help you to drive business growth and performance. Making changes now will set you far ahead of your competitors and provide your team and business with the skills needed to keep driving results both online and offline, and will also mean you’re positioned well once the economy starts to see an upturn again.
In Summary
If you want your business to survive and succeed in the digital age, you need to transform your marketing team and strategy to meet the new channels customers are using and make sure your brand is visible when they’re searching, researching and browsing online.
This can take time if you’re looking to upskill your existing marketing team or bring resources in-house. Outsourcing to a digital marketing agency can give you instant access to the skills and expertise you need to transform your digital marketing strategy, meet your customers online and transform your business.
If you’d like to learn more or claim a free digital marketing audit for your business to find gaps in your strategy, please contact us on [email protected]
