Marketing Skills Shortages in the Digital Age

There is no doubt that we are in the digital age and that this transformation is causing a skills gap in the marketing industry. According to Forbes, “62% of CEOs say they have difficulty filling vacancies because they can’t find workers with the necessary skills.” This skills gap is only getting worse as the marketing landscape becomes more complex and ever-changing. In fact, according to a recent study by Adecco, 72% of marketers believe the skills gap will have a negative impact on their ability to meet business goals.

The top three skill sets that are in demand are digital marketing, data analysis, and creative content writing. Let’s take a closer look at each of these skills and how you can make sure your business is not left behind.

In Demand Skills

Digital Marketing: With so many businesses moving online, it is no surprise that digital marketing skills are in high demand. If you want to stay ahead of the competition, you need to make sure your website is optimized for search engines, that you are active on social media, and that you have a solid understanding of how to use digital marketing tools like Google Analytics. A good place to start if you are wanting to learn more about digital marketing is by taking an online course or attending a seminar.

Data Analysis: In order for businesses to make data-driven decisions, they need employees who are skilled in data analysis. Data analysts collect and analyze data that can then be used to improve marketing campaigns, assess customer behavior, and track sales trends. If you want to get into data analysis, you should have a strong foundation in math and statistics and be able to use Excel or other data visualization software.

Creative Content Writing: Creative content writing is another skill that is in high demand due to the increase in businesses moving online. If you can write compelling copy that grabs attention and drives conversions, you will be an asset to any company. In addition to being a strong writer, you should also understand SEO and how to write for different platforms (such as blog posts, social media posts, etc.). A great way to start honing your content writing skills is by starting a blog or working as a freelance writer.

How to Close the Marketing Skills Gap

The first step in closing the marketing skills gap is identifying which skills are most lacking within your organization. To do this, you’ll need to take a close look at your current marketing campaigns and compare them to your desired outcomes. Are you missing key deliverables? Are your campaigns falling flat? Once you’ve identified which skills are most needed, you can start taking steps to close the gap. Here are a few ideas:

Invest in Employee Training: One of the best ways to close the marketing skills gap is by investing in employee training. This can take many different forms, from on-the-job training to formal classroom instruction to online courses. There are a number of different ways to deliver training, so it’s important to find a method that works best for your team.

Hire Outside Help: If you don’t have the internal resources to close the marketing skills gap, hire outside help. This could mean bringing on a freelance marketer or working with a marketing agency that has expertise in the areas you’re lacking.

Rethink Your Hiring Process: Take a close look at your hiring process—are you hiring for attitude and trainability or solely for experience? Rethinking your hiring process can help you find employees who have the potential to close the marketing skills gap within your organization.

Identify and Grow

The digital age has brought about a skills gap in the marketing industry—but there is still time for businesses to catch up. By focusing on developing employees with digital marketing, data analysis, and creative content writing skillsets, companies can stay ahead of the curve and keep up with the competition. Do you have what it takes to bridge the marketing skills gap?

Apex IT’s marketing division, Apex Theorem, has Marketing Automation services that can identify gaps, train employees, or even supplement your team with experts that work within your budget. Reach out today for a free capability, maturity assessment to understand where your gaps are and how to improve them

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