When people hear the term 'digital marketer', they often envision someone glued to multiple screens, bombarding social media feeds with ads, or sending endless emails. But is this the full picture?

'Digital marketing' as a profession has gained popularity in Bangladesh's rapidly shifting digital landscape. Considering the modern urban lifestyle, while stuck in traffic jams, we no longer pay much attention to billboards or posters on the streets. Instead, we take out our phones, scroll through social media, and immerse ourselves online. This shift in behaviour has made digital platforms the new battleground for marketers.

However, thinking 'digital marketing' is only about social media platforms like Facebook and LinkedIn would be a mistake. The actual profession encompasses a wide range of job descriptions that may surprise someone unaware. So, let's take a look at what a 'digital marketer' does and what this currently trending profession entails.

Understanding digital marketing and its key roles

Mahmudul Hasan Emon, a former full-stack Digital Marketer, explains the definition of 'digital marketing': "A full-stack digital marketer covers all areas of marketing, such as planning, running ads, creating content, understanding the target audience, analysing data, conducting SEO analysis, working on social media to build brand awareness, and more."

Over the last decade, digital marketing has become a widespread trend that nearly every business follows. With Bangladesh steadily moving towards digital transformation, businesses in the country are increasingly reliant on digital marketing to connect with their audiences. This is why various roles have been created in the digital marketing sector for people to pursue.

"There are different roles in the digital marketing sector, including but not limited to SEO specialist, content marketing specialist, social media specialist, Pay-Per-Click (PPC) analyst, copywriting expert, etc. From startups to large conglomerates, all organisations now prioritise digital presence," says Riajur Rahman, Digital Marketing Manager at BdTask, an international software company. 

Essential technical skills and tools for digital marketers

It is important to have technical skills to become a good digital marketer. "Technical proficiency in data analytics tools, SEO, and PPC platforms such as Google Ads, Meta Ads, LinkedIn Ads Manager, etc. is absolutely necessary for a digital marketer", Riajur states. 

A digital marketer should also have knowledge about tools such as Google Ads, Semrush, Ahrefs, Meta Suite, etc. These tools are essential for running effective campaigns, analysing data, optimising content for search engines, and managing social media strategies. They enable marketers to understand audience behaviour, improve visibility, and achieve measurable results.

Shah Jamil Bhuiyan, Senior Marketing Executive of SJ Innovation, LLC, weighs in on his opinion on what being a 'digital marketer' entails, "Google Analytics, Google Ads, Search Console, and Meta Business Suite are the most essential platforms to understand marketing efforts. There's also Google Keyword Planner for keyword and competitive analysis and Mailchimp for email marketing. Ad Manager and Google Ads are also important tools to run paid ads."

What do HR professionals look for in a digital marketer?

Having both soft skills and technical skills is equally important, as per local hiring professionals. This is because when employers hire a digital marketer, they emphasise both these types of skills. Shabi Tahmid Khan, Co-Founder and COO of an HR consultancy Firm, says, "When hiring, we evaluate two key skill sets: technical skills, which includes social media marketing, Google Ads, Meta Suite, and SEO, as well as soft skills, such as analysing customer behaviour, buying tendency, understanding demographics, and thinking outside of the box." 

In the context of Bangladesh, employers often notice that a significant portion of candidates applying for digital marketing roles are young professionals or fresh graduates, many of whom possess a 'Digital Marketing' course certificate, which is obtained from online-based courses, as these skills are not typically covered in traditional academic programs. While these courses provide theoretical knowledge in areas like social media marketing, SEO, and Google Ads, they often lack practical, hands-on experience. This gap in practical knowledge is a common challenge for employers when evaluating candidates for digital marketing roles.

Shabi Tahmid Khan, talent acquisition expert at HR consultancy firm Immaculate International, elaborates on this matter: "We often encounter candidates who hold certificates in digital marketing but lack hands-on experience. They might be familiar with the tools and their use cases, but when it comes to thinking outside the box, analysing customer behaviour, and showing effective communication, there is a noticeable gap."

The growing potential and challenges of digital marketing in Bangladesh

According to experts, in Bangladesh, digital marketing is still in its early stages, but it has opened up numerous opportunities for businesses and professionals alike. Despite its potential, the sector also faces significant challenges that need to be addressed for sustained growth.

Shah Jamil Bhuiyan, Senior Marketing Executive of local IT company SJ Innovation, shed light on the situation: "If I talk about the Bangladesh market as a whole, the digital marketing space is still very limited on things like social media and email marketing, which presents a challenge for local marketers. However, this also creates opportunities, especially in influencer marketing, though its success depends on the product."

The impact of digital marketing has increased worldwide too. Today's competitive digital marketing environment is expanding and changing quickly. According to Neil Patel, a well-known digital marketing expert, it has been predicted that this industry will grow to a staggering $786 billion by 2026. Traditional marketing techniques are therefore no longer as effective as they once were. The internet is being used by more people than ever before, which gives businesses a ton of chances to engage with their customers - giving rise to an increased demand for the profession we know as 'digital marketing'.