How Digital Skills Can Give You the Competitive Advantage

According to a study by LinkedIn and Cap Gemini, 50% of companies do not take the digital skills gap in the professional workforce as seriously as they should. There is a growing disconnect between the actual digital capabilities of the current workforce and the need for these skills.

Technological developments have had – and will continue to have – a major impact on business as we know it. As the demand for professionals with strong digital skills significantly outweighs the supply, now is the time to certify your skills to develop your competitive advantage.

Why Are Digital Skills So Valuable?

So, what has changed to create such a high demand for digitally capable individuals?

The current marketing environment is buyer-centric: A tech-heavy world has transformed the marketing industry because technology impacts how buyers perform and make decisions. Traditionally, prospects and consumers were targeted with advertising via print, television, and radio mediums. However, how we consume content has changed, and so have the ways we advertise to consumers.

The modern market is buyer-centric, meaning that it’s up to marketing teams to share how their product or service provides a solution to varying problems they’re facing. In addition, a large amount of the buying process takes place online rather than in a retail location. In the past month, 80% of Americans have reported making an online purchase, with 96% having purchased things online in their lifetime.

Marketers must go where the consumers are, and nowadays, that’s online. To effectively connect with their ideal audience, marketers require digital marketing skills that generate leads, increase engagement, and funnel prospects towards the end of the online sales funnel. This requires a range of digital skills, from understanding SEO concepts to creating high-quality social media content.

Social selling is required: As part of a digital culture, a comprehensive knowledge of social media platforms and uses is one of the biggest ways that the digital era is impacting how buyers make decisions, and in turn, how marketers engage with them. With 2.45 billion active social media users globally, social selling and digital marketing go hand-in-hand. To maintain a competitive advantage, marketers should know their way around all available social media channels, how to best connect and engage with followers, and create a narrative that aligns with a brand’s vision, mission, and tone.

In addition, the ability to measure and utilize available analytics from active social media platforms provide a big advantage to marketers well-versed in digital marketing skills.

Software and content are in the cloud: The cloud is an internet-based storage platform for data, programs, and software. For many businesses, the cloud provides an accessible and reliable place for all team members to access branded content and use necessary tools and software. To put this into perspective, the RightScale 2017 State of the Cloud report found that 85% of enterprises now use a multi-cloud strategy.

Although cloud-based software is often quite easy to understand, it’s critical that all marketing professionals are well-versed in a variety of cloud-based platforms, as they are an integral part of a business’s everyday operations.

Digital Skills Help Move Organizations Forward

Digital skills and knowledge are a fundamental part of organizational success. When you’re equipped with digital marketing skills that can help propel an organization forward, you’re automatically an integral facet that will help align them with the future of business.

However, many organizations are not yet engaged or aligned with the digital skills they need. In the US, only 31% of organizations statethat they are “digitally engaged,” along with 40% in Ireland and 25% in the UK. In addition, the majority of employees believe that digital and technological change in their organization is moving too slow.

With the right digital skills, you can help organizations become the data-driven powerhouses that they need to be. In many modern businesses, the in-house digital expertise is lacking, leading them to either invest in digital marketing training for their existing marketing team members or look for high-value external contractors.

For those equipped with the ability to understand how to access, measure, and analyze data-related insights with digital tools, organizations will soon be knocking on your door for help, meaning that you’ll maintain a competitive advantage over those lacking the right digital skills.

Digital Skills Keep You Versatile and Agile

The digital revolution is here to stay, so why not invest in your own professional capabilities and participate in a comprehensive online digital marketing course? Not only will you be an integral piece in organizations, but you’ll stay more versatile and agile as you move forward on your own career path.

Although many parts of the modern market are moving back to traditional lifestyle habits – reading paperback books rather than eBooks, or choosing to bike to work rather than drive – the digital revolution is taking over the workforce. As a marketing professional, to maintain a competitive advantage offline, you’ve got to level-up your digital marketing skills online.

Gone are the days of simply knowing your way around Microsoft Office and basic social media platform use. Today, best-in-class marketers are well-informed, highly-skilled masters of digital platforms, able to utilize their digital skill set across various online mediums. For example, a marketer with the ability to create high-quality social media content and track its success provides a higher value than a marketer who cannot measure analytics or utilize cross-sharing capabilities on social media platforms.

Digital marketing training can help make sure that you’re a digital marketing force to be reckoned with, enabling you to act in the online world and help your brand or business thrive.

The Benefits of Investing in Digital Marketing Training

Although digital skills are highly sought after in the professional landscape, many companies are still lacking the digital marketing training that provides marketers with a competitive advantage. Whether you’re a seasoned pro in the digital marketing world or a current marketer looking to upgrade your digital skills, an in-depth digital marketing course can provide you with the up-to-date skills necessary to level-up your career and thrive in the professional digital world.

Regardless of why you’re choosing to integrate your marketing career with high-value digital skills, a reputable digital marketing training program is an essential part of maintaining a competitive advantage amongst your peers. Not only will you develop future-forward digital skills, but you’ll gain a better understanding of your target audience and how they spend their time online.

Digital marketing is the future of business, as there are no signs of consumers beginning to make purchase decisions as heavily as they do online. Although not all purchases are completed online, 67% of the buyer’s journey takes place digitally. If you’re a passionate marketer, get a leg up in your industry of choice and choose to discover digital skills that will propel you forward.

Learn the key digital specialisms with a Professional Diploma in Digital Marketing. Download a brochure today!