The digital skills gap concerns many marketing leaders as they need to leverage digital channels to raise brand awareness, drive traffic, and generate leads. How can you effectively evaluate and fill the digital skills gaps in your team?

6 Steps to Perform a Marketing Skills Gap Analysis for Your Team

how-to-perform-a-marketing-skills-gap-analysis-for-your-team

[[p]]The workforce has undergone significant changes over the past few years. From the move to new forms of working such as hybrid and remote to the widespread adoption of [[a href="https://digitalmarketinginstitute.com/blog/ai-in-digital-marketing-the-ultimate-guide?utm_source=organic&amp;utm_medium=blog&amp;utm_campaign=corporateblog_oct24" target="_blank"]]artificial intelligence[[/a]], employers and employees face many challenges.&nbsp;[[/p]]

[[p]]One of the most significant challenges is the skills employees require. According to LinkedIn&rsquo;s &lsquo;[[a href="https://learning.linkedin.com/resources/workplace-learning-report" target="_blank"]]Workplace Learning Report 2024[[/a]]&rsquo;, the necessary skills for jobs have undergone a 25% transformation since 2015, and experts expect this number to double again by 2027.&nbsp;[[/p]]

[[p]]The [[a href="https://digitalmarketinginstitute.com/resources/ebooks/global-digital-skills-training-report-insights-from-corporate-leaders?utm_source=organic&amp;utm_medium=blog&amp;utm_campaign=corporateblog_oct24" target="_blank"]]digital skills gap[[/a]] concerns many marketing leaders and teams as they need to leverage digital channels to raise brand awareness, drive traffic, and generate high-quality leads.[[/p]]

[[p]]This means it&rsquo;s important for decision makers and leaders to understand what skills their teams currently have along with the knowledge gaps. By understanding the skill areas that need strengthening, employers can provide [[a href="https://digitalmarketinginstitute.com/business?utm_source=organic&amp;utm_medium=blog&amp;utm_campaign=corporateblog_oct24" target="_blank"]]effective training[[/a]] that empowers employees and helps drive business growth.&nbsp;[[/p]]

[[p]]This blog shows you how to conduct a step-by-step skills gap analysis that you can compare to industry standards and competitors. It also provides examples and a useful template to use when conducting your own.[[/p]]

[[p]]Before identifying any skill gaps, it&rsquo;s crucial to understand your marketing team&rsquo;s objectives and goals. These goals will help you pinpoint the skills your team requires to achieve success.[[/p]]

[[p]]McKinsey &amp; Company states that [[em]]&ldquo;identifying the areas where organizations need to improve their capabilities most is an important step in any change effort. Such a skill is helpful, particularly in times of cost cutting where limited training resources must be used to close the critical competency gaps that prevent companies from meeting business objectives.&rdquo;[[/em]][[/p]]

[[p]]Key questions to ask include:[[/p]]

[[ul]]
	[[li]]What is the long-term vision for the company?[[/li]]
	[[li]]What are the company&rsquo;s short-term and long-term goals?[[/li]]
	[[li]]Who are the target customers, and what are their primary needs and expectations?[[/li]]
	[[li]]What are the financial targets for revenue, profitability, and growth?[[/li]]
	[[li]]What new projects, products, or services will be introduced?[[/li]]
	[[li]]What are the potential risks that could hinder achieving goals (e.g. a [[a href="https://digitalmarketinginstitute.com/blog/how-to-do-a-competitive-analysis-in-digital-marketing?utm_source=organic&amp;utm_medium=blog&amp;utm_campaign=corporateblog_oct24" target="_blank"]]competitive analysis[[/a]] can help here)?[[/li]]
	[[li]]What are the industry trends that may influence future requirements?&nbsp;[[/li]]
[[/ul]]

[[p]][[strong]]Example:[[/strong]] Let&rsquo;s say your company plans to launch a new product or service. Think about what your marketing team needs to do to establish and promote it. What digital channels need to be used and what digital marketing skills will be required to do that effectively (e.g. SEO, social media marketing, email marketing, [[a href="https://digitalmarketinginstitute.com/blog/what-is-ppc-marketing?utm_source=organic&amp;utm_medium=blog&amp;utm_campaign=corporateblog_oct24" target="_blank"]]PPC marketing[[/a]])?&nbsp;[[/p]]

40% of corporate leaders acknowledge that the skills gap has worsened in the past year

[[p]]The next step is to identify the key skills and expertise required for the organization to achieve its goals.&nbsp;[[/p]]

[[p]]This should include not only the skills necessary for current operations but also those that will drive future success. This should also include practical or [[a href="https://digitalmarketinginstitute.com/blog/9-essential-soft-skills-for-digital-marketers" target="_blank"]]soft skills[[/a]] such as collaboration or problem solving as more companies move towards skills-based hiring.&nbsp;[[/p]]

[[p]]Key questions to ask include:[[/p]]

[[ul]]
	[[li]]What capabilities are highly valued within our company?[[/li]]
	[[li]]What skills will be essential to maintain a competitive edge in the future?[[/li]]
	[[li]]What competencies do employees need to perform their tasks efficiently and effectively?[[/li]]
	[[li]]What emerging skills are becoming important in our industry?[[/li]]
	[[li]]Which roles could be impacted by automation?[[/li]]
	[[li]]Are there new technologies our workforce must learn to stay up-to-date?[[/li]]
	[[li]]Are there potential roles we don&rsquo;t have yet but will need soon?[[/li]]
[[/ul]]

[[p]][[strong]]Example: [[/strong]]AI technology is used widely by marketers for a range of tasks from content generation to automation. This means that [[a href="https://digitalmarketinginstitute.com/blog/8-digital-skills-you-need-to-survive-the-rise-of-ai?utm_source=organic&amp;utm_medium=blog&amp;utm_campaign=corporateblog_oct24" target="_blank"]]AI skills are becoming increasingly important for marketers[[/a]] - existing and future. So think about what AI capabilities you want to achieve in the organization and plot the skills you need.&nbsp;&nbsp;[[/p]]

[[p]]Now that you know your goals and the essential skills your organization needs to flourish, it&rsquo;s time to evaluate the knowledge of your marketing team.&nbsp;[[/p]]

[[p]]You can use several methods to gather this data which include:&nbsp;[[/p]]

[[ul]]
	[[li]][[strong]]Employee self-assessments:[[/strong]] Ask team members to rate their proficiency in relevant skills through surveys, questionnaires, or performance reviews.[[/li]]
	[[li]][[strong]]Manager evaluations: [[/strong]]Supervisors or team leaders can provide insight into the skills their team members use in their roles.[[/li]]
	[[li]][[strong]]Skills testing:[[/strong]] Conduct practical tests or use tools that measure competencies in specific areas (e.g. coding challenges or marketing simulations).[[/li]]
	[[li]][[strong]]360-degree feedback:[[/strong]] Gather input from peers, direct reports, and supervisors to get a rounded view of each employee&#39;s abilities.[[/li]]
	[[li]][[strong]][[a href="https://digitalmarketinginstitute.com/business?utm_source=organic&amp;utm_medium=blog&amp;utm_campaign=corporateblog_oct24" target="_blank"]]DMI Teams Skills Test:[[/a]]&nbsp;[[/strong]]Reach out to our team to request a skills assessment, which will help evaluate and benchmark your employees&#39; abilities, pinpointing specific areas where training is needed to enhance skills.[[/li]]
[[/ul]]

[[p]][[strong]]Example:[[/strong]] Use a survey or questionnaire to find out what skills your employees think they need or want to refresh. Bear in mind that the level of skills will differ depending on the role so a matrix by role can be useful.[[/p]]

[[p]]After you&rsquo;ve gathered data on current skills and compared it to the required skills, you can begin to identify the gaps.[[/p]]

[[p]]It may be worth doing this at a department and team level to see the bigger picture from an organizational perspective. Then you can do it at a role level as the required skills and importance will differ depending on what each person needs to do and their current skill level.&nbsp;[[/p]]

[[p]]Steps to follow:[[/p]]

[[ul]]
	[[li]][[strong]]Create a comparison chart or matrix:[[/strong]] List each role or team member alongside the skills they have and the skills they need. Highlight areas where there is a mismatch.[[/li]]
	[[li]][[strong]]Assess Impact:[[/strong]] Evaluate the impact of each skill gap on business performance.[[/li]]
	[[li]][[strong]]Prioritize gaps:[[/strong]] Based on the business impact, rank skills based on their criticality to organizational goals and urgency for development.[[/li]]
[[/ul]]

[[p]]You can also use tools like Excel, Google Sheets, or skills management platforms to organize and visualize your analysis.[[/p]]

[[p]][[strong]]Example:[[/strong]] Here&rsquo;s a simple matrix that shows the importance of a skill, along with the required level and actual levels.&nbsp;[[/p]]

[[p]]Once you&rsquo;ve identified the gaps, the next step is to create a strategy to address them.&nbsp;[[/p]]

[[p]]Depending on the skill and the urgency, you may need to implement one or a combination of the following approaches:[[/p]]

[[ul]]
	[[li]][[strong]]Training and development: [[/strong]]Organize online courses, workshops, or mentorship programs to upskill your team in areas where they are lacking. Remember not all training methods are created equal! According to our [[a href="https://digitalmarketinginstitute.com/resources/ebooks/global-digital-skills-training-report-insights-from-corporate-leaders?utm_source=organic&amp;utm_medium=blog&amp;utm_campaign=corporateblog_oct24"]]report with marketing leaders[[/a]], &lsquo;bitesize learning&rsquo; is considered by 95% of leaders as the most efficient training method.[[/li]]
	[[li]][[strong]]Cross-training:[[/strong]] Allow employees to learn from team members who have the skills they need. This not only helps employees gain new skills but empowers others as mentors.&nbsp;[[/li]]
	[[li]][[strong]]Hiring new talent:[[/strong]] If the gaps are too large to be filled internally, consider hiring professionals with the necessary skills. This is particularly important in a niche area such as SEO or [[a href="https://digitalmarketinginstitute.com/blog/what-does-a-ppc-specialist-do"]]PPC[[/a]].&nbsp;[[/li]]
	[[li]][[strong]]Outsourcing:[[/strong]] For short-term projects or highly specialized needs, it may be more cost-effective to outsource certain tasks.[[/li]]
	[[li]][[strong]]Reassigning roles:[[/strong]] Shift responsibilities to individuals whose strengths and skills align more closely with the organization&#39;s needs.[[/li]]
[[/ul]]

[[p]][[em]]&ldquo;The learnings from the DMI courses are now integral to our team&#39;s operations. We&#39;ve adopted advanced analytics strategies to monitor campaigns and channel performance more effectively. The team is also utilizing enhanced data reporting and visualization techniques, leading to more informed decisions.&rdquo;[[/em]] - Philipp Karbun, Key Account Manager at Sony[[/p]]

[[p]]A skills gap analysis is not a one-time exercise. You need to conduct regular monitoring and reassessment to ensure your team continues to grow and stay aligned with your organizational goals.[[/p]]

[[p]]Use these actions to keep up the momentum and ensure your training program is effective.&nbsp;[[/p]]

[[ul]]
	[[li]][[strong]]Set milestones:[[/strong]] Break up your development plan into smaller goals and review progress at each step.[[/li]]
	[[li]][[strong]]Track development:[[/strong]] Use performance metrics such as engagement or completion rates to monitor the effectiveness of training programs.[[/li]]
	[[li]][[strong]]Get continuous feedback: [[/strong]]Regularly gather feedback from employees and managers to ensure skill development initiatives are effective.[[/li]]
	[[li]][[strong]]Perform an annual skills audit:[[/strong]] Reevaluate team skills at least once a year to identify new gaps as technologies evolve or business needs change.[[/li]]
[[/ul]]

[[p]]In such a competitive market, it&rsquo;s crucial for businesses across industries to have the right skills to excel now and into the future.&nbsp;[[/p]]

[[p]]A clear understanding of an organization&rsquo;s skills and gaps can help marketing leaders offer [[a href="https://digitalmarketinginstitute.com/resources/ebooks/the-state-of-digital-skills-and-corporate-training?utm_source=organic&amp;utm_medium=blog&amp;utm_campaign=corporateblog_oct24" target="_blank"]]training programs[[/a]] that are relevant, customized, and effective.&nbsp;[[/p]]

[[p]]These six simple steps can help tailor learning and development programs to engage and retain employees and create an organizational culture that attracts and retains staff to stay competitive.&nbsp;[[/p]]

[[p]]Companies require a range of key digital skills to compete and succeed online. So marketing leaders need to understand how their team&#39;s current skills compare with industry standards and competitors. Our [[a href="https://digitalmarketinginstitute.com/business?utm_source=organic&amp;utm_medium=blog&amp;utm_campaign=corporateblog_oct24" target="_blank"]]Digital Skills Evaluation &amp; Benchmarking tool[[/a]] will help you assess and benchmark the digital skill levels of your team to develop an action plan to bridge skills gaps. Contact us today to evaluate your marketing team.&nbsp;[[/p]]

6 Steps to Perform a Marketing Skills Gap Analysis for Your Team

Related Free Video Lessons

Clodagh O'Brien