What Employers Look for in Digital Marketers Today (The 12 Core Skills That Matter)
Digital marketing is no longer a support function. It’s a growth engine.
Employers in 2026 are not hiring marketers to “manage platforms”. They are hiring professionals who can build systems, drive revenue, and think commercially.
Digital marketing is now the foundation of modern business, with roles consistently ranking among the most in-demand globally.
So what do employers actually look for?
Not random tools. Not surface-level certificates. Not isolated tactics.
They look for capability across a connected ecosystem.
These are the 11 core skills that matter most.
1. AI (Artificial Intelligence for Marketing)
AI is not replacing marketers. It’s supercharging them
Employers now expect digital marketers to:
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Use AI for research, ideation, and content drafting
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Build smarter workflows and automation
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Improve productivity without sacrificing quality
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Maintain brand tone and strategic oversight
The real skill is not typing prompts. It’s knowing:
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How to structure prompts strategically
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When to refine AI output
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When human judgment overrides automation
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How AI integrates into wider marketing systems
Modern digital marketers must treat AI as a strategic co-pilot, not a shortcut.
2. Email Marketing & Automation
Email still delivers one of the highest returns on investment in digital marketing
Employers look for marketers who can:
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Build automated welcome sequences
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Segment audiences by behaviour, not just demographics
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Design nurture funnels
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Track open rates, click-through rates, and conversions
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Personalise journeys at scale
The ability to create a 3–5 email funnel that moves leads from awareness to action is now a baseline capability.
Automation multiplies performance. Employers know this.
3. Social Media Marketing
Social media has shifted from “posting regularly” to strategic visibility.
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Instagram & TikTok drive discovery
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LinkedIn drives B2B lead generation
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Facebook supports community and retargeting
Employers want marketers who understand:
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Hook – Value – CTA frameworks
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Short-form storytelling
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Platform-native content
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Community engagement
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Performance analytics
Vanity metrics are no longer impressive. Strategic engagement that feeds into funnels is.
4. SEO & Paid Search (Google Ads)
Employers expect digital marketers to understand both:
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SEO for long-term traffic
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Google Ads for immediate results
This includes:
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Keyword research based on intent
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Optimising content for featured snippets and FAQs
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Running branded and competitor search campaigns
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Tracking performance in GA4
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Connecting search data to conversion strategy
SEO builds sustainable visibility. Paid search accelerates growth. Employers value marketers who understand how to combine both.
5. Online Ads (Meta, Google, TikTok, LinkedIn)
Paid media is no longer optional for growth-focused businesses.
Employers look for capability in:
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Audience targeting and segmentation
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Creative testing (lifestyle, benefit-driven, pain-point)B
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Budget management and scaling
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Monitoring CPC, CTR, ROAS, and frequency
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Full-funnel retargeting
Winning ads today are:
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Relatable
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Targeted
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Data-led
Paid ads without testing are expensive. Paid ads with optimisation are powerful.
6. Ecommerce Marketing
Ecommerce marketing is about more than traffic.
It’s about:
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Conversion optimisation
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User-generated content
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Reviews and trust signals
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Mobile experience
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Retention automation
Employers expect marketers to understand:
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Buying behaviour
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Checkout friction
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Repeat purchase systems
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Exit pop-ups and nurture sequences
7. Content Strategy & Creation
Creating more content is not the goal.
Creating intentional, systemised content is.
As outlined in your framework:
- Build 3–5 content pillars
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Repurpose one blog into multiple formats
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Plan content by funnel stage
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TOFU: education
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MOFU: trust
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BOFU: conversion
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Employers want marketers who:
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Think in campaigns, not posts
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Understand storytelling
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Align content to measurable outcomes
Content without strategy creates noise.
Content with structure builds authority.
8. Analytics & Reporting
“What you don’t track, you can’t improve”
Employers value marketers who can:
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Use GA4 confidently
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Pull insights from Meta Ads Manager
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Create dashboards in Looker Studio
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Identify drop-off points
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Analyse micro-conversions
More importantly, they value marketers who ask:
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Why did this campaign work?
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Where are leads falling off?
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What should we test next?
Data literacy replaces guesswork with growth.
9. Strategy & Planning
Strategy is the difference between being busy and being effectiveE
Employers expect marketers to:
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Use structured frameworks like SOSTAC®
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Map customer journeys
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Define clear objectives and KPIs
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Reassess strategy every 90 days
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Build marketing ecosystems, not disconnected campaigns
Planning is not admin. It is leadership.
10. Commercial Intelligence
Commercial intelligence is one of the most powerful differentiators.
Marketers must understand:
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Buying behaviour
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Competitor positioning
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Price sensitivity
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Motivation triggers (time, money, status, pain relief)
Employers want marketers who understand revenue.
Not just reach.
Commercially intelligent marketers influence growth decisions.
11. Video Marketing
Video dominates across every platform.
Employers expect marketers to understand:
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Short-form video for reach
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Long-form for education
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Webinars and live streams for nurturing
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Hook-driven storytelling
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Retention analytics
You don’t need to be a filmmaker.
But you do need to understand how video drives visibility, trust, and sales.
12. Lead Generation & Selling Online
Digital marketing is only as powerful as your offer, funnel, and follow-up E
Employers value marketers who can:
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Build lead magnets
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Create landing pages
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Design nurture funnels
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Structure CTAs around value
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Move prospects from awareness to action
Visibility without conversion is wasted effort.
Lead generation is the bridge between marketing and revenue.
Ready to Start Your Journey?
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We don't require our students to have any prior experience as we include a fast track course and comprehensive online modules to ensure all students learn best practice and strategies.
All 12 core skills are covered within the Diploma, ensuring you have all the core skills that employers are looking for today.