Masters in Digital Marketing

What is digital marketing? 

First of all, what is digital marketing? Digital marketing is the promotion of brands or products via one or more forms of digital media. The rise of smartphones, apps, and other forms of ‘new media’ in the past decade has meant that digital marketers need to be able to connect with consumers through various devices and digital platforms, including social media. Digital marketing combines the creativity of developing new and interesting ways to get the marketing campaign’s message across, with the technical side of keeping track of data, digital engineering and analytics.

Masters in digital marketing courses 

Masters in digital marketing courses are typically one or two years long and can be offered as either Master of Art (MA), Master of Science (MSc) or Master of Business Administration (MBA) qualifications. The title usually provides a clue to the content; MA degrees are naturally focused on the more creative side of digital marketing, while MBAs have more of a corporate focus, and MSc programs are more analytical.

Some universities, such as the UK’s University of South Wales, offer both an MSc and MA in Digital Marketing with different modules. Students on the MA degree will study design strategy and design and entrepreneurship, while MSc students will study strategic marketing, accounting and financial control. Click on the next tab to find out more about common course modules in masters of digital marketing degrees.

Methods of assessment will vary, but usually consist of a range of coursework assignments, group work, case study reports and examinations. Your final assignment will bring together what you have learned in the form of a dissertation, research project, or business development proposal.

Entry requirements

Many universities will accept graduates of any discipline, while others will request that you have studied a relevant subject at undergraduate level, such as marketing, business studies or media and communication. It is also likely to help your application if you have completed relevant work experience.

Many master’s in digital marketing courses follow a clear path, commencing with an overview of the digital marketing sector, and then allowing students to gain specialized skills and knowledge in areas such as search engine optimization (SEO), pay-per-click marketing (PPC) and email marketing. Other course modules on offer may include:

Planning and strategy

Courses are often available which combine digital marketing and strategy, which might be ideal if you wish to work as a digital strategist or media planner after you graduate. This specialization will teach you how to plan, buy and execute a successful marketing campaign, combining traditional marketing techniques with all aspects of digital marketing, from search engines to social media.

Social media communications 

The rising use of social media in recent years has meant that companies, especially those targeting young consumers, must constantly adapt to communicate in different ways. A specialization in social media communications will allow you to learn the basics and best practices in mastering social media marketing strategies and increasing engagement with your target audience. You will also study how to track the progress of your marketing campaigns with the use of web analytics tools such as Google Analytics, although the study of web analytics may also be offered as a separate module.

Digital display advertising

As well as creating great advertising text (copy), you may wish to study how you can make a company’s marketing campaigns visually appealing, through the use of banners, images, videos and more. If you specialize in digital display advertising, you will gain an understanding of how to plan, create and manage digital display advertising campaigns to effectively communicate your marketing messages to their intended audiences.

Consumer behavior/insights 

This specialization focuses on understanding your target market. Drawing on areas of psychology and economics, this specialization focuses on the theories and techniques of research and consumer behavior and how they can be applied to marketing communications. You will improve your research skills with this topic, and become experienced in customer profiling and how to use insights strategically.

Digital marketing careers

Your master’s in digital marketing degree should equip you with the skills you need to begin a career in the field, but you will also find it easier to enter the market if you have completed work experience. This will help you develop your skills, gain professional contacts, and perhaps help you decide which type of digital marketing career you’re interested in.

Here are some of the most popular digital marketing careers:

Digital marketing officer/executive 

The most obvious career option, this role involves promoting your employer’s brand, product or service via the internet and ‘new media’, using various marketing techniques (such as promotions or competitions). You’ll also conduct and analyze market research, write and proofread copy, liaise with designers and advertisers, and manage the production of marketing materials, amongst other tasks. This is a fast-paced and challenging role, so you’ll need drive, enthusiasm, and the ability to work well under pressure.

Search engine optimization (SEO) specialist

SEO marketing translates the work of marketing executives into successful SEO campaigns. This profession is focused on increasing the amount of “hits” on a particular website and improving its Google ranking by using SEO best practices. This can include researching keywords, auditing content to ensure relevant keywords are used, checking site maps and image tagging, working on getting more inbound links, and boosting social shares. To excel in this role you’ll need to be ready to keep pace with changing trends in search, try new things, and keep a keen eye on your site’s statistics.

Media planner 

Media planners work within advertising agencies or media planning and buying agencies to select the media platforms which are best suited to advertising a client’s products or services. They develop marketing strategies, using advertising media such as television and radio, press advertising, mobile or online media to influence the client’s target audience. This role combines creative thinking with factual analysis, so you’ll need good negotiation skills and commercial awareness.

Media buyer

Media buyers work closely with media planners to negotiate, obtain and oversee advertising space and exposure on behalf of their clients. They aim to reach as much of the target audience as possible at the lowest possible cost. You need to have creativity, stamina and good business sense for this digital marketing career.

Advertising copywriter and art director 

If you’re looking for a digital marketing career which will allow you to express your creativity, you might like to consider working as an advertising copywriter or art director. Advertising copywriters produce ‘copy’ – the text for advertisements, which can take many forms, from the text for printed leaflets to slogans and scripts for TV adverts. You’ll need excellent written communication skills, creativity and imagination to come up with original ideas that will appeal to and attract the target audience. Meanwhile advertising art directors bring the words to life with eye-catching visuals. Again, you’ll need to be creative, as well as having excellent skills and talent in art and design.