Career in Digital Marketing in India, current status & future
The World has changed to digital and thus digital marketing has become an inseparable part of every business. We have an enormous number of professionals in India, that is growing digital, who seek careers in digital marketing.
We are trying to clear all ambiguity that a person who wishes to make digital marketing a profession, in this article. We shall look into all the aspects of digital marketing, its status, and future.
The Rise of Digital Marketing in India
The whole outlook of businesses connecting with their customers changed due to the rise of digital marketing. With the launch of the internet and use of smartphones paved the way to the outlook of the World.
The custom advertising methods were changed drastically to the digital marketing methods such as email marketing, social media marketing, message marketing and many more.
Digital marketing in India is not at the place where it started. The world of digital marketing is changing day by day and it has now become a promising profession these days that inspires the youth.
Current Status of Digital Marketing in India
We will have to look into the statistics study, to know the current status of digital marketing in India.
1. Internet Penetration: the most attractive fact is that India ranks first in the number of internet users. Studies say India had more than 624 million internet users by the start of 2022. This implies the number of potential audience
2. Mobile Internet Usage: online content has the most number of consumers in India. It is an accepted fact that only a minority of people do not use smartphones and the internet. There is a well known joke that runs within us actually which implies, “we may not have food but will have data on the phone”.
3. Social Media Usage: India has more than 450 million social media users by 2022. Social media have high impact and popularity in India and therefore the users in Facebook, Instagram, Twitter are on the rise day by day.
4. E-commerce Boom: There is a significant growth for the e-commerce industry in India. The number of online shoppers is increasing at a high speed and is anticipated to hit above 400 million by 2030. Thus digital marketers have ample opportunities to engage potential customers.
5. Digital Ad Spending: digital marketing is on the boom in India and thus businesses spend more on advertising digitally. The spend on digitally advertising is expected to rise by minimum 30 percent with in 3-4 years
The future of digital marketing in India can be traced out so easily from the above data. The competition in digital marketing is also expected to rise as each business needs a digital marketing professional exclusively for them. This can directly enlarge the demand of digital marketing professionals in India. Check Digital Marketing jobs in Kerala.
Year-wise Statistics of the Indian Digital Marketing Market
| Year | Digital Marketing Market Size (INR Billion) | Digital Marketing Jobs in India | Average Salary for Digital Marketing Professionals (INR) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | 47 | 1,00,000 | 3,00,000 |
| 2016 | 62 | 1,20,000 | 3,50,000 |
| 2017 | 80 | 1,40,000 | 4,00,000 |
| 2018 | 116.3 | 1,60,000 | 4,50,000 |
| 2019 | 150 | 1,80,000 | 5,00,000 |
| 2020 | 199 | 2,00,000 | 5,50,000 |
| 2021 | 230 | 2,20,000 | 6,00,000 |
| 2022 | 260 | 2,40,000 | 6,50,000 |
| 2023 | 300 (Estimated) | 2,60,000 (Estimated) | 7,00,000 (Estimated) |
Future Forecast: What Lies Ahead for Digital Marketing in India
Digital marketing is changing at a high speed and thus the best digital marketing professionals always make it a point that they stay updated. Let us now look into the future of digital marketing in India by looking into current trends and the expected forecast.
1. Increased Focus on Content Marketing
Content is and will remain to be the king of digital marketing in India. Content can be in any form such as write up, video, influencer content etc. investing on content by the businesses can never stop. It will continue to rule the digital marketing industry as the potential of attracting a target audience is always a sure shot.
2. Personalization and Customer-Centric Marketing
In India we have a client focused market and hence the future of digital marketing purely depends on the data available to the businesses. The data pulled in can be by AI inorder to understand the taste of the intended customers, their plans, way of behaving and aims. The businesses plan the marketing campaigns according to the data and they tailor product recommendations and customer experiences.
3. Video Dominance
Video marketing is a non-avoidable part of digital marketing which is gaining importance day after day. Video streaming platforms help in reaching the intended audience easily and effectively.
4. Voice Search and SEO
The digital marketing strategies undergo changes often and are being updated. Voice search and voice activated devices are being used increasingly. Hence digital marketers need to be more keen on giving accurate right answers for the voice search.
5. AI and Automation
As we all know AI(Artificial Intelligence) is gaining high popularity in India in every field and hence in digital marketing too. The AI tools will be widely used for improving the advertisement methods, automation, streamlining processes to improve the efficiency of digital marketing.
6. Sustainability and Ethical Marketing
Sustainability and ethical marketing are prominent in today’s world. As consumers today are very watchful they always give weightage to the businesses that follow sustainable and ethical marketing strategies.
7. Regulatory Compliance
It is an accepted fact that our privacy is so compromised these days. Authorities are trying to protect the privacy of everyone by all means. Several new regulations and norms are being implemented regularly and hence adhering to these regulations are mandatory for a digital marketer.
8. Education and Upskilling
Unlike any other profession, the digital marketers have to be always updated in this field as updates happen every now and then. In order to be competitive it is very essential for them to be updated with the trends and forecasts. Undergoing the training and certifications help them to stay ahead in the industry. AI and automation introduced in the digital marketing in India, is going to bring in massive change and thus the digital marketers need to be on board to exploit the potential.
The Positive Impact of AI on Digital Marketing
AI, the Artificial Intelligence is on its run and there are a lot of hues and cries on it. Digital marketing has welcomed the entering of AI. Let us see how it helps our digital marketing strategies:
1. Data Analysis and Insights
AI has the capacity to process data at a bulk and give you information and analysis which are accurate. The digital marketers thus have the data at their fingertips to make decisions and design strategies that are more effective.
2. Personalization
Algorithms of AI are dependent and it gives out the right recommendation for a person ensuring engagement and conversion rates. Thus it helps in digital marketing to be successful without any time delay.
3. Predictive Analytics
AI analyzes the content views and the taste of the customer and foretells their behavior. Hence the demand of each customers can be forecasted and the digital marketers can tailor the strategies accordingly to get better results.
4. Chatbots and Customer Support
Customer support is always a hectic area of a business. AI enabled chatbots are user friendly and have acquired the market and customer applause. It has actually dominated the market and gives out 24/7 support to the customers by answering the common queries with quick decisions ensuring customer satisfaction. AI is also used to channelize the customers to the sales channel.
5. Ad Targeting and Optimization
AI understands the customer behavior and proposes the right ads to them according to their need and taste. It thus shows the rightful ad only to the right audience and does not waste the budget spent on those customers who aren’t interested in such ads.
6. Content Generation
Everyone views AI as a replacement for human work, where it is not actually one. AI in real life, helps in making our repetitive tasks like report generation, articles and product description easy by automating them. It is helping us make our job easy and save time.
7. A/B Testing and Optimization
A/B testing is used by AI to run and optimize all campaigns and it helps in changing or restructuring the strategies according to the data. The regular optimization helps in giving out the desired results and effective advertising.
8. Fraud Detection
AI helps in identifying the fraud clicks while optimization and makes sure that no amount invested in advertising goes wasted. Each irregularity is identified by AI in no time to get them fixed. Altogether, AI helps in preventing ad frauds and fixing them.
9. Email Marketing
Email marketing enabled by AI strengthens email marketing by customizing the email contents, fixing send timings, prioritizing email ids and ensuring high open and click rates.
AI can be considered as a friend who helps the digital marketers when it comes to the Digital Marketing world. It was never digital innovation but can be named as a digital transformation. It helps the digital marketers to work smartly and deliver quick and accurate results.
How to Start a Career in Digital Marketing
As we have prospected the digital marketing of India and the welcoming dominance of AI, now we shall see how one can initiate a career in this competitive digital marketing profession.
1. Education and Training
Being well educated and trained by good digital marketing trainers lay a good foundation for starting a digital marketing career. There are a lot of training courses and certifications in digital marketing avail all through, both online as well as offline. Choosing the right quality courses and enrolling with them help you build a good career. Certain certifications that are recognized are:
- Google Ads Certification: This program covers various aspects of Google Ads and is highly regarded in the industry.
- HubSpot Inbound Marketing Certification: Focusing on inbound marketing strategies, this certification is ideal for beginners.
- Facebook Blueprint Certification: It offers a comprehensive understanding of Facebook and Instagram advertising.
2. Develop Practical Skills
A by-heart learning is not going to help in digital marketing. Enhancing your practical skills in digital marketing will make you succeed. Therefore , it is important that while choosing training centers, you need to emphasize practical sessions rather. Grabbing practical knowledge by attending internships, working on personal projects or freelance working will also help you.
3. Master the Basics
A good basement is always essential for a strong building. Likewise learning the basic fundamentals help you build a good career.
- Search Engine Optimization (SEO): Learn how to optimize content for search engines to improve organic visibility.
- Content Marketing: Develop content that engages and informs your target audience.
- Social Media Marketing: Understand the nuances of different platforms and how to create effective social media strategies.
- Email Marketing: Learn to craft engaging email campaigns.
- Pay-Per-Click (PPC) Advertising: Explore platforms like Google Ads and understand keyword research and ad optimization.
4. Choose a Specialization
As we know digital marketing is very vast and consists of many sections. Instead of working on everything, it is better that you focus on one area and become the master in it. It can be content marketing, SEO, social media marketing, or even AI-driven marketing. You can choose it according to your taste and career goals.
5. Stay Updated
The dynamic nature of digital marketing demands that you stay updated. As it is not spoon-fed, it is the digital marketer who needs to understand what’s new. In order to stay updated on the latest trends and technologies, make sure you attend the webinars and conferences, follow the experienced successful digital marketers, follow industry newsletters, blogs etc.
6. Build Your Personal Brand
We need to market ourselves. A digital marketer needs to portrait their work in such a way to attract employers or clients. Always exhibit your work by creating professional websites and keep updating your social media profiles.
7. Networking
In the industry of digital marketing it is crucial to network. Follow the professionals of digital marketing and stay connected with them. Joining the digital marketing communities and attending the industry events help you explore opportunities and achieve insights.
8. Apply for Entry-Level Positions
Always start your career from the base level of the digital marketing industry. You have many positions like digital marketing assistant, SEO analyst or content marketing assistant to initiate your career in many digital marketing agencies or start-ups etc.
9. Embrace Continuous Learning
Digital marketing is a dynamic world that changes frequently. Openness to learn continuously is very much required in this industry. You can experiment with new strategies, experiment with trial and error etc helps you to continuously learn.
10. Measure and Analyze
Be watchful of your strategies and campaigns using all analytics tools available. It helps you make out what works and what not. It is trial and error too at times and helps you learn how to achieve results.
11. Certifications
Boosting your credibility in the digital marketing industry places you right. It is good that you acquire Certified Digital Marketing Professional (CDMP) or the American Marketing Association (AMA) Digital Marketing Certification as we go sail ahead in the industry.
12. Consider Freelancing or Entrepreneurship
After acquiring ample experience, switching to freelancing or starting your own agency also enhances your chance to explore your potential earnings.
13. AI Integration
We know that AI has started showing its dominance in the digital marketing industry, it is obligatory that you get familiarized with the AI platforms and tools. Staying updates on all AI automation helps to stay ahead in the industry.
Conclusion
India has the flourishing soil for the exciting growth of digital marketing. When AI also joined the growing path of digital marketing, it has become even more promising with endless opportunities.
An individual who has the passion to learn and work proactively to stay ahead in the industry can excel in this industry, no matter if he is a freelancer, entrepreneur or employee.
The only essentials are a strong foundation of digital marketing learning, both theoretical and practical with the passion of learning and exploring all aspects of digital marketing.
The chances of a digital marketing career is so promising and thus the future of it is safe and bright in India.
Meet the author
Syam K.S. is a digital marketing professional and trainer in Kerala. With over 18 years of experience, he is an SEO expert in Kerala. Syam serves as the lead trainer for our Digital Marketing course and online SEO course.
