Digital Marketing Manager
HOW TO BECOME A DIGITAL MARKETING MANAGER
Digital marketing combines two booming industries. Before social media existed, clubs would communicate through local networks or regional media. Facebook, Instagram and Twitter—now X– changed the game and enabled live exchanges with fans. The reputation and sale of official products relies mostly on clubs' capacity to communicate about their history, activities and the season's performances. However, not everyone is a good communicator. This is when digital marketing managers step in to orchestrate a winning strategy.
What is a digital marketing manager?
Reporting to the communication and marketing department, their role is to implement a digital strategy consistent with the brand’s identity. They oversee ongoing digital projects: social media management, web showcase management, search engine optimization as well as online visibility and affiliation, whether they work for a club, a federation, a sports equipment manufacturer, or a non-profit, etc. The goal is to use the Web to gain popularity, develop the business, promote activities or products, share the company’s values, invite web users to the site or communicate on social media. For example, the French Tennis Federation has redesigned its logo to represent the Federation’s institutional image, while also reflecting the symbols of its brand image, such as the characteristic brown of clay courts, for a more compelling identity on the Web.
What are the duties of a digital marketing manager?
The relevance of monitoring digital actions calls for prior strategy. Consequently, a digital marketing manager’s first task will be to define an annual action plan detailing communication initiatives to implement, services providers to enlist and various other players needed to meet the various objectives for the coming year. A sports venue such as the Stade de France, for example, needs to define a target sales figure through web sales or web advertising. Management can then allocate a set budget to this financial ambition. Once these essential elements have been validated, digital marketing managers must identify the various needs that the digital strategy will trigger, in order to obtain the Board’s validation. All this within the allocated budget.
This is where their expertise steps in. Concurrently, they supervise all the parties involved in the projects and monitor the intelligence that fuels innovative ideas. In fact, intelligence is strategic since analyzing current trends helps assess their impact on products and services, existing and under development both. Parallel to this, another one of the role’s key missions is social media facilitation. There, they monitor every commercial endeavor to improve their employer’s reputation. However, the nature and number of tasks assigned to digital marketing managers depend on several factors such as the company’s size or area of expertise. When working for small businesses, they will need to pitch in, whereas in a larger structure, their role will be to supervise. Likewise, the number of products or services they manage will vary according to the company’s field of business.
Key qualities and skills required of a digital marketing manager
As digital all-rounders, they are digital proficient in tools such as Photoshop, HTML and tracking. Knowledge of sociology is also an asset, as they must analyze the behavior of Internet users. The role also requires a good head for figures, as they must analyze performance and spot errors to prevent any impact on their company’s business. In other words, it is a very versatile role which requires a broad skill set. Therefore, digital marketing managers must be:
- Fluent in English. They know how to convey their ideas both in writing and orally, and they are proficient in English for a comfortable use of the Web and of all web marketing tools
- A creative mind, as they are often confronted with various situations that require constant adaptation through ingenious ideas
- Excellent managers, to lead their web marketing team
- Digital natives. The Web is an open book to them, and they must find the best way, as cost-effectively as possible, to reach a large number of Internet users, promote a product or their company.
Salary range and career prospects
As is often the case with high-level positions, salary is proportional to years of experience. A young manager can expect to earn around €3,500 gross per month whereas a senior manager can expect a gross monthly salary around €4,200. Compensation may also vary depending on the level of responsibility the position entails.
With a certain amount of experience, digital marketing managers can move on to the position of digital marketing director or digital strategy director.
What qualifications are required to become a digital marketing manager?
Before reaching this position, 3 to 5 years’ experience is required. Positions such as web product manager, media manager or digital product manager are possible ways of acquiring this experience. However, before applying for a position in this field, theoretical training is required to master. the full range of skills. Recruiters are therefore looking for people with a business school or webmarketing master’s degree and a Bac +5. These allow you to choose the right specializations to master e-commerce, e-business, development, community management or site animation.
Students wishing to work in the sports sector as webmarketing managers can follow courses such as the 5-year post-baccalaureate International Sport Management Program (or equivalent) offered by schools specializing in the sports sector. It may also be worthwhile to follow an internationally-oriented curriculum, so as to be trained in the diverse requirements of this versatile profession thanks to several experiences abroad. A Master’s degree specializing in Sport Business will also provide you with all the knowledge you need to work in a highly competitive sector that combines web and sport.
Reporting to the communication and marketing department, their role is to implement a digital strategy consistent with the brand’s identity. They oversee ongoing digital projects: social media management, web showcase management, search engine optimization as well as online visibility and affiliation, whether they work for a club, a federation, a sports equipment manufacturer, or a non-profit, etc. The goal is to use the Web to gain popularity, develop the business, promote activities or products, share the company’s values, invite web users to the site or communicate on social media. For example, the French Tennis Federation has redesigned its logo to represent the Federation’s institutional image, while also reflecting the symbols of its brand image, such as the characteristic brown of clay courts, for a more compelling identity on the Web.
The relevance of monitoring digital actions calls for prior strategy. Consequently, a digital marketing manager’s first task will be to define an annual action plan detailing communication initiatives to implement, services providers to enlist and various other players needed to meet the various objectives for the coming year. A sports venue such as the Stade de France, for example, needs to define a target sales figure through web sales or web advertising. Management can then allocate a set budget to this financial ambition. Once these essential elements have been validated, digital marketing managers must identify the various needs that the digital strategy will trigger, in order to obtain the Board’s validation. All this within the allocated budget.
This is where their expertise steps in. Concurrently, they supervise all the parties involved in the projects and monitor the intelligence that fuels innovative ideas. In fact, intelligence is strategic since analyzing current trends helps assess their impact on products and services, existing and under development both. Parallel to this, another one of the role’s key missions is social media facilitation. There, they monitor every commercial endeavor to improve their employer’s reputation. However, the nature and number of tasks assigned to digital marketing managers depend on several factors such as the company’s size or area of expertise. When working for small businesses, they will need to pitch in, whereas in a larger structure, their role will be to supervise. Likewise, the number of products or services they manage will vary according to the company’s field of business.
As digital all-rounders, they are digital proficient in tools such as Photoshop, HTML and tracking. Knowledge of sociology is also an asset, as they must analyze the behavior of Internet users. The role also requires a good head for figures, as they must analyze performance and spot errors to prevent any impact on their company’s business. In other words, it is a very versatile role which requires a broad skill set. Therefore, digital marketing managers must be:
- Fluent in English. They know how to convey their ideas both in writing and orally, and they are proficient in English for a comfortable use of the Web and of all web marketing tools
- A creative mind, as they are often confronted with various situations that require constant adaptation through ingenious ideas
- Excellent managers, to lead their web marketing team
- Digital natives. The Web is an open book to them, and they must find the best way, as cost-effectively as possible, to reach a large number of Internet users, promote a product or their company.
As is often the case with high-level positions, salary is proportional to years of experience. A young manager can expect to earn around €3,500 gross per month whereas a senior manager can expect a gross monthly salary around €4,200. Compensation may also vary depending on the level of responsibility the position entails.
With a certain amount of experience, digital marketing managers can move on to the position of digital marketing director or digital strategy director.
Before reaching this position, 3 to 5 years’ experience is required. Positions such as web product manager, media manager or digital product manager are possible ways of acquiring this experience. However, before applying for a position in this field, theoretical training is required to master. the full range of skills. Recruiters are therefore looking for people with a business school or webmarketing master’s degree and a Bac +5. These allow you to choose the right specializations to master e-commerce, e-business, development, community management or site animation.
Students wishing to work in the sports sector as webmarketing managers can follow courses such as the 5-year post-baccalaureate International Sport Management Program (or equivalent) offered by schools specializing in the sports sector. It may also be worthwhile to follow an internationally-oriented curriculum, so as to be trained in the diverse requirements of this versatile profession thanks to several experiences abroad. A Master’s degree specializing in Sport Business will also provide you with all the knowledge you need to work in a highly competitive sector that combines web and sport.
