Top digital marketing careers: 8 roles to consider

Technology is advancing at an unprecedented pace, leaving an altered business landscape - and wider society - in its wake. From AI and automation, to data-driven decision making, augmented reality and personalisation, innovations in the digital space are transforming the way we work, interact and live.

One of the most impacted industries in this new world order is digital marketing; the front line for savvy businesses who want to meet and connect with customers where they’re at. A career in digital marketing now promises more opportunity than ever; with possibilities proliferating almost as quickly as technology itself. According to the Australian government’s Labour Market Insights, demand for marketing professionals is set to grow strongly by 11.4% by 2026. And with over 21 million Australians active on social media, marketers with digital expertise will only become more valuable.

But why choose a career in digital marketing? From marketing specialist to social media manager to media strategist and beyond, there are a plethora of digital marketing pathways available for current and aspiring professionals. Below, we’ll explore eight of the top digital marketing careers including salaries and industry trends, and discuss what skills digital marketers will need to thrive in tomorrow’s business landscape.

Outlook for digital marketing careers

Whether you’re a current marketing professional looking to advance your digital expertise or an industry newcomer looking to propel your career, the future for digital marketers looks bright - and lucrative. According to Seek.com,  digital marketing managers report a high job satisfaction and the typical salary for the role is $110,000, while senior digital marketers can earn upward of $200,000.

As society’s dependence on technology increases, so will the value of - and demand for - digital marketing experts. Employment projections by the National Skills Commission estimate there will be close to 90,000 marketing roles in the job market by 2026. Digital marketers are also very well poised to start their own businesses, which opens an infinite number of doors.

8 top digital marketing careers

There are a multitude of careers in digital marketing to choose from, thus a multitude of digital marketing pathways to take. Marketing is integral to the success of any organisation, product or service. Whether you want to work in-house, for an agency or for yourself - expertise in digital marketing can make it possible. As the expertise is also highly transferable, the industry is perfect for anyone who wishes to pivot or expand their professional focus.

Here are eight of the top digital marketing careers in Australia:

Digital marketing manager

Digital marketing managers are responsible for the development and implementation of digital marketing efforts; including long-term strategies and short-term campaigns across all online platforms. This can involve anything from concept and messaging development to creation of assets to digital targeting and distribution - and everything in between. The main focus of the position is to increase brand awareness, and drive traffic to the desired digital destination in order to generate leads for the business.

This position can be based in-house for businesses across all industries, in agencies to service a number of clients, or as a freelance self-employed capacity. The pathway for this position generally starts as a digital marketing specialist before progressing to digital marketing manager, then senior digital marketing manager, digital marketing director, and then head of digital marketing. In Australia, the typical salary for a digital marketing manager is $110,000.

Sales and marketing manager  

As the job title implies, the role of a sales and marketing manager involves overseeing the sales and marketing activities for a particular brand, product or company. Specifically, this job involves developing marketing strategies across social media, email, website and other digital platforms - and developing strategies for increasing sales.

While both positions can be based in-house, at an agency or in a self-employed capacity, a sales and marketing manager differs from a marketing manager in that it also focuses on conversions rather than just generating leads. In the online space, the strategies for converting leads are constantly evolving. The average salary for a sales and marketing manager in Australia ranges from $72,000 - $130,000 depending on location, industry and experience level.

Media strategist

A media strategist is responsible for developing campaigns to effectively target the desired audience for a brand, product or service. Often working closely with media planners, media strategists manage digital advertising across platforms such as TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, email and more. Key performance indicators (KPIs) for this position are often based on audience engagement, growth and customer conversions. Like both roles above, media strategists can work in-house for a particular brand, product or service, in an agency or for themselves. In Australia, the average salary for a media strategist is $105,000 but this can vary depending on who you work for (businesses like financial institutions tend to pay more) and your level of experience.

Brand manager

The central responsibility of a brand manager is to ensure all marketing activities are aligned with the company’s brand strategy and messaging - to ultimately improve customer experience and drive more sales. Because brand touches every aspect of a business - including marketing, sales, customer service, research, social media, copywriting and design - so does the role of the brand manager.

These roles are most often in-house. Brand managers work closely with agencies or external partners a business may bring on for marketing or advertising purposes to ensure brand integrity is maintained. Brand managers are required across all industries, from nonprofit to banking and every niche in between. They can also work for individuals with public profiles. In Australia, the average brand manager salary ranges from $90,000 - $150,000.

Marketing campaign manager 

A marketing campaign manager is a specialised position that oversees every step of a marketing campaign; from planning and concept ideation, through to creative development, execution and evaluation. As digital marketing continues to expand as an industry, skilled marketing campaign managers will become increasingly valuable to organisations. The position can work across a number of different digital marketing platforms, including social media platforms, email marketing, website and more. Marketing campaign managers can work in-house, for agencies, or on a self-employed or freelance basis. In Australia, the average marketing campaign manager salary can range from $104,000 - $168,000.

Social media manager 

A social media manager has the very important role of overseeing a brand’s social media activity. This can encompass everything from handling in-bound sales and customer service enquiries through direct message inboxes on Instagram, TikTok, Pinterest and/or Facebook, engaging with comments and similar accounts to increase following, strategising and implementing campaign and general brand content, producing reports for the wider company, handling crisis communications - and more. The specific responsibilities of each position will vary depending on the structure of the business and nature of the brand.

Some organisations will have entire teams dedicated to social media management, while others will just have one or two positions. A social media manager can work in-house, for an agency or on a freelance self-employed basis. Like all other positions, the salary can vary depending on who you’re working for and how long you’ve been in the industry, but in Australia the salary can range from $75,000 - $117,000.

Customer relationship management (CRM) manager

A customer relationship management (CRM) manager is focused on maintaining and improving the relationship between a brand and its customers, to improve retention, sales and conversion rates. In practice, their role involves analysing data such as lead generation, campaign analytics, and/or email sends such as open rates, click-through rates and conversion rates, and implementing strategies to improve these numbers. Most often, a CRM manager will work on a CRM platform, which can provide holistic data and strategic reporting on a brand’s customer behaviour. CRMs can be hired as in-house specialists working for one brand, or at a CRM agency to work for a number of clients. In Australia, the average CRM manager salary ranges from $87,000 - $121,000.

Marketing automation manager

A marketing automation manager oversees a company’s digital marketing system to ensure they’re running as efficiently and effectively as possible. This role tends to require an innovative mindset, a strong eye for detail and project management skills. Day-to-day tasks involve establishing trigger-based marketing actions to automate monotonous and repetitive tasks. As AI continues to advance at lightning speed, the role of a marketing automation manager will become even more integral to future-focused organisations - and a highly popular career in digital marketing. In Australia, the average salary for a marketing automation manager can range from $115,000 - $135,000.

What skills do digital marketers need?

Because digital marketing touches so many parts of a business, the skills required to thrive in the field are equal parts versatile and valuable. These skills include, but aren’t limited to:

Critical thinking

The ability to question, analyse and assess information beyond its surface value is essential to creativity and innovation - which are core to digital marketing.

Innovation and leadership

As the digital landscape rapidly evolves, thinking outside the box to come up with creative solutions - and compelling others to follow - is a strong differentiator for ambitious marketers.

Customer-centric marketing

Understanding the myriad of customer touchpoints and their role in modern connectivity will be essential for digital marketers who want to stand out from ever-increasing competition.

Data analysis

Technology has brought huge advancements in the data available on consumer behaviour and marketing receptivity. Understanding the picture painted by numbers and knowing how to improve it will give modern marketers a competitive and much-needed edge.

Benefit from flexible study, gain a flexible career 

If you’re looking for a career that offers flexibility and ease of working, digital marketing is a great choice. This field not only offers a variety of career opportunities across industries, but roles in this field usually offer flexible working arrangements, meaning you can work in a way that suits you. 

When you study with UTS Online, your study will also be flexible. Delivered 100% online, the University of Technology (UTS) Online’s Master of Digital Marketing enables you to fit study into your work and life commitments. That means you can work full-time while developing future-focused skills to get ahead and stay ahead of the industry's continual changes.

Prepare for the future of marketing with the UTS Online Master of Digital Marketing. To learn more about the online Master of Digital Marketing, get in touch with our enrolment advisors on 1300 477 423.