Why You Should Pursue a Master’s in Digital Marketing

With new technologies and platforms constantly emerging, the digital age has completely transformed the face of marketing. As a result, professionals with a specialized education in this field have a competitive edge. A master's degree in digital marketing provides students with a comprehensive understanding of both traditional and modern marketing strategies, along with valuable skills in areas such as data analysis, social media management, search engine optimization, and team leadership. This knowledge is relevant in many industries, so graduates can obtain exciting career opportunities in advertising, public relations, e-commerce, and more. Pursuing a master's in digital marketing not only equips individuals with the skills they need to excel in the most dynamic workplace, but it also opens up a world of possibilities for professional growth and advancement.

In the modern digital landscape, a thorough understanding of current marketing strategies and technologies is crucial for success. With a master’s in digital marketing, you’ll gain a solid understanding of the following eight main areas of this field:

• Search Engine Optimization: Search engine optimization (SEO) relies heavily on the keywords consumers might enter when looking for certain goods or services so that a business’s ads or content can appear alongside those search queries.
• Pay-per-Click: Pay-per-click marketing uses paid advertisements on search engine results pages (SERPs), such as Google, Bing, or Yahoo, to market a business. 
• Social Media Marketing: Social media marketing (SMM) utilizes social platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter, LinkedIn, Pinterest, and more to plan, curate and publish content, interact with followers or potential customers, analyze engagement, promote marketing campaigns, and run advertisements. 
• Content Marketing: Content marketing is a strategy of engaging in digital storytelling by creating valuable, relatable, and consistent content to attract, influence, and maintain a target audience. “Content” is best understood as text, images, audio, video, or some combination of the four. The purpose of content marketing is to drive the consumer to take a specific action, like buying a product, signing up for an online class, or subscribing to a newsletter. 
• Email Marketing: Email marketing is a direct channel strategy that advertises to potential and current consumers via email so that a business can share information about new goods or services, promotions, and updates. 
• Mobile Marketing: Mobile marketing capitalizes on consumers' daily use of technology by promoting goods or services via mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets. Mobile marketing utilizes location services or other features, such as push notifications or text messages, to tailor content to consumers.
• Marketing Analytics: Marketing professionals use analytics data to determine the best placement for digital content, track and monitor the results of a marketing campaign, and determine areas of future success and growth.
• Affiliate Marketing: Affiliate marketing is a performance-based strategy wherein a business or individual, known as an affiliate, earns a commission through marketing another business's goods or services. The affiliate typically earns a percentage of the profit from each sale they make, tracked via affiliate links from one website to another. 

From creating effective digital marketing strategies to utilizing various marketing channels, a master’s degree in digital marketing offers a thorough education on all things related to online marketing.

You can expect to learn how to: 

• Use digital and social media activity and data to inform decision-making. 
• Analyze and interpret data to align marketing plans to strategic goals. 
• Maximize opportunities using marketing theory and practices. 
• Gather information through diverse media to inform and persuade stakeholders.
• Develop international marketing strategies.
• Ensure marketing practices comply with regulatory standards and ethical practices.
• Manage a brand to ensure the creation, capture, and delivery of value. 

In addition to gaining a deeper understanding of marketing principles and strategy, studying digital marketing allows individuals to develop technical skills such as data analysis, website optimization, and advertising on social media platforms. These skills can make professionals more competitive in the job market and allow them to excel in roles related to brand management, content creation, and campaign planning. Additionally, earning a master’s degree shows commitment and a drive for continuous learning, which can impress employers and set individuals apart from their peers. 

Here are the top reasons to consider a master’s degree in digital marketing:

1. There is a huge demand for digital marketers 

The demand is rising for digital marketers as more companies focus their attention and finances on advertising online. From 2021 to 2031, the advertising and marketing field is expected to grow by 10%, and the increasing dependence on digital media within every industry will only continue to require digital marketing campaigns and the professionals that manage them. 

2. You will find diverse roles to choose from 

The field of digital marketing is vast and encompasses content marketing, social media marketing, email marketing, SEO marketing, and more. Often, digital marketers specialize in a particular area of digital marketing, such as becoming an SEO specialist, a content manager, or a social media strategist, to strengthen their expertise and skills.

3. Successful digital marketers can have high earnings 

According to the BLS, the median income for high-level digital marketers is $135,030, with the top 10% earning more than $208,000 per year. On average, a digital marketer with relevant experience and a master’s degree can earn up to $20,000 more per year than a digital marketer with just a bachelor’s degree. 

4. You can work in any industry  

Since almost every industry relies on digital marketing to promote its products or services, digital marketers have the flexibility to work in any arena. Digital marketers can work at small, medium, or large companies. Most work within marketing and advertising firms, with the largest employers of marketers occupying professional and technical services, finance, manufacturing, and wholesale.

5. Digital marketing allows both independence and teamwork  

Digital marketers often work collaboratively with designers, developers, and communication professionals to determine the most effective ways to reach a target audience. Conversely, many digital marketers also find successful freelance opportunities, with hourly rates ranging from $50 to $200.

Are you considering furthering your education in the field of digital marketing? A master's degree can open doors to new career opportunities and provide a deeper understanding of the industry. With a master’s in digital marketing, you’ll have the opportunity to learn from experienced professionals and develop practical skills for real-world application. In addition, holding a master’s degree can also make you stand out from other candidates in the job market.

To apply for a master’s degree in digital marketing, you need to:

1. Obtain a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution, preferably in marketing, business or communications.

2. Determine if the school you’re interested in requires a GMAT or GRE, then pass the required test. Some schools, like WGU, don’t require this test for students.

3. Submit your official transcripts and letters of recommendation. Some schools, like WGU, can help you gather transcripts for free.

4. Apply for admission and pay the application fee.  

A master's degree in digital marketing at WGU will prepare you to navigate the complex digital landscape. WGU students benefit significantly from a competency-based education model, which allows you to use your past experience or understanding to help show mastery of the material and accelerate courses. Ultimately, you can enter the professional industry faster and increase your potential earnings sooner.