this video is a part of the google digital marketing and e-commerce certificate providing you with job-ready skills to start or advance your career in digital marketing and e-commerce get access to hands-on activities quizzes discussion forums job search help and more on coursera and you can earn your official certificate visit grow.google digital marketing to enroll in the full learning experience today [Music] did you know that the first sale made completely online happen in 1994 a man named dan kahn sold a cd for 12.48 cents over an encrypted website he built himself these days it's a lot easier to sell things online whether you're an individual a small business or a massive retailer e-commerce has come a long way since the 90s growing into a global multi-billion dollar industry that's because e-commerce is generally cheaper more convenient and more accessible than storefront sales and as the online marketplace has grown also launch entirely new industries and career paths like digital marketing in this video we'll start exploring e-commerce and digital marketing and how they create value for businesses let's start with some definitions e-commerce is a broad term that refers to the buying and selling of goods and services online most ecommerce purchases fall into one of the following four categories physical products like books or home goods digital products like ebooks or online courses services like vacations or doctor's appointments and software like word processing or photo editing programs the ability to buy or sell just about anything big or small through computers tablets and phones has completely transformed the way we do business for one thing you don't need a physical storefront to start an e-commerce business many retailers maintain physical stores alongside e-commerce websites but others are completely online without the cost of maintaining a store it became easier than ever to start a business which meant more people around the world began entering the online marketplace but it also meant that the e-commerce market got crowded really quickly to set themselves apart and get customers attention businesses brought their ads online too which is how we got digital marketing digital marketing is the practice of reaching consumers online through digital channels with the aim of turning them into customers a digital channel is any communication method or platform a business can use to reach their target audience online they're things like websites search engines email or social media platforms if the aim of e-commerce is to sell products online then digital marketing helps businesses make that happen but there's more to it than that digital marketing also helps businesses build trust inspire loyalty and better serve their customers in that way it's similar to traditional marketing like print advertising or billboards but it has a few added advantages for both businesses and consumers first digital marketing is cost effective advertising budgets go a lot further online than they do on television radio and print media that's because digital marketers can be very specific about serving the right ads to the right audiences at the right moments but there's also the potential for customers to spread the word through platforms like social media at the same time digital marketing can reach more people than traditional campaigns which rely on local platforms like newspapers and radio stations it creates brand recognition in new sometimes even global markets which can drive sales and make products and services accessible for a variety of different people digital marketing can also produce faster results if a customer encounters a product they want in a print newspaper ad they may or may not remember to buy that product later on but digital ads allow customers to take action in the moment which can increase the chances they'll make a purchase it also allows businesses to build relationships with customers through direct communication channels like email and social media allow a level of personalization that traditional marketing just can't compete with let's review what we've learned over the last few decades e-commerce and digital marketing have fundamentally changed business while the goal of e-commerce is to generate sales digital marketing helps businesses do just that by connecting with customers and building relationships up next we'll find out about some of the major roles and responsibilities in digital marketing and e-commerce [Music] so far you've learned what digital marketing is what e-commerce is and how they relate to one another now let's explore some of the things people who work in these fields do on a day-to-day basis the first thing you should know is that the digital marketing and e-commerce industry is kind of like an engine there's a ton of moving pieces and a lot going on inside different parts of the engine do different jobs but at the end of the day they all work together to keep things running smoothly and efficiently now at a big organization you might specialize in one or two different areas while at smaller companies you could be responsible for a little bit of everything with so many different jobs to do there's no single set of responsibilities that applies to everyone that's part of what makes this industry so exciting no matter what your strengths are there's probably a role to fit them it also means you'll have tons of options when deciding where to take your career i'm a small business owner so i take responsibility for a lot of activities like strategizing and executing marketing campaigns website management and product development but i'm also able to outsource some of the activities i'm less experienced at like customer service and order fulfillment we all have our particular interests and strengths and identifying yours can help you figure out what you want to do so if you like writing you might enjoy working on marketing emails or blog articles if you're more visual you could end up working with image assets or website layouts if you have a talent for organization you might enjoy managing an e-commerce store or if you're more of a numbers person you might spend your days working on pricing strategies or analyzing data to spot trends and customer engagement because the responsibilities of digital marketing and e-commerce specialists often overlap they tend to share some of the same skills and use the same digital channels like social media email and ads so no matter what your title is you might find yourself doing audience research planning creating or publishing content updating product descriptions or analyzing data to understand the results of your efforts and your goals might include everything from reaching and engaging potential customers online building trust demonstrating value driving sales or creating a great customer experience of course there are many more types of roles within digital marketing and e-commerce and you'll learn more about specific job titles and their responsibilities later on in this course but no matter what kind of role you're aiming for it helps to understand how their goals and responsibilities fit together from raising brand awareness to driving sales to managing inventory fortunately that's exactly what this program is designed to help you learn coming up we'll explore some core skills for digital marketing and e-commerce and some ways you might have practiced them already [Music] one of the things i like most about working in this industry is that there are so many different career paths you can take depending on your interests and experience as you progress through this and the other courses in the program you'll learn about lots of different skill sets that are in high demand but even if you're totally new to the industry chances are that you already have some skills and experiences that will help you succeed in this video we'll explore a few skills and qualities that can set you up for success in digital marketing and e-commerce curiosity and analytical mindset and storytelling you don't have to be an expert in every single one remember there are many different types of jobs in this industry but i'm willing to bet that you have at least some experience with all of them first curiosity people who are curious ask questions seek out answers and try new things some people are naturally curious but it's also a skill you can build and that can be important for working in this industry that's because a big part of digital marketing and e-commerce is being curious about people what they want how they think and what motivates them to take action curiosity is also important because the industry can change so quickly so exploring and keeping up with emerging trends will help you succeed as it continues to grow and evolve taking this course is a great example of curiosity the fact that you're here means you're curious about working in digital marketing and e-commerce and that you're actively seeking out answers being curious and asking questions isn't the only useful skill using an analytical mindset to solve problems can be a big help too digital marketers and e-commerce specialists use analytical thinking all the time that doesn't mean we're all data scientists i know i'm not but we do collect and organize information to spot patterns uncover trends and solve problems having an analytical mindset isn't about technical skills it's a way of thinking if you ever made a big decision like planning a trip or buying a car you've probably practiced analytical thinking if you compared things like cost size features and safety ratings and picked a car based on which of those things were most important to you that's analytical thinking most of us analyze situations without even realizing it if you like solving puzzles and brain teasers you're analyzing them to find solutions being a sports fan is another great example tracking statistics to know how your favorite teams are doing and predict how they might do in the future is similar to how digital marketers gain insights from data once you've analyzed data for insights you need to be able to communicate them effectively to an audience one of the ways we do that is through data storytelling we use stories to turn dry numbers and statistics into engaging presentations and reports digital marketing and e-commerce specialists use data storytelling to share insights with clients and co-workers all the time but it also helps businesses communicate value to customers in a way that's accessible engaging and most importantly memorable stories allow them to connect with customers and set themselves apart from the competition everybody tells stories whether you've kept a blog or you're just really good at telling jokes we all tell stories in our daily lives and not all storytelling is verbal digital marketing and e-commerce use visual storytelling too so if you have experience with the drawing design or photography you have the skills to create visual narratives for digital marketing campaigns you'll learn more about some of the ways digital marketing and e-commerce specialists use storytelling later in this course these are just a few examples of skills that can help you progress your career there are many others like adaptability or leadership one skill i had before becoming a marketer that has really helped me is creativity sometimes you need to figure out how to set yourself apart from competitors it's up to marketers to highlight our brand's unique qualities and get customers attention in creative ways as you learn more about the different roles and responsibilities in digital marketing and e-commerce i hope you'll think of other ways you can bring your skills and experiences to the table by considering your strengths as you go through the program you'll be better equipped to convey them to potential employers the industry will change and grow as new technologies develop and you may need to learn new software or technologies but with transferable skills like curiosity and analytical mindset and storytelling you'll be sure to grow along with it [Music] hi there my name's erica and i'm a people consultant here at google known elsewhere in the industry as an hr business partner i help employees leaders and managers solve problems and focus on their career goals i also provide guidance along the way and i'll be doing the same thing for you in this program my journey to working in hr wasn't a straight line early in my career i held several roles in other industries including restaurant server and cashier i even handled auto insurance claims for a while these jobs might seem really different but they all taught me something about myself and what i wanted to do when i realized i had a passion for helping others in the area of learning and development my path became really clear now i'm excited to share my knowledge with you as you embark on the next stage of your own career in this video we'll cover some things you should know about the job landscape and a few things you can start to do right now that will help you advance your career digital marketing and e-commerce are some of the fastest growing industries out there today right now there are thousands of open roles around the world and millions of people are already working in similar positions many of those jobs didn't even exist five or ten years ago and even more will develop as new technologies emerge if you search any job board you'll find digital marketing and e-commerce roles at organizations of all sizes in just about every industry not just retail and consumer goods with opportunities in so many fields people in these roles can make an impact in a lot of different areas from education to health care and finance it also means you can pursue jobs in industries you care about love fashion technology entertainment all those industries need digital marketing and e-commerce specialists at the same time try to keep an open mind when searching for jobs your next role probably won't be your last so even if you don't start out in your ideal industry it can still help you build the career you want in addition to targeting certain industries you might also find you prefer some aspects of digital marketing or e-commerce more than others and that's great the strongest candidates have a broad knowledge of the fundamentals and a deep understanding of one or two specific areas so as you move through the program pay close attention to the topics and courses that engage you the most reflect on your strengths and think about what you want to do with them you might not have the answer yet but these questions will help you target roles that align with your career interests later even if you're not quite ready for a job search there are things you can do during this program to improve your prospects later on for example it's never too early to explore job descriptions for open roles as you consider your skills and the parts of the program you like best search job boards for roles in those areas make note of terms and skills that come up frequently for example you might find that certain roles often mention data analysis and reporting this information will help you learn industry terminology and find out where you might want to expand your skills once you have an idea of the roles you want to target you can start to identify past samples of work that demonstrate relevant experience have you written an essay or a story designed a website managed a budget or organized information in a spreadsheet another way you can put what you're learning into action is by starting to shape your public persona as a digital marketing or e-commerce specialist in other words by building your personal brand you can demonstrate your knowledge and skills through your social media accounts or personal website and might even end up with a few samples of work for your portfolio finally be sure to keep up with this program bit by bit until you reach the end by completing this series of courses you're investing in yourself your skills and your future you're doing it right now so just keep going [Music] so far you've learned about some of the skills and responsibilities digital marketing and e-commerce specialists might have and you've discovered a little about the job landscape now let's go a little deeper and explore two of the main paths you can pursue in your career in-house and agency positions some marketing roles are in-house meaning you work for a single company to market and sell their products for example i'm an in-house product marketing manager at google so i work on creating compelling video and social content for the think with google brand but if you'd like a little more variety working on different projects across multiple industries an agency role might be a good fit agencies partner with companies that don't have in-house marketing teams to fill their digital marketing and advertising needs there are pros and cons to both agency and in-house work and which one is right for you depends on what you want out of your career of course you don't have to commit to one forever and this program will help you prepare for both paths but there are some differences you should keep in mind as you consider your options as an in-house employee you get to know one company and its products extremely well you also gain deep knowledge and expertise in a specific industry so if you work for a cosmetics company your experience will translate most directly to a similar company on the other hand if you're the sort of person who likes working on a lot of different projects working with one company on one type of product might not be for you and if you do want to move to a different type of business your specialized experience can make it harder to break into a new sector now if you work for an agency you're unlikely to get bored because agency work is project based you get to collaborate on a variety of initiatives in multiple industries by working with different clients you can develop a broad and flexible expertise that will serve you at a variety of companies but that doesn't mean you can't specialize agencies tend to focus on a few different areas within marketing like social media or brand building so you can get to know certain skill sets very well but there can be downsides too the same variability that keeps agency work interesting can also make things unpredictable sometimes clients can surprise you with unexpected requests or ask you to do things in an unfamiliar way the hours can be longer too especially toward the end of a project of course every workplace is different and they won't all have the same advantages and disadvantages whichever path you choose whether it's the deep knowledge and stability of an in-house role or the broad knowledge and flexibility of agency work you'll gain valuable experience that can lead you to the next great opportunity congratulations on finishing this video from the google digital marketing and e-commerce certificate access the full experience on coursera including job search help and start earning the official certificate by clicking the icon or the link in the description watch the next video in the course by clicking here and subscribe to our channel for more lessons from google career certificate
