5 skills needed to succeed in digital marcomms in 2015

Specialist communications recruitment company VMA group has released a list of what it takes to be a successful digital marcomms managers today.According to Michelle Morgan, lead consultant at VMA Group, the digital marketing landscape is going through a transformation that is much like the beginning of the industrial revolution.“Everyone knew the use of machines would impact the way we worked, but no one was exactly clear how wide-ranging or fundamental the changes would be. The same is being seen with digital transformation," said Morgan.She added that currently there is no real clear indication as to just how this will evolve the role of a digital marcomms manager. While the marketing arena requires multiple abilities, the specialist communications recruiter has identified five key skills that are set to be in high demand over the next twelve months."In essence, professionals now need to be more of an evangelist of new marketing communications practices, than a manager in the traditional sense,” she added.1) An understanding of the full digital marketing mix The digital marcomms manager of 2015 needs to demonstrate that he or she understands all channels and how they complement each other in order to develop an integrated approach to channel management. This will range from PPC (pay-per-click) to SEO (search engine optimisation), across free and paid for platforms, and everything in between.2) Writing abilities There is high demand for content creation experts who can act as a brand’s ‘story teller’. Good copy is the key to successful communications today, particularly with Google now rewarding well written articles in its search rankings. The best professionals will need to demonstrate they can create imaginative, engaging, ‘sticky’ content that is tailored to each channel.3) Analytics Rather than just being able to use software and online platforms, professionals now need to understand the analytics behind the technology used to support marketing activity. This includes being able to gain actionable insight from big data and demonstrate ROI to the board.4) Social skills As there are so many channels available now, an individual can't be expected to know the ins and outs of each one, but the highly sought after managers are those able to use their knowledge and their network to identify and prioritise the best platforms. This includes the ability to develop a channel strategy that moves away from brand ‘spam’ and encourages more engagement.5) Resource management capabilities Digital marcomms managers now need to be more strategic in their approach and able to manage all resources at their disposal - from internal teams to external agencies. In essence, the successful practitioner of today must demonstrate a high level of business acumen.